A
stranger came into a 2nd grade classroom and was introduced
by the teacher. He then said, “Here I have a package of M&M’s.” Now,
if you are in the second grade and see a package of M&M’s, what is
your logical hope? Does each of us get one of those? The stranger
seats all the children around a table with a cup in front of them. He
then pours out five M&M’s into each little cup and says, “Now I’m
going to leave. I’ll be back in 20 minutes. You an either have the 5
M&M’s now – or – if you wait, and the M&M’s are still here when I get
back, I’ll give you the whole sack. It’s up to you.” He smiles and
walks out.
A hidden
camera records the faces of these perplexed little children. They’re
looking at those M&M’s, and they’re lusting and they’re coveting. And
not one of them made it. Every one of them gobbled down the candy.
Of course when the man came back, they didn’t get the rest of the
M&M’s because that was part of the deal. And there was much weeping
and wailing and gnashing of teeth! (Mosiah 6:2) None of them could
see the long term goal, only the short term pleasure.
Then the
stranger visited a group of children in the 7th grade.
It’s the same deal! He seats them all around the table, gives them
five M&M’s. “I’ll be back in 20 minutes. You can either have your
five M&M’s now, or anyone who hasn’t eaten the 5 M&M’s will earn the
entire package when I return.” He smiles and walks out. What do you
think happened this time? Two thirds of them chose not to eat their
M&M’s, but only one third of that group stuck by their original
decision. Every one of them wisely got up, walked over to some other
part of the room, and did something to take their minds off the five
M&M’s in those cups. The second group wanted so bad to go along with
this group, but they still sat there kind of enjoying the temptation,
really lusting after the M&M’s – holding them up to the light and then
smelling them. Finally, they lusted long enough and they couldn’t
resist the temptation any longer, and ate them. The last group never
hesitated! As soon as he was gone, they gobbled down the candy!
“He that
is
faithful
and
endureth
shall overcome the world…[and] shall receive an
inheritance
in this world, and his works shall follow him, and also a
reward
in the world to come” (D&C 63:47-48).
Latter-day youth should have the capacity when it comes to things like
sexual urges, to look past the 5 M&M’s, to look past the immediate
gratification of a few sexual pleasures, which ANYBODY can have, to
see the permanent joy that is awaiting them in the long run. Your
inheritance can be great! Think about it!!
We gave each girl a small bag with 5 M&Ms
at the beginning of class and gave them the same speech as this
story. When the lesson was over, we asked the girls to show their
bag...each one of them had them under their chair and were able to
receive an entire bag for themselves with a promise that when they
married in the temple we would get a KING sized bag of M&Ms!!
(This was done when I was a Laurel and I
never forgot it!!--got a huge bag of candy on my wedding day from my
YW Prez!!--best gift ever!!)
