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STIMULATOR message for the week of October 24, 1972


Message from President Merlin W. Sant, October 24, 1972

“We are here to serve the Lord, no other thought in mind, and as we serve we love to set, goals of every kind.”
“To baptize, set a goal, write it down, then go and do the work with all your might; pray every night, achieve what you desire.”

Dear Missionaries:

These are the words we, who are fulltime missionaries, should be singing or repeating every morning after companion prayer.  In fact, we would benefit by frequently recalling them during each day, especially as a reminder to evaluate and plan every evening for the day and week ahead.  A quick glance at these verses tells us the key words are GOALS, WORK, PRAY, and DESIRE.

All of these key words are important to our success as missionaries, but for this occasion let’s just talk about the first one — GOALS.  How inspiring it is to talk with someone who has determined what he wants to do and how he is going to do it, especially if he is one of our missionaries.  Then what a joy it is to see him actually achieve his predetermined goal, and then, encouraged by that success, he forthwith sets another goal even higher and more difficult than the first.  In so doing, he partakes of the satisfaction which comes from achieving his own objectives.

For those who many not have determined any specific goals, we offer the following:
• Learn all six basic discussions so you can teach them well, by a specific date.  Determine your own date, allowing no more than 3 months after your arrival.
• Plan to devote at least 20 hours every week to teaching the Gospel.
• Teach 10 or more discussions every week.
• Know the mission rules and obey them without exception.
• Go tracting at least 3 hours every day to maintain the missionary spirit.
• Make 5 or more selective visits every week.

These goals can be and are being realized every week by many missionaries because they are not only realistic, but they are essential to the success of this mission.  Let’s all make them a part of our weekly planning and accomplishment.  To implement and promote goal setting, we are asking each of you to follow this procedure:
• Each Saturday night determine what your goals for the next week will be.
• After you have compiled your report for the past week, indicate in the last right-hand column what those goals are for the week ahead.
• Make definite and realistic plans to achieve your goals.

Goals bring success — set goals weekly — write them down — achieve what you desire.

Faithfully yours,

President and Sister Sant

“Man’s success or failure, happiness or misery, depends upon what he seeks and what he chooses.”  —  President David O. McKay


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“We are here to serve the Lord, no other thought in mind:
And as we serve, we love to set, great goals of every kind.
To baptize we must set a goal, and write it down with care;
Then we must go and do the work, while seeking God in prayer.
This heavenly plan from God above, will our hard work inspire,
With faith, with joy, with God’s pure love, with what pure hearts desire.”   (Elder Michael Taylor)