2015
Your Future You
February 2015


“Your Future You,” New Era, Feb. 2015, 10–11

Your Future You

Where are your everyday choices leading you?

During the last general conference, a lot was said about choices and agency. We know that our choices matter—the message isn’t anything new, but how often do you think about it? Every day you use your knowledge of right and wrong to choose between good and bad. Or good and better. Or better and best. And each day brings new opportunities to choose. But what if your choices aren’t just affecting that day? What if good choices today lead to positive consequences years from now—and not-so-good choices today lead to negative consequences?

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following story:

“I recently met a fine teenage young man. His goals were to go on a mission, obtain an education, marry in the temple, and have a faithful happy family. I was very pleased with his goals. But during further conversation, it became evident that his conduct and the choices he was making were not consistent with his goals. I felt he genuinely wanted to go on a mission and was avoiding serious transgressions that would prohibit a mission, but his day-to-day conduct was not preparing him for the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual challenges he would face. He had not learned to work hard. He was not serious about school or seminary. He attended church, but he had not read the Book of Mormon. He was spending a large amount of time on video games and social media. He seemed to think that showing up for his mission would be sufficient. Young men, please recommit to worthy conduct and serious preparation to be emissaries of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”1

Like this young man, you might have all the best intentions for your future, but you might just be trying to make it through each day and finish that English paper due tomorrow, without much time leftover to think about things that will matter years from now. But today’s choices form tomorrow’s habits, and little by little you are developing into the person you will one day become.

Do you take the time to think about the life goals you have and how your daily choices affect your achieving those goals? Do you think about what will help you along the covenant path? (See lds.org/go/pathNE2.) Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Seventy reminded us of the importance of looking ahead to promised future blessings and evaluating how we’re living in the present. He said, “If [you] project the possible consequences of [your] decisions into the future, [you] can see with greater clarity the best path to take in the present.”2 The choices you make will not just affect you today—they’ll affect the missionary you, the professional you, the parent you, the future you.

So take a minute to think about your life goals or blessings you’ve been promised. Next, think about the choices you make every day. Consider the following goals and the daily choices that could affect achieving those goals.

As you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, don’t lose sight of your future life goals, your eternal goals, your promised blessings, your future you!

Keeping that earthly and eternal perspective isn’t just about avoiding bad but also about opening doors for the future. Don’t postpone all the good you plan on—and are capable of—doing. The choices you make—or don’t make—every day can lead you to a bigger, better future, if you just take the time to prepare now.

Notes

  1. Quentin L. Cook, “Choose Wisely,” Ensign, Nov. 2014, 47.

  2. Carlos A. Godoy, “The Lord Has a Plan for Us!” Ensign, Nov. 2014, 96–97.