2018 NEW YEAR RESOULUTIONS--PREPAREDNESS

I have a friend who takes New Years Resolutions very seriously.  She and her husband come up with amazing goals.  But what is even better...they keep them.  One year they resolved to lose weight, and they did!  She remarked near the end of the year that they had lost a whole person (about 110 lbs) between them.  Another year, she determined to play the piano better and pick up where she left off about 30 years earlier.  I was her piano teacher and it was amazing to see her work ethic as she practiced and came to lessons week after week.  When the recital came around, she really did not want to play, but decided she would--but thought seriously of wearing a sign that said, "This is what happens when you quit piano as a kid, and your mom says you will always regret it."  I want that sense of purpose as I make my 2018 goals.

Remember as you set your goals to make them S.M.A.R.T.   Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Provident Living (my calling) includes helping you--and me--become self-reliant, helping us help ourselves so that we do not have to rely on others, and so that we are in a position to help others when they need it.  The categories of provident living provide a wonderful outline for goals to set.  I challenge you this week to make resolutions to help you and your family become more self-reliant in 2018.  Here are a few ideas:

SPIRITUAL SELF RELIANCE  Increased Church and/or Temple attendance, Meaningful Scripture Study, Purposeful Prayer.
PHYSICAL HEALTH Exercise, Good Eating Habits, Good Sleeping Routine.
EDUCATION Learn A New Skill, Obtain Knowledge by Reading Good Books or Attending Classes,  Increase Job Proficiency,  Receive Know-How for a New Job.
HOME STORAGE AND PRODUCTION Plant a Garden, Preserve Food, Store Clean Drinking Water, Obtain a 3-Month Food Supply, Build a Year Food Supply
FINANCES Make and Stick To a Budget, Work Toward Getting Out of Debt,  Gradually Build a Financial Reserve.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Make 72 Hour Kits, Have Plans for Several Types of Emergencies, Build a Family First Aid Kit for Home or Car.

“All of us are responsible to provide for ourselves and our families in both temporal and spiritual ways. To provide providently, we must practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies.”

--Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles