Marie's Sunday Message - January 29th, 2023

January…phew! January is always a challenge, isn’t it? First, we are exhausted from the holidays, so we use procrastination just to find a little rest! Right away, we find the couch and streaming Netflix is far more rewarding than facing life again. 😂 January is also the month we calculate all we have been eating. It started when we took the Oreos out of the wrapper on “back to school” day and then rode the wave through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and December,🤦🏻‍♀️dodging the sugar the best we could! Holidays are wonderful but can be challenging in the aftermath, right? And then January comes, and we saddle up on the butt-kicking machine as we try hard to keep those resolutions we made! 

Then there is having to face finding room to store the new holiday decorations that weren’t really needed, but we had to have. Or better yet, thinking we put everything away, then when closing the closet door and discover an entire stack of decorations we hadn’t put away. 🤷🏻‍♀️But the best - the “oldie but goodie,” Will I just once get through January with a goal I’ve made instead of going around and around? 

However, January is also the month I make some much-needed course corrections. And I have found the best way is to keep it simple! I grew up with a mom who said, “You can’t eat an elephant in one bite! But over time, you can! A bite at a time. A little here and a little there.” She always made us laugh. Maybe that’s why I like elephants so much! (Last Sunday’s message😂) But the point is, I realized we needed to keep it simple so we wouldn’t get discouraged. This practical advice also works with having a testimony of the gospel. The Savior was very clear from His teachings that the gospel must be simple in order for a child to understand. But we try to make it so hard. Why? (that’s a post for a different day) Here is a thought, though. 

Scientists tested the theory that “people who are lost walk in circles.” Test subjects were taken to a thick forest with no visible landmarks, and they were left to rely solely on their sense of direction. What did they do? The scientists concluded from this test that people really do walk in circles when they don’t have reliable clues for their walking direction. Several reasons were hypothesized, but the reason that made the most sense was….simple! It’s human nature to drift off course when they don’t have reliable landmarks. 

This applies to us physically.

And this applies to us spiritually. 

I know for a fact that changes are made incrementally. From a sermon by Dieter Uchtdorf, he writes, “The book of Judges records that after Joshua died, “there arose another generation….which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel”. (Judges 2:10) He goes on, “Despite the astonishing heavenly interventions, visitations, rescues, and miraculous victories the children of Israel witnessed during the lifetimes of Moses and Joshua. Within a generation, the people had abandoned the Way and began walking according to their own desire, and, of course, it did not take long before they paid the price for their behaviors. 

But a small rudder can steer a large ship! Don’t get discouraged when taking on big projects or making big changes. Remember, my mother Olive said it best. We aren’t going to eat the elephant in one day! I know change is always possible. 

Michael Crichton said, “A day is like a whole life. You start out doing one thing but end up doing something else. Your whole existence or life can have that same haphazard quality or shape as a single day.”

Dieter Uchtdorf goes on to say, “Want to change your life? Change your day. Do you want to change your day? Change this hour.” I love his simplicity!! 

A great start is to build on the small victories. I read a book about being 1% better, and then I couldn’t figure out how to figure out measuring the 1%. 🧐😂 So instead, I say, “build on the small victories!  Every single one of those small victories turns into life-changing habits when you add them up. Break it down in easy steps. If you are just starting out studying the scriptures, read just a verse or two every day. If walking for exercise is your goal, start with 10 minutes this week, then increase it to 15 minutes next week. I know you have heard it a million times, but by following this simple pattern and then adding a little effort, you will have success! How would a little child do it? Well, Preschool is built around small victories and remembering Philippians 4:13! “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” He will never leave us weak. 

I know we all have challenges because that is what Earth life is about…. one struggle after another! But I also believe the Savior’s plan is perfect, and He knows we can overcome our challenges and replace them with strengths. He is always there to help.

I wish you every success as you lean on the Lord to build on those small victories….I love you all!!

Here are the next few weeks of the reading schedule I am following for those that have joined me:

  • January 30-February 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5

  • February 6-12: John 2-4

  • February 13-19: Matthew 5; Luke 6

  • February 20-26: Matthew  6-7

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