Good things take time

Everything important in life takes time.
This week one of our missionaries Libby Wilcox, shared a thought with me โ€“ โ€œ๐’Š๐’• ๐’•๐’‚๐’Œ๐’†๐’” ๐’•๐’Š๐’Ž๐’†.โ€
It takes time โ€“ to learn a new language.
It takes time โ€“ to build new relationships.
It takes time โ€“ to listen.
It takes time โ€“ to talk.
It takes time โ€“ to graduate.
It takes time โ€“ to form a new habit.
It takes time โ€“ for a beautiful garden to blossom.
It takes time โ€“ to heal.
It takes time โ€“ to pray.
It takes time โ€“ to study the scriptures.
It takes time โ€“ to come to know Jesus Christ.
It takes time โ€“ to focus on things that matter most.
It’s taken time, precisely 36 days of the new year, to arrive at today.
Each of those days, Monic and I have tried harder to slow down and consider those things that matter most.
Talking, listening, encouraging, and sharing.
These things cannot be rushed, sometimes we fail.
They happen when we do things together, walk, travel, eat dinner, and by turning off any media so that we can focus on one another.
I invite you to be patient… meaning to actively wait and endure.
Take time to focus more on consistent and steady improvements in the way you work and in the way you live.
Slow and steady does win the race.
Remember Aesopโ€™s fable of the Hare and the Tortoise.
The moral of the story is that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily, by taking time, than by acting quickly and carelessly.
The race is not always to the swift.
What good things are you pursuing that take time?

Sandpaper

Regularly, I enjoy watching โ€œThe Repair Shopโ€ on BBC1.
Oftentimes, I fall asleep during the programme and have a wee power nap and sadly miss the action but feel revived!
Either way, I feel refreshed!
After all, it is a time for me to chill and relax a little.
I do however enjoy listening to the stories and watch the remarkable repairs of many broken or damaged objects brought back to life, through the incredible skills of the craftsmen and women.
Their eye for detail is exceptional.
Their toolkits are filled with the weirdest and most wonderful gizmoโ€™s ever conceived.
Yet โ€“ the most frequent tool I see, is a simple piece of sandpaper.

Sandpaper…

Sandpaper comes in many grits: Coarse (40 to 60 grit), Medium (80 to 120 grit), Fine (150 to 180) and so it goes on to Very, Extra and Super Fine.
In the โ€œRepair Shopโ€ different grits of sandpaper are often used to smooth off the rough edges of many pieces of raw wood.
In a like manner, yesterday, as we bid farewell to another group of departing missionaries, I thought about how their many diverse mission experiences, were like different grits of sandpaper, used through their period of missionary service to smooth off their rough edges.
Neal A. Maxwell said โ€œIn life, the sandpaper of circumstances often smooths our crustiness and patiently polishes our rough edges. There is nothing pleasant about it, however. And the Lord will go to great lengths in order to teach us a particular lesson and to help us to overcome a particular weakness, especially if there is no other way.โ€
I have come to realise that trials are like a spiritual sandpaper that God allows into our lives โ€“ regularly.
How can our trials smooth us and prepare us for the challenges of life?

Undaunted

๐“๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐š๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐ž…
For eighteen months or two years, thousands of 18 โ€“ 26 young men and women leave their homes voluntarily and at their own expense, to serve a mission in far off lands for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Later today, we will receive another five, who will serve in Belgium and the Netherlands for a season, namely: Kiera Wadsworth, Grace Warner, Brigitta Broadbent, Pedro Jalo and Ian Schwab.
Each of them will serve thousands of miles from home.
It is viewed as an exciting adventure, with an instant network of friends to help them adjust to their home away from home.
It is in their homes that they will have learned the values by which will guide their lives.
I know too that homes are places where lifeโ€™s greatest lessons are learned and taught.
Yet now, they will be learning, living and working in a completely different cultural environment from their experience of home life so far.
Overcoming the language barrier can also make it difficult at times.
It is the daunting reality of missionary life.

Yet โ€“ they are ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐š๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐.

Each of them arrives with their luggage, containing only a few physical possessions.
They are however, armed with a deep-rooted desire, faith, and hope as they individually embark upon their period of missionary service.
Theirs is a mission of love and service.
Empathising, both Monic and I are constantly trying to put ourselves back in their shoes.
Itโ€™s 30+ years since we both served respectively, far from home.
As Mission leaders and mentors, we have many roles, including to provide a bit of a pick-me-up when things are challenging.
Frequently, we help missionaries to see the big picture and how theyโ€™re making progress.
For missionaries, knowing that someone cares about their personal well-being and believes in them can help them deal with the umpteenth โ€œrainyโ€ day on their mission.
And then, before they know it, like a few in the picture below, their time is over.
Its transfer day today.
It means much change throughout the mission to accommodate those arriving and departing.
With a heart filled with love, we bid farewell to our dear friends who are returning home in the next few days Julia Hyer, Nefi Regalado, Harrison Wright and Rafe Baldwin.
Mission accomplished, as they return home with honour.
What has been your experience living thousands of miles away from home?

All My Heart

My daily routineโ€ฆ
After I dress myself in my shirt and tie, I slide my nametag onto the breast pocket.
Doing so, reminds me of who I am representing daily.
Constantly, I am reminded, that the name of Jesus Christ is positioned next to my heart.
Today, I noticed something extra.
For the last 19 months, immediately after I slide my nametag into position, I then place a folded A4 piece of paper into my breast pocket.
On the paper is a list of names and areas of everyone in the mission.
We call it the By-Zone.
Currently there are 130 names on the list for this transfer.
The names change every six weeks, as missionaries arrive and depart.
Many other names have been on the list too.
It struck me today, that the list of names is one layer of cotton, closer to my heart.
The names are positioned between Christโ€™s name and my heart.

My Heart

The heart is a tender place.
We feel things in our hearts.
I know every single one of those individuals listed on the paper.
They are much more than merely names.
They are real people, who I have met with, laughed with, cried with, rejoiced with, taught with, prayed with, dined with, played games with, juggled with, sang with, travelled with, and counselled with.
I love them.
My heart overflows with gratitude for each of them.
Many are home now.
For a season, their names were next to my heart.
Over time, their names have migrated from next to, to deeply ingrained and written into my heart.
At times, there is a tug on my heart, and my thoughts are directed to each of them, one by one.
Like family members, their hearts are bound to my own.
In Luke 10:27, the Saviour explained, we must โ€œlove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, โ€ฆ soul, โ€ฆ strength, and โ€ฆ mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.โ€
What does it mean to love someone with all your heart?

๐–๐ก๐š๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐  ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ?

12 months ago, I recall listening to a Europe wide devotional with Russell M. Nelson.
During the broadcast, his wife Wendy, talking about her husband, said he โ€œโ€ฆnever delays. He never puts off anything. I learned this early in our marriage, when as weโ€™d be drifting off to sleep, I would think of something I need his help with and softly mentioned it to him as something we might do on the weekend. Whatโ€™s wrong with right now, would be his enthusiastic response. And suddenly, weโ€™d be in the garage looking for a hammer and nail to hang a picture.โ€
I learned a great lesson that day.
For months, Iโ€™d delayed looking at a connectivity problem with the DVD player. It was fixed within minutes of the broadcast โ€“ much to Monicโ€™s delight.
Growing up, frequently I heard about Spencer W. Kimballโ€™s slogan displayed on his deskโ€ฆ โ€œDO ITโ€
His work ethic was legend, establishing a pattern for all of us to follow.
Are you delaying something?
It is my experience that you and all of us can change, and it can be ๐’๐’๐’˜..
There is a growing need for timeliness.
The time for action is now.
DO IT, later became DO IT NOW!
Do it.
Do it right.
๐ƒ๐จ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ!

Just Ask

After completing my university studies, I encountered Meta-Morphose, a specialist graduate sales recruitment and training company based in southwest England.
I endured a gruelling selection process and qualified for their programme.
Ultimately, with their assistance, I received a few work opportunities and subsequently embarked upon my sales career.
Although I was never the very top salesman, I did enjoy consistent success and over time managed several sales teams.
I also received a few accolades and for many years I was a judge in the UK National Sales Awards.
Sales eventually brought me into leadership, coaching, training and facilitation.
Early on in my career, I learned a very powerful lesson, that I want to share today.
In sales, most people spend the majority of their time and resources prospecting for new business, hunting down and finding new opportunities.
In my early days, there was a lot of cold calling, door knocking, direct mail, advertising etc.
Today, a lot of that now happens online.
However, I discovered that there is an easier and much more productive way.
Itโ€™s simple really, you just really have to remember to ask!

Would you like to know how?

The answer is asking for a referral.
Commonly known as a referral dialogue.
Itโ€™s not what you know, itโ€™s what you do with what you know that counts.
Most of us just arenโ€™t sure what words to use.
You donโ€™t want to come across as high-pressured or pushy.
Or you donโ€™t want to put a strain on a relationship.
With the right words, in a conversation, all of these obstacles can be removed.
The key is to reframe a conversation into something you can easily repeat over and over again.
There are many ways to ask, but you simply need to remember and ask!
๐˜๐จ๐ฎ ๐š๐ฅ๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ง๐ž๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐›๐ž ๐€๐’๐Š๐ˆ๐๐†!!!
Practice with a peer who wants to generate more referrals too and youโ€™ll come up with some great examples to use.
I know that success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, routines, practiced every day, over and over again.
Go on – give it a go today, you’ll be surprised how effective it is!
Just remember to ask!!

A treasured delicacy

A new fresh nut stall has appeared outside our local supermarket.
For the last few weeks, after finishing the shopping, I visit the stall.
Iโ€™ve discovered my current favourite, the tropical mix.
Yesterday, knowing that I had a meeting to attend in Zwolle, I bought extra to take with me, so that others could enjoy my newfound discovery and admittedly, I could eat a few more too!
Prior to the start of the meeting, the nuts were dished up and placed on each of the tables.
The meeting went well, it was insightful, and we made some positive progress together.
However, over the passage of time, it was fascinating to watch how the bowls of nuts gravitated to certain individuals!
In addition, it was clear that there was one particular favourite for everyone โ€“ dried bananas!
Simply stated, the tropical mix didnโ€™t contain enough.
Soon, the dried bananas were all gone.

Treasured Delicacy

For centuries dried fruit has been a treasured delicacy.
During His earthly ministry, the Saviour compared good fruit to things of eternal worth.
We read in Matthew 7:16, โ€œYe shall know them by their fruits.โ€ And in verse 17, โ€œEvery good tree bringeth forth good fruit.โ€ Then in John 4:36, He encouraged us to gather โ€œfruit unto life eternal.โ€
In my lifetime, Iโ€™ve discovered that the fruits of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ are real, for many they are a treasured delicacy.
I know when people live the gospel, no matter their age, they always enjoy the fruits.
In John 5:15 Jesus said, โ€œHe that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.โ€
Unlike yesterday when we ran out of dried bananas, the fruit of the gospel is readily available, abundant and there is an endless supply.
The fruits of the gospel are what we become.
May I invite you today to examine the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are a divers range of tasty discoveries to be made and countless waiting for you to enjoy.

Habits

๐‡๐š๐›๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ!
I have a regular early morning routine.
Itโ€™s a habit of mine.
It’s precious time, to set me up for all the activities and plans for the day ahead.
I pray, meditate, read, study, ponder, plan, journal and reflect on those things that matter most.
Frequently, it is the most insightful couple of hour’s of my day.
In fact, getting up early has also become a habit of a lifetime.
At home in Scotland in our living room, we have a massive clock that hangs on our wall, above the fireplace.
In the wee small hours of every morning, it has an extremely loud TICK TOCK! Here in the Netherlands, the clock is smaller, but equally loud!
So much so, that I have for many years now reverted to placing ear plugs in each of my ears to block out the noise of the clock, during my precious morning routine.
In fact, that has become another habit of mine.
The reward is silence!
I guess I could sit elsewhere in another room perhaps, but no, my choice is always the living room, because it is comfortable there and I love to pick up a book to study!
How I love the silence of the morning.
These habits, have become part of who I am.
“Your habits shape your identity and your identity shapes your habits.” – James Clear.
Your habits shape what you will become.
I believe that one of the keys to success in life is instilling good habits.
So, what are your habits?
What regular routines do you have in your life that formulate the essence of your being?

Conversations Matter

Yesterday, for a while Monic and I sat in conversation together.
Conversation: โ€œa talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged.โ€
In our conversations, we notice how we express our ideas and yet regularly we still misunderstand one anotherโ€™s meaning.
Frequently, we repeat ourselves, ask questions, slow down and clarify, ๐’ƒ๐’†๐’‡๐’๐’“๐’† we fully understand.
My coaching career has taught me that when we concentrate fully on a conversation, consider the content, and demonstrate an understanding of the message, the person on the other side always feels valued.
Have you experienced that?
Recently in our missionary zone conferences, we learned how to approach dialogue from a point of engagement and connection that leads to more creative problem-solving, perspective and ultimately stronger relationships.
We learned that conversations evoke emotions, they form a bond between you and others, and can make or break any first impression.
After all, conversations are the lifeblood of all relationships – right?

A Conversation

I love this painting โ€œA Conversation with the Masterโ€ by Nathan Florence.
The painting depicts a woman walking alongside Jesus, in a purposeful conversation.
She is doing the lionโ€™s share of the talking, while he is listening thoughtfully.
She is animated about something, whilst his compassion unruffles any undue concern.
Perhaps they have wandered for a while in the beautiful countryside.
His focus is completely on her.
He does not heal her with his touch.
Rather, He is listening deeply and accompanying her on their journey together.
He walked, talked, listened, smiled, encouraged, and made time for her.
Listening, guided by love, is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another.
Perhaps we can all be a bit more like Jesus and listen more deeply to one another.
In your next conversation, take some time to find the most authentic words to explain your thoughts and feelings, slow down and be a little more vulnerable.
I hope that we can all enjoy deep and meaningful conversations with one another.
What did it feel like when you last had a really good conversation?

Self-reflection

Daily, I consciously make time for self-reflection.
It has been a life long practice.
Life is much more fruitful when I take some time to check in with myself!
Paradoxically, looking inwards, helps me to look outwards.
It brings perspective to your life.
Reflection requires courage.
As you look in the mirror of self-reflection, consider these questions:
Am I using my time wisely?
Am I living true to myself?
What surprised me today?
What am I doing about the things that matter most in my life? What do I need to change about myself?
What mistakes did I make today and what did I learn?
Have I made someone smile today?
It is so easy to get caught up in the daily vicissitudes of life.
Self-reflection is the key to help you understand what you stand for, what your values are, and in essence what matters most.
A time to consider your behaviour, your goals and whether you are on track.
The practice is all about learning, looking back on the day in order to contemplate your behaviour and its consequences.
It requires time to sit with yourself and take an honest moment to think about what emerged, what worked, what didnโ€™t, what can be done, and what canโ€™t.
Daily journaling is a great tool to enable you to capture your reflections.
I believe that the more self-reflective you are the easier it becomes to make choices in line with your values.
Self-reflection has been shown to significantly improve learning and performance.
The more aware you of your choices and their impact, then the better the decisions will be that you make now and in the future.
Take time to self-reflect – daily!