Anyways- This gives me an opportunity to share a little thought with you about decisions and goals. At stake conference a few weeks ago, and President Wyeth (i'm pretty sure it was him) talked about the difference between GOALS and DECISIONS and it really stuck with me and relates to this challenge we are doing. I wrote down this summary or what he said…
"We shouldn't make decisions where goals ought to be or make goals where our decisions ought to be. I shouldn't have the goal to read my scriptures every day,I should decide to read every day."
In essence, goals can be things that aren't directly in our control, that our actions can hopefully lead to, like I could have a goal to be in a musical at the Hale Center Theater someday, but I can't actually MAKE that happen, it depends on many different factors, especially the people who decide whether my audition was good enough or not. But, it's a great goal! But I could DECIDE to take voice lessons, or practice every day. Those are things that are in my control, that I can do if I so choose.
I think seeing things this way helps us realize we really are in control of our life in the sense that we can set goals (feel the love of God more in my life) and then make decisions, (read my scriptures every day, say my prayers twice daily) and set ourselves on a path to achieve our goals. When we see that our actions each day are really a product of what we have consciously decided to do (or not do) perhaps we will be better at following through on doing those things that are hard or trying to establish those new habits.
Have you ever tried to become another person? I had this conversation with my daughter the other night. She was running through the airport in Seattle/Tacoma and literally about to miss her flight. She was in line for security and I was on the phone with her yelling at her (oops) to just ask people if she could cut in front of them because her flight was leaving in 20 minutes! She was a teenage girl, traveling alone and I knew people would understand and let her through. She kept saying, "NO!! I CAN'T! NO. MOM I CAN'T DO THAT!" and I told her, "YES, YOU CAN! Just BECOME a person who can do those kinds of things!" After a little more yelling (encouraging) she did it! No one cared at all. A nice couple let her sneak across the rope (instead of zig zagging back and forth) and the security guard let her through really quick, and she got to the gate just as they were shutting the door to the tarmac and yelled "STOP! Don't shut the gate!"
Sometimes you just have to do things that don't necessarily feel like "you" at first. Maybe you have told yourself (or someone told you- maybe even the adversary) that you're just not a person who does that. "I don't just go up and talk to people I don't know!" "I'm no scriptorian." "I don't really talk to God when I pray." or "I'm just not one of those people." BUT YOU CAN BE… Just DECIDE to be. I used to be a person who lived the gospel, but wasn't a super scripture reader or super spiritual or anything. That just wasn't me. I felt like my older sister took that role and I was someone else. But 11 years ago when I decided to start reading my scriptures every day, BOOM...I became another person! I was a person who read their scriptures every day. I was a person who felt the Spirit, who got inspiration for the lessons they taught each week. A person who felt the Holy Ghost in my heart when I listened to others teach. A person who just LOVED the Book of Mormon and sharing what they learned! I got to experience so many things that I had heard other people talk about but I didn't really experience myself until I changed into that kind of person! It really came with just a simple, straightforward DECISION! I didn't have any goals in mind, other than I knew I needed more help from God in my life with my eating disorder, and life in general, but I NEVER thought that one simple decision would lead to me being totally healed!! Otherwise I'd have started years before! I had been told all my life the importance of reading my scriptures every day. Why did I wait so long to be one of THOSE people?! THOSE people are really happy! If I hadn't made that decision, I honestly can tell you I wouldn't be here right now. Scary.
So, pick the thing you are struggling with most, or the thing you know would help you the most in your particular situation, and just simply DECIDE that you are going to be one of THOSE people who do that. Then you will get those blessings. YOU WILL! You will love the person you've become and all that goes with it and you will wonder…Why did I wait so long?? … and what else have I been NOT doing (or am doing that I need to stop doing) that I can start doing and receive those blessings too? It works and that's what this challenge is all about. Taking steps to more happiness, and more blessings. More JOY! You already know what to do. Just decide to do it and follow through on that decision. Pray for help and you WILL receive it!
I love you and have faith in you and your strength and in the strength and love of our Father in Heaven. You have a great mission on earth and the Lord will help you find it and fulfill it, one step at a time. I hope you are all enjoying looking back into your childhood and please share pictures or stories with us. You can post on Facebook or reply to this email with some. We can't wait to see!
Thanks for listening. I am so proud of all of you! Have a wonderful weekend and know that you are loved!
Lots of love!
Sarah
p.s. on a silly note, this email keeps reminding me of a silly movie! Any guesses?? ("Become another person. Become another person.")
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