“Goals for the Young at Heart,” Liahona, August 2021
Aging Faithfully
Goals for the Young at Heart
The author lives in Utah, USA.
As I learned about the new Children and Youth program, I wanted to be part of it.
Photo illustration from Getty Images
When the Church began the new Children and Youth program, I heard our children and grandchildren discuss their plans for goals and lessons. I’m almost 80, but I wanted to be part of this great testimony-building opportunity.
My children and grandchildren live all over the country, so we can’t all meet in person. Instead, we decided to hold a monthly online meeting. One of the grandchildren would give a lesson and lead a gospel discussion. Afterward, everyone would share their goals and their progress in achieving them. Of course, some goals were personal, and we respected each person’s privacy.
As I talked with my grandchildren about their goals, I began to think about my own goals. What did I want to accomplish?
Here’s a list of the goals I came up with, following the subjects and patterns used in the Children and Youth program. I like to call them my goals for the young at heart.
Intellectual. Our stake Relief Society presidency asked the sisters to memorize “The Living Christ.”1 It’s long, but I knew I could still memorize that much material, and it seemed like a worthwhile goal.
Spiritual. As I serve in the temple, at times I stand for an hour or more at a stairwell and direct patrons to the dressing room. I like to keep my mind busy, so I decided to memorize the old seminary Scripture Mastery verses for the Book of Mormon. When the temples closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, I continued with this goal anyway. Memorizing gives my mind something to do and fills me with the Spirit.
Physical. Our grandchildren’s physical goals were based on dancing, volleyball, and surfing, among others. None of those worked for me, so I chose to walk a few miles a day. I find that I’m more alert when I exercise. It’s good for my mind and my body.
Social. I love keeping in touch with my children and grandchildren. We used to talk on the phone (and still do), but texting is the new way to communicate now. The kids taught me about emojis and short little videos.
Several of the grandchildren included learning to cook as a goal. When they came to town, we cooked together. For those who live farther away, we do a video call with each other to discuss recipes and cook in “real time.”
I also love calling the sisters I minister to. During the time of social distancing brought on by the pandemic, chatting on the phone has been a wonderful means of keeping in touch. Sometimes I go to their homes and leave prepackaged treats on their doorsteps with a note expressing my love for them.
Growing in the Gospel
What a blessing the Children and Youth program has been for me and my family during the pandemic. Even though I’m home alone day after day, I have my goals. The grandkids continue to develop their talents and grow in the gospel, and I am able to support them. We look forward to our online family meetings and times of sharing.
And thanks to the inspiration that came while helping my grandchildren work on their goals, my focus is now more clearly set on my goals, both short-term and eternal. I work and pray every day to “let God prevail” in my life and the lives of my family members.2