Goals

When I was in high school, my scrawny brother decided that he no longer wanted to be picked on physically and emotionally for being small and chose to change his physique. He began to body build. One may ask "Why go to the opposite extreme?!" But it's what he wanted and he gave everything to attain his goal. During this period of his life he had pinned on his bedroom wall a quote attributed to Elder Richard G. Scott which read, "To reach a goal you have never attained, you must do things you have never before done." It's a beautiful concept! So often we desire to become better, to attain specific goals but would prefer that the success fall into our lap. Anything worth acquiring takes effort, lots of it!
For years I have wanted to lose weight. From time to time I put forth a little more effort and then I give up. Why?! I know that I won't attain my goal without valiant effort but it's so easy to give into complacency. Not any more! About two months ago I decided that my goal requires my complete effort. I have changed my tactic. I realized that any good goal is worthy of asking for heavenly assistance. So, I've done just that. For over two months I have fasted weekly for the heavenly assistance I need in reaching my goal. And I have made a stronger personal effort to do everything I know to live a healthier life. Not that it's been easy but it has been beautiful! I have seen the Lord's hand in my life. I have also recognized how the Adversary attempts to thwart my goals. And I have learned that through the Lord all things are possible. So, over half way to my goal I thank my Heavenly Father for His love, guidance, and direction!

The Holy Ghost

"There is a lesson in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision which virtually every Latter-day Saint has had occasion to experience, or one day soon will. It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, and occasionally they come just as we are approaching an important decision or a significant step in our lives. . . Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted in it, it is right now."
“Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence” by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

How profound! I think it is all too easy to receive a thought or impression and later (even moments later) dismiss it. It is so important that we do whatever is necessary to act upon promptings and impressions from the Spirit. I have had a few very impressionable experiences with the Spirit throughout my life which have helped create a spirit of obedience. One that currently stands out in my memory happened while I was a missionary. My companion and I were preparing for the next day. We had prayed to know where we should be so that we might be where the Lord needed us, his servants. As we discussing the streets in our area, I had a distinct impression not to be in a certain area, at a certain time. The impression was quite strong but could have been easily dismissed as an unrealistic thought. I told my companion of the impression and that we couldn't not go to that area. The next evening we spoke with a friend who lived in the area I had felt impressed to not enter. At the exact time that the Spirit told me we shouldn't not be there, there was an attempted kidnapping at gunpoint of an adult woman. There was no doubt that the Lord had protected us and I knew that if I had dismissed the prompting as my own crazy thought that our lives would have been in jeopardy! I was so grateful that I had listened to the prompting from the Holy Ghost! I learned to seek the Lord's guidance more in my life and realized how easy it is to dismiss promptings of the Spirit! Heavenly Father knows what He is doing! He tries to guide us in all important decisions in our lives!

Just a Thought

I've been thinking a lot about choices. Adam and Eve provide a great example: they made no progress until they partook of the fruit of which they were disinclined to partake. They may have thought that they were happy, and may have been afraid of what they were getting themselves into, but they were stuck and could not progress. Until they partook, they could not move forward with their lives. They could not experience true joy and happiness without taking a leap of faith.
Here is also an awesome quote from Elder Marion G. Romney:
"While the Lord will magnify us in both subtle and dramatic ways, he can only guide our footsteps when we move our feet. Ultimately, our own actions determine our blessings - or lack of them."