WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.379 We were just sitting here talking about how fast 00:00:03.379 --> 00:00:05.919 Christmas flew by. It almost goes as fast as 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:10.720 summer. Summer flies by, but man, this holiday, 00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:15.619 Christmas just comes and goes in a blink of an 00:00:15.619 --> 00:00:17.839 eye. And I know everybody I've talked to has 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.640 said the same thing. It's like, it's so much 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:24.399 work and it's so much preparation and so much 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:26.519 angst, you know, the little kids with wonder 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:30.559 and with so much excitement. And it's like, you 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:32.600 know, we had grandkids that woke their parents 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:36.479 up at four, two and four. And then we had parents 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:39.500 that had her wake grandkids up at seven or nine 00:00:39.500 --> 00:00:42.179 or whatever. But it's just interesting how Christmas 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:44.219 is different and it's different every year and 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:46.520 it's different for every family. And however 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:48.869 it is, it's perfect. It was a perfect, perfect 00:00:48.869 --> 00:00:51.810 Christmas for us, not without its challenges, 00:00:52.890 --> 00:00:55.729 not without its diversion of focus. I'm speaking 00:00:55.729 --> 00:01:01.359 of me, not you, but you know. We did an episode 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:03.240 a couple weeks. In fact, I think we did a couple 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:05.680 of episodes in preparation for Christmas. And 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:07.799 you remember the one when we talked about focusing 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:12.519 on the horizontal and not the vertical. And we 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.659 should be focusing on the vertical, not the horizontal. 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.680 And I kind of likened it to the cross, right? 00:01:18.099 --> 00:01:22.280 The cross has that vertical post and the horizontal 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:26.590 beam. And I tended to be on the... horizontal 00:01:26.590 --> 00:01:28.650 a lot more than I thought I was going to be this 00:01:28.650 --> 00:01:32.430 year. Yeah, it's easy to do. Holy moly. You know, 00:01:32.510 --> 00:01:35.469 we talked about in one of our episodes, we talked 00:01:35.469 --> 00:01:38.709 about not letting the expectations around Christmas 00:01:38.709 --> 00:01:41.310 stress us out and, you know, and just staying 00:01:41.310 --> 00:01:45.989 focused. And I wasn't 100 percent successful. 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.640 On any on any on any of that this year, you know, 00:01:50.659 --> 00:01:53.140 which brings us kind of to our topic today We're 00:01:53.140 --> 00:01:57.079 between Christmas and New Year's obviously most 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.879 of the world many of us begin to Evaluate where 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.599 we've been this year how things have been, you 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:06.760 know We we cross into January and just automatically 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.840 almost instinctively It seems like we just kind 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:13.900 of start evaluating ourselves. We talk about 00:02:13.900 --> 00:02:18.620 resolutions. We talk about goals. What we're 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:21.219 going to do better. And believe me, I'm all about 00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:24.699 inventory. I'm all about taking in personal inventory. 00:02:24.939 --> 00:02:28.039 Several of them. I try to do it daily. But, you 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:30.520 know, this seems to be the big inventory. You 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:32.460 know, businesses are doing that. They're closing 00:02:32.460 --> 00:02:35.020 their books. Fiscal years for a lot of people 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:37.939 are here and a lot of companies and so forth. 00:02:37.979 --> 00:02:41.240 And so it's just kind of naturally that time 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:44.319 of year when we take a look at ourselves and 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:47.520 then we set goals on how to be better. Yep. We're 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:49.099 going to go to the gym more. We're going to go 00:02:49.099 --> 00:02:51.020 to more meetings. We're going to be more efficient, 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.240 more... effective in all of our goal setting 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:58.159 starting January 1. But January 1's Friday, so 00:02:58.159 --> 00:02:59.879 maybe we'll just bump it to January 5th, which 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:03.199 is a Monday. Exactly. I love your thinking. I 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.000 love your thinking. Oh, don't worry. It's really 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:08.020 my thinking. I'm not making fun. I'm just like, 00:03:08.020 --> 00:03:10.159 oh, well, I'll start Monday. You're not alone. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:14.060 The fifth, not Friday the first. Yeah. Well, 00:03:14.099 --> 00:03:16.819 and that's kind of the point, you know, of what 00:03:16.819 --> 00:03:20.199 we want to talk about tonight, today as we record 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.909 this podcast. You know, We often come into the 00:03:23.909 --> 00:03:28.590 new year and our approach now is, okay, what 00:03:28.590 --> 00:03:33.050 do I need to fix in my life so that I can, when 00:03:33.050 --> 00:03:35.810 next year rolls around, not have the same regrets, 00:03:36.129 --> 00:03:38.530 not have the same disappointments, not look at 00:03:38.530 --> 00:03:41.710 myself in the same shameful way, and on and on 00:03:41.710 --> 00:03:44.110 and on and on. How's 2026 going to be better 00:03:44.110 --> 00:03:46.770 than 2025? Yeah, exactly. That's kind of how 00:03:46.770 --> 00:03:51.370 we... It's a common... resolutions. You know, 00:03:51.629 --> 00:03:57.330 our good friend Mike, many years ago we were 00:03:57.330 --> 00:04:00.750 having a conversation and he said to me, you 00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:02.770 want to set some goals, some resolutions? And 00:04:02.770 --> 00:04:06.330 I honestly meant this at the time. I don't see 00:04:06.330 --> 00:04:10.870 it necessarily this way now. But I told him, 00:04:10.949 --> 00:04:13.229 I said, you know, Mike, when I do stuff like 00:04:13.229 --> 00:04:15.469 that, that's just premeditated failure for me. 00:04:16.410 --> 00:04:20.350 It is I was you know, because I would always 00:04:20.350 --> 00:04:23.269 set this ideal and I always have in my mind Oh, 00:04:23.269 --> 00:04:26.310 yeah, my resolve is strong this year I'm absolutely 00:04:26.310 --> 00:04:29.689 gonna do it and and I tend to make those commitments 00:04:29.689 --> 00:04:33.569 in my strongest moments Not my weak moment. I 00:04:33.569 --> 00:04:36.470 think it's after we've indulged in the Christmas 00:04:36.470 --> 00:04:39.569 food abundance Well, that's definitely part of 00:04:39.569 --> 00:04:43.970 it have sat around in the Christmas spirit of 00:04:43.970 --> 00:04:47.110 not getting up and going, working out or exercising 00:04:47.110 --> 00:04:49.910 or being efficient or being productive. And it's 00:04:49.910 --> 00:04:52.689 like, okay, I'm done being lazy. I'm done overindulging. 00:04:52.750 --> 00:04:55.689 I'm done overeating. Now I'm going to start strong. 00:04:55.990 --> 00:04:58.509 I'm going to change it. What if we did this though? 00:04:59.029 --> 00:05:03.009 What if we totally reframed resolutions? And 00:05:03.009 --> 00:05:05.480 I think I think we need some. You know, I'm a 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.759 believer in setting goals, spark goals, you know, 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.139 achievable, measurable, attainable within a certain 00:05:13.139 --> 00:05:15.439 timeframe, all of those things. I believe all 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:17.579 that. I believe in all that. I really do, you 00:05:17.579 --> 00:05:21.560 know, and it's been part of my corporate life 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:24.259 for all my life. You know, we just do these kinds 00:05:24.259 --> 00:05:25.879 of things and I think they're wonderful and I 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:29.019 think they're great. However. What if we took 00:05:29.019 --> 00:05:31.519 a little bit different approach to some of the 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.339 things in our lives that we would like to see 00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:43.490 changed or developed or? redeemed, or redeemed, 00:05:44.209 --> 00:05:46.170 maybe we would take a little bit different approach. 00:05:46.649 --> 00:05:48.889 So maybe, you know, we'll talk about, we're not 00:05:48.889 --> 00:05:50.550 going to talk about resolutions here. You can 00:05:50.550 --> 00:05:52.949 get that from a million other places, you know, 00:05:53.110 --> 00:05:55.870 Simon Sinek and, you know, a million others who 00:05:55.870 --> 00:05:58.970 are just wonderful people when it comes to things 00:05:58.970 --> 00:06:00.949 along those lines. And I think, again, that they're 00:06:00.949 --> 00:06:03.170 great. But what if instead of focusing on our 00:06:03.170 --> 00:06:06.589 resolutions this year, Deb, we focused on a new 00:06:06.410 --> 00:06:13.089 beginning. Yeah, I personally, I feel like that's 00:06:13.089 --> 00:06:16.649 more achievable for me. Just for the simple fact 00:06:16.649 --> 00:06:20.750 is it's kind of a weekly thing for me. Yeah. 00:06:20.870 --> 00:06:24.389 It's like every single week when I renew a new 00:06:24.389 --> 00:06:27.370 beginning, like partaking of the sacrament. Right. 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:31.990 You know, or if I slept through my workout, it's 00:06:31.990 --> 00:06:34.230 like, okay, well, I always have tomorrow. I have 00:06:34.230 --> 00:06:35.970 a new beginning. I can have a new beginning. 00:06:35.970 --> 00:06:39.300 Yeah. Yeah, you know, I think that as we kind 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:41.579 of do this what we're doing is we really shift 00:06:41.579 --> 00:06:45.120 from a mindset of self -improvement Which again, 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:48.720 I'm not opposed to right, but we shift from that 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:52.399 mindset of just self -improvement Self -improvement 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.459 to actual redemption. Yeah, and you know what? 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.040 It's actually strengthen in a relationship again 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.899 that we've talked about previously about strengthen 00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:03.079 our relationship with the Savior because you 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:08.959 know what he really is the change he you know, 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:12.379 he We talk about changing our heart. Sometimes 00:07:12.379 --> 00:07:14.439 he gives us a whole new heart talk about a really 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:17.600 new beginning I mean, it would be lovely to have 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:21.939 that new heart Focused every single week, you 00:07:21.939 --> 00:07:24.740 know, it's like we all get derailed, you know 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:28.139 just talking about um, Christmas and how we, 00:07:28.139 --> 00:07:30.920 we had set the intention of, you know, having 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:33.899 the correct focus and having the correct connection. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:36.980 And yeah, we, we, we definitely got derailed. 00:07:37.339 --> 00:07:41.040 I mean, which is okay. We'll start again. We'll 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:44.220 keep trying. You know, we're toddlers trying 00:07:44.220 --> 00:07:46.540 to walk and we got knocked down, but we're going 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:48.300 to get up. What does it look like though when 00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:52.800 we start focusing on redemption instead of or 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.199 in addition to self -approvement? How does that 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:57.800 work? What does that look like? Well, you know, 00:07:57.819 --> 00:08:00.579 I listened to a talk yesterday from my sweet, 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:03.759 darling, adorable friend Audrey in sacrament 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:06.279 meeting and she talked about the redeemer and 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:11.670 what redeemed. is to her and it was such a personal 00:08:11.670 --> 00:08:17.670 thing for her to he's there in my mess he's there 00:08:17.670 --> 00:08:21.050 in my challenges he's there and I know I don't 00:08:21.050 --> 00:08:23.310 have to do this alone and you know the other 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:26.430 piece that I love about redeemed is that he purchased 00:08:26.430 --> 00:08:29.889 me he he already has suffered all those pains 00:08:29.889 --> 00:08:31.889 and sorrows and griefs and everything that I 00:08:31.889 --> 00:08:35.009 have gone through he's felt that more intense 00:08:35.009 --> 00:08:39.799 more intense than I have, and so he gets me. 00:08:40.179 --> 00:08:44.480 So redeemed to me is, okay, God, I'm gonna fall 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.279 down. Okay, God, I'm gonna screw this up. Not 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.980 intentionally, but I do. I have good intentions 00:08:50.980 --> 00:08:54.659 and then I mess it up. But because he purchased 00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:58.379 me and because he is... my Redeemer, he will 00:08:58.379 --> 00:09:01.539 redeem my efforts. He will strengthen and enable 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:05.360 me to be able to get back up when I fall down. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:07.960 And compensate us where we lack. Yes, and give 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:10.580 myself some grace for crying out loud. I'm such 00:09:10.580 --> 00:09:15.320 a critic sometimes of, gosh, dang it, Deb. I 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:19.100 mean, it's one of those things that it's like, 00:09:19.539 --> 00:09:21.379 you know, I'm really hard on myself and I pick 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:24.299 up a beating stick and I'm like, ugh, but you 00:09:24.299 --> 00:09:27.129 know what? He doesn't. He gives me grace. Yeah, 00:09:27.350 --> 00:09:30.610 exactly. He's not surprised when we make mistakes. 00:09:31.110 --> 00:09:32.990 He's not surprised. He's not wringing his hand. 00:09:33.029 --> 00:09:35.470 He's not mad at you. You know, but let's talk 00:09:35.470 --> 00:09:37.830 about this. What's the difference between resolution 00:09:37.830 --> 00:09:41.529 versus a new beginning? So, you know, I have 00:09:41.529 --> 00:09:43.269 a couple of ideas around that. You know, when 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:46.309 I think about resolutions, what I'm really thinking 00:09:46.309 --> 00:09:50.610 about are things that are behavior based. That's 00:09:50.610 --> 00:09:54.070 where I make messes. And as soon as I say that, 00:09:54.230 --> 00:09:56.690 I think of a checkbox. I think of things that 00:09:56.690 --> 00:09:59.629 are checkbox based. And again, there are things 00:09:59.629 --> 00:10:02.070 that should be. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying 00:10:02.070 --> 00:10:04.570 to swing the pendulum one way or the other. I'm 00:10:04.570 --> 00:10:06.409 just trying to create balance and to help us 00:10:06.409 --> 00:10:09.549 to understand that redemption or a new beginning 00:10:09.549 --> 00:10:12.370 in Christ is far more powerful, far more important 00:10:12.370 --> 00:10:14.470 than setting these behavior based resolutions. 00:10:14.629 --> 00:10:17.450 Another one is Deb, resolutions are outcome driven. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:21.460 Right? I said, I can measure it. You know, that's 00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:23.879 part of the smart goal idea is that I can measure 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.360 it and I can know whether or not I've been successful 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:29.360 in achieving it. And almost every single one 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.919 of them are discipline or willpower dependent. 00:10:33.940 --> 00:10:36.700 Well, those are the resolutions. But I mean, 00:10:36.779 --> 00:10:38.320 like you said, what's the difference between 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:41.179 resolution and new beginnings? Yeah. I think, 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.580 again, because we've talked about this in the 00:10:43.580 --> 00:10:46.509 past. New beginnings is relationship -based. 00:10:46.649 --> 00:10:48.830 What's my relationship with my Savior? What's 00:10:48.830 --> 00:10:51.549 my relationship with Heavenly Father? The other 00:10:51.549 --> 00:10:54.830 one, I feel like in new beginnings, just like 00:10:54.830 --> 00:10:57.509 I mentioned earlier, there's a lot more grace. 00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:04.470 And I feel like I'm on a daily need of grace. 00:11:04.610 --> 00:11:09.029 It's like, oh, I messed up. Oh, I did it again. 00:11:09.289 --> 00:11:13.600 Oh, I... my weak spots. Well, okay, so so far 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:16.320 you've said a new beginning in Christ is relationship 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:19.340 -based. I love that because our whole podcast 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:22.700 is relationship -based. A relationship with deity. 00:11:23.100 --> 00:11:27.080 That's what repentance is. That's what emulation 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:30.360 is. That's what adoration is. That's what even 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:34.320 admiration of the Savior becomes as we grow closer 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.539 to him. I love that. That's relationship based. 00:11:36.779 --> 00:11:39.100 And then through that relationship, we begin 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:41.700 to feel his grace at work in our lives. Yep. 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.620 And remember that we're in a fallen world and 00:11:44.620 --> 00:11:46.740 supposed to fall down and it's OK. And it's OK. 00:11:46.820 --> 00:11:50.019 Yeah. Yeah. Part of the plan even. Yeah. And 00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:53.419 then being rooted in the Savior, who Jesus really 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:58.039 is, not who we're becoming fast enough, but who 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:01.039 he is. And you know what? You know what's difficult 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.090 for me is doing it in his time. You know, we're 00:12:04.090 --> 00:12:08.029 in a world of instant gratification. And it's 00:12:08.029 --> 00:12:11.769 like, sometimes I kneel down and I put in my, 00:12:12.129 --> 00:12:14.330 I think they called it a vending machine prayer. 00:12:14.509 --> 00:12:16.210 I think that's what Elder Oakdorf called it. 00:12:16.529 --> 00:12:19.269 And basically said, okay, here's my wish and 00:12:19.269 --> 00:12:22.190 desire. Now, can I get this outcome really fast? 00:12:22.269 --> 00:12:25.049 Can I have it tomorrow? Yeah. Can I have it within 00:12:25.049 --> 00:12:26.870 the weekend? Can I have it, you know? And it's 00:12:26.870 --> 00:12:29.549 like, I have to remember this is not in my time, 00:12:29.549 --> 00:12:32.750 this is God's time. And really have the trust. 00:12:32.889 --> 00:12:36.070 faith that everything will work out for its good 00:12:36.070 --> 00:12:39.029 because there's some things and especially recently 00:12:39.029 --> 00:12:42.070 we you know we've had this reunion with with 00:12:42.070 --> 00:12:45.250 our family that was not fast enough for me it 00:12:45.250 --> 00:12:48.769 took two years and that was a long time for me 00:12:48.769 --> 00:12:51.990 to get my family back under the same roof yeah 00:12:51.990 --> 00:12:55.269 it was hard but God knew what he was doing and 00:12:55.269 --> 00:12:57.549 it was perfect for everyone involved including 00:12:57.549 --> 00:13:01.620 me to remember I'm not in charge I'm a control 00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:04.279 freak, I know that does not surprise you or anyone 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:10.039 else. Well, I think that, you know, I wrote this 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:13.759 down and I think that this really kind of summarizes 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.379 it for me. The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't 00:13:16.379 --> 00:13:19.120 start by asking what we'll do differently next 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:22.519 year. It starts by reminding us who the Savior 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:27.059 is today and aligning with him now. I love that. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:30.639 I really think that, you know, it's important 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:33.799 for me, and probably all of us, to remember that. 00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:37.120 I get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.679 this world, in the, you know, making of deadlines, 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:46.320 in the hitting quotas, in the making sure my 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:48.799 scores are high enough at work, and you know, 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:53.500 again, all that's good, but again, that's based 00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:56.490 on me. and it's really based on him, too, if 00:13:56.490 --> 00:13:58.149 I turn my will and my life over to the care of 00:13:58.149 --> 00:14:00.029 God as I understand him in all things in my life, 00:14:00.070 --> 00:14:02.490 which I try to do, but practically speaking, 00:14:02.570 --> 00:14:05.230 that's all about me. When I turn my life over 00:14:05.230 --> 00:14:07.970 to him, though, so that I can become new, and 00:14:07.970 --> 00:14:09.870 that's what we're talking about, just a new beginning. 00:14:10.269 --> 00:14:13.129 As we begin a new year, we wanna focus potentially 00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:18.090 on having a new beginning. I love my favorite 00:14:18.090 --> 00:14:20.889 talk on new beginnings. Now is Elder Kieran. 00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:24.700 I love that talk. I do too. I'm going to play 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:26.259 a clip from it. Is that all right? Absolutely. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:34.039 Let me cue it up. He's so great. I loved his 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:40.159 last Christmas address about receiving gifts. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:45.980 Yeah, I did too. Such a great reminder. He we 00:14:45.980 --> 00:14:48.940 actually talked about Elder Soras in our elders 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:53.299 quorum yesterday on his talk on temperance. Obviously, 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:57.269 something that's largely misunderstood. But I 00:14:57.269 --> 00:15:01.929 love it when these special witnesses of the name 00:15:01.929 --> 00:15:04.450 of Jesus Christ, right, special witnesses of 00:15:04.450 --> 00:15:07.289 him, special witnesses of his covenant to us 00:15:07.289 --> 00:15:10.590 and all those other things, I love it when they 00:15:10.590 --> 00:15:13.830 present insights that resonate with me the way 00:15:13.830 --> 00:15:16.470 that this one did. And I hope it does with our 00:15:16.470 --> 00:15:20.250 listeners the same way. This is Elder Karen from 00:15:20.250 --> 00:15:26.200 General Conference, October 2025. To the lame, 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:30.139 the deaf, and the dumb, to every grieving mother, 00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:34.279 desperate father, and mourning widow, to the 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:37.500 condemned, the shamed, and the suffering, to 00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:39.980 the dead in body and the dead in spirit, what 00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:47.539 he did was offer a new beginning. Yes, another 00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:52.409 staggering understatement. Everything he said 00:15:52.409 --> 00:15:56.309 and did provided a new beginning for each of 00:15:56.309 --> 00:15:59.529 those he healed, blessed, taught and relieved 00:15:59.529 --> 00:16:04.929 of sin. He didn't withdraw from them and he certainly 00:16:04.929 --> 00:16:10.850 won't withdraw from you. Imagine in this moment 00:16:10.850 --> 00:16:14.529 hearing any of these life -giving words from 00:16:14.529 --> 00:16:26.820 him. I say unto thee, arise, be thou clean, neither 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:32.059 do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. Daughter, 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.279 be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:40.519 whole, go in peace. The Savior's words to these 00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:44.080 individuals were brief, but with them he painted 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:49.320 vast new horizons of forgiveness, healing, restoration, 00:16:49.710 --> 00:16:53.889 peace and eternal life. And the glorious news 00:16:53.889 --> 00:16:58.009 is he offers the same new beginning to you and 00:16:58.009 --> 00:17:02.610 to me. All of us can have a new beginning through 00:17:02.610 --> 00:17:08.329 and because of Jesus Christ, even you. To me, 00:17:08.589 --> 00:17:11.990 Deb. All of that is powerful and encouraging 00:17:11.990 --> 00:17:15.670 and uplifting and I feel like brings me closer 00:17:15.670 --> 00:17:18.470 to a deeper relationship with my Savior. But 00:17:18.470 --> 00:17:20.950 you know the part that really hits me and I hope 00:17:20.950 --> 00:17:26.119 we don't miss it. Even you. And he didn't say 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:29.259 even you who are members of the church and he 00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:32.140 didn't say even you who are Completely keeping 00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:34.920 your covenants and he didn't say even you who 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:37.839 are 100 % in the commandments and he didn't and 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.359 or any of those other things he said and Even 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:44.960 you that seems pretty all -inclusive to me and 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:49.569 that inclusion is what I think I want when I'm 00:17:49.569 --> 00:17:52.690 looking for how do I have a new beginning. I 00:17:52.690 --> 00:17:55.289 want to be included in the Savior's power. I 00:17:55.289 --> 00:17:57.029 don't want to feel like it's something that I 00:17:57.029 --> 00:18:01.609 have to earn through scrupulosity and through 00:18:01.609 --> 00:18:03.869 all the other things that I sometimes think I 00:18:03.869 --> 00:18:07.390 have to do. He's just waiting there. You know, 00:18:07.430 --> 00:18:09.950 I think it's... We keep referring to this, but 00:18:09.950 --> 00:18:13.069 it was such a powerful statement when Nick said 00:18:13.069 --> 00:18:16.240 he meets us... He likes to get his hands dirty. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:18.220 Jesus likes to get his hands dirty. He meets 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:22.039 us in our mess. And I think no matter where we 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:25.460 are, and it's surprising where you will find 00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:29.019 him. When we seek him, we find him. And it's 00:18:29.019 --> 00:18:34.150 like even in our messiest, yuckiest place. He's 00:18:34.150 --> 00:18:37.309 just waiting that agency. He will never rob from 00:18:37.309 --> 00:18:41.769 us and until we I mean I remember a story Scott 00:18:41.769 --> 00:18:44.930 Harmon when he said I'm in my jail cell and I 00:18:44.930 --> 00:18:48.450 fell to my knees and I said out loud that children 00:18:48.450 --> 00:18:52.289 child's prayer song Heavenly Father, are you 00:18:52.289 --> 00:18:55.210 really there? And I think that's the plea. I 00:18:55.210 --> 00:18:57.890 think that's the alignment. I think that's what 00:18:57.890 --> 00:19:00.130 he's waiting for, that new beginning. And we 00:19:00.130 --> 00:19:02.250 have seen it. We've had such a gift to be able 00:19:02.250 --> 00:19:06.190 to see that in so many lives, including our own. 00:19:06.589 --> 00:19:09.029 I mean, we had do -over after do -over after 00:19:09.029 --> 00:19:13.250 do -over. We're a blended family. 23 years, we 00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:16.130 pulled seven kids together, and now we've got 00:19:16.130 --> 00:19:20.799 in -laws. and almost 17 grandkids. It's like, 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:24.859 it's messy. It's, it gets chaotic. It gets crazy. 00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:28.000 But you know what? He has led us and given us 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:32.680 new beginnings. And, and this, you know, in little 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:35.319 tiny moments, I mean, I do not want anyone to 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:37.119 think that our life is perfect because it is 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:41.859 not, but in little tiny moments, I see his hands 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:49.859 so vividly and I feel And I see these seven children 00:19:49.859 --> 00:19:56.559 have each other's back Because at night every 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:58.380 single night putting names in the temple and 00:19:58.380 --> 00:20:01.539 we plead and pray That they'll remember who they 00:20:01.539 --> 00:20:04.099 are and whose they are why they're here and where 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:06.799 they're going and we see that miracle of that 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.279 new beginning And that's what this is right? 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:13.359 We're not talking about creating a life with 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:18.160 improvement plans or you know a Business whatever, 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:20.599 you know plans of improvement, but what we're 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:23.660 really talking about here is a new life What 00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:27.299 you're talking about, Deb, is a new life, like 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:31.220 a new heart. A new life. He didn't wait for people 00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:35.539 to be ready. I think of our family. What would 00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:37.920 it have taken, or what would have being ready 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:41.140 look like? I'm not sure. Any of that. And then 00:20:41.140 --> 00:20:44.180 I think of the woman brought in adultery. Was 00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:46.339 she ready? I don't know that she was ready. I 00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:50.819 just think that Jesus meets us where we are when 00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:54.960 we... align with him when we're looking for that. 00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:57.539 I think she was ready. What? I think she probably 00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:59.859 was ready. Yeah, you're right. Otherwise she 00:20:59.859 --> 00:21:01.740 wouldn't have received him. But that's not a 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:05.380 criteria. Correct. And especially it's not a 00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:10.160 criteria that the metrics are not manmade, right? 00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:13.359 We don't say, okay, I'm ready once I've done 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.420 this, this, this, this, this. It's more of a 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:18.339 heart journey. It's more of a, is my heart ready? 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:21.740 Is my... attitude in alignment, and I think that 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:24.299 that's important. And the other thing that's 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:27.039 important for us to remember, that as we do this 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:29.819 this year, Jesus, you said it, Jesus liked to 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:31.759 get his hands dirty, that's what Nick taught 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:34.880 us in his experience, but it's important for 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:37.259 us to remember that he doesn't withdraw from 00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:40.759 brokenness. And we can, David used to hate it. 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:42.599 You know david's the guy that used to do the 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:45.079 podcast with me my uncle and and the author of 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:48.640 the uh co -author I probably can't even say that 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.440 of the divine gift of forgiveness with elder 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:53.819 anderson, but He used to say nobody's broken 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:56.440 I don't like it when we use the word broken and 00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:58.279 stuff like and I get that and i'm with him 100 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:01.880 But sometimes we feel broken And sometimes if 00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:05.119 we are misaligned and don't see things or see 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:07.220 ourselves through the lens of spiritual eyes, 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:09.940 then we can sometimes see ourselves as broken. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:15.839 And he did not withdraw from brokenness. He went 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:19.900 right into it. And he will come right into it 00:22:19.900 --> 00:22:24.349 in our new beginning. 2026, if we will allow 00:22:24.349 --> 00:22:26.609 him and align with him to do it. Well, and I 00:22:26.609 --> 00:22:28.869 think I think sometimes that brokenness looks 00:22:28.869 --> 00:22:32.809 like tired or discouraged or lonely or feeling 00:22:32.809 --> 00:22:36.789 distant or maybe not meeting our expectations 00:22:36.789 --> 00:22:41.549 or overwhelmed or still in discouragement. I 00:22:41.549 --> 00:22:44.970 mean, horrifically discouraged, overwhelmed. 00:22:46.430 --> 00:22:48.910 the ones who tried last year and it didn't work. 00:22:49.029 --> 00:22:52.809 I mean, we just have to remember that, you know, 00:22:52.869 --> 00:22:57.089 just because it's, you know, maybe the word broken 00:22:57.089 --> 00:23:03.450 has so many different worlds of hard. And you 00:23:03.450 --> 00:23:06.069 know what? It's not supposed to be easy. And 00:23:06.069 --> 00:23:09.309 it's a good reminder for me when these things 00:23:09.309 --> 00:23:11.769 come in my life, when I'm tired and discouraged 00:23:11.769 --> 00:23:14.849 and I'm lonely or feeling distant from the spirit. 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:18.859 actually a really great reminder for me, because 00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:22.920 I'm uncomfortable, that it's my time to grow, 00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:26.140 and remember that I need to be saved. Through 00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:28.180 him. By my Savior. Exactly, and that's the whole 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:32.059 point, is that, again, this isn't really January 00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:34.880 language, if you think about it. It's more redemption 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:36.980 language, which is where we should try to be 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:40.420 every day, all the time, but we're really not 00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:45.259 focusing so much on me being able to change me. 00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:48.339 It's what you just said me turning my will to 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:51.380 him my life to him Let him care for me as he 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.980 will and direct me as he will, you know And when 00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:56.339 I do that my life just goes a heck of a lot better 00:23:56.339 --> 00:24:00.440 what I'm wondering though is okay now it's here 00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:04.039 we are in January and What do we do with our 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:07.369 whole resolution mindset then? Well, I'm one 00:24:07.369 --> 00:24:09.410 that likes to chunk things off in little tiny 00:24:09.410 --> 00:24:11.349 increments because I like little wins, not a 00:24:11.349 --> 00:24:13.710 great big win. But a whole bunch of little wins 00:24:13.710 --> 00:24:15.630 through small and simple things, great things 00:24:15.630 --> 00:24:19.849 come about or whatever that scripture says. However, 00:24:20.410 --> 00:24:22.710 the message is still the same. I like to do little 00:24:22.710 --> 00:24:26.069 increments and I think that's why the weekly 00:24:26.069 --> 00:24:29.549 sacrament is so critical for me is because that's 00:24:29.549 --> 00:24:33.109 my new beginning. It's like I intentionally prepare 00:24:33.109 --> 00:24:39.319 on Saturday night to say, okay, I'm ready for 00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:43.259 a reset. I'm ready for my new beginning. Another 00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:46.279 thing, you know, we talk about resolutions. I 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:49.099 think resolutions for me feels like I have to 00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:52.599 carry this. It's mine to do. Where a new beginning 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:56.720 is an alignment with Jesus Christ. And where 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.299 I'm going to yoke with him and I'm going to walk 00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:03.240 through my life with him. Doesn't sound like 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:05.440 then the problem is really about resolutions 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:09.259 really, right? I mean, that's not really the 00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:12.859 problem, is the resolution itself. The problem 00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:16.380 that can come up for me is asking resolutions 00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:18.880 to do for me what only Jesus Christ can do for 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:21.559 me. Yeah, because realistically we're nothing 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:24.259 without him and what I mean by that really, you 00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:26.920 know, and you're saying well and and someone 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:30.099 might retort well Scott You said you set a resolution 00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:32.579 or a goal you achieve that goal that does something 00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:34.339 for you it builds your confidence It makes you 00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:36.279 more credible and it does a billion other things 00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:37.920 whatever those things are that you're focusing 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.619 on Okay. Well that may be true But if I if I'm 00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:45.559 asking Jesus Christ to step into my life and 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:47.519 give me a new beginning Do you not think that 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:51.589 I'll have the same? Outcomes eventually if they 00:25:51.589 --> 00:25:54.210 are in a line with his will and if they're in 00:25:54.210 --> 00:25:56.829 a line with his will Do you think that those 00:25:56.829 --> 00:26:01.450 outcomes? If I give credit to him Through his 00:26:01.450 --> 00:26:05.250 grace through his love, etc That I'm better aligned 00:26:05.250 --> 00:26:08.650 with him and I'm actually a better person because 00:26:08.650 --> 00:26:13.549 I'm more like him more emulated to him I Become 00:26:13.549 --> 00:26:15.369 a better person than I would be if I was just 00:26:15.369 --> 00:26:18.900 focusing on achievement Well, I think my for 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:22.519 me I'm very narrow -minded and it's like when 00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:27.039 I Really succumb and I I surrender and I say 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:30.059 okay God not my will but thine all of a sudden 00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:33.579 New windows open new doors open and I had no 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:36.500 idea this was even possible I think that's the 00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:40.720 piece that is so critical for me to remember 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:46.180 is I am nothing and I am so narrow minded, I'm 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:49.799 in ignorance to the eternal perspective. But 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:52.259 it's like, you know, we've seen so many pictures 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:54.519 where, where if we just knew what God had in 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:58.259 store for us, we would just be in awe. I mean, 00:26:58.279 --> 00:27:01.220 of what we have the capacity or capability of 00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:05.319 doing. But in my little moments when I surrender 00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:07.720 and when I say, okay, God, not my will, but thine 00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:11.210 be done. That's when I stand Literally stand 00:27:11.210 --> 00:27:13.950 all amazed and I'm like I had no idea this would 00:27:13.950 --> 00:27:18.329 be possible. I had no idea I would have the blessings 00:27:18.329 --> 00:27:23.549 in such abundance Just flooding throughout my 00:27:23.549 --> 00:27:28.910 life Because I've allowed him to be in control 00:27:28.910 --> 00:27:33.869 Yeah, I love that and allowing him to be in control, 00:27:33.910 --> 00:27:36.490 you know, I think it's really what it's all about 00:27:36.490 --> 00:27:40.740 when I when I think of Resolutions for example 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:45.019 is I think of you know me carrying that weight 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:47.819 You know and sometimes it is sometimes it is 00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:49.740 heavy and I you know sometimes you're strong 00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:52.059 And you know what set a goal that'll stretch 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:54.180 you babe. I mean that's important right? That's 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:55.480 what we're taught and that's what we're heard 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:57.920 and again. That's all great and good You know, 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:01.559 but but if I'm focusing on or if I see that resolutions 00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:04.740 What they really are is asking me to carry the 00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:08.769 weight of change alone and then I contrast that 00:28:08.769 --> 00:28:11.630 with new beginnings or a new beginning in Jesus 00:28:11.630 --> 00:28:15.690 Christ which asks me or rather invites me to 00:28:15.690 --> 00:28:19.569 allow Christ to carry it with me. I'm telling 00:28:19.569 --> 00:28:21.910 you the burden is a lot lighter. Yeah, yeah. 00:28:22.089 --> 00:28:24.069 I think when we were talking about this earlier 00:28:24.069 --> 00:28:26.970 you used the word yoked and I think that that's 00:28:26.970 --> 00:28:30.049 a pretty good way to look at it. So what does 00:28:30.049 --> 00:28:31.829 a new beginning actually look like? You know 00:28:31.829 --> 00:28:36.009 what that reminds me of? Years ago, when we went 00:28:36.009 --> 00:28:39.390 to Haleakala, and you get up at three, it's in 00:28:39.390 --> 00:28:43.910 Hawaii, on the island of Maui, and you get up 00:28:43.910 --> 00:28:46.029 three in the morning and drive and drive and 00:28:46.029 --> 00:28:50.069 drive and drive up a really high mountain to 00:28:50.069 --> 00:28:54.109 watch the sunrise. Well, I remember this moment, 00:28:54.109 --> 00:28:56.869 I was with my friend Michelle. Above the clouds. 00:28:56.890 --> 00:28:59.589 Above the clouds. The sun hasn't risen yet. No, 00:28:59.589 --> 00:29:02.109 no, no, it's dark. It's dark, but it's Hawaii. 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:05.559 Beautiful in the darkness. Well, it's kind of 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:08.359 on a, on a lava. Yeah. Like big old mountain. 00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:11.299 Yeah. Anyways, I re I will never forget this. 00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:14.680 It was in 2008 to be exact, but I remember going 00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:18.920 up wearing my coat and I remember going up and 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:23.200 there were a lot of people up there and it was 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:27.019 quiet. like it was still very, very dark. And 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:29.839 when you got the first little hint of light, 00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:32.339 this was the sunrise, when you got very first, 00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:35.519 it was like this, it got more sacred and more 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.880 quiet. And these people, when they were communicating 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:42.559 to each other, were literally whispering. It 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:46.240 was a sacred, sacred moment. And as soon as that 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:49.259 sun, and it felt like it took forever, but as 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:51.180 soon as, because it got light and light and light 00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:54.619 and light, and then it broke to where you actually 00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:58.539 saw the light, there was this Hawaiian lady that 00:29:58.539 --> 00:30:04.059 started singing this chant of light. I sat there 00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:09.200 and wept and I thought this happens every single 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:12.539 day. This little miracle that I just watched 00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:16.839 happens every single day. Without fail, that 00:30:16.839 --> 00:30:20.829 sun comes up. And I have been really conscientious 00:30:20.829 --> 00:30:24.130 about watching the Sun rise and watching the 00:30:24.130 --> 00:30:27.650 Sun set It has been such a sacred thing and that's 00:30:27.650 --> 00:30:30.250 what I thought of when we when we said a new 00:30:30.250 --> 00:30:33.730 beginning It's like every day can be such a new 00:30:33.730 --> 00:30:37.230 beginning for us. I love that You know what that 00:30:37.230 --> 00:30:40.829 reminds me of and I don't want to just detract 00:30:40.829 --> 00:30:44.759 from your beautiful story, but Several years 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:47.940 ago and I was having a pretty rough day and I 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:50.759 called my sponsor and alcoholics anonymous and 00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:53.440 I was talking to him and come to find out this 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:55.700 is something that big Al taught everybody that 00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:58.680 he sponsored and so I wasn't I felt like I was 00:30:58.680 --> 00:31:00.779 special to be getting this special teaching on 00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:04.319 this day, but I called him and he's like He called 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:07.259 me derf derf. How's your day going? I go man 00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:10.440 and I and I and I read off a list and you know 00:31:10.440 --> 00:31:14.099 what he said to me He said derf you can begin 00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:17.619 your day again anytime you want. You don't have 00:31:17.619 --> 00:31:21.339 to wait till tomorrow. You can begin your day 00:31:21.339 --> 00:31:24.099 today, right? I mean, you can begin your day 00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:26.960 again in this moment. Start your day over. If 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.680 you really want to. But you know what he taught 00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:32.539 me? He says, but it requires something. And I 00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:34.319 said, what is that? And he says, it requires 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:35.920 that you tune in your will and your life over 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:39.150 to the care of God as you understand him. And 00:31:39.150 --> 00:31:41.089 that's really what we're talking about here, 00:31:41.250 --> 00:31:44.250 babe. Receiving Him, we've talked about that 00:31:44.250 --> 00:31:48.190 this season, aligning with Him, allowing Him 00:31:48.190 --> 00:31:51.309 to actually be in our life. A new beginning, 00:31:52.269 --> 00:31:55.549 it's not gonna erase my past, but you know what 00:31:55.549 --> 00:31:59.470 it's gonna do? It'll redeem it. It'll redeem 00:31:59.470 --> 00:32:03.559 my past. It'll cover it. It'll compensate for 00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:06.400 it. It'll strengthen the weaknesses that came 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:08.960 because of it, and I can be redeemed and forgiven, 00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:13.160 and it can be covered. Not made bright, not fixed, 00:32:13.380 --> 00:32:15.559 but covered by the blood of the Lamb. It's not 00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:19.279 gonna remove any challenges or struggles. I mean, 00:32:19.359 --> 00:32:22.099 definitely, but it does mean that, you know, 00:32:22.140 --> 00:32:24.759 you've got your Savior, and grace is still very, 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:30.579 very active. Our story is not over. I love this 00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:33.180 different way to start the new year. It kind 00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:38.720 of gives me... a relief of somewhat of, oh good, 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:40.660 I don't have to lose 12 pounds and I don't have 00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:43.359 to, or whatever. Do you know what I mean? It's 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:46.460 like, I don't have these expectations on myself 00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:49.119 that set me up for resentment or disappointment. 00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:52.059 Premeditated failure. Premeditated failure, there 00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:55.779 you go. But it helps me remember in small and 00:32:55.779 --> 00:32:59.720 simple things. And I love the reminder that at 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:01.940 any time you can start your day over. And I've 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:04.210 done that. like five o 'clock in the afternoon, 00:33:04.690 --> 00:33:07.309 eight o 'clock at night. I just need a reset 00:33:07.309 --> 00:33:09.930 button. I know we've done it together. Yeah, 00:33:09.930 --> 00:33:13.569 we have. Yeah, we've said that. Can we do a do 00:33:13.569 --> 00:33:15.849 -over? Hey, can we have a mulligan here? Can 00:33:15.849 --> 00:33:17.769 we start again? Can we start our day again now? 00:33:17.930 --> 00:33:20.289 In fact, we did that a couple of times this past 00:33:20.289 --> 00:33:23.950 holiday season, and I'm so grateful, so, so grateful 00:33:23.950 --> 00:33:26.230 to know that we can do that. A new beginning 00:33:26.230 --> 00:33:30.390 is just awaiting us. A new beginning is just 00:33:30.390 --> 00:33:33.819 about us being willing. just even willing to 00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:36.380 turn our will and our life over to him, to allow 00:33:36.380 --> 00:33:39.299 him into our lives, to allow his redemption to 00:33:39.299 --> 00:33:44.339 take effect, to see repentance as relief, to 00:33:44.339 --> 00:33:48.500 see the sacrament as renewal, to see faith as 00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:52.440 continued turning, or a finding joy in daily 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:55.539 repentance. turning to Him. And I think, too, 00:33:55.759 --> 00:34:00.000 finding God in your everyday life. You know, 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:02.359 just push pause and say, where did God show up 00:34:02.359 --> 00:34:04.839 today? And when I say that, I get emotional because 00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:08.679 He is very, very present. He is very present. 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:12.300 And it's obvious. And I invite our listeners 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:16.760 to find Him, seek Him. Just push pause for a 00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:18.679 moment. Just say, where is God showing up for 00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:22.909 me? Because I promise he's there. Seek and expect 00:34:22.909 --> 00:34:25.869 miracles straight out of President Nelson's mouth. 00:34:27.309 --> 00:34:29.570 Well, as we kind of wrap up, I think that there's 00:34:29.570 --> 00:34:34.829 just maybe two invitations that I'd like to extend 00:34:34.829 --> 00:34:39.449 to us. The first one is maybe just identify something 00:34:39.449 --> 00:34:43.480 that we're willing to stop carrying alone. You 00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:46.179 know, what is that burden that you're carrying 00:34:46.179 --> 00:34:49.119 alone, something that you want no one else to 00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:51.119 know, something that has been difficult even 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:54.280 to confess to deity, to Heavenly Father and to 00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:57.760 his son that we're carrying? So, you know, maybe 00:34:57.760 --> 00:35:00.300 just identify it. Now, I'm not asking you to 00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:03.340 allow him to carry it right now, but let's start 00:35:03.340 --> 00:35:06.980 by identifying what that would be. If we just 00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:10.039 have that awareness, maybe we can move into allowing 00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:14.860 it. And then also identifying where we're going 00:35:14.860 --> 00:35:22.280 to let the Savior walk with us. Sometimes I'm 00:35:22.280 --> 00:35:26.940 in my car and I'll say, please lift, please help, 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:30.679 please assist. I've got some kids that are going 00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:33.079 through some challenges right now and I'm like, 00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:36.449 oh, Heavenly Father, please be with them. Please 00:35:36.449 --> 00:35:40.050 lift their burden. Please give them peace. Please 00:35:40.050 --> 00:35:43.869 let them fill you there Yeah, yeah, but but maybe 00:35:43.869 --> 00:35:46.909 even as a parent, you know ask him to walk with 00:35:46.909 --> 00:35:52.550 them, but you know what? That's up to them Right 00:35:52.550 --> 00:35:55.150 and may walk with me so I can have peace watching 00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:57.550 it. That's what I want. Yeah, just walk with 00:35:57.550 --> 00:36:03.710 me walk with me So what if this year isn't about 00:36:03.710 --> 00:36:08.789 becoming someone else, but about trusting that 00:36:08.789 --> 00:36:13.289 someone more? Someone being Jesus Christ, obviously. 00:36:13.429 --> 00:36:17.650 I love how you put that. Not about becoming someone 00:36:17.650 --> 00:36:23.090 else, but about trusting someone else, trusting 00:36:23.090 --> 00:36:26.010 Jesus Christ. More, yeah. I love that. Trusting 00:36:26.010 --> 00:36:30.269 him 100%, that's faith. I love that. Well, because 00:36:30.269 --> 00:36:32.630 Jesus Christ lives, we know for sure that new 00:36:32.630 --> 00:36:34.989 beginnings are not just hopeful ideas, they're 00:36:34.989 --> 00:36:38.210 doctrinal realities and they're available now, 00:36:38.530 --> 00:36:42.130 not just in January, not just at the end of the 00:36:42.130 --> 00:36:45.610 year, not just resolution time, but now, forever. 00:36:46.550 --> 00:36:50.130 And I hope that I can remember that through the 00:36:50.130 --> 00:36:53.389 year. A new beginning is available to me at any 00:36:53.389 --> 00:36:56.530 time. I can start my day over any time I want. 00:36:56.800 --> 00:37:00.219 and may your new beginnings that you find this 00:37:00.219 --> 00:37:04.440 year be peaceful, joyful, and abundance. We love 00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:06.519 you. We look forward to being with you again 00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:09.980 next week. And until then, be well. Be well.