Set Goals & Deadlines
Almost everything in life has deadlines: gas bills, phone bills, taxes, college applications, food expirations and so on. We create deadlines because without them most of us would never get around to finishing what we start.
Member missionary efforts have never imposed deadlines. As a result, most of us are not engaged in finding people for full-time missionaries to teach. Most of us want to be good missionaries—and we intend to start next week.
When we set deadlines, two things happen. First, we take seriously our commitment to find someone for full-time missionaries to teach. We look again at situations that seemed void of opportunity and now see how to act and what to say to invite others to study with full-time missionaries. And second, as the date approaches, we become more and more desperate. In our desperation, we are humbled. And when we’re humble, the Lord can trust us. When we’re desperate and humble, the Lord knows we’ll invite anybody He puts into our path. And because we can’t predict, anybody could be a person who says “Yes.”
Whenever we feel resistance in setting a deadline or a goal, we remember that in the equation that determines whether we find people for the missionaries to teach, God’s role is a constant, not a variable. He always keeps His promises. The only variable is whether we have the faith that we will be blessed with miracles if we make commitments to God and then do what we said we would do.
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Although I’ve heard the counsel for years to set a date, it’s been one of those things that I would “get around to.” Today I’m setting a goal and a deadline to find someone to study with the missionaries.
Doug, I am SO excited to hear this from you! I commend your faith to do what you’ve never done before. When is your date? I set my first-ever date for April 1 of this year and met it. Wow!! I set dates and the world is moving. My next is October 10. I was simultaneously excited and anxious when I texted the sister missionaries in my ward to let them know what my dates were.
We’re here to support you. Email us anytime to talk about what you’re struggling with, to work through anything or just to share what you’ve done. For every little thing you do and no matter the outcome, be sure to share it with someone; you’ll be acknowledged for exercising faith and you’ll inspire them too!
This has a been a difficult principle for me. I’ve set two dates and haven’t achieved them. I’ve asked many people to hear the lessons, but none have been willing.
I’ve re-read the “Set Goals and Deadlines to Guide Your Work” chapter and Clayton says that the reasons they don’t work our is because
1) it was a casual commitment (I didn’t become desperate enough),
2) it’s not a serious commitment,
3) we rationalize that if we don’t make the date it won’t really matter.
I’ve wanted to see this miracle in my life, and now as the ward mission leader for my ward I want to lead out in missionary work. Any tips on how to better meet my established deadlines? Just curious if you’ve got anything to share.
Hey Connor, thanks so much for your question and request for tips.
First thing: Let’s take a minute to celebrate what IS working: you’re engaged with the work of sharing the gospel!! Inviting people to be taught is commendable — we succeed when we invite.
There could be several things happening. Before I offer a diagnosis or tips, can you tell me a little more about the 3 prongs Clayton mentioned? Have you done a complete search of yourself, your actions and your words with regard to those three things? If you’d rather continue this conversation privately, please email us at dailymissionary [at] gmail [dot] com.