More goals to add to the list

Some goals I'm adding to the list: read my scriptures every day, attend the temple at least monthly (more often if I can), read the Ensign cover to cover each month, have more meaningful prayers, read the Relief Society lesson each week, hold Family Home Evening each week.

These are all things I've been working on to one extent or another, but never wrote down. So, to make sure I'm making progress on them, I need to add them to the list. I was doing very good with reading every day, till we moved and my routine got thrown off. I do very well with a routine, and I need to learn how to get stuff done even when my routine is disturbed.

I haven't attended the temple since DH left for the simple reason that DD has severe separation anxiety (daddy's gone, what if mommy doesn't come back?). She still has issues, but I've been able to leave her with my mom for an hour or two at a time (usually I'll leave right at the beginning of naptime, and return as quickly as possible, with her being awake by the time I get back), so now I need to make Temple attendance more of a priority.

I was good about reading the Ensign before we moved, and like my scripture reading, it too has suffered. However, I sat down and read the June issue today, and was inspired and uplifted by it. There were a lot of really good articles; one was about military families and how they cope with separation, one sister shared ideas about FHE while her husband was gone, and another article talked about being born again spiritually and the process that goes along with it. The part that got me was that we must experience a change of heart. My recommend expires this month, and I've been thinking about the questions they ask in the interview, to make sure my life is in order. I realized that it's not quite: I have been harboring ill feelings towards my brother. A few months ago he wrote a very judgemental and hurtful letter to my husband and me. I've been allowing my feelings of ill-will to fester, when in reality I need to experience a change of heart and forgive my brother. While I had pretty much come to that conclusion already, reading that article reinforced in my mind the importance of doing so. If I don't forgive him and move on, I'm only hurting myself.

While I pray several times throughout the day, it's sometimes hard to find the time (and peace and quiet) with an active toddler running around to have a meaningful conversation with the Lord. I need to make more of an effort to set aside time where I can concentrate and not be disrupted.

Since I'm in Nursery every week, I miss out on the Relief Society lessons and the Sunday School lessons. I need to work on reading the assignments for both on my own, but I'm going to work on the Relief Society lessons first.

DH and I have never been real good about holding FHE. It was kind of hard to be motivated when it was just the two of us. When DD finally came along, her bedtime was so early, and she wouldn't understand anyway, so we continued to not have FHE. Now she's getting old enough to understand simple concepts, but DH is gone. However, I don't want to try to institute FHE when DH gets back (on top of all the other changes that will be going on then), so I need to start doing it myself. A couple months ago I started reading to her every night from the Book of Mormon reader, and her response has been quite interesting. She has a hard time sitting still when I'm reading other stories, but she'll usually sit fairly still when I get to the Book of Mormon stories (it's the last story we read each night). Sunday afternoons would be ideal for FHE, because of her early bedtime, but we go to the in-laws for dinner every Sunday and she usually gets to bed late, so I'll have to figure out a different time. Mondays are when FHE is traditionally held, and we will probably just aim for that.