Time You Have Wasted

In the book The Little Prince the fox describes men this way: “Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready-made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more.”  He then explained to the little prince how his rose had become so cherished to him: “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”  If these words were pertinent to the world of the 1940s, how much more are they today as technology replaces more and more of human interaction.  So many in the world are so busy acquiring status and possessions that they find less and less time for what really matters: building meaningful relationships and loving others.  One of the great truths of the restored gospel is that the love we cultivate for others here can continue in the next life.  Not only the family bonds that are sealed in the temple can endure, but “that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory” (D&C 130:2).  If we believe this scripture, then we should work to cultivate real friendships and love the people around us so there is a sociality to be brought into the next life. 

            The key it seems, as all the LDS commercials have emphasized over the years, is time.  We must spend time with those we love for that love to be real.  As with the little prince, we must “waste” time (waste from the perspective of the world) with our families and loved ones in order to create the kind of sociality that we will want in the next life.  The Savior, as always, was our perfect example.  He seemed to always have time for those who crossed His path.  When He found Himself with the woman at the well, He gave her His full attention and taught her.  When Jairus sought Him come to heal his daughter, Christ dropped what He was doing and went.  On the way the woman with the issue of blood touched Him, and Christ as perceptive enough to stop and make sure this woman was truly healed and loved.  When He was passing through Nain, He saw “there was a dead man carried out” and He took the time to stop and help this widow by raising her son (Luke 7:12). He found the time to stop and help even though it may not have been his original destination.  When He was among the Nephites He was about to leave but He “cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.  And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you” (3 Nephi 17:5-6).  He took the time and changed His schedule just so He could stay and spend time with these Nephites.  The Savior was never too busy to be with and bless the people.  These and many other events from the Savior’s life show the devotion He had towards the people.  Christ always had time for those around Him.