Attribute #12 - Enthusiasm

Wyatt was so excited to come to earth, that he decided to come a month early. We're so happy he did; it gave us an extra month to enjoy his wonderfully enthusiastic nature.

He puts his whole heart into everything he does, and is really good at focusing on tasks that he enjoys. We're so grateful that he enjoys things like paying his tithing and going to school.

Enthusiasm: lively interest; absorbing possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit

Galatians 4:18

It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.

D&C 58:27

Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.

As you can see, there aren't really any scriptures with the word "enthusiasm" in them, but these two are great descriptions of someone who enthusiastically chooses the right.

Plugging "enthusiasm" into the search bar at lds.org doesn't yield a lot of information either. However, this little excerpt, from an article on how to teach your children the gospel when they seem bored and distracted, was quite interesting. I especially liked the etymology lesson at the beginning.

Be enthusiastic. The word enthusiasm stems from words that literally mean “having God within us.” How essential inspiration is! Without it, and the enthusiasm it generates, our teaching can die from a lack of spirit.

Enthusiasm begins with prayer, which invites the Spirit into our hearts. It continues with dedicated preparation. Nothing kills enthusiasm as fear does, and the antidote to fear is preparation (see D&C 38:30). Keeping things simple also helps. Like Nephi of old, children delight in plainness and simplicity (see 2 Ne. 25:4).

I can see all of these traits in Wyatt, and I look forward to seeing them increase as he grows older.