starting fresh in twenty sixteen

I love new beginnings!  I love the feeling of starting fresh!  For the new year I've decided to set a few resolutions that will help me grow closer to my Father in Heaven; improve my prayers and read my scriptures with a physical copy in my hands, not on my phone.

First of all, about prayer.  I want to use prayer and the power that lies within as the gift that it is.  For a long time I've wondered why my Grandma Richardson had so many clear and powerful answers to her prayers.  I want that!  I want my desires to be directly in line with those of my Heavenly Father.  I've decided to make mine more powerful and meaningful than I ever have.  I'll choose twelve areas, one for each month, that I can work on.

January is just to say them!  I've always prayed but this month I am focusing on really taking the time to say them.  Instead of rolling out of bed to my knees, I now wait until I've done my workout and I'm awake!  I was worried about it at first but once I tried it, I realized what a big difference it made.  I've also been trying to incorporate new terms and names for Heavenly Father into my prayers.  What a difference it has made already!

A few other things I'd like to focus on throughout the year-
asking for my faith to be strengthened
taking time after my prayers to listen
praying for experiences that will help me be more in tune with the Spirit
praying for experiences that will help me refine myself
merge my will with the Father's

As a way of helping me remember my goal throughout the year, I purchased a customized bangle with the word "pray" on it.  I'll wear it all year long as a reminder of my goal.

It looks like this but of course says "pray" instead of Annabel ;)

My second goal is to use my physical set of scriptures for the year.  This is my third year following BofM365 and using their daily reading and questions as my scripture study.  It helps me read daily as well as seek for answers to the questions they pose.  In the past, I've always gone between their post and the Gospel library but this year, I am going to hold the scriptures in my hand!  

I love what Elder Richard G. Scott said about this: “There is nothing like hefting the book in your hand, reading and marking your own volume of scriptures. If that isn’t happening – if people are using only scriptures that are in a computer, they are missing the richness of the feelings that come, the ability to write in the margins the impressions that surely come as we read passages of scripture.”

What wise counsel!

I hope that when 2017 arrives, I'll feel closer to my Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ.