I love the way this classic children’s story was retold by James E. Faust…
“I first heard the wonderful story of The Little Engine That Could when I was about 10 years old. As a child, I was interested in the story because the train cars were filled with toy animals, toy clowns, jackknives, puzzles, and books as well as delicious things to eat. However, the engine that was pulling the train over the mountain broke down. The story relates that a big passenger engine came by and was asked to pull the cars over the mountain, but he wouldn’t condescend to pull the little train. Another engine came by, but he wouldn’t stoop to help the little train over the mountain because he was a freight engine. An old engine came by, but he would not help because, he said, “I am so tired. … I can not. I can not. I can not.” Then a little blue engine came down the track, and she was asked to pull the cars over the mountain to the children on the other side. The little engine responded, “I’m not very big. … They use me only for switching in the yard. I have never been over the mountain.” But she was concerned about disappointing the children on the other side of the mountain if they didn’t get all of the goodies in the cars. So she said, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” And she hooked herself to the little train. “Puff, puff, chug, chug, went the Little Blue Engine. ‘I think I can—I think I can—I think I can—I think I can—I think I can—I think I can—I think I can.’” With this attitude, the little engine reached the top of the mountain and went down the other side, saying, “I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could.”
At times all of us are called upon to stretch ourselves and do more than we think we can. I’m reminded of President Theodore Roosevelt’s quip, “I am only an average man but, by George, I work harder at it than the average man.” We develop our talents first by thinking we can.” – James E. Faust
– What are the “mountains” in your life that seem too big for you to handle?
– What is waiting for you once you get to the other side of your mountain?
– What did you learn from the story of ” The Little Engine That Could”?
– How do your “thoughts” play a role in conquering (or not conquering) your mountains?
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I would love to use this in my Young Women’s lesson. I’d like to print off the quote as a handout. If you are OK with that, would you be willing to share a larger version of it? Thank you!
Hi! This quote is amazing and perfect for our RS activity later this month. Would you be willing to send me a larger version? Thanks in advance, you are so creative 🙂