Yesterday I read an article by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf--Brother, I'm Committed-- in the July 2011 Liahona magazine. Even though he was speaking to an LDS audience I feel that the message can also apply to Esperanza stakeholders. He started the article by sharing the following story:
Two young brothers stood atop a small cliff that overlooked the pristine waters of a blue lake. This was a popular diving spot, and the brothers had often talked about making the jump—something they had seen others do.
Although they both wanted to make the jump, neither one wanted to be first. The height of the cliff wasn’t that great, but to the two young boys, it seemed the distance increased whenever they started to lean forward—and their courage was fading fast.
Finally, one brother put one foot at the edge of the cliff and moved decisively forward. At that moment his brother whispered, “Maybe we should wait until next summer.”
The first brother’s momentum, however, was already pulling him forward. “Brother,” he responded, “I’m committed!”
He splashed into the water and surfaced quickly with a victorious shout. The second brother followed instantly. Afterward, they both laughed about the first boy’s final words before plunging into the water: “Brother, I’m committed.”
Pres. Uchtdorf went on to say, "Commitment is a little like diving into the water. Either you are committed or you are not. Either you are moving forward or you are standing still. There’s no halfway...we must ask ourselves, 'Will I dive in or just stand at the edge? Will I step forward or merely test the temperature of the water with my toes?'... Those who only intend to commit may find excuses at every turn. "Pres. Uchtdorf ended the article with a German proverb to emphasize his message: “Promises are like the full moon. If they are not kept at once, they diminish day by day.”
If Esperanza is going to be all that it can be AND needs to be, we need people who dive in and are committed.
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