by DaLea Ellis

I’m a runner. I can claim that title now since I’ve been running three times a week for over a year and have run in three 5k’s. This came about because I’m the Relief Society President in my ward, and last year my Enrichment Counselor came to me with the idea of training for a 5k as a Relief Society. You should know that I have never been athletic in any way. In fact the only reason I passed PE in school was because I showed up, dressed out and attempted to keep up! All these years I lacked coordination and endurance.

However, despite my obstacles, my first reaction was excitement. My second thought was that, being president, I needed to be supportive and at least try. Plus, I was encouraged that the training program was called “Couch to 5k.” Obviously Heavenly Father knew that I was ready for a challenge. He knows when it’s time for us to stretch beyond our current abilities.

When we first started, our training sessions were twenty minutes. We would run a minute, then walk a minute and a half. It was so hard. That first day I thought I was going to die.
My lungs were burning. I couldn’t catch my breath in between running and walking. My progress was slow. My running partners were very patient and encouraging with me. It was great to have that kind of support.

When I ran my first 5k last year, I was not there to beat anybody else. My goal was to keep running the whole time no matter how slow I went. I just wanted to be steady. I did it. It took me 44 minutes, but I didn’t walk.

Being steady can help with any goal we set for ourselves in life. About five years ago I decided to start reading scriptures regularly. I struggled with it. So I set a goal to read every day, even just a little bit. I also read at the same time every day. That worked.
After three years, I’d read all the books of scripture for the first time. I’m now on the Book of Mormon for the 4th time.

This year when I was training for our Relief Society 5k, my goal changed. I knew I could easily run the whole way without walking, so I needed a new challenge. But still, I wasn’t doing it to win the race, I was only racing myself. I wanted to beat my time from the year before. I did it 12 minutes faster.

As we reach each goal we’ve set for ourselves, it’s time set a new one so that we are always moving forward toward our eternal potential.

I’m pretty good at being steady now in reading the scriptures. I rarely miss a day, so I needed to change that goal a little. I need to stretch a little. I began looking for new ways of studying while I read in order to increase my understanding.

My son, who is serving a mission in Brazil, wrote home about a challenge his mission president gave each of them. Take a new Book of Mormon, and 4 colored pencils. As you read mark one color for any reference to Christ, another color for gospel principles and doctrines, another color for Christ-like attributes and the last color mark when Christ is speaking. I just started that a few weeks ago, and the scriptures are coming to life for me.

We all have the same potential, but we are all at a different place in reaching it. Set small goals that help you move forward a little at a time and only measure your progress against yourself. Your confidence will grow. Your testimony will grow. You will become a better wife/husband, mother/father, neighbor, sister/brother, and person.

If Heavenly Father doesn’t feel like you’re moving forward fast enough, he’ll let you know by giving you a challenge that you don’t think you can do, but you’ll get through it and be stronger because of it. I believe His promise that He will not give us anything we can’t handle.