Elder Packer > English 241.

Yesterday, at 11:50, Elder Allan F. Packer was scheduled to speak at the institute. Yesterday. at 11:50, I was scheduled to be in my English 241 class. So, of course I made the decision to go to class, and I felt pretty good about it. As I parked in the institute parking garage, however, and saw boys walking into the building while simultaneously pulling ties out of their backpacks and putting them on, and girls changing into heels in their cars, I became pretty jealous. I considered going anyway, but convinced myself not to because I was in jeans and a t-shirt. I walked all the way to my class, sat down, and started talking to my friend, who will hereafter be known as Mormon Boy {despite the fact that it took me months to figure out he was Mormon, and sometimes the fact still surprises me.}

Me: I am so mad I have to be here instead of at the institute.

Mormon Boy: What's happening at the institute?

Me: Elder Packer is speaking.

Mormon Boy: Let's go.

Me: Really?

Mormon Boy: Yeah, why not?

Me: It's church dress.

Mormon Boy: Oh...

Me: Yeah.

Mormon Boy: Let's go anyway.

Me: Ok?

So we got up and left class, well after nearly everyone else had sat down {except for the professor, thankfully.}

On the way there, I mused out loud what the professor would say if anyone told him we were there and then left. He pointed out that professors build allowed absences into class, because sometimes they understand that you just need to not go to class. Plus, this would be more productive towards eternal salvation in the long run. And really, how do you argue with that logic?

It turned out to be a really helpful talk for me. It was all about making decisions, which anyone who knows me well can attest that I am the absolute worst at. I took plenty of notes in my journal {which was slight awkward, what with Mormon Boy sitting right next to me and most definitely reading over my shoulder} and hopefully I will be able to work on the suggestions Elder Packer made. The thing that hit me the hardest was when he said that we need to not only decide what we want to do and who we want to be, but also to take the time to envision it. Take the time to envision your life. Then, when it comes time to make an important decision about a career choice or something else life altering {cough: marriage :cough} picture in your mind where that decision will take you, and then compare it to the picture of the life you have already envisioned for yourself. If the two line up pretty well, it's probably a good decision. If not... you might want to rethink some things.

It just made so much sense while he was talking, and I couldn't help but think that if I had that advice a year ago, and I had not been too stubborn to listen to it, things might be very different for me right now. I mean, they might be exactly the same, but I just loved the idea. He also pointed out that Moroni 10:5 does not solely apply to questions regarding the truth of the church, but for questions regarding any aspect of life. I never looked at it that way before. I definitely will now, though.

So, in the end, I have learned that ditching class is certainly healthy every now and then. Especially when the alternative is listening to a man of God.