Becoming and Helping Others Become

 I came to understand more this week that life is not all about wins and loses but its about what we become in the long run. Realizing this can help one to cope with mishaps and tragic events that happen in their life. Dallin H. Oaks shared, "Jesus’ challenge shows that the conversion He required for those who would enter the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 18:3) was far more than just being converted to testify to the truthfulness of the gospel. To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be “converted,” which requires us to do and to become." The world thinks that knowledge is really all one needs. Knowledge can be wasted if one does not act on that knowledge, reason why becoming more then what we were yesterday is so important in our progression in life.

Another way we can become more then what we are today is by helping those around us succeed. We need to be willing to share our knowledge with others and make connections with them. When we helps others we will be able to keep and have an increase of knowledge. We will find that there is greater joy in helping others.

Loyalty

I wanted to remember the story of the man who delivered "A Message to Garcia."

“there’s A Fellow by the name of Rowan...”

 

It was 1899. President William McKinley needed to deliver an urgent message to

General Calixto Garcia, the leader of the insurgents in America’s war against Spain.

But Garcia was lost somewhere deep inside the mountain vastness of Cuba.

“There’s a fellow by the name of Rowan who will find Garcia if anyone can,”

someone told the president. So McKinley summoned Colonel Andrew Rowan.

Rowan took McKinley’s letter, “sealed it in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat,

disappeared into the jungle and in three weeks came out on the other side of the island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia.” Notice that Rowan didn’t equivocate. He didn’t ask McKinley for detailed instructions. He didn’t hire a consultant or assemble a task force. He simply took the letter

and delivered it to Garcia. 

 

When I read this I contemplated how loyal am I? Am I loyal to my employer, friends, family, wife, church, and to God?  I want to become "Rowan" and want to be that person that doesn't ask question and just goes and do. I desire to be the one who can be depended upon. Most of all I hope that God does not have to ever question my loyalty. A question that could be asked on a daily basis is where does my heart lie?

Don't Be A Quitter

This week really opened my eyes to another new concept of understanding myself and my future. I understand that there will be Dips in anything really worth doing and instead of doing what I normally do when I'm confronted with a struggle or roadblock, I will push through and get through the Dip in order to be successful. I think by learning this concept, I was able to really see in myself that I have given up because of a Dip and I will be holding myself to a higher standard to push through or know to give up before too much of my valuable time is wasted.  I learned an important thing about myself is that a tendency of myself is to quit early rather than pursue the difficult course.
I found too that it's okay to quit. By that meaning that if I should quit things of worth that waste my talents, efforts or time.

Begin With the End in Mind

This week we went over the seven habits of Highly Effective people and the second habit has been on my mind lately. "Beginning with the end in mind," how does one do that? I find it hard at times to plan and set goals for the next month let a lone 30 years from now. I have always been shoot by the hip kind of person. I know goals are what can stretch us and help us achieve the unthinkable, or that's what I have been told. I guess what I am trying to say is that I flat out stink at setting goals period. Its a problem.

As I was sitting in class I pondered about the predicament I was in about the lack of direction in my life. It hit me and this concept became so clear to me now. "Begin with the end in mind" is like having a map with a clear destination on it. Even though this map does not have any clear roads or signs the destination is set. If I have a destination set and in place I can make my own road or path as long as I keep my eye on the prize.

I know this might seem like a no brainer, but it made some much more sense to me now. I now have a destination in mind. My first destination will be figuring out where I want to be 5 years from now. I thought it wise to discuss this with my wife because her opinion means everything to me and its pretty smart to involve your spouse when it comes to setting life goals.