More Weighty Matters

A mission president is called by God to oversee a group of missionaries in a particular geographic area. President McKee, my mission president, hails from Pocatello, Idaho and oversees around 160 missionaries in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He is an endless source of wisdom and truth and love. Just like a good father he teaches me and others by example, showing in his words and in his actions how to be a good Christian in these troubled days.

Recently I performed with a missionary choir in Nashville. As we prepared to sing I found President McKee picking up trash that had been unfortunately strewn about the church kitchen. I paused to help. Almost immediately he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Elder Barton, we should be out in the chapel shaking hands." He talked about the familiar story of Mary and Martha (for a quick refresher, click here) and said, "We're doing Martha things and we need to be doing Mary things." His counsel echoed a favorite scripture—

[Why] covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?

I will never forget that little encounter. In less than a minute my mission president delivered a powerful sermon on priorities, faith and charity. He did it without saying more than a few words. And he did it with love, as he always does.

I'm grateful for a special leader who wisely taught me a lesson I shall ever remember—it is important to prioritize spiritual matters first. When we put the Savior first, everything else falls into place.

MORE ONLINE
Good, Better, Best, Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others, Gregory A. Schwitzer
We Are Sowing, Hymns #216