Way back in 1991 {whoa has it really been 23 years?} I spoke at my 8th grade graduation ceremony. I remember my English teacher, Mrs. Humble, making me practice my speech in front of her. “Speak more slowly, Montse dear. It’s hard for Southerners to understand your Yankee accent.”

I expected some pretty harsh critique of my speech {the words I had written} not my speech {the way I pronounced my words} but it never came. Instead she read through it, asked who Richard G. Scott was, told me I had done a fabulous job, and gave me the A-okay to use my speech at the commencement exercises.

Why do I share this experience? And who is Richard G. Scott?

Elder Richard G. Scott is one of my favorite apostles of all time. Every talk he has given has helped me, spoken to me on a personal level, even as a 13-year-old eighth grader quoting him in my graduation speech. Some people think he is boring because, even I will admit, he can have a monotone voice. But, oh, the impact his teachings have had on my life,!

In his new book, 21 Principles: Divine Truths to Help You Live by the Spirit, Elder Scott draws from his own life experiences to share principles that have guided him. “Principles are anchors of safety. They are like the steel anchors a mountaineer uses to conquer otherwise impossible cliffs. They will help you have confidence in new and unfamiliar circumstances. They will provide you protection in life’s storms of adversity.”

Several of the principles Elder Scott shares and expands upon are ones that I need to utilize right now in my life.

Principle 15 “The Spirit has taught me that Satan doesn’t have to tempt us to do bad things – he can accomplish much of his objective by distracting us with many acceptable things, thus keeping us from accomplishing the essential ones.” 

Wow, is this ever true! I can end my day feeling like I’ve accomplished a lot – all good things – but if I haven’t studied my scriptures or taken time to really talk to my children and nurture our relationship I have failed. I have allowed “good things” to distract me from the “essential” things. I constantly struggle with this. Elder Scott included questions to help us take a personal inventory:

• “What are my highest priorities to be accomplished while on earth?
• How do I use my discretionary time? Is some of it consistently applied to my highest priorities?
• Is there anything I know I should not be doing? If so, I will repent and stop it now.

In a quiet moment, write down your responses. Analyze them. Make any necessary adjustments. Put first things first.”

I love to learn new things but it can be daunting to do something you have never done before. Principle 3 says, “Repeatedly I have been impressed to learn that to reach a goal never before attained, one must do things never before done.” Elder Scott shares how he and his wife, Jeanene, went to visit one of her friends. The friend’s husband was a commercial artist. Elder Scott was impressed with this man’s ability to use brushes, watercolor, and paper to create beauty. Something inside of him said, “Try it,” but his more rational self responded, “You’ve never had any artistic ability; all you will do is prove that you can’t paint anything.” Isn’t that what we do a majorit of the time? Talk ourselves out of trying something new?

Thankfully Elder Scott listened to that first thought to “Try it.” In doing so he found a rewarding hobby that has brought joy to his life. One of his paintings graces the cover this book! Elder Scott encourages, “Search for feelings that prompt you to try something new yourself, and if they are not there strive to generate them. Try art, poetry, prose, music, dance, photography, clothing design, or anything you haven’t tried before. Otherwise you may never know the thrill of personal creativity nor enter the doors it opens to insight, enjoyment, and wonder.”

There are so many nuggets of wisdom in this book! It is a book I will come back to again and again. I’ve already read it twice. 🙂

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of 21 Principles by Desert Book to review. All opinions are mine.