Reflections of a New Year

Today after I taught early-morning seminary, I went for a long walk. The rain had finally stopped, the sun was trying to break through the clouds, and I wanted to think and ponder.

As I climbed up and down the hills in my neighborhood, I silently prayed, "Heavenly Father, what do you want me to do?"

Sometimes, my life feels like a jigsaw puzzle. There are missing pieces and yet, if I can just find the right combination of patterns, colors, and pieces, everything will fall into place. I love the New Year because it feels fresh with a whole world of possibilities. Some of my friends tease me because I LOVE to set goals. I also love to work on them. I don't always succeed in every goal--but I am making the effort and hopefully by the end of the year I can look back and see some progress.

So this morning, as I walked, I asked, "Heavenly Father, what do you want me to do?"

I had already written down some goals I wanted to accomplish for the coming year. I want to study the life of the Savior as I re-read the New Testament. I want to continue to read the Book of Mormon. I want to attend the temple at least once a month.

I had some physical goals as well--exercising 250 times this year, organizing my recipes, filing my magazines. And I had some intellectual goals as well--completing a couple more BYU classes and reading at least 24 books. But, I felt like something was lacking.

As I walked up and down the streets of my neighborhood, silently praying, this is the thought that came to me:

"Don't just study the life of the Savior, but become more like Him."

It made me think of one of my favorite Primary Hymns.

I'm trying to be like Jesus,
I'm following in His ways,
I'm trying to love as He did,
In all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still, small voice whispers,
"Love one another as Jesus loved you,
Try to show kindness in all that you do,
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

--I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus from the Children's Songbook.

This coming year I will try a little harder to be kinder. I will try a little harder to be more loving. I will try a little harder to be more patient. I will try a little harder to be a little more like my Savior.

I may not be able to measure this goal in numbers--I won't be able to wake up one morning saying, "Good job--you did it!" But, hopefully at the end of 2011 I will feel a difference in my spirit.