90 Minutes

In the game of soccer, whether it's a thrashing victory, a sore loss, or even a tie, 90 minutes is all you've got. There aren't any second chances or extra tries, you have 90 minutes to be the best you can be. You can choose to work hard and use the skills you have developed, or you can fall along the wayside with regrets and excuses. After playing soccer my whole life, this simple lesson is now engrained into my mind.

In the Book of Mormon a man named Amulek teaches us a very important lesson. "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors... for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed." (Alma 34:32-33) 

Just like in soccer, we only have this life to be the best we can be. At the end of this life if we are tied with Satan, we don't get overtime or extra years to help us sort it all out. We were prepared for this test and learned many skills while we lived with our Father in Heaven and now is the time for us to use them. We may not realize our full potential, but our loving Heavenly Father does and He will help us reach it as we fight to be our best. I testify that if we choose to try our hardest, to give our all, and rely on our Savior for the rest, that He will lift us up and we will be rewarded eternal life "...which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7)