Of Things That Matter Most

The young adult years are a very interesting time of life. Those of you who are not so young adults can verify that, I'm sure. More than anything, it's a time of self-identification, a time to decide who you really are and what it is that you'll stand for. After wading through my own pool of self doubt and confusion, I decided to write my own personal mission statement, a set of directives, objectives, and goals that would become the guiding principles in my life. It was a very enlightening experience to write and revise it, trying to decide what I really wanted to do and who I really wanted to be. If you haven't already done this, I would definitely recommend taking a few minutes, days, or weeks of quiet contemplation to decide what matters most in your life and what you want to be remembered for. Below is my personal mission statement.

                I will remember the important things in life, and keep everything in perspective. The most important thing in life is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will let this be the center of my life, and trust that all else will fall into its place. If I let it dictate not so much the path I follow, but how I follow the path I choose, I know I will not be led astray.

                Family is the next important thing in life. A successful life is one that is built on the foundations of a happy home. I will never put anything, not business, money, or personal comforts ahead of my family.

                I will never let a day go by without serving someone else. Life is only worth living if it is spent loving and making other people’s lives better. If I seek opportunities to do good, they will present themselves, and when they do, I will make time to go out of my way to lend a hand.

                No material thing can be worth more than my integrity. Having my promises be accepted at face value is worth more than any amount of money. I will be honest in my dealings with others; I won’t attempt to escape assuming responsibility for my actions, as only a coward seeks to blame his misfortunes and errors on others.

                I will never stop learning. Intelligence is one of the only things that will stay with us forever. This world is so full and vast, we should never have an excuse to stop marveling at the wonders of the earth, questioning how it all works, and searching for answers.

                I will make others feel important. I will recognize that they feel just as out of place and inadequate as I do, and they need me. I will be genuinely interested in others, and won’t care for a moment if somebody else will judge or mock me for the way I act. If I’m living right, many will love me, and some will hate me, but I won’t let the adoration or the criticism go to my head. I will follow the course that I set for myself without letting others tell me what I can and can’t do, and by doing so I will be one of the few truly liberated members of the human race.

                I will live every day to the fullest, and recognize that it is a gift from God. I will laugh every day, take time to think and ponder, and let my emotions be moved, whether out of happiness, wonder, or sorrow.

                I will choose to spend my time doing what I love, and I will be passionate about what I do. I will identify what interests me, and will do it with an enthusiasm that the world is a stranger to. Life is too short to be ordinary. I will embrace what sets me apart, and won’t be afraid to be a little crazy, a little foolish, a little kooky.

                Every day, I will seek the guidance of my Heavenly Father, communicate with Him, praise Him, thank Him, and ask Him for help and for opportunities to be an instrument in His hands. I will search the Holy Scriptures for answers daily. I will seek inspiration, both from the scriptures and the inspiring words of great men.

                I will stay hungry, stay lively, stay energetic, and instill in others that hunger, life, and energy.

                The most important person in the world to me is the person I’m with in this moment. The most important time is right now, I will pass this way but once. I will make everyone feel that there is something great, noble, and special inside them.

                It’s ok to feel down at times. The ups and downs of life are what give it flavor and variety. I will embrace my down moments, use them to reflect and ponder deeper things, and remember that “this too shall pass.”

                I will be remembered for at least three things at the end of my life. I will be remembered as a hard worker, I will be remembered for my sense of humor, and I will be remembered as someone who was always true.

                I will strive to always remember that we are all the most important and most interesting people in the world, each with a limitless potential. We are children of God. We are gods in the chrysalis.