Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, recently shared a sweet story on Facebook that might bring to mind people from your own ward or branch.
President Lund writes of Don Gardner, a 92-year-old man in his ward who offers an example of service to all Latter-day Saints. Don’s offering is a seemingly simple one but watching his consistency for the past 30 years has made an impact on President Lund.
“While many members are hurrying away to dinner [after church], we always see him, … walking through the cultural hall gathering armloads of chairs and putting them away,” he writes.
Don acts out of love for the Savior and for his fellow Saints, says President Lund, and is often the last person to leave the building after tidying up the church each week. The Lund family has come to respect Don the way they respect the stake president, the bishop, and the Relief Society president because “each shows up, stays on, and prepares for Him.”
President Lund isn’t the only one to have noticed and been touched by Don’s service—several people left comments on their own love for Don.
“As a youth I remember him always caring for the church and making sure we learned to show honor for it, too,” James Bartlett writes.
Steven and Amanda Lewis write, “I love Brother Gardner. I have impactful memories of him … always being the one to put his shoulder to the wheel in doing the simple small tasks as if his life depended on it. He is a saint of steel!” And Karen Mitchell added, “He has cared for and watched over that meeting house the way we all should. He treats it with respect because it is a house of God. … I have thought often of Don and wondered how he is doing. He was always a great example to me.”
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President Lund ends his post by stating the world needs more “Doer Dons,” and asks, “What is one thing you can do each week to say you aren’t leaving until it’s done?”
See the full post below.
