From Tegucigalpa to Washington D.C.

Monday, December 30, 2013

We spent the day getting our Family Home Evening ready for tonight and doing laundry. It was great to work on it together although Glade gave the lesson since it is always in Spanish. Glade insisted that I read a scripture in Spanish and it is still intimidating since everyone else speaks the language. Oh, well!! However, he was good to give me a break from all the cooking we have been doing and ordered a wonderful meal from one of the obreros who works in the temple and owns a restaurant. He delivered chicken lasagna, rolls, and a green salad just as FHE was starting. It was delicious. I made Rice Krispie treats and we had water and Crystal Light to drink. It all turned out well. The following is Glade’s lesson on setting goals for the New Year and approaching them “straightway.”

blog, 30 de diciembre, 2013

Every Monday night the seven missionary couples, which include the temple presidency, have a home evening, rotating the responsibility for the lesson and refreshments. The Cruzes traded with us because they went home to their family in San Pedro Sula. We had a meal catered and designed a lesson around New Year’s goals. We prepared a couple of “paper over the television” power point presentations and titled the lesson “Straightway,” using the scripture from Mathew 4: 18-22. The Savior chose Peter, Andrew, John, and James and they straightway followed him.

Beverly read the scripture first in Spanish then in English. I presented the lesson around the principle demonstrated by those disciples leaving their nets and straightway following Him. The Spanish translation uses the words “al instante” in place of “straightway.” I discussed with the group in Spanish and English the various meanings of both and their opposite meanings including procrastination.

These include; instantly, no curves or turns, no delays, no hesitations, a straight path. We talked about the opposite of these words which is procrastination, including; putting off something intentionally and habitually which should be done. I read the following poem:

“Procrastination is a silly thing;

It only makes me sorrow.

But I can change at any time;

I think I will tomorrow.

I translated it in Spanish so it still sounded like a poem, sort of.

We talked about mapping a path after deciding on a goal and the invasion of delays, detours, discouragements, distractions despair, disinterest, and difficulties [see map “D”]. We discussed how procrastination—

· Keeps us from going “straightway,”

· Keeps us from receiving power from the Spirit to thwart the

barrage of “D” invaders, and

· Impedes us from obtaining our goal.

One of the missionaries pointed out that in Mosiah 2:24 it says “. . . he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. . .” By not procrastinating and by going straightway, we will be blessed and empowered with the strength to reach our worthy goals. [See map “S”]

I concluded by mentioning that, just as Peter took the first step to straightway follow the Lord, and grew from the disciple who denied Jesus three times to a man who could not be intimidated by anyone, we also can achieve unparalleled growth and improvement in our lives as we follow the Savior “al instante” or “straightway”.

I know that when we identify our worthy goals, map out our course straightway, do not procrastinate, and have faith in the Lord, we will be blessed with power to reach our goal. He is there with us every step if we go straightway.

I used several ideas from Elder Marvin J. Ashton’s talk at the April, 1983 General Conference.

Have a Happy New Year and very successful attainment of your goals.

Love, Dad/Grandpa

Our group writing their "straightway" goals.

The young blond girl third from the left is the Starkey's daughter Maria who came for Christmas. She is a civil engineering student attending BYU Provo.