Rich,

Greetings from 25 years into the future. Typically time capsules are letters to yourself with future predictions, stored for a specific amount of time (like 25 years), and then opened to see what came true or did not. In this case, we’ll look back from the future to provide some support and guidance.

First things first. God has a plan for you. The best thing you can do is lean on Him for guidance and direction. There are going to be challenges that you must face over the next 25 years in high school, college, your career, and your marriage — yes, you do get married, but I won’t give you any spoilers. Some of those challenges are going to be because life is life, while others, unfortunately, will be self-inflicted.

I will say this, though. You get through them all by the grace and mercy of God. You will learn a lot about yourself, and you’ll grow. That’s why I cannot and will not tell you to take a different path in any of them. As much as I might like to in some cases — and trust me, there are some I’d really like to take back — all of them happen for a greater reason. They help you become the man that we are today. While there is still work to be done, I think we’re in a pretty good spot.

I will talk about the toughest challenge you will face, just a little. When you first encounter it, you’ll feel like the problem started out of the clear blue; however, after some reflecting, you’ll find that it really began long before it surfaced. You’ll find yourself staring at a mountain that might as well be El Capitan in Yosemite, with no way around it but straight up and over. It’s going to take several months and a lot of sweat and tears to get through, but I promise that if you rely on Jesus and listen to His direction, you will make it to the top and move forward.

As was said during the sermon on the day of our baptism, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and He will direct thee for good.” Trusting (counseling) in the Lord and obeying His commandments is the key to happiness. Life is not going to be easy, but no one ever said it would be. It will be a happy one overall, though, if you keep God first, trust Him, and obey. You tend to overanalyze, but it’s really as simple as that. God bless you, and enjoy the next 25 years in the Lord.

Editor’s Note: We hope you enjoyed this series of articles! Here’s your last chance to leave a comment with some advice or words of wisdom you’d give to your younger self.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.