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“Seize
this day! Grasp the marvelous opportunity that this springtime season of
your life affords,” Elder Lance B. Wickman
told students during his devotional address Tuesday at BYU-Idaho.
A
member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, Elder Wickman began by
relating life to the “Law of the Seasons.” Unlike the annual
renewal of seasons, he said, life’s seasons come but once.
“While
each succeeding season of life brings its own joys and satisfactions, as
well as its challenges, no other time of life is quite as filled with
promise as is youth. Indeed, the joy and fulfillment of succeeding seasons
depends in significant measure upon the seizing of youth’s fleeting
opportunity,” he said.
He
spoke of an experience he had as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army in
1965. While stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii,
their new commander, Lt. Col. Thomas U. Greer, took them on week-long
training exercise in the steep volcanic slopes of the Kahuku Mountains
of northern Oahu.
On
the last day of the exercise, his company was ordered to establish
defensive positions and dig foxholes. Not wanting to expend the energy to
chisel out a foxhole in the volcanic rock, his company commander decided to
do “simulated foxholes,” and only mark on the ground where
their company would have dug.
After
returning to inspect, Col. Greer became furious at their “simulated
foxholes,” and ordered them to remain there until they had learned
how to dig foxholes that looked like they had come out of a training
manual.
“We
did not know it at the time, but this would be our last training exercise,”
he said. “In a manner of speaking, Hawaii
was the ‘season’ for learning those skills that would save our
lives. Vietnam
would be too late.”
Arriving
a few days later than the rest of his company, Elder Wickman
was told that when his battalion had arrived at the division’s
defensive position in Vietnam,
they immediately went to work to dig out foxholes. Another battalion next
to theirs scooped out shallow cavities in the ground with the intent to
finish the next day.
That
night the enemy launched a horrific mortar barrage into the troops. Elder Wickman’s battalion was safe and secure in their
foxholes; however, the neighboring battalion wasn’t as fortunate.
“I
still regard Col. Greer as one of the greatest men I have known. From him I
learned one of life’s most powerful lessons: There is indeed a ‘time
for every purpose under heaven’– even a time to learn to dig
foxholes,” he said.
He
then asked the students to thoughtfully consider three basic questions to
determine their level of preparedness: What are you doing to develop your
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you partake worthily and thoughtfully of
the sacrament? Have you firmly planted your feet on a course leading to a
career path that will bring financial security and personal reward?
He
concluded by saying, “It may be October outside, but in terms of the
opportunity within your grasp it is April. . . . May your harvest at that
day be rich and full and rewarding. It all depends
on how you use this springtime. That is the Law of the Seasons. My prayer
for you is that you will remember the parable of the foxholes. This season is
your season. Seize it!”
Elder
Wickman served as a captain in the U.S. Army from
1964 to 1969. He served twice
in Vietnam,
receiving the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals and the Combat Infantry
Badge. Professionally, he practiced law as a partner in the international
law firm of Latham & Watkins, and has since retired.
Next
week’s speaker will be David B Magleby,
dean of Family, Home and Social Sciences at BYU in Provo,
Utah. He will speak at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium. Devotionals
are carried live on KBYI, 100.5 FM and rebroadcast again at 9 p.m.
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