Many of you probably have memories of seeing the big white Madsen suburban bounce around Santa Cruz, complete with the huge bumper sticker "GO BIG". My dad would always say to us, "go big or go home! dream big!" I like that. We are capable of anything we set our mind to, so why not dream big? Why not set goals and accomplish them? I think we often neglect doing big things because we are so caught up in the fast pace of life...we don't take time to evaluate, assess, ponder and plan. However, we are warned in Proverbs 29:18 that "where there is no vision, the people perish". The Bible speaks truth!!!
Gordon B. Hinckley, the former prophet, echoed this when he taught," Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, IF you will take control of it. Do not let your lives drift in a fruitless and worthless manner."
I've just learned this lesson, thank goodness!!! Transfers just happened, meaning I got a new companion! After reflecting on the past 6 weeks I sadly realized that I had been surviving. I was floating through life. I was struggling to merely hold on, because life was new and stressful and hard. But now the 6 weeks if over and I am asking myself, "what did I just accomplish?" That is a horrible feeling. Similarly, if we don't stop and evaluate where we are going in life, we will come to the end and ask ourselves the same thing.
So what? What do we do?
We are here on earth to thrive, not survive. So I invite each of you to ask yourself a few questions...
1. Where do I see myself in 10 years?
2. What is something big I want to accomplish in life?
3. How do I want people to remember me?
Then ask yourself....
1. What decisions do I need to make TODAY to make my future come to pass?
2. How can I improve? Change?
Then.....make plans to do it!!
I know goal setting is key to going places in life. It helps us feel successful and accomplished. And when we leave mortality, we will know we did our best because we pushed ourselves further than we thought we could go!
This is my prayer. May we all fill the measure of our creation!
Sister Ella Rae Madsen
p.s. I am now companions with Sister Gracie Platt!!!!! I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED!!!!!! She is from Carlsbad, California and is best friends with all my best friends! She went to La Costa Canyon High School, which 4 of my dearest friends from BYU went to! We even met before the mission!!! So we are here in Leeds starting fresh! We are taking control of the missionary work in Leeds and it feels so good! Evaluating, revising, cutting out worthless things, setting goals, making plans, and working hard to make it all happen! WAtch out!!
ye bye Sister Sheffer! Love you long time! She will be great wherever she goes!
first night together. we love each other. clearly. this transfer is going to be full of pictures of us so get ready!!!!!!!!! hahah
homemade pizza!!!!! homemade dough! i am living with the domestic queen! so lovely!!
just adventuring through the woods to find some members of our church!!
relief society activity making wreaths!! could not be more southern! everyone is obsessed! hahhahah
picnic on the side of the road!!!!!! nothing like a pb banana sandwich on a long hot day of hard work!!! i love it!
we biked 20+ miles in one day! whooo hooo!! i love green alabama!
we went to a festival in Leeds and asked a lady if we could help her pack up her stand...she was touched by our kindness so her husband gave us free pulled pork bbq sandwiches!!!!!!! SO YUMMY!
Sister Platt and I made a wall of pictures of our best friends!! It is soooooooooooooo fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried when we were made companions! No joke. I freaked out in front of all 150 missionaries. hahhaha
No comments:
Post a Comment