Seeking to Escape the Rigors of School

Seeking to escape the rigors of school
Through inordinate amounts of service
Into church programs his efforts did pool
With a mistaken notion of purpose

And on every clipboard that passed
Or for every activity offered
His name was written there fast
And how his school work suffered

Then, through a process of neglect
His assignments were incomplete
But with a mote too big to detect
He blamed the church for goals he could not meet

During the student years
Shall the burden of the call
Bring one to fatigue and tears?
No, never and not at all

Always through wisdom and order
One needs to communicate
That when a deadline does border
It is time to delegate


Singularly select a major
Then let it be your major focus
Lest of your talents you wager
There to truly know what broke is

Dallin H. Oaks
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
Inordinate Church Service
Ensign, October 1994, 11