bigger or better

I just had two neighbor girls knock on my door as part of the game bigger or better. The purpose of the game is to trade something they have for something I have, which might be bigger or better. I was happy to participate and grateful to get rid of an unsold garage sale item. Their knock on the door pulled me away from watching a you-tube video of a young man opening his mission call while on trek. It was pretty cool, and I was touched by the spirit of the moment like the thousands of other strangers who were invited to witness the big dramatic call to serve.

I wonder. . .  as members of the church are we are caught up in a game of BIGGER or BETTER? As I have observed the preparation of our ward's summer youth activities it seems that everything has to be Bigger or Better. Trek has become a million dollar production (at least that's what we've spent) with costumes and props. Our ward young men camp could be called SURVIVOR--Zion. Seminary is a year long EFY. Don't get me wrong, it's all good stuff; but I wonder if in our quest to be Bigger and Better we have forgotten to teach that "by small and simple things great things are brought to pass." In our Bigger and Better world will my children learn to hear the still small voice? Will they recognize the weak and the simple servants of God? Will they understand the power of faith as small as a mustard seed?