Some Things Never Change

So this week finally came to an end. My last Christmas in Chile was a good one, from sharing messages and Chilean foods with the amazing people here, I would have it no other way. This upcoming week will be another week of fiestas for new years eve, maybe it will be a little more exciting that last year haha, but either way it will be enjoyable.

This week I want to share a little message on settting goals. Off of the talk which I loved  called Some Thoughts on Goal-Setting by ELDER DEAN L. LARSEN, I would like to put emphasis in this part of the talk: 

Following her release from the hospital, this sister deeply felt the need to spend some private time with her scriptures and in prayerful quest for understanding. She reported that on a day at the close of the month she was at home alone, particularly impressed and inspired by some part ofthe scriptures she had been reading. A sweet spirit of peace and consolation rested upon her, and she felt a closeness to the Lord and the reality of his love in a way she had never experienced before.

She was absorbed in this experience when the telephone rang. She reluctantly answered. On this occasion the call was to solicit a time during the day when an official Relief Society visit could be made to present the lesson for the month. When the sister asked to forego the lesson in view of the fact that the visiting teachers had already been in her home several times during the month, and more especially because she did not wish to have her refreshing interlude with the scriptures interrupted, she was reminded that this was the last day of the month. On the earlier visits the official lesson for the month had not been presented. Therefore, the visits could not be counted.

Reluctantly, the sister left her scriptures and cleaned her house inpreparation for the visit of the visiting teachers. The spirit of the morningwas lost and was replaced by a feeling of resentment and hurt. The visiting teachers’ perfect record remained intact—but at what cost?

As humans sometimes we lose track of ourselves in the numbers game, who can have higher numbers. And sometimes even as missionaries we find ourselves in this trap. We look at the numbers of other missionaries to rate ourselves. Or sometimes, we only think about getting that last number, and forget about things that may be more important.. I believe if we all had the attitude and goal to always strive for the admiration of the Lord, and not of men, including numbers, records, peer reviews, whatever the reason, if it is not Godly it is not worthy. I am grateful for all of my family and friends. 

I hope you all have a great New Years, eat a lot of meat, as the Chileans say. Love you all!

Elder Siaosi