President Dieter F. Uchtdorf on resolving to avoid regret

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (born November 6, 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve. He served as second counselor in the First Presidency from 2008 until 2018.

"One day we will take that unavoidable step and cross from this mortal sphere into the next estate. One day we will look back at our lives and wonder if we could have been better, made better decisions, or used our time more wisely.

"To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today. Therefore, let us:

"- Resolve to spend more time with those we love.

"- Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be.

"- Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.

"It is my testimony that many of the deepest regrets of tomorrow can be prevented by following the Savior today....

"The path toward fulfilling our divine destiny as sons and daughters of God is an eternal one. My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, we must begin to walk that eternal path today; we cannot take for granted one single day. I pray that we will not wait until we are ready to die before we truly learn to live."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Of Regrets and Resolutions," General Conference October 2012
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What marvelous counsel!  Of course, we don't have to wait until "New Year's Day." Any day is a good day to resolve to spend time with those we love, to follow God, and to be happy.  But there's a sense of urgency in not postponing those decisions.

Why not start today, to both resolve and do—to make real, specific effort to improve! Every day we postpone increases the chance of one day feeling the deep regret of having waited. And also, to never regret a single day that is granted to us.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)