Dec 30

And a happy new year!

Hey everyone! How was your Christmas? Ours was wonderful! We spent it with a few different families (including our own!), and a few people that don't have a family. I think that was the best part. Ringing a doorbell, seeing the surprised face pop out the window (even though you told them you were coming earlier that week), and then the huge smile, the warm hug, and the whispered "merci" that show how much they appreciate your visit. Christmas as a missionary seems to help us understand the true spirit of Christmas, for "to understand the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the spirit of Christ." (The spirit of Christmas, Ensign December 2000)

Well, Christmas is over, and 2013 is drawing to a close, and that makes it time for new years resolutions right? Some brand new goals for a brand new year.I think one of my favorite parts of being a missionary has been goals. Every week, every day, we're always setting new goals, new reasons to try hard, things to make us stretch and help us do more, be better. Having goals brings direction to our lives, motivates us, and keeps us on the straight and narrow path. I don't know what we'd do without them.

Granted, our daily goals are usually a bit smaller than a new years resolution. They're little un-complicated goals that help us accomplish bigger ones in the long run. (Alma 37:6)  

Have any of you ever set new years resolutions and managed to spend the next eleven and a half months not thinking about them? I sure have! So, with the new year in mind, I'd encourage all of you reading this to get your hands on a preach my gospel, go to chapter 8 and read something about goal setting. You may be surprised to find how much simple gospel doctrine is involved! After all, the Lord created all things spiritually before He created them physically (Moses 3:5).

So! With that in mind, lets all set some good goals, and use the blessing of this new year to become something more than what we are now eh?

I love you all!

 

Elder Christensen