From Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased), shared from his Book ‘Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy:
Not long ago I spoke with an intelligent young man with great potential. He was undecided about a mission. He had chosen not to attend a university at that point. In his free time he did only what he liked to do. He didn’t work because he didn’t have to, and because it would take time from pleasure. He passed seminary classes without much thought of personally applying the knowledge gained. I commented, “You are making choices today that appear to give you what you want: an easy life with abundant enjoyment and not much sacrifice. You can do that for a while, but what you don’t realize is that every such decision you make limits your future. You are eliminating possibilities and options. There will come a time and it won’t be too distant, where you’re going to spend the rest of your life doing things you don’t want to do, in places you don’t want to be, because you have not prepared yourself. You are not taking advantage of your opportunities.”
I mentioned how everything I treasure today began to mature in the mission field. Missionary service is not something we do for ourselves. Yes, great growth and preparation for the future are gained from a mission. However, true missionaries focus outside themselves on other people. To do so effectively they draw close to the Lord and really learn His teachings. They find individuals interested in the message but not sure of its worth. Missionaries try with every capacity—prayer, fasting and testifying—to help others embrace the truth. A mission teaches one to be led by the Spirit, to understand our purpose for being on earth and how to accomplish that purpose. As our conversation ended I gave him a blessing. Then, as he left, I prayed earnestly that the Lord would help him choose the right priorities. Otherwise he will fail in life’s purpose.
In stark contrast, consider the example of another young man. Through the years his parents taught him to unwaveringly live the commandments of God. By example and precept, they nurtured him, together with their other children, in truth. They encouraged the development of discipline and sacrifice to obtain worthy goals. This young man chose swimming to instill in his character those qualities. Early-morning practice sessions required discipline and sacrifice. Over time he excelled in his sport.~ Richard G. Scott, Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2007), 16-18
