Weaknesses and Goals

Dear Family and Friends,

 

This week was all over the place. Out in Alamo we have to drive for two hours to get to civilization, and we had two meetings in Albuquerque and Los Lunas NM. That took some serious time away from teaching but we still had one of our best weeks since I have been here. I think time management and staying focused played a big role in that. We also had members that helped us out a couple times during the week so effective planning was also important. All of these things you learn about and don't really know until you try them out in real time. The work is progressing and we are finding new people to teach. One girl Samantha is going through a separation and when we talked about baptism and explained it and asked her what she thought she said "All I can think about is what you said about being able to forget the past and start new." That is the privilege that all of us have each week. To work through our pain and sorrow or weakness and sin and become truly healed, able to be pure and comfortable.

 

My focus last week was on weaknesses and interestingly, that was the biggest focus in Zone Conference last Friday as well. I find it refreshing to know that the spirit teaches and bears witness in more than one testimony. That is the whole premise of the Book of Mormon if you think about it. Anyway, I think it applicable to talk a little more about weakness but this time more in a sense of overcoming weakness. Ether 12:27 is a well known scripture. I think many of you could nearly quote it. But briefly I'll paraphrase it by saying, weaknesses are necessary and even a gift from God to help us be humble and are given so that we can become stronger. So how do we go about making our weaknesses stronger? Pray, certainly. Ask for help, definitely. But more importantly act! Oliver in Doctrine and covenants thought he had to do no more than ask and he would be given a great gift. But the Lord told him (D&C 8:2-3) to "study it out in your mind and in your heart" and he will then confirm the truth or the path to improve. That means setting Goals! I looked at goals in the Topical Guide to the bible and it just refers you to two other things. Any guesses?.... Objectives and Perfection. Wow, I thought. Goals are referred to as a path to perfection. So if any of us hope to obtain perfection we need to be perfect at setting goals. That doesn't mean right away or that all of our goals will be attained. But it does mean that we need to try. So for me it is a pattern that goals + objectives = or lead to perfection. Don't worry, I'm not going to make this into a math equation.

 

A very important insight personal insight came to me yesterday. We were talking to a less active member Junior, and inviting him to Family Home Evening that we do each Monday night at the little Alamo Chapel. We were talking about church and what he missed and what we had done (Weekly Planning) earlier in the day. The pattern that popped into my head was Spiritual Preparation > Planning > Goals/Objectives or Focus = or lead to Physical manifestation. Ok Last "math equation" format. This isn't really a new concept either, but it was another witness from the spirit that this is a true principle. I know that when we are in tune with the spirit we will see our weaknesses, But we will be spiritually prepared to accept them and then the spirit will guide us to set goals to overcome them. As we set those goals and act to reach our objective, or in other words as we stay focused on God's plan for us, then we are able to become a physical manifestation of the image God would have us show. That is what it means to take Christ's name upon me. I think if we are to always remember him as we have so covenanted to do then we are so guided by the spirit in each choice that we make. We don't always know the pattern but God will reveal it to us and I consider this a great revelation in my life. I know that God answers prayers and he does speak to his children. He loves us all and I send all of my love and prayers for each of you.

 

Ayoo' Aniinishni 

Elder McGarry

 

Exchange with Elder Jones​, first time trying real Indian Bread for both of us :)

With Mike, He is going to get Baptized on the 27th (As long as he doesn't drink coffee)