A Great Analogy

This is not a Stargazing Club Jacket. It's just a pretty one from Anthropologie.

Yesterday, we attended a really good Regional Conference. Elder Oaks and his wife both spoke. There were many single church members in attendance and Elder Oaks shared an excellent and funny analogy illustrating what it can be like for single members of the church. I thought I'd share it with you.


Imagine that your favorite hobby is stargazing and you’ve just joined a stargazing club. You come to your first club activity eager to participate. It’s a cold night, but you’re not concerned: most of the club members are wearing club jackets, and you’ve been told you should be able to get one as well. But there is no jacket for you. You ask about it, and you are told to keep looking and that if you do your best, you will find a jacket when the time is right.

Meanwhile, you are getting pretty cold and a little worried. And you notice that most of the other club members are talking about how nice and warm their jackets are. In fact, throughout the evening the topic surfaces continually in various forms: how to wash and dry your jacket, how to add extra pockets, how to mend it, and so forth. Some of the club members notice you don’t have a jacket. “You really need a jacket for these activities,” they tell you. “Why don’t you have one yet?”

I'm certainly glad I have my club jacket, but it really made me feel for those I know who are waiting for theirs. Wish I could hand out a good one for everyone still waiting for theirs.