So, here we are one week into the new year. How are you doing with those new year resolutions?

Yeah—me too.

But I’ll keep trying.

I gave up making long lists years ago. All of my resolutions could be summarized, really, in a few words often sung by Latter-day Saint children: “I’m trying to be like Jesus, I’m following in His ways . . .” All of the other ideas for resolutions come down to this, one way or another. I know I am imperfect, but I am trying to become more like the One who never fell into imperfection.

It is embarrassing to tell you this. Anyone who knows me knows how far from perfect I am.

It is painful for me to think about the audacity of this idea—humiliating, really. It makes me cringe to think how ashamed I would be of so many things if I were in the presence of Jesus Christ. And yet I am joyful when I understand that He wants to forgive me.

He said, “Come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). He said, “Be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48). I don’t think He was kidding about either of those things. When I think of how far I have to go, the thought is terrifying in one way, and exhausting.

Maybe you feel the same way about His commandment. Anyone might be tempted to think, “How could I ever do this?” But I don’t think He meant we have to do it by tomorrow, or even by the end of this year.

If I get to the end of this year and feel like I’m better than at the beginning, then I can hope. If I keep getting a little better day by day, then I can hope for salvation through His grace. There is no other way.

I have found that I have to reduce this following Him, this striving for perfection, to one day at a time. At the beginning of the day, I pray for help to handle the things that I know may be spiritual challenges for me, along with stumbling blocks that I cannot foresee. That is the only way I know to approach this challenge. Maybe a stronger person could improve by leaps and bounds. But for me, it requires baby steps, one day at a time.

How am I doing so far today? Well, so far I’ve already felt pride and anger and impatience.

But I tried to help the person who made me feel those things, and now I feel better about him.

Maybe that’s progress.