A New Batch of Goals for 2009

The Buffalo Stake Presidency set 5 goals for 2009 for the members of the stake:

1. Have a missionary experience monthly with the expectation that this will lead to at least one missionary discussion taught in your home.


2. Have kneeling daily family prayer.


3. Do an act of service for a non-member friend or neighbor at least once a month.


4. Read the New Testament and "Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage.


5. Attend the temple monthly and perform temple ordinances for one family name prepared using New Family Search.

Gulp. When I first got the list, I must admit I was a bit overwhelmed because, well, these goals are in addition to the standard goals tied to magnifying your callings, preparing for the weekly Sunday School lesson, reading the weekly Relief Society lesson, doing your visiting teaching, reading the Book of Mormon. . . And "Jesus the Christ" is almost 800 pages in length.

As we were talking about the goals, and that it would be a real stretch to achieve a couple of them (specifically reading "Jesus the Christ" and the New Testament), we discussed how easy it would be to justify NOT doing them. Then we talked about obedience. That pretty much turned things around right there.

So, we've been reading "Jesus the Christ." As much as I read, I've never read it before. It always seemed too big, too scriptural, and too overwhelming.

Like so many things, all it took was opening the book and reading the first page. Then it was a matter of finding time. I put the book on the dryer. Each time I go downstairs to turn on the pump on the washer (two times for each load of laundry), I read "Jesus the Christ" while waiting for the pump to finish. I can get a couple of pages in on each cycle. This may not sound like much in itself, but it adds up. It also helps the motivation to have someone else in the house who is also reading. . . not that we're competing (because that would be somewhat childish). But I'm further ahead! OK, but he's doing better with reading the weekly Sunday School lesson. We work together on the rest of the goals, and one month into the new year, things are going well.

Interesting lesson on accountability from the Stake Presidency: during Stake Council meeting, the Stake President asks those in the meeting for feedback on how well they are doing with the goals. They also ask each person to report on his/her home or visiting teaching for the previous month. One thing about most people - if you know that someone is going to be asking you how you are doing on something, you are more likely to do it. Public accountability is where it's at, baby!