by David Bay, High Councilor

Many of us use this time to look to the new year and set goals and directions. What is important to us? What are our individual priorities at this particular time in our lives? What do we need to do to improve relationships with family members, friends, coworkers, and all of those around us? What changes would we like to see? And what specifically do we need to do differently to make those changes happen?

We are concluding the Christmas season of this year. For the last month or so we have been focusing on those things that are the very most important. They include: the Savior and our family members, those with us now and those who have gone on before, and our friends and our neighbors as well as caring for those in need. We need to remember to keep these in sight.

Goals and directions are so very important that they are part of the framework for the children and youth program that is adopted throughout the church. An important skill that we all can develop is the ability to establish and accomplish goals by relying on the guidance and assistance of our Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to succeed in everything that is important eternally, and also in things that can be important to us here and now.

We need to plan and prepare for the future and develop self-reliance. The way we refer to self-reliance may not exactly match the way the rest of the world does. The world looks at self-reliance as not being dependent on anyone or anything beyond ourselves. However, we see it as doing everything that we can to help ourselves and others and relying on our loving Heavenly Father to fill in the gaps beyond that.

There are many aspects to self-reliance. These include at least the following areas: Spiritual, Education, Health, Employment, Home, Production/Storage, Finances, and Emotional Resilience.

What are your plans for the new year? Do they include any of the areas mentioned above? If so, are you open to receiving ideas or assistance? Feel free to contact any of our committee members. While we may not know everything, we have access to the vast resources of the Church and of the Lord’s Storehouse.

Among the tools that we do have are Self-Reliance Groups. Self Reliance Groups are groups of 5 to 12 people, who work together for 10 to 12 weeks to become more proficient in some of the areas of self-reliance. See later in the newsletter for more details about the groups. New groups will be starting as soon as the end of the month of January.

Whatever your plans, goals and/or desired directions are for this next year, I would hope that you would search diligently and pray intently for the guidance of our Heavenly Father. He will give you the inspiration and direction to be able to help you accomplish your righteous desires. All of our efforts and our unique talents, abilities and viewpoints are required in our preparation for the Savior to return.

May you each receive His blessings as we journey together into 2022.