--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Russell, John E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 11 published: 1914-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Russell, John E., "The Value of Opportunity", *Improvement Era* 17, no. 11 (September 1914): 1069–1072.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera17011unse start_page: 1069 end_page: 1072 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17011unse publication_year: 1914 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Value of Opportunity The Value of Opportunity BY JOHN E. RUSSELL [In the June, 1914, M. I. A. oratorical contest, "The Value of Opportunity" was one of the two Senior orations that came up in the final contest/ Editors.] Hundreds of years ago there lived near the shore of the River Indus, a Persian by the name of Ali Hafed. He lived in a mansion upon the river bank from which he could get a view of the beautiful country stretching away to the sea. He had a wife, happy children, fields of grain, orchards of fruit, gardens of flowers and miles of forest. One day he heard the priest of Buddha explaining how the first beams of sunshine condensed upon the earth's surface into diamonds. He further spoke of the great value of these stones, stating that one the size of the thumb would purchase mines of copper, gold and silver that with ; a handful, one may become the possessor of a kingdom. Ali listened, but was no longer a rich man for, with ; discontent, all wealth vanishes. The great and beautiful estate of Ali was sold. Entrusting the care of his family to a good neighbor, in the quest of diamonds he left them. JOHN E. RUSSELL Over the mountains of Arabia, through Palestine and Egypt, he wandered for years, but found no diamonds. When his money was all gone, ashamed of his folly and his rags, he came back for a last look at his old home. What was his great dismay to learn that during his absence, his successor to the estate had become the possessor of the great diamond beds of Golconda. And further, that they had been discovered upon the same estate of which Ali was once master. Ali threw himself headlong into the tide and was drowned. 1070 IMPROVEMENT ERA I need not state that Ali should have remained at home and "dug in his own garden." What was lacking ? Simply the ability to see the relationship between opportunity and life. The two are very closely related, one being dependent upon the other. But what is opportunity? It is the chance "to do" and "to be," where we are. Oh, what a power and influence it wields in the development of life and character !Indeed, opportunity is the medium through and by which we pass to higher living. Too often chance stands at the helms of our lives, and we "drift" and do not "steer." Consequently, no definite method is employed whereby we utilize the many opportunities that come into our lives in numberless series— three hundred sixty-five every single year. Now, if opportunity play so important a part in life, let us consider this one thing, this evening. In discussing this topic, we are confronted with a very broad field, thus necessitating that we consider the subject in the collective and abstract sense, and not in its many phases. There is a close relationship between opportunity and youth, for the gain or loss of youth depends directly upon the use or disuse of opportunity. Because of this fact, and the existing conditions of youth as relevant factors, let us analyze the situation, that we may hope to answer a few pertinent questions of this character. Why are so many young lives undeveloped? Why has the youthful, progressive existence of so many been lost? I believe it is because of the neglect of opportunity But why such a condition? What reasons can we find to reveal such information ? No doubt, we would ask in the first place, is it because of a scarcity of opportunity, or lack of privilege? Oh, no that cannot be true. Upon every hand, and in every ; direction we find opportunity that may be converted to our lives. Such a condition has been and always will be. For ages past the lightning flashed in the heavens, begging the recognition of man ; finally it was found, and so given to the world of mankind. Thus all nature speaks to man in her varied language. If this analogy does not hold true, then we must seek another. If there be an abundant supply of opportunities, then it lies possibly in the selection of the opportunity pursued. All present know that we get just what we look for in life. The bee and the — spider may visit the same flower the one extract honey, and the other poison. Hence, the importance of proper selection, for too often the great mistakes of people's lives have been of this character. Or can it be, that we, as young people, do not utilize opportunities as presented, because we feel too humble and incapable THE VALUE OF OPPORTUNITY 1071 of grappling with big, strong situations of life, which we must of necessity meet ? When such thoughts come into my soul, I think of the fact that the "Lord must love common people, that is why he made so many of them." Still there is another factor which we must consider, that of preparation. A relation exists between one opportunity and its successor, in that the use of one and its consequent conversion into preparation for the use of the second, is a necessary process. We must be "ready" for bigger things when they are presented to us. But still there is a lacking element. These four analogies do not answer the requirements of a seemingly necessary five. Must we then take the only alternative left us, upon which to base our case? Must we come to this final conclusion and make this final statement ? "The reason that we do not properly appropriate the many blessings which we receive is because of simple and sheer neglect to utilize these opportunities." And with but few exceptions to this general rule, I believe it will fit and solve our problem, in most, or nearly all, the cases with which we are familiar, ourselves included. If such be the condition, let us ask again, what are the causes? In most every case it is simply because, "We look too high, For things close by." I do not believe that the destiny of any man, woman or child lies without them, or in their environment exactly, but that it does lie within the individual. He, and he alone, must adapt himself to his surroundings, or his surroundings to himself, as the case may be. I do not believe that any man can use a telescope with which to peer off into space and find himself and his proper power. But rather, man needs an X-ray for internal inspection ; for within man, and immediately around and about man. lies his greatest strength, his power, and his destiny. We may travel to Europe, or to nations and climes, but when there, we must use that which we do then possess and that with which we are then in touch ! A truth and a fact from which \vc cannot detach ourselves. Did we ever stop to consider that we have the splendor, value, and influence here at home, right here at home, rivaling that to be found in any European country? This we shall find to" be true if we will but familiarize ourselves with our most favorable surroundings, and with the many factors contributing. If this single truth—the value of opportunities of home — and of immediate conditions could be felt and properly realized, it would be invaluable to ourselves, our fellow-men, our church, our state and our nation. Especially would it be valuable to those of meager means, financially, yet millionaires in the riches of the soul, which could then be developed and brought into light. 1072 IMPROVEMENT ERA Oh, what a broad field is open before us, in every direction, and especially in the glorious Church of which we are members, where our definite course in the otherwise pathless sea of mortality is plainly visible. We too often try to substitute one thing for another. True, this is a great age of substitution, when one article is substituted for another, one mode of attire for another, the raw for the refined, and so on. But never in the history of the world, nor in the ages that may yet follow, can there be, nor will there be, a life substituted for the life which is strong, wholesome, clean and pure in ; other words, the life of an honest, upright and true Latter-day Saint. Then, the great question which we must ask : "How can we, as the young people of Israel, develop such lives ? The answer is simple :Utilize the many opportunities afforded us where we are, both by the State and by the Church. And among the many others, let us not forget the great M. I. A. organization where numberless opportunities are afforded only in the guise of the manifold blessings of the Almighty. May we appreciate ourselves and our surroundings is my humble prayer. REXBURG, IDA. AMERICAN FORK M. I. A. SCOUTS, MOUNTAIN DELL, PIONEER TRAIL, JULY 24, 1914, CLIFFORD E. YOUNG, SCOUTMASTER .