Amber - The first week of Christmas

 The challenge this week will be to see how I do with goals while also doing Christmas.  I guess I've been doing a fair amount already so maybe it will be good.  I am keeping the same goals as last week because I made some progress before Thanksgiving butted in.  Here they are below

1. Set these goals as my intentions for the day and make this part of my morning routine. (in the past this has been an extra thing on top of my routine)

2. Visualize the thing I'm working towards, this is becoming part of my energy work for the day.

3. I exercise at some point in the day, preferably early morning (depends on bedtime).

4. 8:30 I say my repentance prayer.

5. I make a plan and prepare for the next day.

6. I'm putting this one back in because it is so influential. I need to go to bed at 10:00.

Monday:

* Today I read Ether 15 which is the end of a very sad tale.  Come follow me asks you to look for what happened to the Jaredites.  I noticed that they chose to not listen to the prophet, not repent but instead continue in their sins, and not to remember Jesus Christ.  As a consequence the spirit ceased to follow them and the wars ceased not, in the end they killed each other out of hatred, leaving only one man and of course Ether who had not participated in the war.  Over 2 million people chose to follow Satan and he led them to destruction.  Not the way I want to go, I'd much rather have peace than power or unity than riches.  Though to be honest you can have all of those things at the same time but you can't have it that way if you follow Satan.  His way does not lead to peace or unity but division and war.  So the lesson is to always listen to the prophet, remember Christ, and continually repent.

• I set intentions
• I only did a partial visualization, I got distracted part way through.
• No exercise though I did wear myself out put up the tree.
• I said my prayer on time
• I also planned and prepared for the next day
• Alas I was on the computer and didn't get off until 11
• I thought I'd also share my Christmas progress.  We did some shopping and then I prepared and put up the tree uncle Kevin got for us.  I only put on the central strand of lights because I dunked the end into the tree water so I had to wait to see if it was even before I added more and I couldn't do that until the plug had dried out.  Grandpa really likes the central lights.  Grandma got up at 10 and thought it was funny that there was only one strand in a line down the center.  I told her we would fix it tomorrow.

Tuesday:

* I read a talk by Elder Bednar, "We Will Prove Them Herewith".  He speaks of tests and how they are necessary to know where we are.  In most public schools students generally do one kind of test and it isn't always the best way to measure some people's progress.  However I am grateful that God knows each of us and gives us tests and challenges that are right for us.

• I had a bad day today, everything took way too long and I didn't get a lot done that I normally can do.  I didn't set intentions or visualize and I didn't exercise.
• I did actually say my prayer though it wasn't as thorough as I generally do.
• I did not plan nor did I go to bed on time.
• I did actually get all of the lights up on the tree but it got too dark to do the ribbon, for tomorrow I guess.

Wednesday:

* I read Moroni 1-3.  My thought comes from the fact that Moroni is writing more.  He thought he was done writing and had said everything he thought was necessary.  Later he was still alive and well and decided to write more for the benefit of us.  Thankfully he did because the book of Moroni provides us with specific prayers for ordinances as well as the best sermon on charity, very straight forward info on how to know the truth of the Book of Mormon, and many other things that I've found valuable.  In my own life I've been in similar situations, I thought I was done with a task but I still felt I ought to stay where I was.  It made no sense I have other things to move on to and there seemed to be no reason to stay.  However I've come to learn that if nothing else I feel better that I stayed even if I don't see exactly what for.

• I kept reminding myself but I never did actually set intentions.
• Also I started to visualize but never finished, Christmas decorating is totally getting in the way.
• No exercise.
• Alas I didn't say my prayer, plan or prepare, and I went to bed around one.
• I did add the next layer to the tree.  It has ribbon, a partial topper, most of the ball ornaments it will have, and some little santas.  I have to add another layer tomorrow and see if I like the finished result.

Thursday:

* I read a conference talk by Scott D. Whiting called "Becoming like Him".  My favorite part was when he said that we often extol Christ but seldom emulate him.  We are half-hearted in our efforts and lack enthusiasm for His cause which also happens to be our cause.  We are so easily distracted by worldly cares that we forget our purpose here on earth and sometimes think we can do that later.  Now if you've been reading this blog for very long you will know that I am an advocate for doing things one at a time and not trying to do it all.  However often I focus on the lesser things of life and I rarely make good progress on them in the process.  It is when I focus on the things of God that I see the most progress and not just on my spiritual goals.  In the talk he also mentions that if you develop one attribute you'll automatically also develop others.  It is the same with any good thing you are working on.  Working on one goal makes it possible or easier to do other goals.  However if you are putting the spiritual goals first then somehow magically you grow in other ways that don't even seem connected.  You are blessed when you do what God asks of you, both in things you specifically wanted and in ways you didn't know you wanted.

• I set intentions today.  Both for these goals and for cleaning and decorating the house.  I examined it today and realized that my desire to decorate and clean is far above my desire to reach these blog goals.  This is unfortunate, maybe I can get enough done today that I'll feel better about it.
• I did not visualize or exercise.
• I also did not pray nor plan and prepare.
• I didn't do a whole lot of decorating.  We went shopping again and I unsuccessfully tried to put my big snowflakes on the tree (because it absolutely needs it), they were too heavy for the spindly little branches.  So no real update there.

Friday:

* I read Moroni 4 and 5, the sacrament prayers.  Those are always very good but I was short on time and rushed so I didn't get a whole lot out of it.  I did really like the emphasis on remembering and having the spirit to be with you.  If you focus on remembering Christ then you will find it easier to do as he would do and think as he would think.  I find that I am most successful at remembering him if I am praying throughout the day, including my Father in daily activities, being thankful as soon as I notice a blessing.  Asking for help in whatever I'm trying to accomplish at that moment.  It is amazing how he has time for every person all at the exact same time, all of the time!  I don't know how that works but I do know that that is what is happening.

• I didn't set any intentions, visualize, prayer, or prepare.  I also didn't do any decorating.  I did some morning stuff, did grandma's hair, ate breakfast, and left up north.  It was our trip to lunch with mark and the wives and we went shopping too.  We were gone until after dark and then I was too tired to do anything else.

Saturday:

* I found my thought about sacrament again.  3 Nephi 20:8.  It says that he that takes of the sacrament to his soul shall be filled and never hunger and thirst.  Obviously we will still eat actual food and drink but spiritually we are filled.  If this is our attitude every time we take of the sacrament, if we make it a sacred event and are taking advantage of it by repenting before hand and preparing for taking it then we will be filled.  I definitely notice a difference in how I feel based on my attitude and preparation.

I got busy and didn't finish this week.