2010 Approaches

As I was reading in my copy of Preach My Gospel today, I read through Chapter 8, which focuses on “using time wisely.” While perusing, I thought to myself, “What am I doing with my life? Am I doing what’s going to be most important in the long run? What am I going to do to make 2010 better than 2009?”

I had made a list of goals of things that I wanted to accomplish in 2009. Here’s how the list went:

1. Finish my mission strong.
a. I feel like I accomplished this, though much of the credit goes to my companion, and those around me
2. Find a job, and stick with it when I get home
a. Complete.
3. Do well in school.
a. Well, “well” is all relative, isn’t it?
4. Start dating again
a. Success!
After realizing that I had accomplished, or at least come close to accomplishing all of them, I felt pretty good about the year. I think that I have a penchant for focusing on the negative, and not realizing that success is a road to be traveled on, as well as an ultimate destination. King Benjamin writes about this in Mosiah 4:

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

It’s SO important that we not only have goals, but that they are planned in “wisdom and order,” so that they can be done in the way that the Lord has set. Joseph B. Wirthlin once taught that we should “create inspiring, noble, and righteous goals that fire your imagination and create excitement in your heart. And then, keep your eye on them. Work consistently to achieve them.” Just as important in goal planning is find a goal that will make you want to work consistently to achieve it, I’m going to figure out how to accomplish these goals.

I finally arrived at several, simple goals for myself for 2010. They go as follows:

1. Get above a 3.5 GPA each semester, through doing the proper reading, note taking, and studying to earn the grades I want.
2. Update this blog every week. (I know that this one will be difficult. Any suggestions for topics would be greatly appreciated.)
3. Visit Portland at least once, through working enough to have the means to do it.
4. Keep in better touch with people that I care about, outside of facebook, which is kind of cheating. I will do this through calling one person each Sunday.
5. Read my scriptures every day. I’ll do this by reading them in the morning, rather than at night, when I’m tired and want to go to bed.
6. Go to the temple once a week. I just have to make the time. 52 visits to the temple in 2010.
7. Home teach every month, by setting up appointments, and teaching lessons that I would want to receive.

Now that I’ve committed to this, I will do my best to work consistently towards achieving them. I’m encouraged by words written in Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel: “Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you…you cannot [do this] without His help. With a desire to please God, recognize your weaknesses and be willing and anxious to improve.”

And by the words of Henry B. Eyring: “The urge to rise above yourself is a recognition of your need for the Atonement to work in your life, and your need to be sure it is working. After all you can do, after all your effort, you need confidence that the Atonement is working for you, and on you.”

I know that it is. I know that if I want to accomplish these goals, and I work consistently towards achieving them, I will be able to do it.

Happy New Year!