How to Have Courage to Do What is Right

During our forum yesterday, the speaker told a really important insight. He said that not choosing the right is basically not having the courage to choose the right. He asked how we can increase in courage. What makes some people flee while others fight? There was a large study done of soldiers to see what made the difference between people who stayed through battles and others who fled. They checked everything from where they grew up to if they were raised by both parents to if they played sports. They found one thing that separated the two. Those who had courage were those who had clear goals before them and wrote them down. Now, you may know how I feel about the word "goal." It has a negative connotation for me of choosing random measurable tasks and (normally) failing at them or abandoning them within a week. So. I'm going to cross out goal and write purposes. Because I do have purposes. And that word alone makes it seem a lot more meaningful. OKAY. NOW THEN.

My purposes, the things that will help me do right in hard situations, are:

-To always remain a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

-To be valiant, not casual, in my covenants so that my family and I can live in the celestial kingdom.

-To be worthy of and equally-yoked with a valiant son of God.

-To have a rock-solid testimony for my children, and for my life--past and present--to be an example that they can model their lives after.

P.S. I keep having this thought and I need to do something about it: Elder Bednar gave one of the most powerful promises I have ever heard. He said, "As you respond in faith to this invitation [to do family history]...your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives." Folks, this is why I do family history. I need those blessings. We all do. So. I'm going to do something about it, because what I'm doing now isn't sufficing.