Miracle Maker

I have been teaching early morning seminary and on-line seminary this year. In my early morning class we are down to 2 students. It has been interesting trying to figure out how to teach to 2 students. Last night when I went over my lesson again and still had no idea how to teach the material, I prayed for some help. I have really begun to realize the importance of starting where someone is at to be able to effectively teach them. I couldn't figure out how to bridge the gap with the lesson. The thought then came to me "ask () about Naruto." OK, I can do that. Still not sure how to fit that into the lesson, but I was willing to step into the dark. 

When I said that the focus of our lesson was about this Japanese anime show, the students eyes lit up and couldn't believe that I was serious. Totally serious. We talked about the plot and what makes the characters so loved by the student. We began listing things about the show. The character always fighting against evil. Him wanting to become basically the president to be able to help people. He had the power of Chakra. He achieved different levels of mastering the Chakra. He was the chosen one. He was happy go lucky in spite of always being beat up captured etc in this fight against the evil one.  He used the Chakra to perfect himself. He has a code of conduct. He has pride which governs his actions... We had a pretty extensive list going about all the things that made up this show. 

Then it was time to bring it around to the lesson. We started in 2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the ^apower may be of God, and not of us.

Naruto is the chosen, one, but all of us who belong to the family of Christ are chosen. We are vessels that carry the power of God- we have the power of Chakra. We likewise are in a battle against the evil one. We need to use the Chakra to perfect ourselves for battle so that we can be miracle makers. Not miracle makers like saving an entire village from destruction, but we can save each of those villagers one by one with small acts of kindness and service that may seem small to us, but are miracles. If we understand we are in this war and that battle makes us stronger, then we can have a happy go lucky attitude like Naruto. We can have the attitude of Paul who suffered greatly but said this:

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Chapter 5

 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We able to talk about what it means to walk by faith and that we are suffering from a separation from God while here on earth. Our access to Him is through the Holy Ghost and he uses it to help us prepare ourselves to live with Him again. Just like Naruto's dead parents are able to visit him while he is using the Chakra. It was so great to be able to pull this analogy all into the gospel. The student looked at me and asked, "how did you know to talk about Naruto with me?" My reply: because I'm a miracle maker who is a vessel for the power of God which told me what I needed to do."

We all have access to Chakra and can be just like Naruto. I can't even begin to articulate how awesome I felt today. I wanted to high five Heavenly Father. The wonderful thing is that when I went to bed last night I wasn't feeling particularly inspired or worthy of inspiration. The idea came to me and I thought "well, maybe I can kinda make that work, but I'm still not sure and I still don't have a solid plan." When the idea came it wasn't flooded in light with angels singing. It was a blip in the brain. I also really had no real idea about the show except for what my kids talk about. I was completely defendant upon whatever the students told me about the show to then try and pull it into the 2 chapters. The lesson came together as it unfolded.

My hope is that this exercise will get this student to think about how to find the application themselves when they read the scriptures, or when they see something they can relate it back to the scriptures. To understand that they have power they can tap into. We have been given a promise that I know to be true:

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new

We can be the miracle makers. We can save souls. We can fight the evil one and win, when we do the work of perfecting ourselves through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We can be made new!