"Out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:33)

I have been doing physical therapy (or PT-for pain and torture, as one friend called it) to aide in the recovery of my shoulder surgery these past couple of weeks. There is a lot of very small movements involved with PT. These small movements actually, when properly and regularly done, make a great difference. A month ago I could only move my arm about two inches from my side, and it was horribly painful. Well, I have made progress. I can almost lift my arm to shoulder height, almost, with not quite as much pain. Those small movements do make a big difference! This, of course, led me to thinking about the power in doing "small and simple things" (Alma 37:6).

Small and simple things...what exactly does that mean when it comes to living the gospel and being a disciple of Christ daily? For me, it has come to mean that I make time to do the things that everyone sometimes thinks as "the same old answers". This would include: praying (see D&C 31:12; D&C 88:126; 3 Nephi 18:19; Luke 18:1; 3 Nephi 18:18; ), personal scripture study (see 2 Nephi 32:3; 2 Nephi 31:20; D&C 26:1), acting in faith (see Romans 1:17; James 2:18; D&C 8:10; Moroni 7:25-26; Alma 44:4), or repenting (see 3 Nephi 11:17; Moses 6:50; D&C 19:4; Mosiah 4:10; Ezekiel 18:30-31; Matt. 3:2) to list just a few of those "same old answers". These small and simple things that are taught over and over in church, and by our parents and leaders, well, these are what bring "great things...to pass" (Alma 37:6).

Doing my PT exercises daily has made great improvements in my physical ability to move my arm. This is the same with doing the small things that God has given us to do. When we exercise faith by doing the small things over time we "see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things" (1 Nephi 16:29). I'll be honest, it took me a little bit of time to understand this concept with PT. I wanted to see incredible changes overnight. And I really wanted to do just one big thing, not a bunch of small things (see 2 Kings 5:13). I may get weary of doing the exercises, the same small things over and over, but Wow! they make a great difference. Therefore, this I testify that as we "be not weary in well-doing" we will truly come to know that "out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:33).