We celebrated the new year by going to Brother Brown’s baptism, having a night of renewal, playing Go Fish with the Hermanas, going to bed at 10:30pm, and sleeping. What did you do?
Seriously though I cannot believe it is 2018. I remember January 1st last year thinking “I am going to be on a mission for this entire year” and feeling slightly overwhelmed, never thinking I would get to this point. But HERE I AM, January 1st, 2018. No wonder Nephi always says, “and it came to pass.” Because TIME DOES PASS. As Shakespeare once said, “this, too, shall pass.” Hmm, I bet Shakespeare and Nephi would have been good friends.
Well this email is off to a weird start
We are having a zone activity in a couple hours where we will play sand volleyball and ultimate frisbee and possibly soccer! I am excited! Also a member fed us PEPUSAS earlier this week, mmmm it was so good, I haven’t had pepusas in a while. The members here are awesome.
Anyway, Brother Brown got BAPTIZED yesterday! He has been investigating the church for a few years, but it was never really the right time for him until now. His wife is an active member and they have the CUTEST two year old son named Ashton. Such a great family. There was such a special spirit at the baptism, as usual, and a LOT of people came! It was so good. I feel blessed to have been a part of it after just coming to this area less than two weeks ago.
This week went by sooo fast, there was so much to do to prepare for the baptism. A lot of planning took place! We have been focusing on the importance of setting goals and making plans lately in our mission, and I am realizing that the principles of setting goals and making plans can be applied to pretty much all aspects of life. There is a great quote by Elder Ballard in Preach My Gospel that says:
“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”
Something I have been thinking about is that we should be setting goals ALL throughout the year, not just at the beginning of the year. Maybe your New Years resolution can be to set goals throughout the year (ie daily, weekly, monthly, etc), and not just to make a goal that you will forget about in a month.
Use this process: Start out by setting a GOAL. Then create a VISION. What do you want achieving that goal to look like? Feel like? Write it down. Then, make PLANS. This could be a long list of things that need to happen in order to make the vision a reality and to achieve your goal. Then EXECUTE those plans.
A couple months ago we received a new chapter for Preach My Gospel called “How do I Fulfill my Purpose?” And the goal setting and planning process for each individual person/situation is as follows:
1. Pray and seek inspiration.
2. Review progress.
3. Set goals.
4. Make plans.
5. Pray again.
You can use this process in all aspects of your life! For example, school, work, relationship with your spouse, helping your children, family council, getting more involved in missionary work, etc etc. Include the Lord, he WANTS to help you. I invite you all to use this goal setting and planning process at some point this week in order to get a good start for 2018. I know that this process is inspired, and as you take your goals and plans to the Lord, he will help you accomplish more than you ever thought possible. Even God sets goals; check out Moses 1:39. The goal He had for us led to the PLAN of Salvation. Goal setting and planning are eternal principles.
Well I have big plans for 2018. I am going to serve the Lord with all my might, as I know the end of my mission is approaching. I am grateful to all of you for the support and love you offer to me, and just know that I pray for you every day. LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Jesus Christ lives! Happy new year!
Sister Carina Brown
California Redlands Mission
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| Another Sister missionary drew all of us sisters - I’m the one with the jerky haha |
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| Ashton, he always comes and sits between us during Brother Browns lessons |
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| GUATEMALAN FLAG (it looks like we are holding hands but we are not) |
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| This member couple met on their missions and had both their tags and call letters and it was cool |
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| Wedding that was happening in the church gym - pretty beautiful for a church gym |
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| Brother Browns baptism! |
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| Ashton held our hands and walked around with us after the baptism |
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