Eternal Life--The Ultimate Success

Behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

  --The Lord God (Moses 1:39)

Yes, there are still roses in Utah.  We found this one yesterday at the Logan Temple.

A cute sign in the temple parking lot.

I had forgotten how much the Logan Temple looks like a castle--fit for  our Heavenly King.

Writing about success is a topic most of us are interested in, right?  By human nature, we all want to feel like we've accomplished something in life that is deemed worthwhile.  Success is measured in many ways and differently depending on individual circumstances.

The people in Turkey right now consider finding anyone alive a success.  The world rejoices along with them as news proclaims another one rescued.  We pray for their welfare and for blessings to comfort them and give them strength to cope.  It is heart wrenching to see their plight amongst such tragic suffering and their struggles under the most horrific of conditions.  Their success is not measured by comparing to the total number of people they couldn't save, but by those they did.  We might remember that when we start looking at what we accomplish based on what someone else may.

Below are quotes I like about the topic of success:

In order to succeed, we must first believe we can.  

  --Michael Korda

Success is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. 

  --Thomas Edison

To succeed it is necessary to accept the world as it is and rise above it.  

  --Michael Korda

In all things success depends on previous preparation and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.

  --Confucius

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.

  --Vince Lombardi

Success is:

  *To laugh often and much;

  *To win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children;

  *To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

  *To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

  *To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

  *To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

We rise to high positions or remain at the bottom because of conditions we can control if we desire to control them.

  --David Bruno

My success list might be a little different than Mr. Bruno's above, though I do agree with most of his definition and especially the quotes that refer to the work and extreme effort we do have to invest if we are to attain success.  Below is my list, some tweaked a bit from the list above.

Success is:

  *To laugh often and much most certainly in the spirit of fun and happiness and never at the expense of another;

  *To love much;

  *To do the best you can within your personal circumstances;

  *To win the respect of all people with whom you come in contact, not just those who are intelligent;

  *To nurture a sense of belonging and self worth in children;

  *To build trust that you are a friend, unconditionally, who does not judge and are there to call upon when needed, no matter the circumstances;

  *To influence others for good, to provide positive uplifts in their days, and a light to their existence;

  *To overcome or endure in faith illnesses, heartache, sorrow, and other trials and challenges in life;

  *To see beauty in God's creations, expressing thanks to Him each day;

  *To leave the earth a better place by doing no harm and helping others on their way;

  *To redeem one soul (even if it is your own) through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of 

the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end in faithfulness by keeping God's commandments.

We rise to the highest degree of glory, as promised by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, when we seek first the Kingdom of God and all righteousness, by loving and serving God and our neighbors.  When we do the things we know Christ did while on the earth and try to be like Him as best as we can, we will know we have succeeded in life by helping God fulfill His goal to bring to pass the eternal life of man.

Logan Temple facing west

Study in contrast:  This leaf has successfully captured a last bouquet of the season.

We passed by the Brigham City Temple on the way home from Logan.  The outside is successfully completed.  It has the landscaping and the inside left to do.  I think it will open  next year.  The other steeple seen to the right is the tabernacle meeting house.

Ercell had success finding farm grown tomatoes at this stand.  It was fun driving along the highway between Brigham City and Perry and seeing all the fruit stands.  It got us into the Halloween spirit with thousands of pumpkins strewn out in front and displayed in huge bins.  Fall colors of yellow, orange, and red dominated the scene.  These white pumpkins are interesting.  Do people paint them orange?  A white Jack-o-Lantern?  Apparently, this was a successful year for growing pumpkins and other produce.