2012? the end or the beginning?

New Years Day; As I was sitting in relief society listening to the lesson I was writing in my notebook. I wasn't writing anything specific, just about the thoughts that were rolling around in my head. I was thinking about the year that has past, the one that is on it's way and what it holds for me. I was also thinking about my "new year resolutions". (I really hate that we call our goal-setting-in-the-month-of-January that. It just has such an awful ring to it). Anyways I was sitting there writing down some long terms goals I have, you know where I will be in five years kind of list. I started my list with things like:

Returned Missionary

Married in the Temple

Done with College

Traveled the world

Okay not the last one but things like that. It then dawned on me that these are awful goals to have! I was focusing so much on what I want to have done in 5 years and not WHO I want to be! My list drastically changed after realising that. Actually not just my list changed but my perspective on life in general. I can't always control what other people choose and how it affects me. I can't control my surroundings and what happens to me, but I can control my attitude, my choices, my desires and my spiritual growth! My list then looked more like:

Be a Proud Daughter of Heavenly Father

Have a Killer Testimony of the Atonement and of Jesus Christ

Be Worthy to Enter the Temple

Live in a Way that People can See Christ Through Me

Another thing that helped with the "new year resolutions" was found in Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with god and Man.
Christ developed in those four categorizes. Wisdom (intellect) Stature (physical) Favor with God (spiritual) Favor with Man (social). So I made a goal for each of those. Be like Christ, Follow His example.
To say the least I'm excited for this new year. I can't wait to see what it has in store for me. I look at who I was, where I was at and what I knew this time last year and I hardly can believe it's the same person. I really didn't realize how much I have grown in a year. I loved 2011 and I hope that 2012 is just as good to me :)