Paragould For Life

First of all, last Monday there was a tornado warning and Sister Hall and I didn't know it so we went out in the rain and storm to be missionaries and what not. We got drenched and we also jumped a canal full of water. We survived so its fine. 

Well, transfer weekend really

had me nervous this time around. I've been in Paragould for four and a

half months now, and many suspected I'd be kicked out. But alas, I'm

staying! Our whole district gets to stay exactly the same for another

round. The Harmon's, who served here for six months, came into town to

visit and pick up Emma this weekend. They are taking her to Utah to

live near them in an assisted living home. The Harmon's were able to

come to a few teaching appointments with us and it was just like old

times. I keep forgetting already that it is a new year, but I am so

excited about 2017. I'll be a missionary every day of this year! Time

is going by so fast already, I can't believe it. The missionary white

handbook says, "The period when you are able to serve the Lord with

all your time and all your efforts is extremely short. Use it fully

and wisely. Such an opportunity is a privilege". I'm starting to

realize how true that is. I've set some goals and resolutions for this

new year to help me remember how short my time as a missionary is, and

to work hard with no regrets. In this mission we set goals with a

system called VGPA. The V stands for vision. So, first we try to

visualize who we want to become, what we want to achieve, etc. The G

stands for goals. We set worthy goals to push us to become better and

work harder. The P stands for plans. We make plans of how we will

achieve our goals. The A stands for action and accountability. Action

because we have to start somewhere, with ways to set our plans into

motion, and accountability because, "When performance is measured,

performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the

rate of improvement accelerates." -President Monson. I've loved this

system so far and especially having a vision. In the talk, "the fourth

missionary", Lawrence E. Corbridge says, "You have a choice. You can

decide what kind of missionary you will be. More importantly, you can

choose what kind of person you will become. Do you think about that?

Do you think about and plan for who you want to become?". He goes on

to talk about how Jesus Christ asked a similar question to the

disciples that had been called during His ministry among the Nephites.

Jesus asks, "What manner of men ought ye to be?" and replies, "Verily

I say unto you, even as I am". I love that. We are supposed to

continually strive to be more like the savior. I believe that if we

can't see a vision of ourselves as someone who follows Him, emulates

His light, develops His attributes, feeds His sheep, etc. that we will

one day look back on our lives with regret and sadness as we have

failed to become "even as He is". Our branch president gave a really

insightful talk about goals and eternal progression in sacrament

meeting yesterday. He said something that I have come to know is true

through certain experiences. He said, "In life and in the gospel

especially, if we are not progressing we are digressing". I like to

think of it as walking up an escalator that is moving down. You can't

stop walking upward and just stay in the same spot. You will start to

move downward. So, keep pressing forward y'all. "Wherefore, ye must

press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect

brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye

shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to

the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2

Nephi 31:20). I pray that as we set worthy goals and resolutions that

we will consider the words of our Lord, Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi 13. He

says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and

rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for

yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth

corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where

your treasure is, there will your heart be also". May our hearts and

minds be set on heavenly things at the start of this year. "Straight

is the gate, and narrow is the way", but our father in Heaven intends

for us to make it; in fact that is His work and His glory, "to bring

to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL. Make it groovy.

Much love,

Sister Guthrie