"What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?" -- Elder Lynn G. Robbins

This entire talk is talking about the difference between doing and being. They both go hand in hand. Elder Robbins says:

"To do without to be is hypocrisy, or feigning to be what one is not -- a pretender...Be without do really isn't being -- it is self-deception."

I feel a lot of people, including myself sometimes, fall victim to this disharmony between doing and being. Sister Helton, a senior missionary in Winnipeg, declared that true happiness is found when what you say and what you do are the same. And I might add that what you do and who you are are also the same.

Elder Robbins puts out an interesting thought:

"Many of us create to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? To do's are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done. You can't earn checkmarks with to be's. I can take my wife out for a lovely evening this friday, which is a to do. But being a good husband is not an event; it needs to be part of my nature -- my character, or who I am."

Ya know, I think this idea of a "to be" list is a great one. Here are just a few of mine:

1) BE a great friend -- think of other's first

2) BECOME a caring wife and patient mother

3) BE a disciple of Christ

Obviously there is so much more to become, but those were just a few thoughts.

To be is much more difficult than to do; however, to be begins with to do. For instance, Elder Robbins talks about being a good husband. How does he become a good husband? By doing things for his wife and family. His character, his being, causes him to do good things in the home, thus reinforcing his being as a good husband.

This is why to do and to be must be in harmony, because they work together.

I hope that I can do many good things in order to become who I want to be.