#elderchoi

"The head of the presidential guard has announce that we are going to have a big party because our performance was so great!" shouted one of the guards.

I should have been happy, but as soon as I heard the news, I started to pray. I knew that our celebration would become a drinking party. I was spiritually strong enough not to drink, but I did not want my fellow guards to have a hard time because of me.

Military duty is mandatory for all South Korean young men, so I joined the army right after I finished my full-time mission. I was assigned to the presidential guard. My fellow guardsmen knew that I would never drink any alcoholic beverage because I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When the party was announce, they started to become nervous because they would be in trouble if I did not drink when our commanding officer gave the order to do so at the party.

There was a tradition that at celebrations the commander would stand before each guard, one at a time, and fill the guard's glass with liquor. Then the guard would hold up the glass and say, "Thank you, sir!" and drink the liquor at once.

In military life, disobeying any order from a senior officer is insubordination and can cause big trouble not only for the person disobeying but also for the members of his corps. In worst case, insubordination could even result in being sent to jail, and this made my fellow guards nervous.

The day of the party arrived, and we 10 guards sat around the table. Each had an empty glass in front of him. I was sitting in the third chair. Our commander entered and filled the first glass. The guard held up his glass and said, "Thank you, sir!" Then he drank.

Our commander moved to the second guard and did the same. Then it was my turn. I was ready to keep the Word of Wisdom, and I kept praying in my heart for the sake of my fellow guards. When our commanding officer filled my glass, with a loud voice I said, "Thank you, sir!" Then I was going to say I was sorry and could not drink.

At that moment, his secretary entered and said, "Sir, you have a phone call." Our commander turned to him and said, "I'm busy."

I was still holding the glass when the secretary added, "Sir, it's the president." Our commander replied, "Oh, OK," and then he immediately left.

Suddenly the second guard switched his empty glass with mine and quickly drank the liquor. Soon afterward our commander returned, saw my empty glass, and said, "Oh, you finished already!" Then he moved to the fourth guard. Everyone took a deep breath and relaxed.

-Elder Yoon Hwan Choi