Article of Faith 1:3; refer in this text to 4 Ne. 1:2-3
“When you get what you want in your struggle for gain,
and the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what the man has to say.
It isn’t your father or mother or wife,
whose judgment upon you must pass,
The one whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back in the glass.
He’s the one you must satisfy beyond all the rest,
for he’s with you right up to the end;
And you have passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend!
You may be one who got a good break —
then say I’m a wonderful guy;
But the man in the glass says you’re only a fake;
if you can’t look him straight in the eye.
You may fool the world down your pathway of years,
and get pats on the back as you pass;
But your final reward will be heartaches and
tears if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.”
David Horton Elton
“One day in the middle of an important examination in high school, the point of my lead pencil broke. In those days we used pocketknives to sharpen our pencils. I had forgotten my penknife, and turned to ask a neighbor for his. The teacher saw this; he accused me of cheating. When I tried to explain, he gave me a tongue-lashing for lying; worse, he forbade me to play on the basketball team in the upcoming game. I could see that the more I protested the angrier he seemed to become. But again and again I stubbornly told what had happened. Even when the coach pleaded my cause, the teacher refused to budge. The disgrace was almost more than I could bear. Then, just 5 minutes before the game, he had a change of heart and I was permitted to play. But there was no joy in it. We lost the game; and though that hurt, by far the deeper pain was being branded a cheat and a liar. Looking back, I know that lesson was God-sent. Character is shaped in just such crucibles. My parents believed me; they were understanding and encouraging. Supported by them and a clear conscience, I began to realize that when you are at peace with your Maker you can, if not ignore human criticism, at least rise above it.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 367-368)