A lot of time  when I think of heroes I often think that they were just bursting forth with talent and had few private challenges to contend with as they made a place for themselves onto the pages of history. I think that is one of the reasons I have always had a special warm spot for the founding father of John Adams.

I realize the other historical figures had private short comings but because of the saved correspondence between John and his wife Abigail, Americans are able to tap into the private lives of this figure. He was stubborn. Have we ever considered that a personality trait that is usually considered a negative can be a good thing? Here is an example of how stubberness can be used for good. I point this out because so many of us only see our short comings. Maybe we should consider how our different personality traists can be used for good.

One usually considers stubbornness to be a negative trait. But let’s combine that trait with fairness and courage. In the 1700s when John was a lawyer. There was a skirmish between the citizens of the Boston and the British soldiers. The soldiers were accused of murder. The colonials looked forward to having these men executed. Stubborn, John Adams was the man who possessed the courage to defend these men. He recognized that a man shouldn’t be judged as guilty until a jury indicted him as such. The citizens thought that John was being a traitor for being the lawyer for the British. John Adams didn’t want emotion to interfere with justice. After the jury, it was found that these men were innocent.

Another time that John Adams was known for stubbornness was during the time for the colonies deciding to sever themselves from British rule. He was instrumental in the founding of America. He was persistent on certain things being included in the founding of a government.

In the book of Mormon, a second testament to Christ, one of my most favorite references to history, is Captain Moroni. He got ticked about how things were going in his country. He had two choices he could either sit around and complain or get off his tuckis and do something about it.

Alma 46:

11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

John Adams and General Moron were both great men of character. But what about us? It is so easy to get discouraged about our personal shortcomings. We can wallow so deep in our negative self-esteem that we don’t see the light of our positive traits. Bouts of depression is something that many of us have to contend with.

The reason I bring up John Adams is to illustrate how in spite of his shortcomings, he accomplished so much. We don’t realize what each of us are capable of so much. Heavenly father sees our worth. He loved us so much that he permitted his son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins.

I know how discouraged I get when I make a mistake or I have a habit that I have to constantly work on breaking. Or I have done some activity that I know that heavenly father wouldn’t appreciate. It would be nice if we could have an interesting new problem each week. Instead we might have to contend with the same old problem, month after month, or maybe year after year, will we have to constantly struggle to overcome a certain problem. But we often have a challenge that may take a long time to overcome. Heavenly father wants us to keep trying and work toward perfection.

We can get discouraged when we don’t accomplish instant righteousness. John Adams shows me that in spite of some personality shortcomings, he accomplished so much in his life. He was a key component to the founding of the nation. I encourage each of us to take heart and maybe see how what we might consider to be flaws might be used for good if directed in the right way.

Do you have a person you admire who you know has short comings yet have succeeded in something? Please feel free to give an example or provide details.