From Deseret News archives:
MormonSpeak: Joyfully overwhelmed
As the newest member of the First Presidency, he had to know that every media eye was upon him well, OK, him and President Monson. But rather than playing it cool, he smiled a smile that perfectly expressed what he was feeling inside something he later characterized as being �joyfully overwhelmed.�
I could relate to that. Having been �joyfully overwhelmed� a few times in my life, I knew exactly how that felt. And even if I hadn�t actually felt it myself a time or two, I would have understood it perfectly because it was so clearly written on his face with that smile.
My second-most favorite moment of the press conference was also courtesy of President Uchtdorf. Right after he talked about being �joyfully overwhelmed� he testified that �I know this call comes from God because human beings would have had a difficult time to do the same.�
Who hasn�t thought that when an especially challenging calling has been issued? Like when I was called to be a Scoutmaster. For the third time. And I don't even like camping.
�I know this call must have come from the Lord,� I told my wife, Anita, �because nobody else would have called me to this calling for the third time, especially after the way I messed it the first two times.�
So OK, President Uchtdorf didn't exactly say anything about messing up. But the sentiment is the same. Or at least similar.
And I guess that�s part of the beauty of the Lord�s method of gospel governance. Even though few of us will ever know what it feels like to be a newly called member of the First Presidency, we all know how it feels to be �joyfully overwhelmed� by a new calling. New bishops are almost always �joyfully overwhelmed.� So are new Sunbeam teachers. And our new ward mission leader, himself a member for less than two years, confessed that his first thought upon being called to his position was: �You�ve got to be kidding.�
Which is essentially saying, �I�m joyfully overwhelmed.� Only with shorter words.















