The greeting on his home phone's answering machine lets callers know exactly how George Durrant's day is going.And it never requires rerecording.That's because at age 76, Durrant just keeps having his "best day so far.""One day I just thought, 'This is my best day,'" said the 76-year-old retired educator. "This is the only day I've got, so this is my best one."Durrant has been sharing that same message for decades, whether it's on the phone, in person or in print. He came up with the phrase while seeking a more colorful response to the simple question, "How are you?" With pursuits that have included being a teacher, author, artist, speaker, missionary, mission president and, at times, comedian, Durrant has been afforded numerous opportunities to talk about his "best day so far" — a phrase that has become as much life philosophy as it is personal greeting."If I say it, then I have to make it come true," he said. "You can't live in a lot of not-best days."Most of Durrant's "best days" have been spent in professional and personal service within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following a church mission to England, marriage and military service, Durrant, who grew up in American Fork, began teaching seminary in Brigham City. There, he was able to work with American Indian students and even wrote curriculum in Navajo.In subsequent years, Durrant has worked in various capacities within the Church Educational System and church administration, and has had two different teaching stints at Brigham Young University. He has also been a mission president twice, once in the Kentucky-Tennessee area and once at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, and served a CES mission in Toronto.Durrant and his wife, Marilyn, raised eight children. He supplemented his educator salary by authoring books, and his first offering, "Love at Home, Starring Father" in 1976, started what would become a prolific writing career.But for a man who has compiled a wealth of best days while inspiring classrooms, congregations and readers, Durrant describes his life in unspectacular terms. He views himself as an underdog — a fact he thinks appeals to his audience."I was always a little-guy's teacher," he said. "I wasn't All-State. Most people aren't, so I relate to them ... I always talk to the underdog and discovered that everyone considers themselves an underdog."As a teacher, Durrant felt he couldn't match the scholarly prowess of his campus colleagues. He didn't excel at teaching doctrine, and he'd often walk to class feeling as if he had nothing to offer students.What he did do, though, was spend hours trying to memorize the names of students and build friendships. He focused on helping others apply the gospel and "feel the joy of following the commandments," he said. While he was often insecure entering the classroom, he always left feeling "elated."Durrant describes his life's work as being more about heart than intellect — with a little humor mixed in."I've always wished I was smarter," he said. "I was smart enough ... but I found out that you can't be both handsome and smart."I've taught out of my heart, I've written out of my heart and I've raised my kids out of my heart ... I just can't do anything without doing it with my whole heart and sometimes running faster than I had strength."Durrant is now settled into a more relaxed pace. His health is good, and he has enjoyed turning attention to his family, which includes 34 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He continues to write books, more for personal fulfillment than financial considerations. He works as a sealer in the Mount Timpanogos Temple — which he calls "the right job for me now."Looking back at his career, Durrant said he tried to view each job as the most important in the world.And the rewards continue to filter in.Recently, a man dressed in the uniform of a local business knocked on his door. He handed Durrant a letter that he said he'd been meaning to deliver for 30 years. The message was delivered at a difficult time when Durrant had been fasting and praying for comfort.Durrant calls himself a "has-been" who doesn't always feel relevant. But he acknowledges that he's often approached by former students, and their words serve as a "payday.""It is amazing how much that means to me," Durrant said.
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