Knowing what is really important in life has the effect of enabling one to quickly determine how time can best be used.  With dozens of things clamoring for our attention at any given moment, we are constantly in a position of having to choose the one to which we’ll devote our efforts.

We have a natural tendency to want to choose the easy thing to do, or to choose the thing that gives us pleasure and an immediate feeling of well-being.  That’s why so many people are heavily into recreation, have so many expensive “toys,” have their minds fixated on immoral thoughts and actions, and surround themselves with possessions.  These things are the crux of the mortal battle between body and spirit.

Even those who are trying to be good and to do right are constantly faced with the task of having to make choices between several good things to do.  Knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ and families are the most important things in both this life and the next makes the choices easier.

I think that I can say that everything I do is done with Jesus Christ and my family in mind.  That’s not to say that I never do anything wrong, but the vast majority of my time is spent in service to one or the other of these entities.  If I’m working to earn a living, I’m doing it for my family.  If I’m home teaching or serving in the Sunday School presidency, I’m doing it for my extended family.  If I’m researching family history and preparing names for temple ordinances, I’m still serving family.  If I’m writing, I’m doing it for posterity.  Anytime that I think I’m serving Jesus Christ, I’m really serving the human family.

It’s impossible to actually do anything just for the Lord except to thank Him for His grace and blessings.  Anything we do for Him beyond expressions of gratitude is service to our fellow man.

Service is the best use of time and the key to happiness.  Choices made which serve only ourselves can never bring the level of satisfaction that serving others does.  I’ve noticed that those whose prime interest in life is self are depressed and unhappy.  I’ve also noticed that the best way to fight depression is to do something for someone else.  Service causes us to forget about ourselves as we focus on others.  This is why Jesus said “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”  (Luke 9:24)