Living with No Regrets (6/30/2009)

Today, I would like to share with you an account related by Elder Russell M. Nelson.

"Years ago, while I served as a young intern in a large medical center, I attended a Christmas party. The host was the chief of surgery. I had made a major commitment to work for and be loyal to him and his world-famous institution, which had produced many of the great surgeons, scholars, and researchers of our generation. At the party, the chief's head resident offered alcoholic beverages to Sister Nelson and me. Of course, we politely declined.

"Minutes later he returned with a more persuasive pitch: 'Take a drink,' he said, 'or the chief will be offended.' Again we declined. Our refusal infuriated the head resident. Red-faced and indignant, he said, 'Nelson, you take this drink or I'll make life around here mighty miserable for you!'

"I simply replied, 'You do what you must, doctor, but I will do what I must.'

"I fulfilled my promise, and he fulfilled his. He saw to it that I had no vacation that year. His responsibility to prepare the schedule of assignments and on-call duty bore the stamp of his vitriolic vengeance against me. But now, as I reflect on this matter some forty years later, I would not trade places with him today, or ever."

Those who subscribe to the ideals of the world will always try to bring us to their level because it is easier than trying to lift themselves up to where we as the followers of Christ are. I am certain that each of us has faced or will face opposition not unlike what Elder Nelson did in this instance. It is my hope that we will be strong so that when we look back upon those times, we will have no regrets.