STIMULATOR message for the week of October 26, 1971
Message from President Eugene C. Ludwig, dated October 26, 1971.
“THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MUD PUDDLE AND A GEYSER IS ENTHUSIASM!” “600” in 1971
Dear Companions,
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm — it moves stones, it charms brutes. Enthusiasm is the genius of sincerity. And truth accomplished no victories without it.” (William H. Bulwar) Just what does this word ‘enthusiasm’ mean? How do I get it?
Enthusiasm comes from the Greek word “THEOS” meaning “filled with the spirit of God”. An enthusiastic missionary is excited about the work; not excited in the sense of displaying frivolity or loud laughter, but excited because of the fact that he is truly ‘filled’ with the spirit of God and excited because he is about his Father’s business.
To be enthusiastic is to be spiritually-minded. To be spiritually-minded is to be humble. To be humble is to refrain from personal recognition. To refrain from personal recognition demands absolute dedication. When you achieve absolute dedication, you will become enthusiastic. So you can shorten your road to enthusiasm by starting right now to become absolutely dedicated to this work.
Your contacts want reassurance. They want to catch your enthusiasm and, given the chance, will reach out for it. Nothing will banish fear and build confidence in you and the gospel of Jesus Christ like enthusiasm. It sharpens the imagination and generates positive thinking at the moment of decision. Enthusiasm stimulates motivation. It enables one to turn a difference of opinion into complete agreement. It is good for gaining attention, fine for arousing interest, excellent for creating desire and has no equal as a closing force in securing a commitment for baptism. Remember — “A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.”
In Doctrine and Covenants 15:6 we read: “And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the Kingdom of my Father.”
May the Lord’s choicest blessing be with all of you.
Sincerely yours,
President Eugene C. Ludwig
“Enthusiasm is not a gift or talent bestowed by nature upon a selected few. It belongs to all who will use it…” AWARD OF EXCELLENCE — Elder Kirk Braegger
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