#elderwirthlin

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “The play called for me to run the ball up the middle to score the go-ahead touchdown,” he said. “I took the handoff and plunged into the line. I knew I was close to the goal line, but I didn’t know how close. Although I was pinned at the bottom of the pile, I reached my fingers forward a couple of inches and I could feel it. The goal line was two inches (5 cm) away. “At that moment I was tempted to push the ball forward. I could have done it. … But then I remembered the words of my mother. ‘Joseph,’ she had often said to me, ‘do what is right, no matter the consequence. Do what is right and things will turn out OK.’ “I wanted so desperately to score that touchdown. But more than being a hero in the eyes of my friends, I wanted to be a hero in the eyes of my mother. And so I left the ball where it was—two inches from the goal line.”

"To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous … , not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. We show our integrity by caring for and serving others. The Lord expects us to live lives of integrity and to be obedient to his commandments. Let us strive for personal, practical integrity in every endeavor, regardless of how mundane or inconsequential it may seem. Having received the Spirit of Christ to know good from evil, we should always choose the good". - Elder. Joseph B. Wirthlin