Mormon Life - Goals tag

{Lifestyle} Forget Resolutions - Make Changes That Work!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:21:00 -0700

by Connie Sokol
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Making a life change is more than saying, “I want to lose 20 pounds.” The great news is that it’s easier than you think.

Making a life change doesn't have to seem overwhelming. It simply takes a subtle shift in mindset and a few keys to successful goal-setting.

Set goals from a Life Paragraph

Years ago friends gave us a plant for a hospitality gift. Determined to let this one live, I watered it diligently for two weeks until one day I looked at the plant closely and realized something: it was a fake plant. Oh, yeah. Resolutions are like watering a fake plant—they aren’t real. Successful goals come from connection—choosing the ideal outcome you want first, then using goals as vehicles to get there. Try creating a Life Paragraph. It’s so easy but powerful. Life coaching guru Brian Tracy has said, “The establishment of a clear, central purpose or goal in life is the starting point of all success.” Once you have a clear paragraph of what you want from life, goals are so much easier to choose and achieve.

To create a Life Paragraph, brainstorm buzz words to describe your ideal life in three categories: Self, Relationships, and Life Skills. For example, in Self you might have, “positive, spiritually centered, emotionally healthy, fit,” etc. After brainstorming all three areas, combine and edit them to create one juicy paragraph about six to eight sentences long to describe your ideal life. Have fun with this! Tweak and change until you feel it’s just what you want to describe what you’ll be working towards.

Real goals for real people

Successful goals are not I shoulds or I have tos. They’re chosen from your fabulous life paragraph and make you feel excited to begin. Good goals are specific and make you stretch without making you feel overwhelmed or like downing a cheesecake. I’ve coached women for ten years, and my secret to their success is one goal a week. That’s it. Choose wisely and then go to it. And remember Hyrum Smith wisely says to include the following in writing your goal: make it realistic, timely, specific, measurable, and action-oriented. Translation: “I will do a FUN workout three times this week for 20 minutes, varying cardio and weights.” Voila.

The possibilities are endless when you combine your Life Paragraph with a well-chosen goal—just one—each week. I’ve been able to write and publish books, be a public speaker, have a small business, be a stellar mother to six children (that’s up for debate), teach my children life skills, and run our home generally fabulously (except weeks before, during, or after holidays). And enjoy it all (most of the time). I’m not special or tremendously talented. It’s by small and simple things that great things come to pass, like keeping the kitchen counter clear. So give this a try. If you need a little boost, or group help, consider my “Take the 8-week Challenge!” You can enter at 8basics.com—it’s free and has helpful blogs, tips, and podcasts to help you stay focused on your changes. And remember, as you set goals, life happens. If you’re nose diving by day two of a goal, adjust! Change it, tweak it, make it work for you. There are no Goal Police, so switch it up to make it more real and keep progressing.

Reward yourself and keep going.

After setting a goal, choose a reward and use it! And don’t wait until you’ve completely finished the goal. One woman paid herself five dollars every time she worked out, then put that money toward a new outfit. Go girl! Rewards help change your neuroassociation to goal-setting—a fancy word for salivating Pavlovian style to set and achieve a goal, all because of the promise of an hour-long nap. That’s my kind of reward. And whatever you do, keep going with your chosen goal by continually envisioning the outcome. Anthony Robbins says that, sadly, most people give up five feet from achieving their goals.

Not you. Create that Life Paragraph, choose a connected goal that makes you excited to start, and reward your efforts along the way. This is your year to create fabulous change, so go get it!

Connie Sokol is a mother of six—expecting her seventh—and a presenter, former TV and radio host, and author of several books, including Faithful, Fit & Fabulous. For tips, columns, and books, visit www.8basics.com.

FHE: Time Management

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "Do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “A Time to Prepare,” by Elder Ian S. Ardern, Ensign, Nov 2011, 31.

Thought:
The poor use of time is a close cousin of idleness. As we follow the command to “cease to be idle” (D&C 88:124), we must be sure that being busy also equates to being productive.

(Elder Ian S. Ardern, “A Time to Prepare,” Enisgn, Nov 2011, 31.)

Song:
“Saturday,” Children’s Songbook, p. 196

Scripture:
Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:124)

Lesson:
Give each family member a clock or watch to hold. On your signal, ask them to watch their clock tick for one minute. Point out how everyone’s clock runs at the same pace. Explain that each of us has twenty-four hours each day, but some people seem to accomplish more than others. Talk about what some people do differently that seems to give them more time.

Ask, “If you were given the next three days to do whatever you wanted—with no obligations or restrictions—how would you spend your time?” After talking about their ideas for a few minutes, remind family members that although we seldom have such an opportunity, we do have much freedom in choosing how we spend our time. Ask, “When you think about how to spend your time, what most affects your decisions?”

Have a family member read the section heading for D&C 73. Then read aloud the historical background below.

On December 1, 1831, the Lord commanded Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to preach the gospel in the regions surrounding Kirtland, addressing negative things enemies of the Church had said and written. (See D&C 71.) They returned from this brief mission the second week of January and awaited a conference that had been planned for January 25 in Amherst, Ohio (about fifty miles west of Kirtland). As the Prophet considered how to best spend his time prior to the conference, he received the revelation recorded in D&C 73.

Ask:

• Based on this background, what appears to be one way Joseph Smith decided how to best use his time? (Seeking the Lord in prayer.)
• In response to the Prophet’s request, what did the Lord counsel him in D&C 73:1–6 about how to spend the next two weeks?
• What could this instruction teach you about important ways to spend your time?

Encourage your family to regularly seek the counsel of the Lord and His prophets as they decide how to best use their time—always being sure to make time for things of greatest value.

Share the following statements from Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

“How we spend our time is at least as good a measure of us as how we spend our money. An inventory of how we spend our disposable time will tell us where our treasure is.” (Notwithstanding My Weakness, 116–17.)

“Time, unlike some material things, cannot be recycled.” (A Time to Choose, 13.)

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Doctrine and Covenants, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004], p. 152.)

Story:
Elder Elray L. Christiansen

I think of a man they told me about in one of the stakes I was in not long ago. You know how we go out and try to activate the inactive, bring them along, get them to attend church meetings while time lasts. A president of an elders quorum told this story of a man whom they had called on many times, a good man who had good intentions. He welcomed them to his home, listened to them, and he would usually say, “Well, I will. I intend to. I will do it. I will come to church when I get straightened out.”

Then they would go back another time. The same story, “Well, when I get straightened out, I’ll come to church.”

Then the elders president said, “I was called on to speak at that man’s funeral. He was in church all right, and he was surely straightened out.”

But along the way he had lost a lot of the precious opportunities that time could have provided him in the way of preparation.

It seems to me that life is a series of chapters, and chapters have a way of ending. Your time at the BYU will end. This school year will end. You will leave feeling that your time here has been used wisely, or you will leave with some misgivings about time being unprofitably used. Now we must have recreation and fun and diversion, but it also should be planned, scheduled—and not overdone.

(Leon R. Hartshorn, Outstanding Stories by General Authorities, vol. 3, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1974].)

Activity:
Play freeze tag.

Choose one person to be “it.” “It” chases other family members until they tag them. Once someone has been touched, that person must stop running and remain in the position they were in when they were tagged; in other words they have to “freeze.”

If you are not “it” you can unfreeze other players by touching them as you run by. Continue the game until everyone is frozen. The last person to be tagged becomes “it.”

Refreshment
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Chocolate and mint are a winning combination.

1 (18.25-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix 2 eggs
1⁄3 cup oil

Heat oven to 350o F.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, and oil. Knead to make dough. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.

Frosting
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1⁄4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon hot water
3 cups powdered sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon mint extract (more if desired)
3 to 4 drops green food coloring

Mix cream cheese, butter, water, and powdered sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Frost cookies.

Makes 2 to 21⁄2 dozen cookies.

(Janet Peterson, Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook” Syndrome, [Salt Lake City:Eagle Gate, 2001], p.276.)

To get the PDF version of this lesson, click here.

{Food Dish} "Healthy" Dishes I Can Handle

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:03:00 -0700

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I want to eat healthier. Really, I do. But so often "healthy" translates to "blah." But these dishes make eating healthy look like a piece of zucchini cake.

I'm not known for a light palate. (Remember this?) So, resolution #4 this year should make total sense: eat better. This means fewer calories (no more late night cookie runs), less fat, and more fruits and vegetables.

I've really been meaning to eat better for a long time, but my love of food always causes me to stop short. "Healthy" often means sacrificing flavor. With these dishes, though, I think I can make that crucial first step. Are you with me?

(Note: I deemed these healthy only with my untrained eye on the ingredients. Many of them do not have calorie counts, but my hunch is that they're low.)

Sweet Potato Skins (Photo from Pinch of Yum)

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts (Photo from Ezra Pound Cake)

Fresh Corn and Tomato Saute (Photo from The Parsley Thief)

Healthy Muffins (Photo from Sweet Make Me Smile)

Prawn Salad Sandwich (Photo from An American in Ireland)

Spring Vegetable Saute (Photo from Sauce and Sensibility)

Fish Tacos with Mandarin Orange Salsa (Photo from Give Me Some Oven)

Quick and Healthy Turkey Chili (Photo from The Yummy Life)

And, speaking of that zucchini cake . . .

Healthy Chocolate Cake with Zucchini (Photo from Baltic Maid)

FHE: Future

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:05:00 -0700

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We do not know all that the future holds, but we can shape it through our choices and goals.

Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “Face the Future with Faith,” by Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, May 2011, 34.

Thought:
All that the future holds in store for each sacred child of God will be shaped by his or her parents, family, friends, and teachers. Thus, our faith now becomes part of our posterity’s faith later.

(Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Face the Future with Faith,” Ensign, May 2011, 34.)

Song:
“Now Let Us Rejoice,” Hymns, #3.

Scripture:
And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children’s, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation. (Doctrine and Covenants 98:37)

Object Lesson:
Explain to family members that one way to ensure a good future is to set goals.

Materials Needed: Seven coins.

Procedure: Tell the class that you have seven coins. Ask one person to catch the coins when you throw them. Tell him to catch as many as he can. Toss the coins all at once to the catcher. Ask:

How many coins did you catch? Gather the coins and then toss them one at a time. Ask:

How many coins did you catch this time?

Explain that the coins are like goals, assignments, or tasks to be completed. When we try to take on too many things at one time, some may not be accomplished (or caught). By careful planning, more goals will be effectively completed when taken one at a time.

(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Object Lessons Made Easy, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010], p. 35.)

Story:
James Talmage

During my college days, now more than a quarter of a century past, I was one of a class of students appointed to fieldwork as a part of our prescribed courses in geology. . . .

A certain assignment had kept us in the field many days. We had traversed, examined, and charted, miles of lowlands and uplands, valleys and hills, mountain heights and canyon defiles. As the time allotted to the investigation drew near its close, we were overtaken by a violent windstorm, followed by a heavy snow,—unseasonable and unexpected, but which, nevertheless, increased in intensity so that we were in danger of being snowbound in the hills. The storm reached its height while we were descending a long and steep mountain-side several miles from the little railway station, at which we had hoped to take the train that night for home. With great effort we reached the station late at night, while the storm was yet raging. We were suffering from the intense discomfiture, we learned that the expected train had been stopped by snow-drifts a few miles from the little station at which we waited.

Long after midnight the train arrived, in a terrific whirl of wind and snow. I lingered behind my companions, as they hurriedly clambered aboard, for I was attracted by the engineer, who, during the brief stop, while his assistant was attending to the water replenishment, bustled about the engine, oiling some parts, adjusting others, and generally overhauling the panting locomotive. I ventured to speak to him, busy though he was. I asked how he felt on such a night. . . .

His answer was a lesson not yet forgotten. In effect he said, though in jerky and disjointed sentences: “Look at the engine headlight. Doesn’t that light up the track for a hundred yards or more? Well, all I try to do is to cover that hundred yards of lighted track. That I can see, and for that distance I know the road-bed is open and safe. And,” he added, with what, through the swirl and the dim lamp- lighted darkness of the roaring night, I saw was a humorous smile on his lips, and a merry twinkle of his eye, “believe me, I have never been able to drive this old engine of mine, God bless her! so fast as to outstrip that hundred yards of lighted track. The light of the engine is always ahead of me!”

As he climbed to his place in the cab, I hastened to board the first passenger coach; and, as I sank into the cushioned seat, in blissful enjoyment of the warmth and general comfort, offering strong contrast to the wildness of the night without, I thought deeply of the words of the grimy, oil-stained engineer. They were full of faith—the faith that accomplishes great things, the faith that gives courage and determination, the faith that leads to works. For a little distance the storm-swept track was lighted up for that short space the engineer drove on!

We may not know what lies ahead of us in the future years nor even in the days or hours immediately beyond. But for a few yards, or possibly only a few feet, the track is clear, our duty is plain, our course is illumined. For that short distance for the next step, lighted by the inspiration of God, go on!

(Leon R. Hartshorn, Exceptional Stories from the Lives of Our Apostles, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1972].)

Activity:
Have family members take turns being blindfolded. After they have the blindfold on scatter the coins from the object lesson on the floor. Give them thirty seconds to gather up as many of the coins as possible. After each person has gathered with the blindfold on, give everyone a second chance to gather the coins. This time they will have twenty seconds but will not be blindfolded. Point out that more blessings (coins) can be gathered in a shorter time when we can see (have goals for the future) than when we can’t see (are wasting time by not working toward goals).

(Adapted from Jeni Gochnour, Family Home Evening Games, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1999], p 12.)

Refreshment
Monkey Bread
They’ll “hang around” for more.

20 frozen Rhodes® or other brand rolls 3⁄4 cup sugar, white or brown
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1⁄2 cup butter, melted

Thaw 20 frozen rolls by placing ten at a time on a plate in the microwave. Set microwave on defrost setting or lowest setting. Microwave the rolls at one-minute intervals for three minutes, turning the plate after each minute. Remove from microwave. Cut each roll in half. Stir together sugar and cinnamon. Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Layer rolls in a greased Bundt pan. Pour any remaining butter or sugar-cinnamon mixture over top of rolls. Allow rolls to rise till double in volume, about three hours. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto serving plate. Serve immediately. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

(Julie Badger Jensen, Essential Mormon Celebrations, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 114.)

To get the PDF version of this lesson, click here.

{Lifestyle} How to Host a Bucket List Party

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:05:00 -0700

by Ruthann Cunningham
source: MormonLife.com

We were somewhere in between Barstow, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, heading back from a long weekend in California. To me this was one of the least appealing parts of the drive, with only a sprawling, desolate brown desert and some random Alien Jerky billboards to look at. We had piled in a car for one of our many road trip adventures and had spent the weekend discussing everything from English literature to politics, fashion to humanitarian aid, and teaching to running biomechanics (I had to throw that topic in!).

To help pass the time and the lovely scenery, we started discussing some of the goals we wanted to accomplish in the next year and thus began our idea of creating a yearly bucket list. Often people consider a bucket list a list of items that they want to accomplish before they pass away (“kick the bucket,” as some call it, although I know this phrase does not sit well with everyone). Items on this list are often lifelong dreams such as a trip to a far-off country, winning a well-known recognition, seeing all their children have grandchildren, etc.

We decided to take this idea but put it on a smaller level: things we wanted to accomplish, places we wanted to see, new talents we wanted to develop, who we wanted to become by the end of the next year. We wanted to set goals of ways to grow while we were still single and had the time and resources to do these things before we moved on to a different phase of life—marriage.

As we outlined the rules and it became more of a tradition, we began holding bucket list parties, and they’re a great idea for everyone to try out. Perhaps it will be the easiest to outline how we approached the bucket list idea so as to understand how we set it up. These are ideas the that worked the best for us but may not for others or based upon life’s circumstances.

1) The number of items on your list correlates with how old you will be that year: If you will be turning 29, then you pick 29 items for your bucket list. My grandma suggested my grandpa do the same thing, but I think 90 items may be a bit too much!

2) Ideas for items on your bucket list: We picked personal goals of things to accomplish in a few different areas—spiritual, social, cultural, health, and educational—to give our bucket list variety. Under these areas, we choose specific goals for the year, such as reading a church book, meeting 10 new people, going camping in a new place, trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, or taking a community class. Often these ideas where items we thought of, but if we couldn’t come up with an idea, we helped each other brainstorm concepts to come up with a goal.

3) Review process: We also reviewed our goals that we had written down, so others could help us see if they were realistic or if they needed to be modified to be more specific, achievable, or just crazier.

4) Challenges: Some of the goals we wrote down at the beginning of the year could not be accomplished as the year progressed. This is where we came up with the idea of having challenges. We would come up with 5 to 6 ideas of other things that could be done (ex: give away a Book of Mormon) instead of a goal on our list. These challenges were universal for all the participants, and the first person that accomplished the challenge got to substitute it for one item on his or her bucket list.

5) Follow-up: We had a few bucket list parties throughout the year to discuss how our lists were going and if we needed any help. We took a few hours to meet at one of our homes and pull out our lists. We could go through what we had finished so far and also discuss the items we needed help with. We would plan activities and trips to help each other cross off goals. Throughout the year, we also sent messages to each other on Facebook when we had crossed off an item.

6) Rewards and consequences: We all choose our own consequence if we did not finish all of the items on our bucket list (ex: going a whole day without makeup). We also choose a reward upon completion our bucket list (ex: getting a camera to take up photography). We decided to make it an all-or-nothing deal; you finished the whole list (with substitutions if needed) or you did not.

7) Ways to get out of finishing: Since we started this as a way to continue to progress and enjoy life while single instead of getting into a rut, for us, you get a free pass on the rest of your list when you kicked the bucket of being single. If you’re already married and want to start this tradition, you can think of a different free pass or—even better—get rid of it completely.

The second year of our bucket lists is almost finished. Since the idea was created, the number of people in our group has increased. Some have gotten a free pass, and goals have become more manageable. Personally, I have grown in ways I could not have imagined on that road trip two years ago. Many have completed or are about to finish their list for this year and have already started writing their list for next year. As for me, well, I only have one item left on my list this year. Here’s to hoping I start off the New Year with a camera to take up photography in 2012.

—
Ruthann Cunningham is the circulation coordinator for LDS Living and has a master’s in exercise physiology. She loves the outdoors, anything related to health and running, biomechanics, travel, and spending time with friends and family.

January 2012 Sharing Time: Choosing Which Way

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:04:00 -0700

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: This sharing time will involve the children in an activity to help them understand agency and the effects of our choices.

Preparation: Obtain a map that shows major cities and roads.

Presentation: Explain that agency is a gift from Heavenly Father. Agency means that we have the freedom to choose what we will do, but there are always consequences that come with our choices. A consequence is what happens because of our choice.

Show the map. Point out a starting place and an ending place on the map. Decide which road is the best one to take to get from the start to the finish. Point out a different road (that does not go to the ending place). Ask the children if taking that road helps them get where they want to go. Repeat this process with another beginning and ending location. Help the children understand that they have the freedom to take any road, but some of them won’t get them where they want to end up. These are like choices, they all have consequences, and they may or may not reach their goal depending on the choice they make.

Talk about some of the choices they might make that may or may not help them reach their goals. As you discuss each choice demonstrate the consequences by pointing to the road that reaches the goal and the one that doesn’t. Some examples may be:

1. You want to learn how to play the piano, but when it is time to practice you would rather play with your friends. Which choice will help you get to your goal?

2. You want to be worthy to attend the temple when you are older. Someone wants you to try drugs or drink alcohol, saying that using them will make you feel good. Which choice will help you get to your goal?

3. You promised your parents that you will try to get good grades. You also want to obey the commandments. During a test you are tempted to look at your neighbor’s paper for an answer. Which choice will help you get to your goals?

4. At tithing settlement you promised the bishop that you will always pay a full tithing. You earned some money to buy a new toy. When you got to the store, the toy costs more than you thought. You could add your tithing money to what you have saved so that you will have enough to buy the toy. Which choice will help you get to your goal?

5. You set a goal to remember to say your prayers every night for three months. One night you’re very tired and get into bed before remembering to pray. Which choice will help you get to your goal?

Sing songs to help reinforce the lesson, such as: “As a Child of God,” 2012 Outline for Sharing Time; “Choose the Right Way,” Children’s Songbook, p. 160; “Dare to Do Right,” CS, 158; “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus,” CS, 78; and “I Will Follow God’s Plan,” CS, 164.

Exercising Through the Holidays

Wed, 27 Nov 2002 08:22:00 -0700

by Kelli Calabrese
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: During a busy time like the holidays, we all tend to neglect our health. Being in top physical condition can help you manage the demands of a season that is full of activity—and stress. Stay in tip-top shape for handling the load that the holidays can bring.

Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy the holiday season feeling invigorated, rather than stressed and fatigued? Exercising through the holidays will not only help us managed the addition al stressors, but will also put us one step ahead of our health-oriented New Year’s resolutions.

Create some new traditions.

Instead of the usual baking fest, consider training for an event with your family like the “Turkey Trot” or “Jingle Bell Run.” Having a physical goal in mind such as training for a 5K run will help you to stay on track with your workouts. Even traditional holiday activities such as caroling through the neighborhood on foot or sledding down the town hill will burn calories and keep the heart pumping. You and your family may be delighted with some new activity-based family customs, and not even miss all of the lard and sugar you avoid in the process.

Manage your time.

If you start holiday shopping early and pre-plan the parties you wish to attend, you’ll not fell as pressured to give up your exercise sessions. Try putting all of your workouts in your planner for the months of November through December and stick to them just as you would any other important appointment. Be firm about keeping that commitment and resolve toward maintaining good health through these notoriously decadent months.

Review your goals and priorities.

Your life has many important parts including family, work, spiritual growth, recreation and health, which can be especially hard to balance around the holiday. Studies have shown that those who take care of their health—specifically through exercise—are better able to take care of others and achieve balance in al areas of their life. Taking a little time for your physical fitness will pay big dividends at this time of year.

Measure your progress.

Knowing your starting point and tracking your improvements throughout the holidays will inspire you to continue. Get out the scale, stopwatch, camera, and measuring tape to record your starting points and create a folder to store your stats, along with workout cards, and personal goals. This will be a good comparison and motivator as you are progressing or if you reach a plateau. Re-evaluate your level of fitness and compare your improvements from today to that of January 1st, 2004. You may be delighted at how much stronger, flexible and fit you are.

Put fitness gear on your holiday list.

If anyone asks what you want this holiday season, politely reply that you would prefer a gift certificate to the gym, a new pair of running shoes, a heart rate monitor, a pair of skiis, or a new workout tape. You will get a lot more mileage from new workout apparel than from anything else.

Take advantage of winter activities.

If you live in a cold climate, the world is your gym. Consider cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or ice skating. If you live in a warm climate, go for a bike ride, walk or swim. Outdoor activities will add to the mental and spiritual dimensions of physical activity and help to keep your holiday anxiety to a minimum.

Sign up for lessons.

If you commit to taking dance lessons throughout the holidays, not only will you have built in some enjoyable exercise time, but you will be able to show off all of your latest moves on New Year’s Eve. You may want to sign up for a winter session of kickboxing, tennis, or swimming.

Choose an activity that you will enjoy and consider singing up fro the follow up course in the spring. You may even be motivated to enter a competition and bring your fitness to a whole new level.

Workout first thing in the morning.

If you complete your workout as your very first task of the day, then there won’t be unexpected obstacles to compete with your workout time. During the holidays there is a greater chance of alternate activities in the evenings, so play ahead by working out first things in you day. Your body will get used to the morning exercise routine, giving you added energy for holiday shopping.

Convenience is a factor.

If you find you don’t have time to go to the gym, break out the workout videos, dust off the home equipment or resort to basics like walking, sit-ups and push-ups. Do what you can to pick up the pace and find creative ways to fit in activity.

Don’t procrastinate!

If you wait until next Monday, they you’ll wait until January are then you’ll wait until spring. Start out with some form of movement until it becomes a habit, and you begin to formalize your plan. You’re far more likely into to slip into patterns of inactivity if you address them ahead of time and are prepared with alternatives. Have a safe, happy and fit holiday season.

A Personal Quest: Lachoneus, Relief Society, and Me

Tue, 05 Feb 2002 11:23:00 -0700

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: A lot of what Lachoneus taught his people we are being taught now, in sources such as the Relief Society Declaration... so we are first directed to "increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study." ... "seek spiritual strength," as we should do "by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost...."

It had been one year since the Relief Society Declaration had been presented at the 1999 Women's General Conference. Sitting again at the same conference, I was considering my accomplishments during the year and their relation to that document as I heard President Mary Ellen Smoot declare, "When obedience becomes a quest, it is no longer an irritation" (Mary Ellen Smoot, "We Are Instruments in the Hands of God," Ensign, November 2000).

A quest, I contemplated, a pursuit. I understood that. I had recently completed my career training, and soon afterward my husband had achieved his graduate degree. We were now living in a new home in a new city, pursuing further ambitions, striving not to let the accomplishments we had just reached excuse a halt in continuing forward.

I realized, however, that it was not Heavenly Father's commandments individually that first jumped to my mind when I thought of long-term goals, even though those goals, such as home and family development, would follow the gospel. I wanted to be righteous, but didn't always think about what that should entail over the next several years. At the same time, I did not consider my visions for the future in my daily plans, either. Suddenly I understood that the two must work together.

"We are beloved spirit daughters of God," the RS Declaration had proclaimed, "and our lives have a meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.
Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.
Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.
Delight in service and good works.
Love life and learning.
Stand for truth and righteousness.
Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.
Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation" (Relief Society General Presidency, as presented by Mary Ellen Smoot, "Rejoice, Daughters of Zion," Ensign, November 1999).

I remembered that my initial response to this declaration had been one of excitement and inspiration. I was certainly reminded of the Young Women's theme, which also asserts, "We are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us," and identifies the values needed in life and the blessings that can come from living them. It came to me as a beckoning to improve and come closer to my Heavenly Father.

Not everyone had felt this way, however. I recalled a discussion that arose in a Relief Society lesson regarding the declaration, in which I was surprised to discover how many of the sisters were immensely depressed and weighed down by it, considering it a demand for perfection that they were expected to achieve but certainly never could. While an expectation for the immediate ability to stand to all of these qualities had never come to my mind, this had showed me that perhaps I'd had a more laid-back view than was intended. I had been loving the beauty of the idea, but not fully putting the principle into action. For several days and weeks I thought about everything that had come to my mind during that lesson, wondering how best to improve my efforts. Now, almost a year later, I pondered even further the "meaning, purpose, and direction" my life should take.

With Sister Smoot's words ringing in my ears, I went to Sunday School the next day. As the lesson progressed I realized that the exact Book of Mormon chapters I had been reading through that last week reinforced what I had been thinking about, and in fact showed a type for our day and the quest in my own life.

In 3 Nephi, the time of the coming of Christ was at hand. The prophesies of Samuel the Lamanite were being fulfilled, and the prophet Nephi had continually taught the people, "baptizing unto repentance, in the which there was a great remission of sins. And thus the people began...to have a great peace in the land" (1:23).

There were people, however, who had become "less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds" (2:1). Indeed, "Thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and vain thing" (2:2).

It was the Gadianton robbers to whom the wicked people dissented, joining with them out in the cities' mountainous outskirts until they "did infest the land; for so strong were their holds and their secret places that the people could not overpower them" (1:27). In fact, this band became so strong that the Nephites and Lamanites united to fight off utter destruction. When the Lamanites united with the Nephites, "their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites" (2:15).

Lachoneus, the Nephite governor, received an epistle from the Gadianton leader Giddianhi, allegedly recognizing the strength of the Nephites but nonetheless demanding that they join with them wholeheartedly, "and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us - not our slaves, but our brethren and partners" (3:7). Otherwise, Giddianhi vowed, he would send his armies in one month, "and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you...even until you become extinct" (3:8).

Being a just man who "could not be frightened" by such words, Lachoneus first and foremost told his people to pray, to "cry unto the Lord for strength"(3:12). Then he "sent a proclamation among all the people, that they should gather together their women, and their children, their flocks and their herds, and all their substance, save it were their land, into one place" (3:13). The people began immediately to build fortifications around their dwelling, and armies of the Nephite and Lamanite people were commanded to guard day and night (3:14).

Lachoneus also knew that the people needed spiritual strength with their physical strength. Thus he told them, "As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers" (3:15). The fear of God that these words brought upon his people compelled them to follow their righteous leader fully.

For two years the Nephites watched the robbers plunder through all the lands they had left behind. It became quickly evident that there was nothing in the lands they were taking up, however, and that they would have to stand against the Nephites after all. After years of preparation and then patience, these righteous people took up armor and weapons as their leaders instructed them. They had taken upon themselves a quest in following the direction of the Lord, and because of this quest there was no irritation. When the men of Giddianhi came to fight the men of God, "there were many thousands who did yield themselves up prisoners unto the Nephites, and the remainder of them were slain" (4:27). Because of their valiant obedience, the Lord brought the Nephites to victory over Satan and his band.

Unfortunately, only a few years passed before some people became prideful, irritated once more by the principle of obedience. Satan began again to lead hearts away, until the government of the people was overthrown and these united people became divided into tribes of wickedness (chapter 7).

I recognized as I pondered the lesson that we need to follow today the same principles the Nephites were following then, doing many of the same things they did. In fact, a lot of what Lachoneus taught his people in these chapters we are being taught now, in sources such as the Relief Society Declaration.

Just as this Nephite leader first told his followers to cry unto the Lord, so we are first directed to "increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study." He also taught them to "seek spiritual strength," as we should do "by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost."

The directive to "dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes" does not refer only to our own marriages, families, and homes, of course. As the Nephites joined together to strengthen, uphold, and defend one another's families, individual homes and families also became stronger. In addition, they built a strong home foundation for one large family, the kind of family that the Church encompasses today.

Surely the women of that day were able to "find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood" as they also worked to bring this strong city together! Surely the nobility they saw in their husbands, sons, fathers, brothers, friends, and leaders brought joy and nobility to them as well! "Delight in service and good works" filled their hearts as they helped one another, looking for little things that would lighten another's load and strengthening each other in the work the Lord had given them.

"Love life and learning," the declaration states. Since not all of them would have already been architects or carpenters, these and many other capacities were developed among them as they undertook their projects, in addition to spiritual learning Consider, too, how precious their lives became to them as they were threatened!

These people were bold in their "stand for truth and righteousness," even willing to risk their lives before joining with the Gadianton robbers and their evil practices. They knew that all they were doing depended on whether they could truly "sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth." Even as some went to Gidgiddoni, the armies' chief captain and "a great prophet among them" (3:19) for permission to go up into the mountains and attack in the robbers' own land, they told him to "pray unto the Lord" to see if it was right (3:20), and when he told them he would not, they stood with him.

The last goal in the declaration, to "rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation," was a unique part of the Nephites' quest in relation to our own. While marriages, though not performed in the temple by the law of Moses, were celestial under the law of the gospel and the holy priesthood (see BD Marriage), the endowment was not given until after Christ's resurrection, several years after the time of their quest (see Luke 24:49, TG Endowment). Their temple held in it different blessings for them than ours holds for us, and may not even have been directly involved in the stand against the robbers. Yet, in accord with the declaration, they recognized the Lord as their God, saw in him their goal, and strove toward his desires for them.

Today, our quest cannot be complete without the blessings now found only within the walls of the temple, and our efforts to maintain worthiness for these blessings. This is the ultimate fulfillment of what the Lord can give us in this lifetime, and what we can reach toward in the hereafter. It is not something we all can attain in this lifetime; in truth, I believe none of us will fully understand our divine destiny while on the earth. Nonetheless, each of us can strive for exaltation joyfully in this era.

As we prepare today for the Second Coming of Christ, Satan finds ways to gather people around and even among us to fight on his side, cunningly spreading waste and carnage nearly everywhere we turn. It is our time to take up this quest of the people led by Nephi and Lachoneus, following the direction given by our prophet and other leaders of this day.

It is not possible or realistic for us all to join in one location, build up literal walls around ourselves, and shut out Satan's modern-day army. We cannot take away all of his resources, as the Nephites did those of the robbers when they hid away their food and flocks, nor is it the Lord's desire for us now to seclude ourselves waiting for an attack. The war has already begun, and the attack is here upon us. We must spiritually unite to strengthen one another in our battle against wickedness. The standards we have set, the commandments the Lord has given us, these are our shields and our weapons for this latter-day war. There is no time for us to allow pride or irritation to dissipate our battalion as we face this quest, for our war is not yet over.

At the 1999 Women's Conference, it was Sister Sheri L. Dew who said, "Tonight I invite each of us to identify at least one thing we can do to come out of the world and come closer to Christ. And then next month, another. And then another. Sisters, this is a call to arms, it's a call to action, a call to arise. A call to arm ourselves with power and with righteousness. A call to rely on the arm of the Lord rather than the arm of flesh. A call to 'arise and shine forth, that [our] light may be a standard for the nations' (D&C 115:5). A call to live as women of God so that we and our families may return safely home" (Sheri L. Dew, "We Are Women of God," Ensign, November 1999).

I did set a goal that month, and the next, and probably the next. Realizing recently that I lost track somewhere along the way, however, I have again pursued my personal quest to become as a woman of God. In part, I determined that I should keep a record, to be able to see what I am doing and have done, in what will become for me what my Young Women's Personal Progress once was.

I was grateful upon this decision to recall that even though I have kept volumes of hardbound journals, I had recently purchased one in binder form. This allowed me to insert a copy of the declaration, President Smoot's talk introducing the declaration and the principles behind it to help me find bases for my goals, Sister Dew's talk, and a page for each principle to record the goals on as I would set, work on, and fulfill them. I could also keep a bookmark copy of the declaration, given to me by the Relief Society leaders in my new ward, handy in my scriptures as a daily reminder.

Realizing that goalsetting would indeed be a gradual process and that knowing what goals should be set in each area would come when the time was right for them, I prayed to the Lord to help me get started. I was reassured that daily scripture study, the goal I was working on at that time and the first listed in the declaration, had been a wise place to start.

As I looked through other areas I would continue with, I saw some in which goals could be simple to identify, even if they were not so easy to follow through on. There are always opportunities for good works and service, both specific ("Do at least one batch of dishes and laundry daily," "Take dinner to Sister Baker's family when she has surgery next week," "Rake the Parks' back yard this Saturday") and general ("Watch next week for two unexpected times when people need my help").

But what goals could I set for finding nobility in motherhood while I have no children? Perhaps that would be best in helping my friend with her two young children for an afternoon, or even taking them off her hands so that she and her husband could share a quiet evening together. Serving in the nursery had certainly shown me the nobility of motherhood, as well, I realized. And I would no doubt have chances to find joy in womanhood. I noticed that the key word there was "find". This would be a chance to look, watch, observe, and record things I found in life that bring me joy in who I am, and in those with whom I come in contact.

Standing for truth and righteousness could mean finding a friend to bring into my home to share the gospel. It could also mean simply declining in another home what I know I should not share, or keeping out of my home what I would not want if the Lord were to be there. Keeping records of such experiences, however they might come, would build my confidence and surety in myself and the gospel as the Spirit testified to me that what I was doing was right - which, for that matter, would be along the lines of the second standard in the declaration. Once again, prayer should lead me to each appropriate goal as the time arises. My Heavenly Father would surely guide me on this quest.

One form of guidance began coming only recently in my January Ensign, when the Relief Society General Presidency declared that each Visiting Teaching lesson for 2002 would be based on a theme from the declaration. "Each message," they stated, "will include relevant scriptures, selected statements from Church leaders, and questions designed to prompt a discussion about the topic. As Relief Society sisters worldwide visit with one another, we will have the opportunity to consider a theme of importance to every sister and then to discuss it based upon what we learn from the scriptures and the teachings of worthy servants of God" (The Relief Society General Presidency, "For Such a Time as This," Ensign, January 2002). Reading this message brought joy and added energy to my heart as I looked forward to the coming year. I read the Visiting Teaching Message following the article from the Presidency, and soon knew in my heart what my goal for January should be.

As Sister Dew concluded at the 1999 conference: "We have such cause to rejoice, for the gospel of Jesus Christ is the voice of gladness! It is because the Savior overcame the world that we may overcome. It is because He rose on the third day that we may arise as women of God. May we lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better. May we commit this very hour to come out of the world and to never look back"(Sheri L. Dew, "We Are Women of God," Ensign, November 1999).