Goal setting

Goals were always before me on my mission. We would set daily goals, weekly goals, transfer goals, etc.

http://firecider.com/blogs/news/16395573-setting-s-m-a-r-t-goals

So one would expect a returned missionary to be good at setting and accomplishing goals right? Well, unfortunately, many of us don't keep up on that skill. Yet, there are some that do. 

Recently I have been trying harder to keep up on my goals. And truly the way to keep up on them is to be accountable for them. It's also good to set goals that actually mean something to you so that you stay motivated. 

Preach My Gospel has a great section on goal setting and using time wisely as well as accountability. Check it out! Here's a little bit from it:

"Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish. Through goals and plans, our hopes are transformed into action. Goal setting and planning are acts of faith." -PMG

"I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”

–Elder M. Russell Ballard

I love that we are not expected to always meet our goals, we can tweak them to fit us better. Sometimes we set our expectations too high, not only for ourselves but for others too. It's rough when we don't reach our goals, but instead of beating ourselves up about not reaching the goal, we can take a step back and figure out what we can do with a little bit of stretching. 

Someone who isn't very flexible is not going to be able to touch their toes in one day, they will have to stretch just a little bit every day until they can touch their toes. 

God doesn't expect us to become like Him in one day. Becoming like God is a process, it takes time to get to that point. It takes time to stretch and grow and become like Him. We are spiritually so so young! And we only have been in a body for a few short mortal years! We have so much to learn and grow that we don't really have time to beat up on ourselves. 

God sees so much more of our potential than what we see ourselves, we must learn to trust in Him and His plan. He will help us reach our potential more fully than anyone else can. As we prayerfully set goals, we can reach the stars! 

Three temptations

One of my favorite zone meetings was about fulfilling our purpose. The way that the leaders decided to present the topic was to present the three temptations that prevent us from fulfilling our purpose.

Now, before I write those down, I want to make clear that these things prevent any of us from fulfilling any of our purposes. Whatever may be on your to do list, completing a project at work, etc.

Some of us may wonder "what is my purpose?" There are many answers I could give to that question, the most basic being to become like God and return home to Him. For more specific ways on how to do that, I encourage you to turn to the Lord through study and prayer and He will help you find specific goals of how to fulfill your purpose right now.

...

First off is TIME... here's an example from Elder Oaks
"None of us should be like the fisherman who thinks he has been fishing all day when in reality he has spent most of his time getting to and from the water, eating lunch, and fussing with his equipment. Fishing success is related to how long you have your line in the water, not to how long you are away from the apartment. Some fishermen are away from home for twelve hours and have their line in the water for ten hours. Other fishermen are away from home for twelve hours and have their line in the water for only two hours. This last type may wonder why they do not have the same success as others."

As we go out to fulfill our purpose, how much time are we really focused on fulfilling our purpose and how much time are we sitting around eating lunch or fussing with our equipment? Yes, there does need to be time for those things, but how much time are you wasting as you strive to fulfill your purpose? Two minutes every day does build up. What ways can you spend your time more wisely? How can planning help that?


I know that I am guilty of being the lax fisherman who doesn't have his line in the water very long at all. Yet, I am beginning to see that and I'm figuring out new ways of how I can plan more effective and productive activities for my day to help me fulfill my purpose and progress. All of which have been found through study and prayer as I have carefully and thoughtfully planned out my days. The Lord answers (Matthew 7:7).

Next is INDECISION...
What makes us indecisive? Fear, lack of revelation, lack of plans? There are many reasons of why we may be indecisive.

One scripture that was shared with us was 2 Timothy 1:7- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Sometimes we are so caught up in the "I have to pray about this" that we forget that the Lord has also given us a sound mind and that at times we must make our own decisions. As long as we are anxiously engaged in a good cause, and we have also made the decision to follow God as He guides us, then we are fine.

One of my favorite quotes "you can not steer a parked car." Many times we must go forward with faith and trust that all will be well.

Another thing that will help us all with indecision is having back up plans. When you are trying to fulfill your purpose and all your plans to do so don't work out, go try fishing in a different spot. Don't just go home and call it a day, but say, "hey, maybe the water is better over here. I'll drop my line here instead."

Last is "My will vs. Thy will"
John 6:38  "For I came down from heaven, not do to mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."
Sometimes we are so gung ho and think we are doing everything that God wants us to do, but in reality, we are not. We forget to pray and find out His will. We think we know better. We think that because of our experience, we can figure this problem out on our own.

http://pixshark.com/kneeling-in-prayer.htm

Well, why not ask God, the being that knows all things past, present, and future? His experience and His knowledge is much more vast than yours. Hmm....

Humility is key my friends, take time to kneel and ask the Father what He would have you do. I promise you that as you do so, your mind will be clearer of which path you ought to take to fulfill your purpose.

I just want to wrap this up by saying that I know that our Father in Heaven answers our prayers. He is anxious to help us, all we need to do is ask. He is so pleased when we come to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit ready to learn from Him. He loves seeing us grow up spiritually. He loves to see us take accountability for our actions and our growth. He is happy when we decide to be agents unto our selves and take our purpose seriously. I am grateful that the atonement is real and that is makes it possible for me to change and grow, for without it, I would be nothing. I am grateful for the enabling power of the atonement, grace, which gives me the strength to fulfill my purpose.

God speaks through...Poetry

Something I learned before and on my mission is that God speaks to all of us differently.

Many times the most powerful answers I received took form of a poem. I would have a question or two and God would grab my pen and let the words flow through my head, heart, and hand onto the blank page in my journal.

I have posted poems before, and here is a new one in it's first draft:

Father, I don't understand what is eating me.
What is making me feel incomplete?
I do not need others' approval to know I am fine,
Just yours and apparently mine.
So why do I wallow in despair,
When I know You've always been there?
How come I writhe in pain,
As if I've been hit by a train?
The adversary throws his darts,
But I do not need let them enter my heart.
I am strong and bold,
He doth not have power to afflict my soul!
For Christ is my strength and my song,
And with Him, nothing will go wrong.
He is my Savior and my King!
To Him, my praises I'll sing.
I shall not ever fear,
For I know that He is always near.
He is my rock and my salvation,
No matter what storms I'm facin'.
To Him I will cling
For I understand the peace He can bring.

https://toleavealegacy.wordpress.com/

He makes me complete,
And one day I'll kneel at His feet.
I'll wash His feet with my tears,
And these are the words I'll hear-
"I'm so proud of you and what you've done,
Look at all the battles that together we've won.
Well done my good and faithful servant,
Look around and welcome home- you have done it."
He'll pick me up and give me love,
My Friend I've trusted from above.
He's done everything and pulled me through,
It seems not enough to only say "thank you."
I know to Him I'm worth it,
Therefore I can not wallow in my pit.
For if I mean so much to Him,
This is where my story must begin.
He saves me again and again,
So that I'll be beautiful in the end.
His light is inside, I can feel it grow,
It's time to open up and let it show.
For He is who I am deep down inside,
It's now time to let Him control the ride.
Give Him my all, my life, my best,
And then sit back and forget the rest.
I thank Thee Father for this day,
And for this great opportunity to reflect and to pray.

I'm grateful for the love God shows to me each day and for the opportunity to see His hand in my life. He lifts me up and carries me through. Also see 2 Nephi 4: 15+

Service is a gift

This week was good. I got back on my feet and learned some good things. I am so grateful for the gift of service. Yes, doing service is a gift. 

I remember on my mission I sometimes really really wished to be in a leadership position so that I would not focus so much on myself and my stuff. I wanted to be there for others. I wanted to serve. Why? Because I understood the blessings that came from serving others and thinking about them. About half way through my mission though I never really got another chance at a leadership position. 

Or at least that is what I thought. Just because I wasn't in what I thought was a leadership position, didn't mean that I wasn't a leader to those around me. My example, my tag, and my experience automatically labelled me as a leader. People looked up to me just because I was a missionary. I was a leader.

As a leader, I prayed for those I had potential to influence. I prayed for those under my care. I prayed for those around me. I prayed for the members. I prayed to receive inspiration of how to help those I interacted with. I was so focused on others that I truly lost myself in the work. I truly loved. I truly cared. And as a result, I was happy and I was taken care of. I didn't have to worry about my own life. I saw how blessed I was every day as I served others. I forgot my troubles and I trusted that God would take of them either by helping me overcome them, or helping me to realize that they weren't really troubles in the first place.

Those are some of the many blessings that come from service. Service is a gift. And I am so grateful for it.

Book of Mormon-short testimony

On my mission, I served in an area where there was a member that had such a powerful testimony of The Book of Mormon. He changed my outlook on missionary work.

I wanted to hand out the book to everyone that I came in contact with. It had impacted my life so much, and I just wanted to share it. It was awesome. As I concentrated more on the Book of Mormon in my teaching and finding techniques, the work hastened.

The Book of Mormon is a blessing in our lives. It can influence us for good. It can give us peace in times of darkness. It can shed forth light in our pits of despair. It can lift us. Well, the book itself can't do those things, but the message and the spirit that come from reading the book with a open mind and heart can. If one is willing to read The Book of Mormon and read it with the intent to receive an answer from God, they can and will receive that answer.

March 23rd 2013- Elder Bednar

On March 23rd 2013, Elder Bednar came to our mission and we were able to have an All Mission Conference.

There is so much that he said that carried the spirit to our hearts. As long as our hearts and minds were opened, we learned so much from this meeting.

I don't know where to begin or what to say about this meeting or how to convey everything I learned.

One topic that was prominent in the conference was agency and being agents unto ourselves as well as allowing others to be agents unto themselves.

If you want to get an idea of what he told us about this topic, check out his "Seek Learning by Faith" or "Ask in Faith" talks.

I loved realizing that I don't have to react in certain ways, I can choose how I want to react and learn. I can act in faith. I can work towards goals that I want. I don't have to sit around waiting for something good or bad to happen to me and then decide how I want to react. I can take things into situations and plan and prepare so that I can learn more. I can pray with real intent-real intent to act upon my answer, no matter what it is. I can choose to have faith in God and in His timing. I can own the doctrine, not just know it.
I can ask the Lord "will you show me who I really am?" and then be willing to ask as well "what can I do to improve?" and then be willing to do what He directs. I can learn to preach the gospel instead of giving talks. I don't have to be in control as long as I am under His control- I can choose to be spiritually self-reliant. I can act in faith, knowing that He will fill my mouth. As I ask questions, not only in my own study but to others as well, I can help them become agents unto themselves too. No one really wants to be talked at or have things shoved in their faces, but as they are taught truth and are asked questions they can have light bulb moments, they are guided to the truth and then they will own the truth and the solutions to their questions more fully. guided discovery is a great thing. As we step back and ask the question "what do they [or I] need?" and wait, then the Lord is able to teach us so much easier. Silence is often when the Spirit will speak to us. And it takes patience and effort to really teach and learn in this way, but as we do, wow. The changes that come are great.

Another thing I wanted to touch on from this conference was this concept. I don't know if I am quoting Elder Bednar quite right, but this is what I wrote in my journal that day: (someone asks about returning home)

"When the day comes when you ask 'what is wrong with me?' remember the answer is that there is nothing wrong with you. You were just an effective missionary. Your focus is changing a little more inward, and it's awkward. It will be a hard transition, but you can do it."

There is nothing wrong with being an effective missionary. The transition will be hard, but we can do it. I believe this is true with all transitions in life, just remember, that nothing is wrong with you. Nothing is ever wrong with you. As a friend once said : "you are not broken...there may be things to learn about yourself, there's always changes to make..." You are not broken. God doesn't make mistakes. You can be refined sure, but remember that you are loved. As I was writing this blog post, I happened upon this quote online and I thought it would be a good way to close. Just strive every day to do your best and you will be fine. Remember my post from last week? Yupp. Just keep on trying. You got this. I don't know who I'm writing to, but there you go. Keep pressing forward. The night will end and there will be a beautiful sunrise.

March 20th ish 2013- Failure...

As I thought about writing this blog post, I actually didn't want to, mostly because I want to go to bed... yeah...

So this will probably be pretty fast. Sickness calls you know..

As I reflected in my journal, I was pretty discouraged at the beginning of my mission because we would set goals and rarely meet them. I didn't understand why we would set such lofty goals if we really didn't think that we would meet them. What was the point of trying? We were failing.

This brings me to what I want to talk about. This morning I sent out a thought of the day from a dear friend "There is no such thing as failure, just temporary setbacks."

Another friend responded saying that they believed that the only time you fail is when you stop trying. (and here's an awesome talk too... Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying)

And a quote from Confucius: "it does not matter how slow you go, so long as you do not stop."

So in all of these cases, we weren't failing as long as we were trying our best. We had no reason to be discouraged because we were succeeding, not failing.

It was a temporary setback. Just because we blew out one of our tires didn't mean we couldn't get it fixed and do better the next day. If we had failed, we would have given up, and never tried to get to our destination. We would have stayed inside all day and took off the missionary badge. But we didn't do that. We got up each morning, studied and prepared for the day and honestly did our best. Therefore we succeeded. We did not fail.

The gospel is to have faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, to repent, to be baptized, to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and to ENDURE TO THE END.

You keep going. No matter what. Hold tightly to that iron rod and press forward. Sure, you will stumble and fall, but you get back up and you keep going. Another quote by Confucius "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Yupp. You just keep going.

And I did my best today, it didn't equal my best on a normal day, it didn't even equal my average, but I did my best in my circumstances, and therefore I did not fail. I succeeded gloriously with what I was given.