I had an argument with Elder Findlay on my mission. He called me up one night to get our weekly missionary goals and took occassion to the fact that I planned to baptize zero people that week. It gave me an opportunity to concretely express what had been up to that point only a vague misgiving with a premise, and as a consequence we were both taught.
When he finally let me speak, I explained my position succinctly yet thoroughly. I had nobody who was making progress. I had not taught anyone far enough to be ready. Nobody I was teaching had agreed to be baptized. Most importantly, how can I set a goal for something that involves the agency of another person?
Elder Findlay pressed. I hung up the phone and refused to speak to him when he called back. Finally, I told Elder Lucas to tell him my goal was to baptize 1 million people before the next Sunday. Ironically, I think he actually took me seriously and wrote that down, because the mission president brought it up later.
As I later explained to him and to the others, I can only set goals over things I actually control. While I can look for people to teach, invite them to make and keep commitments, and follow up, only they can actually follow through. Too often we set goals that involve affairs of agency over which, while we may have influence, we ultimately have zero control, especially if we are righteous. Evil men may compel action, by the truncheon, bludgeon, or bayonet, but righteous men work by persuasion and longsuffering.
Ultimately, it is up to each person to decide what he will do and become. I can give him all the tools, knowledge, and encouragement in the known universe, and the choice is still up to him to act, react, or renig. Even at 20 years of age, I knew that most people would renig on that type of commitment, and I was not going to be held accountable for things I could not or should not control. I'll ask, and I'll ask the best way I know how, but ultimately they are accountable for their own choices.
When you set goals, keep in mind things you can actually accomplish. It is as equally stupid for me to set as a goal to be married by 31 December as it would be for the Washington Senators to win the National League pennant. I could find someone I desired to marry perhaps and ask her by that date, but ultimately she would have to say yes both to the proposal as well as to the officiator for me to reach that goal, and as such it's out of my control. As for the Senators, in 1901 they moved to Minnesota and were renamed the Minnesota Twins, and as such they cannot win a pennant because the team no longer exists.
Many people insist on imposing their will on others. In his speech Thursday, President Obama basically bossed Israel around, even though Israeli gains have been gained by conquest against aggressor actions by its neighbors. I'm glad nobody ever did that to our nation, or else I might be living in an extension of Russia or Spain for all I know. Telling small children they cannot have a treat or must come along is one thing. Telling an adult what they must do, particularly if they are not part of your stewardship or 'flock' is quite another.
Agency is one of the most precious things we have. James Talmadge in his book "Jesus the Christ" calls it one of our primary and unalienable rights. It is how everything hinges for us in this choose-your-own-adventure of life, but unlike the books of that type from our youth, because of Jesus Christ, we can change our minds, go back, and try another path if we discover we're on a path that eventually leads to dragons, dungeons or destruction. Even that is our choice. He stands at the door and knocks. He will never kick it open.
I love this painting by William Holman Hunt, 1827-1910, called Light of the World. Notice that there is no doorknob on Christ's side of the door, which means that the only way he can get in is if you let him in.
You must choose wisely. However you choose, the choice is up to you.
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