Welcome to the first page of 2020! The beginning of the new year is a great opportunity to assess where you are and where you hope to be. As with most of these moments in life, there is always room to improve spiritually. Here are a few ideas for resolutions to keep this year that will help enhance your spiritual side!
1. Start a Revelation Journal
As we have seen in the past few years, seeking revelation is clearly on President Nelson’s mind. It, therefore, should be on ours as well. In his April 2018 talk, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” the prophet shared a profound thought:
President Russell M. Nelson
“But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”
Receiving revelation clearly is a key skill that all Latter-day Saints need to develop and refine continually throughout their lives. What better way to notice how you receive personal revelation than by beginning a journal dedicated to recording those special promptings? It can be as simple as an extra notebook you have had laying around, or as elegant as one of these beautiful journals from Deseret Book.
2. Go to the Temple Regularly
Going to the temple and participating in the work for the dead is an act of service that benefits both the proxy and the person on the other side of the veil. Before you set this goal, think about how far the temple is located from you, as well as your family circumstances. For example, a new mother may only be able to attend the temple once every six months, whereas an empty nester may be able to attend weekly. Maybe it is once a week, once a month, or just once a year! Whatever the amount, make sure to be in the temple this year.
3. Look in the Mirror Every Morning and Say, “I Am a Beloved Son or Daughter of Heavenly Parents, with a Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny.”
This phrase is the first line of the new Young Women’s theme. By looking at ourselves in the mirror and repeating these truths to ourselves, we will be reminded of our purpose here on this earth. Knowing and understanding these principles will help us gain a better self-image, allowing us to be confident disciples of Christ. What better way to remember our divine destiny than by affirming that phrase to ourselves each and every day?
4. Use the Full Name of the Church
In 2018, President Nelson instructed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to refer to it as such and to refrain from using the term “Mormon.” I don’t know about you, but it has been an adjustment for me! In 2020, why don’t we all make a conscious effort to call the Church by its full and proper name?
For me, being a good minister is something I struggle to do. I forget that ministering is less about bringing baked goods and more about ministering to the individual. I have had some ministering sisters who want to go out to lunch once a month and others who simply want a check-in text. The only way to know how to minister to the individual is to get to know them and their needs.
The Church published an article entitled What Is Ministering? which breaks down ministering into six easy steps:
1. Make contact
2. Get to know them
3. Become a friend
4. Pray for them and for guidance
5. Minister to them
6. Maintain the relationship.
Seeing ministering broken down into those simple steps made it attainable in my eyes. Creating a connection won’t happen overnight—it requires time and patience. But it is possible!
6. Increase Spiritual Gifts
The new year is a perfect time to think of new talents and hobbies to develop. Do you want to start painting or learn to play the guitar? Now it is your chance! Investing time in yourself by developing a new talent will help you gain new spiritual gifts. Think of the parable of the talents—if we do not invest our talents in different habits, we may never reach our full potential.
7. Do Come, Follow Me Every Week
Come, Follow Me (CFM) was a brand new program introduced in 2019. During 2020, find a way to implement Come, Follow Me into each week of the year in a way that best works for each individual and family. Trade out listening to music on your commute for listening to a podcast, such as Come, Follow Me for US, to get your weekly dose of CFM. For the family with children who are away from home, try to have a family discussion over video apps such as FaceTime or Marco Polo. Find what works best for you and your family and turn it into a habit.
8. Develop Characteristics of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is our perfect example. He had many wonderful qualities which we should strive to attain. Start small by listing the characteristics of Christ found in the scriptures or on the internet and selecting one quality that you would like to develop further. Study how Christ exhibited that characteristic and make a plan for how you will grow in that capacity.
9. Say “Thank You” 10 Times a Day
If we look around we will realize that we have so much to be grateful for. We live on this beautiful earth which was divinely created just for us. We have physical bodies with which to experience life. The spirit that inhabits our body is constantly learning, developing, and growing. We should not only thank those people who are physically in our lives, but also give thanks to our Father who is in Heaven. Saying “Thank You” 10 times each day will help us see all that we have been blessed with.
What New Year’s Resolutions are you making for 2020? Let us know in the comments below!
