The Use of Our Time

D&C 60:13 "Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known."

Alma 34:32 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

                I was sitting in a Ward Council a few weeks ago and a concern came up that members of the Ward are beginning to feel out of touch with each other. It's been so long since we did anything together as a Ward, that in many cases, it's only the meetings on Sunday where we get the chance to associate with each other. 

                Several people in the meeting who've been in the area for decades commented how people use to simply get together and have fun. It didn't require a lot of preparation, but many people came and they'd have a wonderful time together. Then they commented how we rarely get together and it seems like everyone is always in a hurry. As I reflected on those comments, I agree with everything she said. It seems like we've never been more busy in our lives and busy doesn't always equal good. With soccer, piano, callings, work, gymnastics, etc. there's always a demand for our time.

                Subsequent to that meeting, we planned a simple Dutch-oven activity with the Ward and 200 people showed up, it was wonderful to simply relax and talk with someone with no time constraints.

                It's my opinion that the adversary has been quite successful in our Western Culture in establishing this "hurry to the next activity" mindset. It takes away from our relationships, our ability to ponder, and the ability to find peace in our lives.

Here's a few points to ponder in your own experiences:

In your Community or Ward:

                - How can someone call on you if they don't know you?

                - How can you be perceptive to someone's needs if you don't know anything about them?

                - Who have you served recently outside of your "calling"?

In your family and personal lives:

                - Is your time spent cultivating fun and wonderful memories with your spouse and children?

                - How often do you take the time to pray, ponder, and reflect?

                - What are some recent things you've done with your actions that teach your children the way's of the Lord? It's not the words that count, it's the actions, "I can't hear your words because your actions are shouting."

                These are just a few simple, introspective questions regarding our use of time. This week we took a family drive near Cascade Mountain. It happened to be the only day we received rain in the past 40 days. It was a great experience as we drove up the muddy roads, laughing and enjoying each others' company. Not only was the company great, but as we arrived at the point and looked down towards Rock Canyon, the slowly rising mists and clouds were amazing as they crept up the canyon. I took those pictures with my iPhone, it was inspiring to be in the midst of such beautiful creations with the people I love!

                It's my hope that each of us can assess what we're doing with the short time we've been granted and make the most of it.  I believe the old adage which says, "No man on his death bed ever wished he could have spent more time at work."