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Each year I learn - something.

Every year I become more than I was last year.

My understanding increases.
My abilities change.
My mind and body  ... constantly - always becoming!

Matthew 5:48 instructs us "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." I hope I can do that ... is it possible - really??

How is He perfect?

Prophets teach us that being perfect means to act with in our knowledge.

Brigham Young explained this in part. [Lesson 34]

The Savior converted the water into wine. He knew how to call the necessary elements together in order to fill the water with the properties of wine. The elements are all around us; we eat, drink and breathe them, and Jesus, understanding the process of calling them together, performed no miracle except to those who were ignorant of that process. It was the same with the woman who was healed by touching the hem of his garment [see Matthew 9:20–22]; she was healed by faith, but it was no miracle to Jesus. He understood the process, and although he was pressed by the crowd, behind and before, and on each side, so that he could scarcely make his way through it, the moment she touched him he felt virtue leave him and enquired who touched him. This was no miracle to him. He had the issues of life and death in his power; he had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again [see John 10:17–18]. This is what he says, and we must believe this if we believe the history of the Savior and the sayings of the Apostles recorded in the New Testament. Jesus had this power in and of himself; the Father bequeathed it to him; it was his legacy, and he had the power to lay down his life and take it again. He had the streams and issues of life within him and when he said “Live” to individuals, they lived (DBY, 340–41).

If we have faith to feel that the issues of life and death are in our power, we can say to disease, “Be ye rebuked in the name of Jesus, and let life and health come into the system of this individual from God, to counteract this disease”; and our faith will bring this by the laying on of hands by administering the ordinance of the holy Gospel (DBY, 342).
2 Timothy 3:17 teaches 'a man of God' may be perfect when 'thoroughly furnished unto all good works'. 'Perfect' in that verse is translated from a word in the Greek language that means 'suited, ready, complete'. To be perfect is to be whole. See Bible Dictionary - Perfection. I believe the term 'man' often designates 'humankind' - all of us ... men and women together.

I have so much to learn, so much to do!
Will I ever have enough time?

James 3:2 teaches us "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body."

I can do better.
My thoughts precede my words.
Can I actually choose my thoughts?
And 'bridle my words'?
Choose what to think?
Direct and redirect not only thought but action too?

Can I learn to organize elements? Can I learn the physical AND spiritual processes whereby with faith, my actions produce miracles and I become as my Father in Heaven?

Today marks another start of another year.
1 January 2012.

Whew - more time ...