Sunday, August 14, 2011

MEANINGFUL REPETITION LEADS TO MASTERY

A sweet old lady forgets to turn off the water in the bathtub, which when she returns to the bathroom is running over on the floor. Not knowing what to do, she rushes to the phone and calls the plumber and is informed he will be right out.

A few minutes later she looks at her list of things to do and realizes she is supposed to go grocery shopping that morning. She immediately grabs her keys and drives to the store.

The plumber shortly arrives and knocks at the door and the sweet old lady’s parrot responds in its best parrot voice, “Who is it?” The plumber responds, “It’s the plumber!”

The parrot responds, “Who is it.” Louder the plumber responds, “It’s the plumber!!”

The parrot responds, “Who is it?” Now shouting the plumber yells, “IT’S THE PLUMBER!!”

The parrot responds, “Who is it?” The plumber now exasperated and turning red in the face, fills his lungs and is about to screech with all his might when he passes out cold on the door step.

Shortly thereafter the sweet old lady returns and seeing the plumber out cold on the step and says, “Who is it?” The parrot responds, “It’s the plumber!”

I can’t remember when or who first told me this joke (maybe Buddy Hackett), but I have used it numerous times during my life in talks and to remind myself that thoughts, words and actions constantly repeated become habitual.

We are constantly reminded in all areas of our lives about the disastrous results if those thoughts, words and actions are negative.

“As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Besides the decay which comes to the great God-given gift of our minds, there is a great danger as we constantly think about the base behaviors of mortals, that before long these thoughts begin to be part of our vocabulary and actions. Although the final judgment has not been made, more and more data seem to indicate that predatory and violent actions are predicated on an extended exposure to deviant and destructive materials.

Vulgar and profane words repeated often enough, become lodged in our minds so firmly that our speech is soon filled with filth and it becomes almost impossible for us to engage in an intelligent conversation. It is interesting to me to listen to people who are able to moderate their speech on network television, but on cable every sentence is punctuated with garbage words.

Addictive and self-destructive behaviors do not take control of one’s life because of the first sip, but because of the ensuing gulps. There has been a lot of discussion about certain people having a greater propensity toward being controlled by stimuli. Personally, I think we are all capable of falling prey to any substance or stimulus we ingest either through our mouths, our noses, our eyes, our ears or our arms.

Luckily, this same habit forming phenomenon can be a force which will cause us to have lives filled with uplifting thoughts, words and actions.
If I carefully filter that which I allow to enter my mind, I will probably find my thoughts are becoming more elevated, and uplifting. One of the added bonuses I realize as I screen those things imputed into my mind is that I become more positive toward people, more universal in my thinking about the brotherhood of mankind, and more tolerant and forgiving in my relationships.

As I eliminate my reliance on vulgar vocal pauses in my verbiage, I find that I have less need to retract my statements and others find our conversations more engaging. One of the beautiful things that I find happening is that if I purge my words of the vulgar and profane, those with whom I am conversing soon seem to respond in kind.

Although repentance has become somewhat of a negative term in our politically correct society, I have found that quick and complete repentance is the greatest safeguard against yielding my agency to some substance or other addictive stimulus. I also firmly believe that repeated positive actions lead to character development and a more fulfilled life. Prayer becomes easier and more sincere as we become dedicated to frequently repeating the process. Scripture reading, searching and pondering results in astounding benefits as it is daily adhered too. Service fills the soul and enlarges our capacities as we frequently seek opportunities to help a brother or sister. Career and church calling success results from regular productive work in our appointed stewardship.

Successful golfers become so because they have repeated the correct movements of the fundamentals of their swing until their minds, nerves, muscles and joints have developed the memory sufficient to repeat the same swing time after time regardless of the conditions and stresses where it is to be used. If the golfer repeats unsound techniques they will never be able to have repetitious desired successful results. Although it may be true that as the mind, nerves, muscles and joints begin to deteriorate the once ingrained movements are modified and in some cases lost; nevertheless, there are moments when all seems to be restored in a blissful moment and we witness a ball flying long, straight and true.

I have confidence that all those attributes and characteristics we have developed into our souls memory will be restored to the eternal us. May we be wise and strive to form that being which emulates Godliness and not devilishness.

15 comments:

  1. Thank you for the insightful comments. It is easy to see how our simple day-to-day choices can add up over time leading in a good direction or in a bad direction. The repetition of our actions really does create our habits. Thanks.

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  2. muy lindo e inspirador,

    muchas gracias,

    Claudia Carolina Pardo A.

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  3. Choice, Bill

    Regards,
    Bill Bergerl

    PS: Remember to hit a draw around the trees on the first hole! Maybe repetition will help here also!

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  4. Queridos hermanos Bill & Kathy:Muchas gracias por sus pensamientos los cuales disfrutamos cada semana leyendolos y meditandolos.Me gusto el cuento del Plomero y el Loro me dio mucha risa.

    Abrazos.
    Armando Gomez

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  5. Proverbs 22:6

    New American Standard Bible (NASB)


    6 Train up a child [a]in the way he should go,
    Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

    They were the potters, we were the clay.
    Then we were the potters, molding clay.
    Now they are potters shaping new clay.

    On and on spins the potter's wheel of life.

    Only once in a few generations do events of such magnitude unfold, or does a person of such influence appear on life's stage to change the course of a culture over a generation or perhaps two; or some part of the whole which will eventually change the whole. The advent of the machine (industrial revolution) comes to mind which brought the rise of the proletariat and democracy to the world. (often people look to the American Revolution, but that was simply a result) Joseph Smith is a person who's personal influence comes to mind, Jesus is another (even more significant we would contend :).

    For the remainder of us, whether dumb sheep who simply wag and follow, or smart, insightful and charismatic, we shape as we have been shaped. Whether rebellious rogues or supportive disciples, we live mostly as a result of the time we spent on the wheel of some potter; whether for good or no.

    Successful enduring organizations, (military, religious, whatever) know the value of repetition. Redundancy is the key to learning; most especially, ingrained learning.

    What if someone wishes to find freedom from the rigid form he or she finds themselves to be; to have become. Is there a secret to change?

    There are at least two, indeed, not secrets at all: first, is desire to change. (from the Christian perspective, think, recognition of sin, repentance and desire for redemption. But I'm speaking more generally here). Second, we are what we have become; and are becoming. Although we are not as malleable as when we were younger, we are still capable of change. And the more we allow change, the more malleable we become (within some arthritic limits :(.

    "Man was born free, yet we find him everywhere in chains." Our chains are those of organizations to which we belong, of our friends, and most importantly our family. Regretfully the chains we now find ourselves in we ourselves have molded on our own wheels. We made our bonds; with what "pride" we reflect on our work!

    Paul Maddox

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  6. Hi Riley's,

    I Enjoyed your thoughts very much this Sunday. I was sorry to hear that surgery lies ahead for you Bill. Take the time you need to get better, and we will welcome you back with open arms when you return. I'll be interested to read your "Thought" about this experience in the future....

    Best Regards,

    Tom Borgquist

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  7. Bell, I enjoyed what you had to say about repetition and language. As a young missionary in El Salvador – about a year into my mission – my Spanish was getting pretty good I thought. We had a young teenage investigator that complimented me on how well I spoke but he said my Spanish was very textbook. He said I should use more idiomatic expressions and it would endear me to the people if I did. He gave me about honey words and in what context they should be used. I memorize them and was giving a discussion to a lady and her four children – a contact. At one point in the discussion I used one of my new Spanish words and all of the little children started laughing and rolling on the floor. The mother's face went scarlet red and she said to me that she had heard that word many times but never thought she would ever hear it from the lips of a Mormon Elder. I took my list of words to a trusted member of the branch and had him go over the words with me. His face also turned red as he began to laugh and cross every word off of my list. The young man apparently had given to me 20th the most while Spanish swear words you can imagine. The interesting thing is that from that day until the end of my mission I constantly heard those words out on the street. Before I learned the words – although they undoubtedly were being spoken all around me – never heard them. What a lesson of life that was to me and has been ever since. We just can't afford to let garbage get into our minds can link? Thanks for reminding me of that experience. I worry about our grandchildren and what they are exposed to at school and in the media.

    Jack Rushton

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  8. I always love what you write.. Thanks for sending them my way! Connie Coconuts(as Nan Marshall remembers me by)!

    Michael Connie Packer

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  9. Thanks again kids.....we love you

    Bruce Ford

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  10. This was such a good one!!!! I needed three of the things in this email for one of the people i share these emails with. Thank you for being so inspired and for touching us each and every week!!!

    Rosemary Mitchell

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  11. Dear Brother Riley:

    Do you know that every thought you sent each week is what I needed most. It seems that you are inspired to uplift me and guide me through my trials. I am grateful for your friendship and teaching. I have so much to learn and to be kind in my thoughts and actions.

    Love,

    Daisy Ryan

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  12. Gracias por tus pensamientos!
    Los estoy compartiendo con mi esposo y una amiga.
    Les ha gustado mucho tambien gracias!
    Que Dios los bendiga!

    Angela Maria Stuart Chaparro.

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  13. Muchas gracias, siempre los leo detenidamente y me inspiran. Aprendo. Gracias nuevamente.

    Alexander Ospina Rubio

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  14. Brother Riley I just want to thank you for including me on your e mail list. I love getting your e mails every Sunday morning. They seem to always be exactly what I need. They are so uplifting and through tough times its needed. Thanks again Katie

    Brother Riley
    I just want to thank you for including me on your e mail list. I love getting your e mails every Sunday morning. They seem to always be exactly what I need. They are so uplifting and through tough times its needed.

    Thanks again

    Katie Sayegh

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