Trial Run

OK, so, I realize that I am in danger of sounding like a broken record.  Will I ever have anything to talk about other than seminary?  Honestly, not sure.  I'm also not sure if I will have time to write anything during the school year.  My plate is seriously full.  I do need to try and keep up, at least, a personal journal so I can follow the council of President Eyring.  This blog is pretty much it, so I better figure something out.  

I finally have the "seminary room" set up.  I have figured out how to get 15 students seated at a table in a much too small of a space.  I have my little conversion cord of awesomeness that allows me to plug in my iPad to the projector.  It was a good day when I got that up and running.  

There was only one thing left to do.  Get my family in the room and test out all my goodies.   My nieces were over, so they had to participate too.  We sang a hymn using an app, we discussed a scripture that I put in a word processing program so we could mark it up on the whiteboard, and we also watched the video about the new standards for graduating and then had a whiteboard discussion after.  Nate even set the timer for my 45 min class time,  and I totally went over.  I've got to learn to reign it in.  

My teaching partner and I decided to go to the homes of all of our students.  The purpose was to get to know our students within the context of their family setting.  It was also a good opportunity to extend an invitation and a promise to our students with their parents present and to discuss it as a family.  We had a spiel set up just like the missionaries.  We each had parts that we were responsible for so we weren't trying to talk over each other.   

We didn't want our own kids to feel left out so we even visited them in the same formal fashion.  I even went outside and rang the doorbell at my own house.  Naturally our family had to follow up on the invitation that was extended by their seminary teachers.  So, monday night for FHE we used the invitation to take a test spin of the room set-up.  

What was this invitation?  To read and discuss Doctrine and Covenants 18:35-36 and come prepared for the first day of class to talk about it.  

In one of the in-service trainings that I went to, I stayed after class (because I'm that girl) and the teacher shared an audio training from Elder Bednar that he didn't get to use in class.  He was talking about counseling the new stake president when he extends the call.  He councils to not call anyone to any calling until he has a vision and then everything that those people are called to do, follow that vision.  You would think that would be pretty basic advice, but do you know how little that happens?  That people can A have a vision.  B properly communicate that vision and C effectively implement their vision.  Doing those things is a recipe for a great leader.  

Well, this made me want one.  Every time I receive a new calling, I try to figure out what "my thing" is.  This is really no different.  The only difference is that this time I was going to come up with a vision that I needed to sell to the class and my partner because we are only going to be successful if everyone sees the vision too.  

Our vision?  The invitation.

34 These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;

 35 For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;

 36 Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.

At the end of the year our students should absolutely know that they have heard the voice of the Lord.  They know His words.  They know by what power they can understand them.  They can share them with others and they can testify with that power.  

For me, in those couple of verses is the recipe for a conversion.  That's what the goal for the year is.  It's the experiment in which to base the entire year on.  (I've talked about the experiment process found in Alma 32:27 before) 

We also left with a promise.  My partner loved the analogy given by Elder Anderson about sapling trees in wind storms.  It is found in his talk called "Spiritual Whirlwinds."  We spent some time talking about it and then promised that coming to seminary would help them withstand the strong winds they face each day attending high school and their spiritual roots would sink deep in the ground and they would be able to notice the difference.  

As I ponder the challenge my students and my own children are up against, it's hard not to get discouraged.  As I think of how to inspire and lift while the fiery darts are flying and the winds are howling, it initially feels hopeless.  But I've seen some things over the last week that have given me some tools.  Some experiences that I've had and a couple of spiritually based movies that I've seen.  (I love movies, ok and I can always pull something out of them to relate to life)  There is also a song right now by The Script that took me back to my teenage years.  (I love music too, ok)  

"you've been fighting for it all your life
You've been struggling to make things right
That’s how a superhero learns to fly
Every day, every hour
Turn the pain into power"

My own kids are struggling with the challenges of life and we were talking about some of them last night.  Sometimes your kids don't think you are capable of understanding what they are going thru and I had no plans to share the difficulties of my childhood, but it felt right- and I am the success story.  The ugly duckling that turned into a swan.  The "turn your pain into power" poster child.  While I like to weave some secular understanding in to be relatable, I always like to bring it home with the spiritual, because that is where the real power is.  So, relating these experiences to my children reminded me of a quote by President Eyring that I also shared with them.  

"The Lord is anxious to lead us to the safety of higher ground, away from the path of physical and spiritual danger. His upward path will require us to climb." – Henry B. Eyring, in "Choose Higher Ground"

“If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill.” – Mildred G. Eyring, mother of Henry B. Eyring

I look back on my experiences and I know that I was moved to higher ground.  I know that the Lord loves me and is always looking out for me.  It's the kind of love that isn't afraid to watch you struggle because you know what is being built.  Oh the wisdom and the love.  

I'm so excited for this year.  I'm so excited to help some of God's children face their uphill climb.  A climb that will lead them to the safety of higher ground.  I just can't believe that Heavenly Father has that much faith and trust in me to be apart of His great and glorious work - which is getting His children back to Him. 

Speaking of which.......

My little cutie pie, Jordyn said something today that blew me away.  She is the only kid left that hasn't started school yet.  I had a volunteer shift at the temple today so she got to go and play at her "bff's" house all day.  When I was walking her up to the door I said:

"this is going to be the best day!"  

Jordy: "no it's not. "  

Me: "Oh yeah, silly me, it's your birthday soon and you're getting a new iPod.  That will be the best day."

Jordy: "no, the best day ever will be the day I die and get to go to heaven and live with Jesus."

Me: "you are so right, that will be an amazing day."

Jordy : "yes it will and I will get to teach people the gospel who are in spirit prison."

I was so disappointed when the door opened because I wanted to explore that conversation more.  I was completely blown away that her mind went there when thinking about what she considers the best day ever.  She's 9 (10 in 2 weeks)!

I'm guessing that her asking me about what I was going to be doing in the temple - and me telling her that I get to seal families together forever got her thinking more deeply about that.  

Here's my little angel on Tuesday getting her braces worked on.  Poor thing had to get 2 springs to help yank the teeth around to make room for a tooth to come down and get her midline under her nose.  Her best day ever?  Going home to be with Jesus and teaching the gospel.