One Little Match

When Thomas S. Monson was a young boy spending the summer at his family’s cabin in Vivian Park, he and his best friend, Danny, decided to clear a field so they could gather with their friends and have a campfire. The tall, stubborn weeds would not pull out easily, so Tommy had the idea of using one little match to burn the weeds. He knew he shouldn’t use matches without permission from his parents, but he ignored the prompting warning him of the danger and set the parched June grass ablaze. The consequence of his disobedience nearly endangered the entre forest and almost burned down neighboring cabins.

Soon all the men and women at Vivian Park were dashing back and forth with wet burlap bags, beating at the flames in an attempt to extinguish them. After several hours, the last remaining embers were finally smothered. Danny and I were exhausted and humbled. We felt terrible about what had happened. If only I had acted differently in that one little second and never picked up even one little match.

I learned several difficult but important lessons that day. Perhaps the biggest lesson was the need for obedience. Rules and laws are created to keep us safe. When we obey those rules, we can avoid the dangers that can come from something as small as one little match.