Song: Hymn # 226

Talk: A Successful Life by Lowell M. Snow

Ponder:

"How can you live a successful life?" asked Elder Lowell M. Snow of the Seventy during a campus devotional at BYU-Idaho on June 7.

One's definition of success changes over time, he noted. For youth, success might include doing well in school, being popular, becoming independent. As a missionary, success might mean finding, teaching and baptizing investigators. Then as an adult, he said, it is tempting to gauge success according to worldly goods.

"Obviously, success means different things to different people but one thing is clear: for all of us today, those who truly desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ must somehow come to understand and embrace His definition of success for us, which to me seems to be embodied in His words: 'therefore, what manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am' " (3 Nephi: 27:27).

REXBURG, IDAHO

"How can you live a successful life?" asked Elder Lowell M. Snow of the Seventy during a campus devotional at BYU-Idaho on June 7.

One's definition of success changes over time, he noted. For youth, success might include doing well in school, being popular, becoming independent. As a missionary, success might mean finding, teaching and baptizing investigators. Then as an adult, he said, it is tempting to gauge success according to worldly goods.

"Obviously, success means different things to different people but one thing is clear: for all of us today, those who truly desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ must somehow come to understand and embrace His definition of success for us, which to me seems to be embodied in His words: 'therefore, what manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am' " (3 Nephi: 27:27).

Some people are content with merely appearing successful, Elder Snow said. He compared this appearance of success to reality television where "lives are often filled with more drama than direction."

"[Virtual success is virtually no success at all — especially in the context of being a disciple of Jesus Christ," Elder Snow counseled.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ means more than being a spectator, it means being a participant, Elder Snow said. It means to " 'come to Christ' not just 'come to Church.' " Latter-day prophets have counseled that the Church must be in members' lives and the gospel in their hearts. Elder Snow referenced Preach My Gospel: "Our Father's plan for us to be successful in this life and to return to live with Him is called the gospel of Jesus Christ, with Jesus' Atonement at the center of that plan."

To be successful in this life one must follow the example of the Son to return to the presence of the Father.

"It is the level of our commitment to pursue a course that is pleasing to God that determines whether we will be successful in this life," Elder Snow advised.

Elder Snow referred to Moses 7:32-33 and recounted the conversation between Enoch and the Lord. As they viewed the people of the earth, the Lord wept because of their poor choices and what they were becoming. The people had not observed the commandments to love one another and to choose the Lord.

"Our choices reveal our true nature and we will become what our choices reveal us to be … and it is only through choosing Him that we can become like Him."

Elder Snow spoke of Will Hopoate, a Church member and a star in Australian rugby who made a choice to leave professional rugby at the end of the season and serve a mission for the Church. In a press conference, he told the media, "This is who I am and this is what I want to do."

"Those words ought to be part of every important decision you and I make in this life," Elder Snow said.

"In one way or another you and I will inevitably face a decision like Will Hopoate faced a few weeks ago," Elder Snow told students. "Such choices are an essential and inevitable part of God's great plan for us to discover for ourselves whether or not we will choose Him."

When individuals choose to love one another and follow the Lord they will see that these commandments will lead to a successful life, he declared.

"When we choose Him, He asks us to love one another as He loves us," Elder Snow said. "We become like Him by choosing Him and the way He wants us to choose Him is by loving one another."