"Navigating Your Way Through Life"

While serving as a counselor in a stake presidency in early 1990, I was asked to speak at a stake single adults fireside on the topic of “Navigating Your Way Through Life.” The suggestions I made to those attending that evening have been and remain the basic tenets that have given my life its direction. They are offered here for whatever benefit they may be to others.

Consideration one

If we are honest with ourselves even at an early age, we understand that the course of our life has been largely determined by the choices we have made. In our retirement years, this truth concerning the importance of our life’s decisions is so obvious as to be glaring, except for the delusional. Given that our rational decisions will be dependent upon and generally made within the scope of our core beliefs, establishing our belief system as early as possible in life will work obviously to our personal advantage and the advantage of those who yet will come to rely upon us. I can think of no better basis for a personal belief system than the gospel of Jesus Christ learned in its particulars and applied in our life to the greatest degree possible.

Consideration two

Secular matters in all their variety, importance, and attraction should remain of lesser importance in our lives than leading a family, living the gospel, and providing church service. In my college years when my thoughts turned to possible future professions, a potential life-long endeavor was almost immediately dropped from consideration if it would require me to spend much time away from my wife and children, make regular observance of the sabbath day with them difficult, or encumber me from serving in any church calling I might receive in the coming years. These were givens. There was no room for compromise. The same considerations applied to any sport or avocation in which I might become interested.

Consideration three

I distinguish between the gospel and the Lord’s Church. The gospel of Jesus Christ is absolutely true in all of its particulars. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s only true and restored Church upon the earth, but it is filled entirely with imperfect members. It is impossible to live a life that conforms as much as possible to the gospel without being a member of Christ’s Church. When we are baptized into the Church, we covenant with God to serve Him and to keep His commandments (Mosiah 18:10), and King Benjamin taught clearly that serving God means to serve our fellowmen (Mosiah 2:16-17). Now while it is commendable and encouraged that we serve our fellowmen through secular pursuits, our covenant with God requires that we serve our fellowmen through the building of the Kingdom of God first and foremost.

Consideration four

This point is related to the one above. No member of the Church will ever be given the opportunity to undermine my testimony of the gospel. The gospel is true, and all members are imperfect. I know and have known far too many members of the Church who, at one time or another, have allowed some unfortunate experience with other members to repel them from active participation. This is not to say that I have not been affronted by members over the years, because I have been. However, their conduct is their problem, and I will not allow their problems to become mine.

Consideration five

Responsibility for myself and my family is mine. I love my wife very much, and we are a strong partnership. However, when God wants an accounting of what we have done as parents, I am fervently convinced that the onus of the report will be more mine than hers. Thus I am not only fully accountable for myself but have the Priesthood responsibility for our family as well.

Consideration six

I am unfavorably impressed with the number of Saints in the Lord’s Church who appear to be comfortable receiving far more than they are willing to give within the context of building the Kingdom. At baptism, we covenant to serve and not be served by our fellowmen. I recognize that the day is probably coming when I will be in greater need of assistance from others than what I will be able to provide. However, until that time comes, my basic mode of life will be to give far more than I receive when speaking of human relationships.

Consideration seven

My long-term goal is to be found worthy of eternal life. There is no more important consideration in my life than that. For me, life’s choices are made with this paramount objective not only in mind but as a determining factor.