What e'er thou art act well thy part...

This past weekend my family all headed to bear lake. We had a blast playing games, eating yummy treats, staying up late, swimming, hot tubing and just being together!

My mom asked my brother if he would please plan a family home evening for everyone. Anyone who knows my brother knows he is kind of a church history genius...at least I think he is! He planned an amazing family night and I just had to share it. Although he tied it in to church principles it really is meant for anyone...member or non-member.

On his mission in Scotland, David O. McKay had an experience that gave him the motto which he used his entire life. After he and his companion returned from visiting Stirling Castle, they passed a building where the stone above the door had a carved inscription: "What-e'er thou art, act well thy part." This message struck David O. McKay forcefully, and he decided to devote himself completely to always do his best in whatever responsibility he had.Aside from the motto engraved at the top, the symbols and shapes create an intriguing puzzle, If any symbol is not in its right place, the puzzle has no meaning. When understood it gives a whole new perspective to the motto.The actual stone is now on display in the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Look at the puzzle and see if you can figure it out. Each square on the puzzle represents a number. If you add the sums of the squares together it should equal 18 no matter which way you add it (up or down). I will give you the answer just because I want you to see how amazing this really is. I thought it was similar to a sudoku puzzle. Starting with the hand the #'s go as 5, 10, 3 (18), the next row is 4, 6, 8, once again(18) and the last row, 9, 2, 7 which if added gives you again (18). Now try adding the other way starting from the top...5, 4, 9 and what do you get...18!

So you are probably wondering why this was such an amazing lesson. You see he tried to make the point that whatever we are...no matter what...just be your best. If you are a 2 be the very best 2 you can be. If you are an 8 then be an 8! If I am a 2 and decide for one reason or another that it isn't good enough and that I want to be a 10 then what would happen?!? You guessed it the puzzle wouldn't work!

So often we compare ourselves to others and think we don't measure up, that we aren't good enough or smart enough or pretty, or thin enough... but we are! We need to stop worrying what other numbers are thinking and be the very best "Number" we can be! I am a 4 I will never be a 5 or a 6 or even a 10! I just need to be happy being a 4 and remember "What e'er thou art, act well thy part!"