Army Tanks and Eternal Perfection

This summer I'm working for a company that makes vehicles for the army. The vehicle I'm working on is called the HERCULES (which is actually an acronym), which is basically a large tow trunk for tanks - it weighs 70 tons and can tow, hoist, and lift an entire army tank or pull it out of a ditch, etc. The company has been making the vehicle since about the 70's.  There are currently about 300 or so in the army, and more in the Marines and other international allies. We just received a 12.something million dollar contract to make more.

Even though the HERCULES vehicle has been in production for over 40 years, it is STILL in the design process!  There are at least 50 engineers who every day, year after year, continue to work on the vehicle. In fact, every week there is a meeting with about 15 different leaders, managers, and Army representatives who discuss an 18-page agenda of 50+ items that are currently being worked on. 

I find this incredible!  After so many years, there is STILL an amazingly huge effort to improve and perfect the vehicle, and it is a massive effort and process.

Of course, the same could be said of us.  We've been around for a number of years, and have pretty much become who we're going to be for the rest of our lives - we've defined our careers and personalities, etc. I will always be who I am now. The tank will still be a tank. But the tank will be a better tank.  And I can be a better me.

We too can undergo this massive and incredible improvement project - in one day becoming perfect like our Heavenly Father - one day at a time. Like all the engineers working together on the tank, we can't do this alone. We need the support and love of our family, friends, church leaders, and most surely the Holy Ghost's watchful direction and Heavenly Father's loving care and Jesus Christ's enabling power of the Atonement.  Our gradual improvement process can be as detailed and recorded and goal and task- orientated as the tank's.  We can't afford to be blase about our personal extreme make over - that of growing more like Christ, line upon line, one decision at a time. Goals help us get there by first defining our success, and then pushing us towards a finish line.  Without goals, we may end up in the same spot, but with no clear finish line, we'll feel unfilled.  Goals therefore help us to be happy!

If it's worth a total-to-date cost of 1.4 billion dollars to improve some army tow-tanks, it's worth every bit of sincere effort on our part to improve our lives each day, in the tiniest ways, to one day receive the Greatest Gift:  all the Father hath!