“Apparently what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t just looking back; in her heart she wanted to go back. …
“It
is possible that Lot’s wife looked back with resentment toward the Lord
for what He was asking her to leave behind” (“Remember Lot’s Wife”
[Brigham Young University devotional address, Jan. 13, 2009], 2; speeches.byu.edu).
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“Some years ago, John was accepted at a prestigious Japanese university. …
“Soon
after John’s arrival, word of a party to be held on the rooftop of a
private residence spread among the foreign student population. That
evening, John and two friends made their way to the advertised address.
“Following
an elevator ride to the top floor of the building, John and his friends
… began mingling with the others. As the night wore on, the atmosphere
changed. The noise, music volume, and alcohol amplified, as did John’s
uneasiness. Then suddenly someone began organizing the students into a
large circle with the intent of sharing marijuana cigarettes. John
grimaced and quickly informed his two friends that it was time to leave.
Almost in ridicule, one of them replied, ‘John, this is easy—we’ll just
stand in the circle, and when it is our turn, we’ll just pass it along
rather than smoke it. That way we won’t have to embarrass ourselves in
front of everyone by leaving.’ This sounded easy to John, but it did not
sound right. He knew he had to announce his intention and act. In a
moment he mustered his courage and told them that they could do as they
wished, but he was leaving. One friend decided to stay and joined the
circle; the other reluctantly followed John down the stairs to board the
elevator. Much to their surprise, when the elevator doors opened,
Japanese police officers poured out and hurried to ascend the stairs to
the rooftop. John and his friend boarded the elevator and departed.
“When
the police appeared at the top of the stairs, the students quickly
threw the illegal drugs off the roof so they wouldn’t be caught. After
securing the stairway, however, the officers lined up everyone on the
roof and asked each student to extend both hands. The officers then
walked down the line, carefully smelling each student’s thumbs and index
fingers. All who had held the marijuana, whether they had smoked it or
not, were presumed guilty, and there were huge consequences. Almost
without exception, the students who had remained on the rooftop were
expelled from their respective universities. …
“… As
for John, the consequences in his life have been immeasurable. His time
in Japan that year led him to a happy marriage and the subsequent birth
of two sons. He has been a very successful businessman and recently
became a professor at a Japanese university. Imagine how different his
life would have been had he not had the courage to leave the party on
that important evening in Japan. …
“… There
will be times when you, like John, will have to demonstrate your
righteous courage in plain view of your peers, the consequence of which
may be ridicule and embarrassment. … Be courageous! Be strong!” (“Be Valiant in Courage, Strength, and Activity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 51–52).
