The Pursuit of Excellence

“And what are you going to do now?” asked President Goodman, my Mission President.
It was the summer of 1985, and I had just completed my full time mission for the church in London. In our departure interview he gave me a little booklet entitled “The Pursuit of Excellence.”
The introduction was as follows; “The Pursuit of Excellence is an achievement challenge designed to help a participant develop a Christlike life of love and service. Accomplishing this objective requires a diligent and serious effort in fundamental aspects of a truly Christian life—spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and in service and character.”
And so my own quest in the “pursuit of excellence” commenced.
It was a voluntary initiative, there was no award or completion certificate, it simply encouraged you to set stretching goals….. and I did. Frequently!
In fact, many years later, Monic set up a similar successful programme for the Relief Society in Dunfermline, based on the same little book.

What is excellence?

Excellence is a curiously powerful word. It implies the highest standards and great devotion to something.
In the New Testament, Paul encouraged the Philippians (4:8-9) to pursue excellence and to practice the things that had been taught to them.
He wrote; “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Oftentimes too many of us settle for less than what we can actually become. Many choose to live far below the privileges and possibilities of their own lives.
It requires effort! But we need more excellence in our thoughts, in our motivations, in our faith, in our actions, in our drive and in our determination to live life at its best.
Excellence awakens ambition, emboldens enlightenment and inspires a journey of self-discovery.
Are your goals and ambitions in life aimed at below your very best?
Or are they simply mediocre?
Are you willing to practice excellence?
Choose to live up to the level of your possibilities – today!

What path are you following?

Where will you walk today?
We love to walk!
Walking in the Netherlands is a big thing! The annual avond vierdaagse of 5, 10 or 15 km, usually held in May or June around the country are always massive events. I have fond memories of taking part in an event in 1995, when I think virtually the whole community participated!
For many years walking has been prescribed as an exercise that is very beneficial to our health. There is something very stimulating about walking, not only the physical exercise, but it also refreshes our spirits and lightens our mood.
The dictionary says that to walk is to move on foot, step by step. To advance in life we are required to take several kinds of steps.
In the book of Romans 6:4, in the New Testament, Paul speaks of some of those steps when he shared about those who were baptised and then walked forth in a newness of life. And in his epistle to the Ephesians 5:2, Paul invited them to follow Christ by walking in love.
The primary purpose of the gospel is to allow Jesus Christ to guide us in our path and walk through life. At the end of the day, this is the path that leads to the greatest reward of all. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus stated that it is the strait and narrow way that leads to 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 – this is the right path, leading to the greatest reward.
What path are you following?

Do you remember the song ” I walked Today where Jesus Walked”?

I walked today where Jesus walked,
In days of long ago.
I wandered down each path He knew,
With reverent step and slow.
Those little lanes, they have not changed,
A sweet peace fills the air.
I walked today where Jesus walked,
And felt Him close to me.
My pathway led through Bethlehem,
A memory’s ever sweet.
The little hills of Galilee,
That knew His childish feet.
The Mount of Olives, hallowed scenes,
That Jesus knew before
I saw the mighty Jordan row,
As in the days of yore.
I knelt today where Jesus knelt,
Where all alone he prayed.
The Garden of Gethsemane,
My heart felt unafraid.
I picked my heavy burden up,
And with Him at my side,
I climbed the Hill of Calvary,
Where on the Cross He died!
I walked today where Jesus walked,
And felt Him close to me.
We may not be able to physically walk where Jesus walked today, but perhaps we can be mindful of Him, walk in his footsteps by following His example in our lives through humility, faith, love and service.
I hope that each of us will choose the strait and narrow path that leads to eternal life – missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can help you to find it.
Enjoy your walk today – wherever that may be!

Devotion

What are you devoted to?
What happens when you live by what you are devoted to?
𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – “an ardent love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity. A strong attachment, an eager inclination, an animated zeal, a loyal affection.”
Later this morning, I will begin my weekly activity of responding to email letters sent to me by each of the missionaries serving in the mission. Every preparation day (P-day – a Tuesday in our mission), every missionary sends an email letter to the Mission President.
Every week, I take some time to sit down, read each of the letters, one by one and prepare an appropriate response for each missionary.
Prior to starting, I prayerfully consider the activity at hand, and seek guidance from on high as to how best to respond by preparing a personal reply to each of the missionary letters.
Preparing for my day ahead, the word “devotion” has come gently to mind once more.

Service

It strikes me that in reading and responding to all of these letters for the last 20 weeks or so, without fail, I find that each of these young missionaries have an unwavering commitment to their calling as a missionary. They are indeed as the dictionary definition of the word 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 outlines, filled with “an ardent love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity. A strong attachment, an eager inclination, an animated zeal, a loyal affection.”
It strikes me too, that as they have lived by what they are devoted to, their lives start to change. By that I mean, 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭. Day in, day out, week in, week out, I see exceedingly strong evidence of that in each of our full time missionaries and in those whom they teach the Gospel too.
Being a missionary isn’t easy, in fact it is down right tough! Yet on the flip side it is also filled with the most miraculous of daily experiences.
Daily, each missionary devotes their lives to the service of others and helping so many to draw closer to Jesus Christ. Oftentimes, they place the needs of others, above their own.
It is clear that a devotion to something gives each of us a sincere enthusiasm about life and an ardent love for those things we are responsible for. I believe that when we have a strong devotion to something and it lies at the very centre of our life, then somehow our lives become much more worthwhile, filled with purpose and meaning.
Shortly, I’ll begin my weekly devotion to missionary responses.
What would you like to be devoted to?

Mission Service

Recently, I have been asked this a few times; “What do you do as Mission Leaders?”

My response was “Many things!”

One of our key responsibilities that Monic and I share is for the well-being of our missionaries.

Let me explain further….

Mission life is segmented into a 6-week transfer cycle.

Each cycle starts and ends with arrivals & departures of missionaries.

In between our days are regularly filled with preparation, planning, training sessions, conferences, leadership meetings, travel, medical issues, phone calls, zoom sessions and much more, not forgetting of course, our precious regular catch-up time with family time too, via Zoom!

Professionally, as a coach and counsellor, one of my favourite things to do in life has always been 1-1 coaching sessions. During the 6-week cycle, every missionary in the mission (currently 51) has personal 1-1 time with each mission leaders. In mission lingo, they are called interviews, but essentially, having sat through thousands of coaching sessions, that is exactly what they are.

The last few days have been filled with these sessions.

Each interview (mini coaching session) begins and ends with prayer.

In between, we slow down, talk, laugh, cry, catch up, share, consider, counsel, challenge, soften, teach, learn and ultimately, we listen.

Listening

In fact, we listen a lot.

Then we listen a little more.

Some time ago, I shared a thought about the word “listen”.

The word has six letters. Rearrange them and the word “silent” is formed. In Dutch the six letters become even shorter, with only four “stil”

Frequently, I find as I listen, oftentimes a missionary will suddenly go quiet. Years ago, I used to feel a little awkward when the first quiet spell sets in, but now I understand that these are the moments of real inspiration, when they are thinking.

I don’t know what they are thinking, only that they are thinking!

Experience has taught me that it is in these very quiet active times, when the least seems to be happening, that the most is actually happening.

In those quiet moments one missionary recently shared this verse of scripture, found in Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God…” Regularly, we hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost to guide each of us in our missionary work. It is beautiful, reassuring and fills our hearts with love and pure knowledge.

Learning to be still

To listen and to be silent (still) are inseparably connected.

These short interview sessions are by design an opportunity to learn, to listen and grow.

What I have learned most in my life has come in many ways, but the largest part has come from listening to those with much greater experience than me. Generally, it tends to be those who have lived longer and learned many important things that I needed to know – one of which is learning how to be quiet, to be still and to listen.

Now however, we are being taught frequently by those much younger than ourselves. Daily we find, tender mercies from the Lord, as He has prepared these young people (18 to 26 years of age) to preach the gospel to the world. Indeed, it is a mighty miracle.

We are off to do some more mini-coaching sessions.

Please choose to slow down, be quiet, learn to listen, listen to learn, then you too will hear the whisperings of the spirit of the Lord.

#HearHim

Ask first!

Standing in the kitchen, Monic passed me the jar of beetroot.
Having tried to open it already, Monic didn’t have to say anything, the look in her eyes said it all… “can you open that please?”
Taking the jar from her hands, I gave it a go.
Holding the jar in my left hand, I tried to open the jar with my stronger right hand.
No joy.
Holding the jar in my right hand, I tried to open the jar with my left hand.
Reflecting now on that silly moment – as expected, no joy!
“Try holding it under hot water” Monic said.
Under it went. Several attempts later, and after straining my right wrist – still no joy.
“Try it with a cloth” Monic said.
With my right wrist strained, it was back to holding it with my right hand and then trying with my left hand.
No joy.
Monic took the jar back again.
“I remember my mum said if I pry a knife under the lid, it may let a little air in and that may help” – said Monic.
So, taking a knife she pried it under the lid. Hey presto “pop” went the lid, a little twist with her hand – job done!
Moral of the story….
Pause, reflect and ask the question first…
“Has your mum given you any tips as to how to open that jar?” 😅

Ministering

Several times in the last week or two, I have been asked “What is ministering?”
In my answers I have used different words like listening, observing, helping, serving, sharing by effectively learning to attend to the needs of others by lifting and strengthening those around us.
This morning, as I was reflecting further I recalled this experience from a few years ago in Blackpool, England. Whilst facilitating a learning workshop, I experienced something I’d never witnessed before, in such a way that everyone in the room was moved to tears, when one delegate shared a very personal story, that brought great insight to the point we were discussing…
I wrote the experience up in one of my blogs, see https://darylwatson.org/2020/02/19/touched/ however, I will share it below too….
“The energy in the room was high. Then in a reflective moment one participant shared “I can relate to that” and tears started to flow freely.
The atmosphere changed.
We had already created a safe environment for sharing that day, but the authenticity in the room soared to a different level. Attentively, everyone focused on the personal story being shared. It was a moment of high emotion and an intimate turning point in the workshop. In opening up in such a manner the participant had taken a great risk in approaching a vulnerable area in their life by sharing it so deeply.
The silence was palpable.
Unwittingly, by speaking so candidly and tenderly, the participant had completely engaged everyone in the room.

Then it happened.

I watched, as those on either side felt impressed to reach out in a compassionate and reassuring way by physically touching our storyteller.
The whole experience had a profound effect on all of us in the room. There was a feeling of connection, togetherness and unity for a fleeting moment in time.
Deep and meaningful learning moments come quite unexpectedly at times. When they do, don’t be afraid to welcome them, gently explore them, embrace them and cherish them….forever.”
That day, in that moment, we were all “present”. Every part of our being was sensing something very different.
Each of us in that room were moved in a compassionate, loving and gentle way as we listened and observed one by one to the story being told.
Everyone in the room was emotionally touched.
So much so, that each of us then moved physically, to touch the storyteller in a gentle, kind and supportive way.
That is ministering.
Can you reach out, minister and touch someone today?

Nobody is a Nobody

𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲!
Through my life, career and church service, oftentimes I’ve heard phrases like “what does it really matter, I’m nobody,” or “I’m just one of the thousands, I’m nobody really”.
Perhaps in the past you may have felt you were a nobody, or maybe you are feeling right now that you are a nobody?
“We do ourselves a great injustice when we allow ourselves, through tragedy, misfortune, challenge, discouragement, or whatever the earthly situation, to so identify ourselves. No matter how or where we find ourselves, we cannot with any justification label ourselves “nobody.”” – said Marvin J. Ashton.
Frequently life, work and family challenges can get us down and cause us to question who we really are. We doubt ourselves, we doubt our self worth and confidence may fail us. I have been in too many coaching conversations where that has been the case.
Please, please be assured – you are a somebody!!!
You are endowed with great gifts, unique capabilities, special talents all waiting to be discovered, developed and finely tuned.
Each of us are needed.
You are unique.
You are where you are supposed to be.
No one, absolutely no one can take your place.
Everybody is somebody to me.
My simple invitation today is to invite you to be somebody, nobody thought you could be.

What personal battles do you face?

What do you wrestle with?
What is your biggest personal battle?
As unique individuals, we fight incredibly personal battles – daily.
In the Book of Mormon we read in Mosiah 3:19 “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
Bending the will of our “𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒏” tendencies to the “𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕” is not easy.
In fact it is downright difficult.
Yet it is also simple.
It is something that requires daily, consistent, disciplined effort.
Prophets of yesteryear throughout the Bible and The Book of Mormon, and now in our time, modern day Prophets, constantly address their voice and their lives to these key matters:
– Spirit over flesh
– Discipline over permissiveness
– Reverence over scorn
As you wrestle, there are beautiful joyful moments to be found in daily prayer, repentance, seeking forgiveness, all to be found through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
A perfect day will come.
The doctrine of Christ teaches us that we can overcome these mortal trials as we yield our will as children, to the will of our Heavenly Father.
It is a simple invitation. The Saviour said “𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒆, 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑴𝒆.”

Enough!

Okay people…. seriously, when is enough, enough?
Are you chained to a to-do list for today and gauging your personal value and self worth on its completion or not?
There is hope!
Don’t beat yourself up, why not slow down and  show some self-respect!
What does that mean?
Simply – not being overly self-critical, judgmental, or restrictive!
Start today and practice making purposeful shifts toward self-kindness.
Why not say to yourself as you finish one particular task and consider the next – “I could choose to do this, or I could choose not do it. If I choose to stop now, I will allow whatever I have accomplished today 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉.”
Enough definition “a sufficient number, quantity, or amount”
Let whatever you get done today – be 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡!

Adapting to Change

Years ago, I worked for a company whose logo incorporated a dandelion.
Yesterday, whilst visiting Hengelo for the weekend, we met with our new friends Gert & Nicky Aalderink for a lovely dinner. During our conversation we talked about dandelions for a minute or two.
As a child I learned that blowing on dandelion puffballs can tell you if it’s time to go home, how many years it will be until you find the right person and get married, or perhaps even how many children you’ll have – and naturally, if you catch a flying dandelion seed, you can make a wish!
All of this is just plain nonsensical childish fun – of course!
Dandelions however grow and flourish almost anywhere.
Why?
Simply stated – they can adapt exceptionally well to any changing conditions.

Top Tips

Recently, I have been asked a lot about adapting to change. And so, I thought this morning, (having facilitated many learning sessions on the topic over many years,) I’d share my top ten tips on adapting to change. Here they are…..
1 – Focus on what you can control
2 – Accept and embrace change
3 – Recognise, understand and acknowledge your emotions
4 – Avoid catastrophising about the future
5 – Regulate your stress levels by slowing down
6 – Always get support from others
7 – Establish daily healthy routines and good habits
8 – Always be curious about the new experience
9 – Take one baby step at a time
10 – Seek out new opportunities that will certainly arise.
Dandelion seeds blowing in the wind, land in all kinds of different places. To survive, grow and flourish, they have to adapt to their ever changing environment.
In a like manner as each of us face an ever changing environment at home, in the workplace and most certainly in the mission field, we must adapt quickly to survive, grow and flourish!
What is one your best tips on adapting to change?
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