Run, That Ye May Obtain

President Nelson just finished another global ministry tour, visiting five countries in South America on a nine-day trip.  He addressed more than 344,000 church members, traveled nearly 15,000 miles, and met with the presidents of Columbia and Ecuador.  It is incredible to see his energy and love for the gospel and the Saints.  He made this comment in his final stop at Brazil: “This work is moving forward at an accelerated pace. I can hardly wait to bounce out of bed each morning and see what the day will bring.”  Those are words from a man who will celebrate his 95^th birthday next week!  He is a powerful example of living the gospel joyfully and serving the Lord with all his heart, and he follows well the instruction the Lord gave to William Law in Nauvoo: “Let my servant William go and proclaim my everlasting gospel with a loud voice, and with great joy, as he shall be moved upon by my Spirit…. Therefore, let my servant William cry aloud and spare not, with joy and rejoicing, and with hosannas to him that sitteth upon the throne forever and ever, saith the Lord your God” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:88, 101).  President Nelson has a quiet exuberance for the gospel that encourages all of us to strive more fully to devote ourselves to the Lord and His great work. 

               Paul likened living the gospel to a race in which we need to run, counseling, “So run, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24).  Surely President Nelson follows well that direction to “run” in the gospel.  Gratefully, I believe Paul was envisioning a long distance race and not a sprint—and we don’t have to race each other, we only have to keep running until the end at our own best pace.  He wrote to the Hebrews: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).  It is not a race that we have to run frenetically or “faster than [one] has strength,” but we “should be diligent” and continue to run “with patience” for the whole length of the mortal race (Mosiah 4:27).  Both King Benjamin and Paul spoke of the need to obtain “the prize,” a reference I believe to enduring to the end in our own race in life.  Gratefully in the gospel that prize is available to all who will persevere, and if we do we will one day realize like Paul that we have not struggled or run in vain.  The apostle had hope that all his efforts would be worth it, telling the Philippians that he hoped to “rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians 2:16).                  

               I was grateful for the opportunity to attend the funeral of my mission president today, and the stories told of him and his life reminded me as well of these scriptures and the energy of President Nelson.  He was simply always trying to serve others, running the race of life with incredible optimism and love for others.  For example, one story was told of how he once approached a woman in an elevator and remarked on a growth on her neck that he thought looked cancerous.  He told her this, and took the time to make sure she got an appointment set up to see the doctor.  It turns out she had just been too nervous to call the doctor, but he made sure it happened.  She later said that it saved her life, for the growth was dangerous and cancerous.  That’s who he was—like the Savior “going about doing good,” always looking for an opportunity to serve and help others.  He did indeed “run well” the race of life (Galatians 5:7).