thing. Wait. A Dear John. So this next transfer is going to suck
really bad.
Mission is going great. Had a baptism this weekend, it was good.
I trained on PMG chapter 8! I loved it.
How do I use my spiritual time wisely?
(Integrated steps from PMG chapter 8)
Your responsibility is to be worthy of the Holy Ghost, you made that
decision when you chose to accept the call from a Prophet of God. The
Lord wants you to watch yourself with love and great care. He has
given you special commandments to ensure your spiritual safety. It is
important to apply those commandments, for if you don't, you could
become your own worst enemy.
Do all you can to increase your testimony of the Lords Strength, and
become stronger than you once were. (Ether 12:27) Meaningful goals
and careful planning will help you become what the Lord wants you to
become. As you set your focus on what the Lord wants, you will account
to Him and your Mission President.
As it states in your call letter, you are expected to "devote all your
time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all personal
affairs." This is the #1 set back of progression in the gospel. Using
our time wisely. If we don't have a predetermined plan for what we are
going to do when temptation comes, then we will fall for any
enticement from the adversary. The Lord said "Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh
is weak.....Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" how much
of our spiritual time is being devoted to serving sin, rather than
God? What is our goal? Are we becoming Disciples or Devils?
I have prayerfully created 5 steps to take for how to use spiritual
time wisely. My purpose is to become a clean and worthy vessel for the
Holy Ghost, each and every day.
Step 1.) Set goals and make plans for what you can do to personally
fight against temptation. The adversary is very personal, it's no
surprise that he knows our weaknesses. Therefor the temptations we get
are also personal, he tempts people in his own way, because he knows
what things will trigger there decision to act. The benefit of this
spiritual contest is that we too, can know our weaknesses, and as we
come unto the Lord he can make those things become strong. Pray that
the Lord will show you those moments of temptation, ask him what you
are doing wrong in those moments. Pray for inspiration to know what to
do, plan to do it, ask for help, promise to obey. Make a concentrated
effort to focus on what you are doing. Does it invite the spirit? Are
others benefiting spiritually because of it? Are you coming to know
the Lord better? How will this activity hinder, or enhance your
eternal progression? You can plan activities daily to increase your
ability to fight against the adversary.
Step 2.) Pray for and seek inspiration from the Lord about what
spiritual activities you can do to use your time more wisely. These
activities could be memorizing scripture, serving your companion and
others, singing hymns, studying for your investigators, hourly
prayers. The most important thing to know, is that we all have the
right, and privilege of personal revelation, ask the Lord what he
thinks about it. He may have a plan specifically for your protection
that day.
Step 3.) Set goals that will make you stretch beyond your comfort
zone. Think about your day, what do you need to accomplish? What does
the Lord want you to accomplish? Think about how you are going to
accomplish those tasks. What is something you can do spiritually, that
you have not yet tried before? What could potentially distract from
fulfilling your purpose? Commit to acting on those goals, and seek the
Lords help in doing so. He will magnify your efforts. Follow the
spirit, focus on your activities, focus on the Lord, be specific and
realistic, measure your progress by accounting to the Lord.
Step 4.) Set goals and make plans for how you will be accountable to
your spiritual time. "When performance is measured, performance
improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of
improvement accelerates."-Thomas S. Monson. Be honest with yourself,
and with the Lord on how well you did. Don't be afraid to account to
him. He said "if men humble themselves before me, and have faith in
me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Plan your
accountability, it's the only way you can focus on staying on track
with your plan to become a better instrument in the hands of God.
Step 5.) Set goals and make plans of how you will prepare yourself
that day to partake of the sacrament on Sunday. With the baptismal
covenants we made with our father, there was a specific promise we
make each week. "Always remember him, keep his commandments, take his
name upon us" this can start with daily repentance, studying the
baptismal covenant and sacrament, or the love, mercy, sacrifice of the
Savior. Plan how you will help others prepare. Make specific goals for
the day of how you will "always remember him". He promises that if we
do these things, we will ALWAYS have his spirit to be with us.
The Lord places many people in our path each day, we have key
indicators to conversion so we can help those people. But we cannot
execute our purpose of helping others come unto Christ without the
spirit. These 5 steps, can help me in the preparation period of my
day, so that I can be a worthy vessel of the Lord. Men are free to
choose death, or eternal life through the great mediator. It all
depends on how well i use my time in doing so. The tender mercy of my
choices is that they effect my eternal progression. What i do, will
effect eternity. So it's important to use my spiritual time wisely,
and put off the natural man. Become a saint to him who knew no sin,
who suffered yet sent angels to comfort those in distraught, and lift
up the hearts of the broken hearted.
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