First Things First

One of the "seven habits of highly effective people" taught by Stephen Covey is to "put first things first." This means to always prioritize what really matters and do those activities that are most impactful and important first. We should not let the things of minor significance take up so much of our time that we don't fit in what is most crucial for us to do. In a talk he titled First Things First, Elder Scott said this: "Each of us needs to periodically check our bearings and confirm that we are on course. Sometime soon you may benefit from taking this personal inventory: What are my highest priorities to be accomplished while on earth? How do I use my discretionary time? Is some of it consistently applied to my highest priorities? Is there anything I know I should not be doing?... Put first things first. Do the best you can while on earth to have an ideal family. To help you do that, ponder and apply the principles in the proclamation on the family." This implies that we must learn what those highest priorities are that the Lord wants us to accomplish on earth and then strive to use our time wisely to accomplish them. There are so many good things we can use our time to do that we may neglect that which is most important if we are not careful. 

           While certainly the mission each of us has on earth is different and we each must answer these kinds of questions for ourselves, I believe that the scriptures give us some guidance about what is most important to devote our time to. Alma taught this to the people of Gideon: "For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people." The most important event in their future was the (first) coming of the Lord to the earth. Alma invited them to "worship the true and the living God, and that ye look forward for the remission of your sins, with an everlasting faith, which is to come"  (Alma 7:6-7). Surely the most important event on earth in our future is the (second) coming of the Lord to the earth and we must devote our time to preparing for that day. The Lord revealed to John and Peter Whitmer what was most important for them in that effort: "And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father" (Doctrine and Covenants 15:6, 16:6). That which was most important for them to do was to help others repent and come unto the Savior. He will one day come again to us all literally on the earth, and to be prepared we must have first come unto Him individually. 

             Another scripture which helps us to know what to put first in our lives is this exchange between the Savior and a lawyer. The latter asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" To this the Savior responded, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40). To love the Lord with all our hearts is our greatest task, and loving our neighbor is next. This is consistent with what the Lord invited the Whitmers and the rest of us to do; declaring repentance to others shows both our love for the Lord and our neighbors. Mormon's teachings about charity are also in line with these two great commandments: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him" (Moroni 7:46-47). Charity, which surely encompasses a love for Christ and a love for others like Christ, is the most important attribute that we can develop here on the earth. As we seek to evaluate our own actions each day and understand if we have properly focused on the highest priorities, perhaps the questions we should ask ourselves are these: "Did I love God today with all my heart? Did I show love to those around me?" Surely answering yes to those two questions is an important first step to ensuring that we accomplish "first things first" in our lives.