Lessons from a Cruise Ship

Every April and October, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints eagerly listen to inspired counsel from prophets and apostles during General Conference.

In the most recent General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared a story I'd like to repeat here:

There once was a man whose lifelong dream was to board a cruise ship and sail the Mediterranean Sea. He dreamed of walking the streets of Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. He saved every penny until he had enough for his passage. Since money was tight, he brought an extra suitcase filled with cans of beans, boxes of crackers, and bags of powdered lemonade, and that is what he lived on every day.



The gospel cruise ship is all-inclusive

He would have loved to take part in the many activities offered on the ship—working out in the gym, playing miniature golf, and swimming in the pool. He envied those who went to movies, shows, and cultural presentations. And, oh, how he yearned for only a taste of the amazing food he saw on the ship—every meal appeared to be a feast! But the man wanted to spend so very little money that he didn’t participate in any of these. He was able to see the cities he had longed to visit, but for the most part of the journey, he stayed in his cabin and ate only his humble food.

On the last day of the cruise, a crew member asked him which of the farewell parties he would be attending. It was then that the man learned that not only the farewell party but almost everything on board the cruise ship—the food, the entertainment, all the activities—had been included in the price of his ticket. Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges.

President Uchtdorf related this heartbreaking story to priesthood service. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, worthy men have the opportunity to bless others and serve in divinely-inspired callings through the priesthood. Unfortunately, as President Uchtdorf noted, far too many LDS men serve beneath their priesthood privileges.

How many of us—regardless of who we are, where we live, what we do for a living, or what we've been through—live beneath our privileges? We learn from the Bible that we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Book of Mormon further clarifies that we are meant to find joy in this life (2 Nephi 2:25).

Book of Mormon: Owner's
manual for happiness

But like the man who lived far beneath his privileges on the cruise ship, we often live far beneath our capacity for joy because we fail to realize that our gospel cruise ship is all-inclusive. We don't have to choose between gratitude or obedience or patience or humility or hard work for fear we can't afford to live all of these virtues. We can't afford not to!

God didn't send us on this gospel cruise with cans of beans, boxes of crackers and bags of powdered lemonade. He sent us with the fulness of the restored gospel, found in the Book of Mormon and Bible and in the words of modern prophets. 

He didn't send us to be a spectator. He sent us to find a fulness of joy, and that joy comes through living the gospel—all of it.

If you've been living beneath your privileges, it's not too late to change. The gospel is the way of happiness for everyone. The Book of Mormon is our "owner's manual", as President Uchtdorf says. If you will read from its pages and live by its teachings, you will find joy.

How has the Book of Mormon blessed your life? How has it helped you live up to your gospel privileges? Comment below.