Ruby's Talk

The Young Women theme for this year was Arise and Shine Forth, the yw set some goals that we wanted to reach. We set most of them at 100, like 100 acts of kindness, 100 thank yous, etc. When we got to baptisms for the dead, 100 seemed too easy. As the young women, we all decided that 500 between all of us would be more reasonable. In the beginning, the numbers were going up and everyone was doing baptisms. But soon, this particular section was falling behind our other goals. I would like to share a story from Elder Donald L. Staheli. (staley)

A beautiful and vivacious young sister had just returned home from a very successful mission in South America. As her stake president, I completed an interview and released her from her mission. I asked her, “What are your plans for the future and how are you going to keep vibrant the beautiful spirit and testimony that you have expressed this evening?”

“Oh, that’s simple, President Staheli. I have my goals very clearly outlined.”

And then she enthusiastically recited several of them. They included daily prayer and scripture study, educational pursuits, and dreams of the kind of man she would marry. She really had her life together.

Several months later this young sister called for another interview—this time in preparation to be married and sealed in the temple to the young man of her dreams. As we finished, I casually asked, “How are you doing on your other goals?”

“What goals?” she replied.

As I reminded her of our earlier conversation, I recited back to her a few of the goals she had articulated to me. She teared up and her face flushed with embarrassment as she said, “President Staheli, I can’t believe I have forgotten so soon what was so important to me when I returned home from my mission.”

She still was a worthy young sister, but she had been caught up in the things of the world and had lost focus on some of the things of greatest worth to her. Staying focused, disciplined, and committed to meaningful goals, both spiritual and temporal, is an important—in fact, an essential—key to your success here in this life and in the eternities to come.

So, getting back to our goal on 500 baptisms for the dead, none of us were trying hard enough to reach this goal. I really think this was a blessing. I am so glad we raised our goal. It gave us a challenge and made us realize that it wasn’t going to be easy. Everyone started doing more baptisms, and eventually we reached our goal successfully.

We also reached every one of the other goals on the list.

Setting goals is a way to live up to your full potential. You know yourself, and you need to set your personal goals according to what you know is reasonable. Goals can’t be too easy, but they also can’t be impossible to reach. Gordon B. Hinckley’s quote, Try a little harder to be a little better is one of my favorite little sayings. When you are trying to reach a goal, make sure that you are trying hard to reach it.

Setting goals and reaching them IS arising and shining forth. last week, a member of the 10^th ward passed away unexpectedly, and immediately, people did arise and shine forth for his family. A fundraiser was set up, and this ward was especially amazing. As soon as our members heard about it, people were doing everything they possibly could to help, and it definitely did help. I am so grateful for the examples you have all set of arising and shining forth, wherever possible and I am so thankful for all of you. I’m amazed every day with the quiet acts of kindness performed in the ward each day. One of the goals on the chart was 100 acts of kindness, and we reached it.  But I know that the ultimate goal we were setting was for us to form the habit, just as the rest of the ward has done. It shows daily, and I hope that I and the rest of the young women can live up to the standards that all of you have quietly set. I would like to close with the scripture that the theme is from. It’s Doctrine and Covenants, verse 5, verily I say unto you, arise and shine forth that thy light may be a standard among the nations. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.