Even this basic desire can be temporarily overridden by an even more important desire.
As a young soldier in the Utah National Guard, I learned an example of this from a combat-seasoned officer.
In the early months of the Korean War, a Richfield Utah National Guard field artillery battery was called into active service.
This battery, commanded by Captain Ray Cox, consisted of about 40 Mormon men.
After additional training and reinforcement by reservists from elsewhere, they were sent to Korea, where they experienced some of the fiercest combat of that war.
In one battle they had to repel a direct assault by hundreds of enemy infantry, the kind of attack that overran and destroyed other field artillery batteries.
What does this have to do with overcoming the desire for sleep?
During one critical night, when enemy infantry had poured through the front lines and into the rear areas occupied by the artillery, the captain had the field telephone lines wired into his tent and ordered his numerous perimeter guards to phone him personally each hour on the hour all night long.
This kept the guards awake, but it also meant that Captain Cox had scores of interruptions to his sleep.
"How could you do that?"
I asked him.
His answer shows the power of an overriding desire.
"I knew that if we ever got home, I would be meeting the parents of those boys on the streets in our small town, and I didn't want to face any of them if their son didn't make it home because of anything I failed to do as his commander."
What an example of the power of an overriding desire on priorities and on actions!
What a powerful example for all of us who are responsible for the welfare of others--parents, Church leaders, and teachers!
As a conclusion to that illustration, early in the morning following his nearly sleepless night, Captain Cox led his men in a counterattack on the enemy infantry.
They took over 800 prisoners and suffered only two wounded.
Cox was decorated for bravery and his battery received a Presidential Unit Citation for its extraordinary heroism.
And, like Helaman's stripling warriors, they all made it home.
-Dallin H. Oaks -Desire -April 2011 General Conference
Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
Congrats to today's Medalists!! :)
Medal Tally:
103 United States: 37 Gold 34 Silver 32 Bronze
65 China: 22 Gold 18 Silver 25 Bronze
57 Great Britain: 23 Gold 21 Silver 13 Bronze
47 Russia: 13 Gold 15 Silver 19 Bronze
39 Japan: 12 Gold 6 Silver 21 Bronze
35 France: 9 Gold 12 Silver 14 Bronze
34 Germany: 13 Gold 8 Silver 13 Bronze
28 Australia: 7 Gold 11 Silver 10 Bronze
25 Italy: 8 Gold 11 Silver 6 Bronze
20 Canada: 4 Gold 3 Silver 13 Bronze
18 Korea: 7 Gold 3 Silver 8 Bronze
17 Netherlands: 8 Gold 5 Silver 4 Bronze
17 Kazakhstan: 3 Gold 5 Silver 9 Bronze
15 Brazil: 5 Gold 5 Silver 5 Bronze
15 New Zealand: 4 Gold 8 Silver 3 Bronze
14 Hungary: 7 Gold 3 Silver 4 Bronze
13 Denmark: 1 Gold 6 Silver 6 Bronze
11 Spain: 6 Gold 2 Silver 3 Bronze
10 Azerbaijan: 4 Silver 6 Bronze
9 Cuba: 3 Gold 2 Silver 4 Bronze
9 South Africa: 1 Gold 6 Silver 2 Bronze
9 Sweden: 1 Gold 5 Silver 3 Bronze
8 Croatia: 5 Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze
8 Kenya: 4 Gold 4 Silver
8 Colombia: 3 Gold 2 Silver 3 Bronze
8 Ukraine: 2 Gold 4 Silver 2 Bronze
8 Poland: 2 Gold 2 Silver 4 Bronze
8 Uzbekistan: 2 Gold 1 Silver 5 Bronze
8 Czech Republic: 1 Gold 1 Silver 6 Bronze
7 Jamaica: 5 Gold 2 Bronze
7 North Korea: 2 Gold 3 Silver 2 Bronze
6 Belgium: 2 Gold 2 Silver 2 Bronze
6 Thailand: 2 Gold 2 Silver 2 Bronze
6 Belarus: 1 Gold 3 Silver 2 Bronze
5 Greece: 2 Gold 1 Silver 2 Bronze
5 Switzerland: 2 Gold 1 Silver 1 Bronze
5 Iran: 2 Gold 3 Bronze
5 Ethiopia: 1 Gold 1 Silver 3 Bronze
5 Georgia: 1 Gold 1 Silver 3 Bronze
4 Argentina: 3 Gold 1 Silver
4 Armenia: 1 Gold 3 Silver
4 Slovenia: 1 Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze
4 Serbia: 1 Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze
4 Romania: 1 Gold 1 Silver 2 Bronze
4 Malaysia: 3 Silver 1 Bronze
4 Turkey: 2 Silver 2 Bronze
4 Lithuania: 1 Silver 3 Bronze
3 Slovakia: 2 Gold 1 Silver
3 Indonesia: 1 Gold 2 Silver
3 Chinese Taipei: 1 Gold 2 Bronze
3 Venezuela: 1 Silver 2 Bronze
3 Egypt: 3 Bronze
3 Norway: 3 Bronze
2 Bahrain: 1 Gold 1 Silver
2 Vietnam: 1 Gold 1 Silver
2 IOA: 1 Gold 1 Bronze
2 Ireland: 2 Silver
2 India: 1 Silver 1 Bronze
2 Mexico: 1 Silver 1 Bronze
2 Mongolia: 1 Silver 1 Bronze
2 Israel: 2 Bronze
2 Tunisia: 2 Bronze
1 Bahamas: 1 Gold
1 Fiji: 1 Gold
1 Jordan: 1 Gold
1 Kosovo: 1 Gold
1 Puerto Rico: 1 Gold
1 Singapore: 1 Gold
1 Algeria: 1 Silver
1 Grenada: 1 Silver
1 Philippines: 1 Silver
1 Qatar: 1 Silver
1 Austria: 1 Bronze
1 Bulgaria: 1 Bronze
1 Dominican Republic: 1 Bronze
1 Estonia: 1 Bronze
1 Finland: 1 Bronze
1 Morocco: 1 Bronze
1 Moldova: 1 Bronze
1 Portugal: 1 Bronze
1 United Arab Emirates: 1 Bronze
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