As we look at life with its many dimensions, we readily come to the awareness that we do not have time to do everything. Our temporal needs must be taken care of, we must provide for our families, we need time to build and strengthen relationships, and we need time for education and recreation.

But in the crunch of time facing each of us, we must not neglect our personal spiritual development.We are charged with the responsibility of working out our salvation, "with fear and trembling," but, with all the pressures of time placed on us, it's easy to get distracted from what's most important in life.

Moroni counseled, ". . . come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him." (Morm. 9:27, see also Phil. 2:12.)

So, where should we place our time and emphasis in our quest to become like Christ? Certainly studying the scriptures and praying must be an essential part of our quest as we work out our salvation.

Clear counsel has been given that we study the scriptures to know how to live righteously.

As Alma contended with Zeezrom, he taught him that God gave unto mankind commandments "after having made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil." ( Alma 12:32.)

The scriptures teach us the commandments of God and help us stay on course toward exaltation as we come to understand the importance of obeying the commandments. The scriptures also reinforce through the experiences of others the joy of those who keep the commandments and conversely, what happens when they don't.

Sufficient time in our quest must be given to the study of the scriptures. Isaiah counseled, "Seek ye out of the book of the Lord. . . ." (Isa. 34:16.) The Savior admonished, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39.) Nephi wrote, "Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Ne. 31:20.)

Concerning prayer, there is great power in prayer to soothe the troubled soul and to give direction to our lives.

The first verse of the hymn, "Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire" (Hymns #145) is well known in the Church, but the sixth verse speaks about the importance of drawing close to the Lord.

"The Saints in prayer appear as one,

"In word and deed and mind,

"While with the Father and the Son,

"Their fellowship they find."

Certainly, we do find fellowship with God and His Son through prayer. It should not be neglected. There should always be time in our lives for prayer.

One of the beautiful things about studying the scriptures and prayer is that both can be done with our families as well as individually. Family scripture study and family prayer should certainly be part of our eternal quest, and time must be carefully allotted for both.

Further, there needs be time for temple service in our lives. Families and individuals, both living and dead, must receive the essential ordinances to inherit the kingdom of God.

Can anyone be unclear about President Howard W. Hunter's clarion call to be more faithful about seeking and then keeping temple ordinances and covenants?

In his statement to the news media last June 6, he said: "I also invite the members of the Church to establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership and the supernal setting for their most sacred covenants. It would be the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church temple worthy."

Adhering to the principles of the gospel and the commandments of God gives us balance in our busy lives. Life is put into perspective when we do so, and when life's many wonderful dimensions are kept in perspective our lives will certainly be more purposeful and more productive.

In short, we'll come closer to achieving the full measure of happiness our Heavenly Father is so desirous for us to achieve in mortality. Are we willing to accept anything less?