The 5:30 Alarm

by Danika Nielsen

They’re not kidding when they say, “You snooze, you lose.”

I can’t count the number of times I have stumbled out of bed at five-thirty in the morning to a blaring alarm. Or how many times I’ve had to rip myself from a warm, soft bed to walk across a cold floor, mumbling to myself all the while that I would receive blessings for this and it would strengthen my testimony. But it wasn’t until recently that I began dropping to my knees and humbly offering up my thanks for early-morning seminary class.

As a junior in high school, I have spent approximately 311 hours studying the scriptures, watching Church videos, and being drilled on scripture-mastery scriptures. Those hours I could have spent studying for that last-minute trig test or finishing my homework or sleeping in one more hour. But what could I have been doing that was more important?

Alma 37:35 reads, “O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.” Alma was speaking to his son Helaman, to whom he had just entrusted the plates of brass. Alma knew he would not be with his son much longer and was giving him some last-minute advice to carry with him. Although Helaman did not fully understand at the time how important this advice would be, he came to understand it.

Over the years, seminary has become increasingly important to me. In that 45 minutes before school every day I have come to realize the truth of the gospel, the importance of the commandments, and the love that our Savior has for us. I have grown and learned with my fellow seminary students. I have gained something much more priceless than a few more hours of sleep. I have a great set of outlined scriptures and a growing testimony of the gospel. To me, that is worth the five-thirty alarm.

Photography by John Luke