FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE
Finish
with Your Torch Still Lit
By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
In ancient Greece,
runners competed in a relay race called a lampadedromia.1 In the race, runners held a torch in their
hand and passed it on to the next runner until the final member of the team
crossed the finish line.
The prize wasn’t awarded to the team that ran fastest—it was
awarded to the first team to reach the finish line with its torch still lit.
There
is a profound lesson here, one taught by prophets ancient and modern: while it
is important to start the race, it is even more important that we finish with
our torch still lit.
Solomon
Started Strong
The
great King Solomon is an example of someone who started strong. When he was
young, he “loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father” (1 Kings 3:3).
God was pleased with him and said, “Ask what I shall give thee” (1 Kings 3:5).
Instead
of asking for riches or a long life, Solomon asked for “an understanding heart
to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (1 Kings 3:9).
This
pleased the Lord so much that He blessed Solomon not only with wisdom but also
with wealth beyond measure and a long life.
Though
Solomon was indeed very wise and did many great things, he did not finish
strong. Sadly, later in his life, “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord,
and went not fully after the Lord” (1 Kings 11:6).
Finishing
Our Own Race
How
many times have we started something and not finished? Diets? Exercise
programs? Commitments to read the scriptures daily? Decisions to be better
disciples of Jesus Christ?
How
often do we make resolutions in January and pursue them with red-hot
determination for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months only to find
that by October, the flame of our commitment is little more than cold ash?
One day
I ran across a funny picture of a dog lying next to a piece of paper he had
shredded. It read, “Certificate of Dog-Obedience Training.”
We are
like that sometimes.
We have
good intentions; we start strong; we want to be our best self. But in the end
we leave our resolutions shredded, discarded, and forgotten.
It’s
human nature to stumble, fail, and sometimes want to drop out of the race. But
as disciples of Jesus Christ, we have committed not only to begin the race but
also to finish it—and finish it with our torch still burning brightly. The
Savior promised His disciples, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
Let me
paraphrase what the Savior has promised in our day: If we keep His commandments
and finish with our torch still lit, we will have eternal life, which is the
greatest of all the gifts of God (see D&C 14:7; see
also2 Nephi 31:20).
The
Light That Never Dies
Sometimes
after stumbling, failing, or even giving up, we get discouraged and believe our
light has gone out and our race is lost. But I testify that the Light of Christ
cannot be extinguished. It shines in the darkest night and will relight our
hearts if only we incline our hearts to Him (see 1 Kings 8:58).
No
matter how often or how far we fall, the Light of Christ ever burns brightly.
And even in the deepest night, if we but step toward Him, His light will
consume the shadows and reignite our souls.
This
race of discipleship is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. And it makes little
difference how fast we go. In fact, the only way we can lose the race is by
finally giving in or giving up.
As long
as we continue to rise up and move toward our Savior, we win the race with our
torches burning brightly.
For the
torch is not about us or about what we do.
It is
about the Savior of the world.
And
that is a Light that can never be dimmed. It is a Light that swallows the
darkness, heals our wounds, and blazes even in the midst of the deepest sorrow
and unfathomable darkness.
It is a
Light that surpasses understanding.
May
each of us finish the path we have begun. And with the help of our Savior and
Redeemer, Jesus Christ, we will finish joyfully and with our torches still lit.
Teaching
from This Message
Consider
encouraging those you teach to reflect on where they are in their “races” of
life. Are their torches burning brightly? You could read the phrase that says
the Light of Christ is “a Light that swallows the darkness, heals our wounds,
and blazes even in the midst of the deepest sorrow and unfathomable darkness.”
Then consider discussing with those you teach how the Light of Christ has
influenced their lives in the past and how it influences their lives now.
Youth
Fuel
Your Torch: The 30-Day Trial
For
youth in the Church with busy lives, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut of
routine, especially with spiritual things. We read our scriptures, pray, and
worship the same way almost every day and then wonder why we seem to be in a
spiritual slump.
One of
the best ways to keep your spiritual torch burning brightly is to make sure
you’re having meaningful spiritual experiences. But that is easier said than
done, so here is a suggestion to help you continue to spiritually progress:
Think of a gospel-related activity you’ve never done before (or hardly ever do)
and commit to doing it every day for a month. You can start small because
you’ll find that it’s easier to turn small changes into lasting ones. Doing
things that take us out of our spiritual comfort zone might require more faith
and effort on our part, but when we do them, we are inviting the Holy Ghost to
be with us, and we are showing greater faith in Heavenly Father and a desire to
draw nearer to Him. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
·
Make a goal to say your prayers morning and night. Try praying
out loud.
·
Wake up 15 minutes early and read your scriptures before school.
·
Read past general conference talks.
·
Post a scripture from the Book of Mormon on social media.
·
Listen to hymns or Church music instead of your regular music.
Children
Make
Your Torch Brighter
A long
time ago in Greece, there was a race where the runners held lit torches.
Whoever ran the whole race with the torch still lit was the winner. President
Uchtdorf says life is like that race. The torch we hold is the Light of Christ.
When we try to be like Jesus Christ, we make our torches burn brighter.
“Enduring to the
Finish”
cji
10/01/15
There’s only one race
to run
that of Father’s Plan
for each
enduring to the end
obedient
one must finish this
race fully
within this world
many give-up
deciding the worldly
of value
choosing peers over
the Father
which will we be
found today
enduring to the
finish or not
our royal parentage
forgot
no longer able to in
truth pray
ignoring messengers
of Father
lives becoming less
than swallow
as the world have
given up
adoption of failure
taken slowly
no longer being found
obedient
which is it that we
will reach
the finish of the
only race to run!
Copyright © 2015 – cji
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