In the opening paragraphs of chapter eight of Preach My Gospel, Latter-day Saints are counseled set goals and learn how to master the techniques to achieve them. "Mastering the techniques needed to reach our goals includes becoming the master manager of our time," said Elder Ian S. Ardern of the first Quorum of the Seventy at the Saturday afternoon session of conference.
He said that giving time in the service of others is pleasing to God and will draw individuals nearer to Him. Time wisely used is immeasurable. With the demands in life and it is important to prioritize choices to match goals or risk being exposed to procrastination and wasting time.
Elder Ardern noted that poor use of time is a close cousin of idleness. "As we follow the command to cease to be idle we must be sure that being busy also equates to being productive."
He said that while instant communication is at one's fingertips it is important to not become "compulsive fingertip communicators. I sense that some are trapped in a new time-consuming addiction; one that enslaves us to be constantly checking and sending social messages and thus giving the false impression of being busy and productive."
Though there is much good that comes through easy access to information "we cannot allow them to push to one side those things of greatest importance. How sad it would be if the phone and computer with all their sophistication drowned out the simplicity of sincere prayer to a loving Father in Heaven. Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text."
Further, Elder Ardern said, "To have the peace the Savior speaks of we must devote our time to the things that matter most and the things of God … matter most."
Elder Arden counseled members to be wise in their judgment to make sure that the scales of time are balanced to include the Lord, family, work and wholesome recreational activities because Satan will tempt them to misuse their time. The greatest happiness will come by tuning into the Lord and things that bring a lasting reward.
"Time marches swiftly forward to the tick of the clock," Elder Ardern said. "Today would be a good day, while the clock of mortality ticks, to review what we are doing to prepare to meet God."
