A Little Bit of First Things First

Here is the talk I gave in church today.

YSA 18th Ward Sacrament Talk
January 15, 2012
Meg Naisbitt

January is the time when we begin a new year. I rejoice at the beginning of a new year. I love the idea of being able to remodel my life – to tear out and haul away things that didn’t work and to build and beautify the things that worked. For years, I have kept a journal and have always tried to include an entry around the 1st of the year to list the things that I accomplished and then to make my resolutions for the New Year. In preparing this talk, I took some time to review many years of resolutions. I was quite amazed to see how many of the resolutions repeated themselves, but also to see a common thread about being less busy and making time for things that matter most.

I have been asked to speak on gospel oriented goals and Christ centered resolutions. To me, this means putting first things first. As Steven R. Covey states, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

This ward is for young single adults, ages 18 to 30. This time of your life is probably the most critical, crucial time for making good decisions - decisions about jobs, careers, education, friends, dates, marriage, and what you are going to be and do when you grow up.

These factors all present increased demands on your time and abilities. There may be the temptation to devote all of your time and talents to success in school or a job while putting church and other obligations “temporarily” on the back burner. Some may rationalize and say, “Don’t make such a big deal out of this. It’s not like I’m going to leave the church or something. I know it’s true. I just need to focus on my schooling or job for a limited period of time, and if I do, it will be a set up for me and my future family for the rest of our lives.” What is wrong with that?

It entails the idea that there is something unique or unusual about that demands of school or a job that justifies relaxing our covenants with the Lord during that time. You are not seeking permanent inactivity from serving the Lord, but just a brief sabbatical. The fundamental premise is that this is a once-in-a lifetime challenge that you won’t have to face again in the future.

That premise is false.

The temptation to put the church on the back burner to study or work is no different than the temptation to do so when you start a small business, gain a promotion, or try to hold on to your job during a recession. If you give in to these temptations this time, it will only be more difficult to resist the next time around.

When I was 19, I spent a year in Japan living with a Japanese family and teaching English at a private Buddhist University. The very first day I was there, my Japanese mother invited four or five friends over to welcome me and to perform a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. All of them wore beautiful silk kimonos and spent about 20 or 30 minutes performing this cultural tea ceremony where they presented me with a bowl of tea. This was my very first encounter with my Japanese mom and I knew that one of the worst things one could do in the Japanese culture is to embarrass an elderly person in front of her peers. Knowing very little Japanese there was no way I could explain the Word of Wisdom to the women graciously.

I felt this huge amount of pressure trying to figure out what I was going to do. If I just accepted the bowl and pretended to sip a little of the tea, I wouldn’t embarrass anyone and I wouldn’t be breaking the Word of Wisdom, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t be doing myself justice in the future because they wouldn’t know my stance or beliefs.

Upon handing me the bowl and I said, “Domo arigato gosaimasu” or “thank you very much”. I then I shook my head and said, “Watashi wa Morumon desu” (I am a Mormon), and as graciously as I could, I handed the bowl back to them. I knew if I gave in, it would only be more difficult to explain the next time around. The next day, my Japanese professor in charge of the program explained to the mom that I was a Mormon and that Mormons had a code against drinking coffee, tea and alcoholic drinks.

The Lord searches for those who will serve him no matter what the situation. I tell this story to show that in your lives there will be instances where the pressure to make exceptions to your gospel commitments can be very great. Those who establish their response to such pressures will find themselves better able to withstand pressures later. This is a way that we make gospel oriented goals and Christ like resolutions.

A scripture in 2 Nephi 28:30 states, “For behold, thus saith the Lord God; I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom, for unto him that receiveth I will give more; …”

I was so touched Brandon’s testimony last week when he spoke of his experiences in ringing a bell for the Salvation Army at Christmastime. My awareness was increased as I heard him talk about standing in the cold, day after day, and the kindnesses extended to him from true Christians – some who brought meals, hot chocolate, and warm clothing like the pair of gloves on the cold day when he forgot his.

These little kindnesses make a world of difference in people’s lives. I read an article last week that said, “If you want to accomplish great things in this new year, think small! Toss out the grandiose ideas and goals, and think about making improvements on a smaller scale. Thinking small, when it comes to setting goals for ourselves, will quickly replace the feeling of looming failure that often accompanies big goal setting, with the attitude, “I can do this!”

So many things in our lives are determined by small, little decisions that we make each day. Those small decisions actually have the ability to point each of us in a total different direction long term. Jim Rohn, (a successful businessman, author and speaker from Idaho) said, “You don’t have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next three years.” In Doctine and Covenants, 64:33 it states,

And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”

The prophet Nephi said in 1 Nephi 16:29, “…And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.” These little small and simple changes are more affective in producing a lasting transformation in behavior.

When my husband was about nine, he played Little League on his big brother’s team. Everyone was two years older than he was. They would always put him at the very end to bat because he wasn’t very good. One time, it was the ninth inning with two outs, score tied, bases loaded and it was Mark’s turn at bat.

Everyone on the team kind of cringed, thinking that he would lose the game for them. Mark said that his coach came up to him and whispered, “Just hit it a little bit, that’s all you need to do. Just a little bit.” All of a sudden, Mark felt this encouraging surge of power. The pitcher threw the ball. Mark concentrated so hard just to hit a little bit that he felt like the whole ball was in slow motion. He swung and hit the ball, --- just a little bit. It dribbled past the catcher and the short stop fumbled it. It was just enough to get him on base and a runner in. To this day, Mark will tell you that that advise was a tipping point for him. It was so impressionable, that today, his email address is litbit@comcast.net.

So as we start this New Year, let’s maybe think small about making some lasting changes in our lives. Whether we want to lose weight, read our scriptures,

daily prayer or service. 100 calories less a day is something doable. “And five minutes of daily scripture study is better than nothing, and allows us to receive of Heavenly Father’s blessings for keeping his commandments to read the scriptures daily.” Make a little difference in someone’s life by smiling at them, or saying a kind word to the grocery store clerk or giving some hot chocolate to the Salvation Army bell ringer can make an impressionable difference.

One time Chase was out mowing the lawn and he ran into a rose bush and broke off a branch.

Soon there were beautiful roses in a little vase of water that he put on the counter. I thought he was so thoughtful and it made my day. I had no idea that he was salvaging the rose bush that he broke. Another time I was out of town. When I came home, my kids had left some dried flowers in a paper wrap like a snow cone cup on my pillow. They wrote on a little piece of paper, “We missed you.” It melted my heart. Those little things make a big difference.

It is my prayer that we all strive to make some gospel centered goals and some Christ like resolutions this year. In closing, I would like to bear my testimony of Jesus Christ. He lives. He knows each of us. He loves us and he is our Savior and Redeemer. He is our advocate with the father and gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. As we renew our covenants and partake of the Sacrament each week, it is my hope that we will seek to put first things first and to always remember Him.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.