REMEMBER

This year's course of study in Seminary is the Book of Mormon. I have read the Book of Mormon several times in the past, yet I am learning SO much as I study it again with the intent of teaching it to the youth. 

One of the things that is frequently said about us, as a society and as individuals, is that we are too quick to forget what has happened in the past and we end up repeating past mistakes. As I have been studying the Book of Mormon this year, it has come to my attention how often the word REMEMBER is used. Upwards of 200 times. 

"And now remember..."

"I would that ye should remember..."

"Let us remember..."

"Oh, remember..."

"If ye do not remember..."

"See that ye remember..."

"Do ye not remember..."

Constant reminders of what the Lord has done to bless our lives. The entire Book of Mormon is a record of all the different ways that the Lord has blessed people who have followed His commandments and counsel, and how those who do not are not.  Quite often, counsel to stay faithful to the Lord NOW is proceeded by a remembrance of a way that the Lord blessed the faithful THEN. Over and over they are exhorted to remember the captivity of their fathers and how the Lord brought them out of bondage, both temporal and spiritual.

At the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni states:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts." (emphasis added)

When we remember the blessings that we have received from the Lord, it puts us in the right frame of mind -- it opens our eyes and our ears and our hearts -- to receive counsel, admonition, answers and guidance from our Father in Heaven. It turns our focus towards the spiritual and away from the "natural man". It reminds us that we are better than our past mistakes and that we are not doomed to repeat them. We gain confidence and faith that if others have succeeded, we can too. 

Most importantly, it helps us to open our eyes and our ears and our hearts to the hope of Jesus Christ. Remembering that, through Him, we can be redeemed from our past mistakes and become clean through His Atonement. Each Sunday we have the opportunity to partake of the sacrament in remembrance of all that our Savior has done for us, and we are renewed and strengthened by promising Him that we will do better and try harder and to draw closer to Him. And, as we keep that covenant, hopefully, we can be an example for others to remember.

What a blessing it is to REMEMBER! 


(If you would like a free copy of the Book of Mormon, click HERE)

Doctrinal Mastery

Last year, for Seminary, the Church Educational System replaced the focus of Scripture Mastery to Doctrinal Mastery. I was very excited about this change, as the focus of Scripture Mastery was to memorize the scripture and it's reference. Doctrinal Mastery is about understanding the doctrine of the scripture. I found that when the students were "memorizing" the scriptures, they were only remembering it as long as it took to pass it off, and then they couldn't remember it again after that. I wanted to dig a little deeper, so when we studied Scripture Mastery, once a week I went into more detail with them.

Our study of the scriptures began like this:

... which was fine, because we were looking for the meaning behind the scripture and ways to apply it.

Then Doctrinal Mastery was introduced, and once a week we would study one of the Doctrinal Mastery scriptures in a little more depth than we had before:

... which was also great, because we were digging even more into the doctrine and meaning.

This year, I think we are really getting into the purpose of Doctrinal Mastery study, as we more thoroughly immerse ourselves all week long:

On Mondays:

• we decide which Doctrinal Mastery topic the scripture covers
• find a hymn that relates to the Doctrinal Mastery topic that we will sing for the week
• talk about the context in which the scripture was given/recorded

Tuesdays:

• we go through the scripture and underline the things that stand out to us
• we look in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document for a paragraph or a sentence that supports the scripture
• we define words that perhaps a new member or an investigator of the church might not understand
• we state the scripture in our own words

Wednesdays:

• we decide where this scripture falls in the Plan of Salvation
• we look for cross-references 

Thursdays:

• We look for quotes from the prophet and apostles from the recent General Conference Ensigns
• find an example of this scripture in the stories in the scriptures or from Church history

Fridays:

• we look for object lessons we could use to explain the scripture
• we list ways that we can apply this scripture in our lives
• then the students either write in their journals:
• how they are personally going to apply this scripture
• or their testimony of the scripture and it's doctrine
• or, if they were a missionary at a dinner appointment and it was their turn to share the spiritual message and they were using this scripture, what would they say about it?

I also have them write a quote each morning from all different sources that apply to the scripture we are studying. 

I really feel that this focus on Doctrinal Mastery is going to be a huge blessing in the lives of these youth as they talk to their friends who have questions about their beliefs, give talks in church, head off to college, serve missions, receive callings of their own, and teach their own families. 

General Conference Ensign

This week, for the first time ever, I finished reading all the talks in the General Conference Ensign, BEFORE the next General Conference broadcast! (Minus all of the Priesthood Session talks. I only got two of those read. But, since I am not a member of the Priesthood...)

I also did a LOT of referencing, for both Seminary and Relief Society.


I make tabs for the Relief Society lessons so I can find them very easily.

In my Seminary class we use the General Conference issue to find quotes that go with our Doctrinal Mastery scriptures. As I read through the talks, I make notes and mark things that are important to me. I also write the different Doctrinal Mastery topics that are covered in different parts of the talks.

At the top of the page I put colored Washi tape that matches the colors we use in class for the different Doctrinal Mastery topics:

          Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge = light green
          The Godhead = yellow
          The Plan of Salvation = orange
          The Atonement of Jesus Christ = red
          The Restoration = brown
          Prophets and Revelation = dark blue
          Priesthood and Priesthood Keys = purple
          Ordinances and Covenants = gold
          Marriage and Family = light blue
          Commandments = dark green

That way I can find different topics easily when I am preparing lessons.

I also make tabs for all the different times that the Doctrinal Mastery scriptures are used in the talks. Again, so I can find them easily.

It's made it so much easier for me to be able to find talks and quotes that work with our lessons and Doctrinal Mastery studies. I love it!

Ponderizing

I loved the talk given by Devin Durrant, of the Seventy, during October 2015 General Conference. He talked about studying the scriptures by using a combination of pondering and memorizing. That formula is perfectly suited for Scripture Mastery! In my Seminary class we quickly adapted it to our weekly study of each of the Scripture Mastery scriptures.

We focus on different aspects of Scripture Mastery as we go through the days of the week.  On Mondays, we use ideas that help us remember the reference for the scripture.  Tuesday, we work on memorizing the scripture.  Wednesday we study the context and content of the scripture.  This is where the pondering comes in.  (I will provide some examples in a moment.)  Thursday we talk about the application of the scripture.  We discuss different ways to apply the principles to our lives and then we make an individual goal that we are going to focus on for the rest of the week.  Friday we play a challenging game that helps us remember and learn more.

When we go over context and content, I write the scripture on the board and I let the students discuss the things that stand out, words that they need to look up the definitions, what they can add cross-references to, etc..  It is my favorite part of our ponderization process.  Here are several of our studies:

A sticky note from one of my Seminary students

This was one of the sticky notes that one of my students left on the "What stuck with you this week?" board.  This makes my heart happy!!

[re]SOLUTIONS for 2016

I have made my goals for the year, and one of them is to read the Book of Mormon every day. Studying the Old Testament for Seminary this last year, I have let my Book of Mormon study get a little lax. 

I love the quote from Pres. Ezra Taft Benson about the Book of Mormon:

"There is a power in the [Book of Mormon] which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance." (The Book of Mormon -- Keystone of Our Religion", General Conference, October 1986)

I need life in greater abundance right now.  I need the blessings that come from a focus on the Book of Mormon! I need to de-stress.  I know that I will find greater strength and ability through my focus on the Book of Mormon! 

Drawings

A while back, I was talking about adding drawings to my studies, and over the last few months, as I have been studying the Old Testament, I have been drawing things in the margins, especially things that add to the understanding of a concept or definition.  Here are a few examples:

As we have been going through the lessons in Seminary, I have been adding drawings of the things that we are learning about.  The Tabernacle, for example.

Two weeks ago I got a wild hare to get much more decorative with my drawings and I have been having so much fun!

Again, I can't say enough about the wide-margin scriptures that you can find at www.bradjackman.com!  Having all that beautiful space to draw is wonderful! I am looking forward to continuing this as I go through all the standard works.  It is giving me a lovely outlet for my creativity, and my stress! :)

#ASaviorIsBorn

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has created a beautiful new video for the Christmas season called A Savior Is Born.  

Along with the video is a media campaign, using the hashtag #ASaviorIsBorn.  I used the video and the signs in my Seminary class, and I loved the phrasing that the students used!

A Savior is Born so I...

                ...could repent        ...could remember Him always

                                 ...could live with my family forever

...can be full of peace and happiness  
                          
                     ...could live and have a family

                                                            ...can repent and live forever

Aren't those wonderful, faithful answers?!  I love these kids so much!

This is mine:

In this world of turmoil and stress and distractions, I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the peace that His gospel and the blessing of His atonement bring to my life!

General Conference and Scripture Mastery

I did General Conference a little differently this time around. I told my Seminary students to text me every time they heard a Scripture Mastery scripture during a Conference talk, so I had to seriously pay attention to all the scriptures that were mentioned throughout the Conference.  (I did take personal notes, but I was heavily focused on the scriptures.)

Scripture Mastery scriptures (from any year) were mentioned 24 times during Conference.

Women's Session (26 Sept 2015)
Sister Carol F. McConnell -- Moses 1:39

Saturday Morning Session (3 Oct 2015)
Francisco J. Viñas -- Isaiah 58:13
Elder Quinten L. Cook -- Isaiah 5:20 and Alma 41:10

Saturday Afternoon Session (3 Oct 2015)
Elder Robert D. Hales -- 2 Nephi 9:29
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland -- Isaiah 53:4 and Moroni 7:45
James B. Martino -- Moroni 10:3-5 
Elder Dallin H. Oaks -- Alma 7:11-13 and Philippians 4:13

Priesthood Session (3 Oct 2015)
Elder Neil L. Andersen -- Doctrine & Covenants 8:2
Pres. Thomas S. Monson -- Isaiah 1:18

Sunday Morning Session (4 Oct 2015)
Pres. Thomas S. Monson -- Matthew 5:16
Elder Dale G. Renlund -- Moroni 7:45, 47-48
Gregory A. Schwitzer -- Acts 2:26

Sunday Afternoon Session (4 Oct 2015)
Elder D. Todd Christopherson -- Moses 1:39 and Ephesians 4:13
Devin Durrant -- 2 Nephi 31:20
Sister Carole M. Stephens -- John 14:15 and Doctrine & Covenants 1:37-38
Allen D. Haynie -- Moses 1:39
Koichi Aoyagi -- Abraham 3:22-23 and Moses 1:39
Elder David A. Bednar -- Doctrine & Covenants 1:38

I love the Ponderize idea from Devin Durrant as well, and I am looking forward to adding that to our Seminary class!  I want to use it with our Scripture Mastery each week.

Sticky notes

Today at the end of Seminary class I gave each of the students a sticky note and asked them to write down the most important things they learned in Seminary this week.  Their answers were wonderful! I am so glad I did this!  It is definitely going to be a weekly thing now!  It made my heart happy!  What an uplifting way to end the week!

Seminary has begun!

All summer I have been preparing for Seminary!  Studying scriptures, attending trainings, completing the on-line trainings, emails to coordinators with questions, etc..  It has been a wonderful, yet a time-consuming process.  I keep sitting down to add to this blog, and then something would come up and now it's already begun!

As we hadn't made a list of people to do the Devotionals yet, I gave one today, on my favorite scripture, Helaman 5:12.  I read the scripture and I shared an experience that I had very recently that applied to the scripture.  I am sharing that experience here, with more details than I offered to my students.

In the process of preparing for Seminary, there have been several times when I have felt overwhelmed at the magnitude of the responsibilities of my calling.  It seemed that there was always something MORE that had to be done.  In addition, for the past three weeks, I have been waking up at 5:00am in an attempt to get my body acclimated to the earlier mornings.  This has been difficult, as I haven't always been able to get to bed earlier.

One morning, about a week ago, as I was waking up and rolling out of bed I remember having a thought come to my head that I needed to go online and find some lesson ideas that other people have used to make preparing easier. Because of the rock on which I have built my foundation, I almost immediately recognized that thought as a temptation of Satan.  Do less, find a shortcut, you have so much to do already.  That is his tempting message.  

In the trainings this summer, I have been told over and over that I must rely on the Holy Ghost as I prepare, as my class is different than anyone else's and Heavenly Father knows these students better than I do and will guide me in the things that I should do and teach for this particular class.  (Not to say that I can't use ideas that others have had!  As a first time student, I am relying on the ideas of others to help get me started, but I should not just use what someone else has done to make it easier on me.)  

It may seem a small thing, that one little thought, but I feel that Satan would never tempt me to do drugs or steal a car, as he knows that is something I would not do.  But, he can try to put little, seemingly insignificant thoughts in my head, that if followed, could eventually lead me away from relying on Heavenly Father and His Spirit for guidance and direction.

I am so grateful for this calling and I am grateful for the guidance of the Holy Ghost in my preparation and as I teach!  I am relying on it!!

My humble little Seminary classroom

For My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures

I found this on Pinterest, but I don't know where it came from before that, but I LOVE it! Beautiful! There is SO much going on in life right now that I haven't had time to post, and I miss it.  I am gearing up for Seminary, all the summer activities my kids are doing, my two jobs, etc., etc.. With all of this going on, I value the time that I have to slow down for a portion of my day and read and study the scriptures! It is my delight!

New calling

I am SO EXCITED that it is finally official and I can finally share!!

I have been called to be a Seminary teacher!!  

I am overwhelmed with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for this amazing blessing!  I am privileged to wake up extra early, and hang out with sleepy, whiney teenagers every morning.  Haha!  So, saying that tongue-in-cheek, but being realistic, that doesn't sound that great, but I really am thrilled for this calling and the incredible opportunity it gives me to study the scriptures and share my love of scripture study with others.  Even those who would rather be asleep.  That being said, I was very pleased with the positive response from the youth who will be in my class next year!  That makes me very happy!

The moment I was asked to accept this calling, I was immediately drawn to the Old Testament and the books of Moses and Abraham.  I have been studying them and am very anxious for the next school year to begin! 

What a blessing!!