“The Success of My Brethren”

I love sports. Throughout my school years, I dreamed of winning a sports championship. I had fantasies of making the winning shot in basketball, or a home run in an important baseball game.

In high school, I decided basketball was my game. I could move quickly and had a good aim. I played hard and thought I had done well in the tryouts for the school basketball team, but, to my sorrow, I didn’t make it.

I tried out for the football team, but once again, my dreams were shattered. In the weeks that followed, I began to look around to see what else life had to offer. It took a while, but I made a marvelous discovery: there is a lot more to life than sports.

I looked at my classmates in a different light. In addition to the respect I already had for good athletes, I began to appreciate the individual talents of each person. I marveled at those gifted with artistic ability. I looked at their paintings and thrilled at their talent. Others had developed their talents in music. I watched in amazement as a pianist played classical music. A dancer fascinated me with her grace and creativity. I laughed and cried as I watched my fellow students perform in stage productions. Some of my friends excelled in academics. Some wrote wonderful poetry.

A whole new world began to open up to me. I remember thinking how sad it was that these talents didn’t receive the publicity and glory given our athletic heroes. I thought of the hours, days, weeks, months, and years of practice, study, and meditation it took to develop these talents without having the encouragement of a cheering crowd.

I wish you could look into the future and see what becomes of your classmates over the next twenty-five years. You would gain a perspective that would prove invaluable. You would find yourself much more interested in what your classmates were than in what they wore. If you could observe your classmates twenty-five years from now, and then return with that knowledge to the present day, there would be quite an adjustment in your thinking.

With this “future” perspective you would realize that the shy boy sitting behind you is to become a medical doctor. You would realize that the girl to the left of you who is always reading will become a journalist, and attractive one, too.

You would better appreciate your classmate’s spiritual qualities, the qualities they will take with them into the next life and throughout eternity. You would be proud of their accomplishments and rejoice in each other’s successes.

One of my favorite examples of this genuine appreciation we can have for others was recorded by Alma. He had been on a mission and was separated from Ammon and his brethren, who were on a mission of their own. When they finally got back together after many years, Alma said, “God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

“But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren. …

“Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy” (Alma 29:13–14, 16).

Our Father in Heaven blessed us with variety. He gave us water and dry land, he gave us various forms of plant and animal life, and he gave us individual personalities and talents. Life is more interesting because we have variety. We will have more joy and be more successful as individuals if we are aware of the people around us, our family, and our friends, as individuals and appreciate them for who and what they are. You will have won a great personal battle when the successes of your classmates become a joy in your life rather than a jealousy.

Our quest for exaltation is our own. Entrance into the celestial kingdom isn’t determined by competition or popularity; we don’t have to “beat” anyone to get there. And when we greet each other in the celestial kingdom, we will know what Alma meant by “my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren.”