A Great Task Laid Upon the Backs Of Simple Youth

Today in Seminary we read a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley that was given at the dedication of the Gordon B. Hinckley building at BYU Idaho on October 22, 2002.  The whole talk was absolutely brilliant, but one part stood out to me in particular.  He said (speaking to the youth) "There is no end in sight for the good you can do.  Do you know it?  You are just simple kids.  You are not geniuses.  I know that.  But the work of the world isn't done by geniuses.  It is done by ordinary people who have learned to work in an extraordinary way people of your kind who can do these things."

Hearing this reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by J.R.R Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings. “The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet it is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: Small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” - J.R.R. Tolkien 

One of the most prominent themes in The Lord of the Rings is how by "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..."  (Alma 37:6)  As youth, we have a great responsibility and work to do just as Frodo and Sam.  Our generation is counting us.  This responsibility is ours and we cannot change that. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”  - J.R.R Tolkien  

Of course, we cannot do it alone.  But nothing is impossible with the Lord.  "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:2  

The amount of good we can accomplish is infinite.  We must only trust in Christ the Lord.