A New Year's Resolution

When I was a missionary, I went to an Elders Quorum meeting for one of the English speaking wards in Tokyo. The teacher started off by sharing a scripture from the D&C which says that sometimes we have to reprove people "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost." He then began to express his love for the quorum members and let us know that he really was worried about offending someone through the lesson, but, because he felt moved by the Holy Ghost, he would proceed as he had planned.
He brought with him a stack of about thirty copies of that year's Teachings of the Presidents of the Church manual. He passed around small pieces of paper to everyone and asked us all to write on it whether we had honestly read every lesson. While we filled out our answers, he explained the process by which the manuals get into the hands of the members. He emphasized the point that we get our books for free, or for a very small price, because of faithful tithe payers, and how special it is to be able to study the words of the Lord's anointed servants in the Latter-days.
We all folded our papers and passed them back up to the front of the room. The teacher began to read each answer. "No. No. No. No..." and so on. Out of a quorum of about twenty-five Melchizedek Priesthood holders, one answered "yes." With every "no" the teacher dropped a copy of the manual in a nearby garbage can. We all got his point, but he once again reminded us of the sacrifices that accompany paying tithing and of the importance of listening to the prophet's voice. Each lesson we didn't read from the manual was like throwing sacred tithing money in the garbage and like ignoring the words of the prophet.
This year it is my goal to read each lesson from the manual before it is taught in church. It will be extra special to make that small effort because we will be studying the teachings of Joseph Smith. I hope it is not inappropriate to extend that challenge to you, as well.