Jacob says, “But wo unto him that…wasteth the days of his probation…” (2 Nephi 9:27).

The world is filled with time wasters.  We’re all on probation to see if we’ll do all things that the Lord commands.  If we behave, we will have our probation lifted, and we will return to God and behold His face with gladness.  (Enos 1:27).

But too many people waste the days of their probation.  They spend their time accumulating false and vain and foolish things.  They accumulate treasures and pleasures, thrills and ills, sins and supposed knowledge; but the prophet says that they and their treasures will both perish, and that their accumulated knowledge is foolishness.  (2 Nephi 9:28-30).  They think that they are wise and know of themselves, but they are only following “false, and vain, and foolish doctrines.” (2 Nephi 28:9).

It behooves each of us to assess how we’re using this great gift of time.  It behooves us to take a good look at how we’re using this great gift of mortality.  It is a short time.  I used to think that I had a long, almost endless mortal life ahead of me; but suddenly I find myself looking back and asking, “Where has all the time gone?”  It was yesterday that I was a young man with a young family and with all the strength and time in the world.  I still have strength, and I still have a little time, but my children and grandchildren are now occupying the youthful position and outlook that I used to have.

Marjorie and I began our life together with a 15-month honeymoon in Morocco, North Africa while I served in the U.S. Navy.  It was a choice experience.  We established our new family and relationship away from the influences of parents and family members.  We learned to rely solely upon one another and upon God.  Our marriage became cement.  It was a great weaning process from our parents.

Now as we near the other end of our mortal relationship, we find ourselves on another honeymoon.  This one is 23 months long, and is taking place in Vanuatu, another remote place we’d never thought of.

It’s another necessary weaning process.  We had children in our home for over 42 years.  When you wean a calf, it’s not just the calf that’s being weaned.  The mother goes through withdrawal pains, too.  Both need to learn to stand on their own.  This is a hard, but good, experience for all of us.  And Marjorie and I are finding that our concrete marriage is going through the curing process that all concrete goes through.  Concrete hardens quickly, and then cures for 50 years.  We find that we’re closer than ever, and that our children are also closer to one another in our absence.

We’re enjoying our honeymoon.  Last night as we drove back from Fanafo, Marjorie pointed out the rising moon.  It was huge.  It was brilliant.  It was rising behind the palm trees in this tropical setting.  It would have been romantic, but we were too busy to be romantic.

Nevertheless, we’re very much enjoying our honeymoon.  We’re not wasting any time.  We’re not accumulating anything, either, except more love for each other, more love for our Redeemer, and more grandchildren that we haven’t yet seen.