Title: OWN the Morning, WIN the day!

During the COVID years our missionaries were stuck inside their apartments. Finding people to teach on Facebook wasn't a "thing" yet. There was boredom, frustration and challenges with obedience. These young people came on a mission to serve and teach and now they are allowed to even go outside and interact with others almost never.

Our Mission Leader played football for BYU during college so a rallying cry was not a new concept. To help focus the missionaries and "right the ship" a new program was instituted in our mission: Own the Morning, WIN the day!

Missionaries have a rigorous morning schedule including daily exercise, personal care and hygiene, scripture study, daily planning and companionship study. Getting up on time at 6:30am is a critical part of that routine.

I once read how choosing a wake-up time and then not sticking to it once the alarm goes off the next morning is like breaking a commitment with myself. Breaking that commitment over and over compounds into a terrible feeling with a variety of negative consequences.

In the case of missionaries, the commitment isn't only with self, but with God. The greater our obedience with any principle of that gospel leads to blessings. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21). In other words, get up on time and reap the blessings.

Another example: "Cease to be idle... cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:124).

The missionaries who choose to be obedient and start to adhere to the outlined morning schedule saw incredible changes in their lives. Their attitudes began to improve. Greater hope, peace and enthusiasm filled their days. They were more effective teachers, had inspiration about ways to use technology to connect with those they were teaching. An outpouring of the Spirit came to the mission as righteousness and obedience became the collective group mindset.

I saw a remarkable video years ago on Facebook that talked about the simple act of starting the morning by making your bed:

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I'm also reminded of the story of how reintroducing wolves into the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park transformed the ecosystem. How can wolves impact rivers? Watch and see:

So what does any of this have to do with social media? Small actions have BIG impact. The invitation to you is to start today. Choose one suggestion from any of the tools here at The Social Media MTC. Just one. Start there and observe how that one simple change begins a cascade of unexpected changes that over time result in dramatic change in the ecosystem that is your life!

Here's to simple changes that make ALL the difference!

~Laura