Day 4

Today I had to research the word Goals on LDS.ORG. I wasn't really sure where I needed to go with this one but I'm really glad that I found the article I did. I found an article from the Jan 2010 Ensign by Elder Holland. I love love love Elder Holland. The name of this article is The best is yet to be.

In this, he started out by saying that he didn't want to talk about new years resolutions and when I started reading this, I wasn't really sure this could work for goals. But because of what is going on in my life and the things I feel like I need to do, it helps to set myself, my goals in order. He urged us strongly to let go of the past. He said not to dwell on the yesterdays, no matter how good those days might have been. The past is to be learned from, not lived in. I love that! I cannot tell you how many times I have thought to myself that I just wish I could go back to something because it seemed better at the time.

In this article he talked about Lots wife, he took us back to Somom and Gumorah. He taught that the reason why she looked back, wasn't because she wanted to see what was going on, but that she yearned to be back in Sodom and Gumorah. She didn't have faith in what was yet to be for her, she didn't trust in what the Lord had in store for her. I really felt, that I didn't want to be like her. I don't think I want to even look back to see what happened. I really want to just have faith, that the Lord with take care of what needs to be done. He goes on to talk about faith. Faith is always pointed to the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficaciousin our lives.

Elder Holland then spoke of Paul and what he had given up. Pauls said that giving up all his riches and position in the Jewish community is like Dung. He would rather have the Christianity. Paul also said; I have stopped rhapsodizing about "the good old days" and now eagerly look toward the future, that I may apprehend that for which Christ apprehended me. That is so me sometimes... To many times I want the good old days and forget what I have before me. It's ok to think about the past but not to live in it. Those are happy times but we must progress.

He taught us to forgive and forget, ourselves and others. We should not dig up things of the past. We should hold on to just enough, so as to not do wrong again but to let that which has been buried through repentance, stay buried. Something that he said and that I loved was, God doesn't care as much as to where you have been but he does care where you are at now and where you are headed and willing to go. If we repent, the Lord will forget and just wants us to keep moving forward. He wants us back!

Every day out to be a new start of a new year and a new life! Every day I can wake up and look towards the future. I can set new goals or adjust myself to the goals set previously. Elder Holland finished by saying; We wonder what the future holds for us. Are we going to look towards it or look back. and dwell in the past. He called out to us, to remember Lots wife. Faith is the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the "High Priest of good things to come." Keep your eyes on the dream, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever.

I don't know how much this really is about goals but it helped me to think about my goals. I have to continue in faith. Faith is a hard thing sometimes and I know that my goals this year require a lot of faith. Just when I think I have faith, I realize that I need even more. The Lord does push me to go further. He knows that I can do hard things and so do I, with faith in Christ.