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Week 14

If I had one final lecture to share with a group of students on what I learned from this course, it would be this story and what I learned from the book A Field Guide to a Hero’s Journey. Do what you can and control what you can control. In the book the author’s share a story about a little raindrop. The raindrop sees a farmer in a corn field that is dry and parched. He feels sorry for the farmer and decides to do what he can to help the farmer. Soon another drop and another drop join in to see what the commotion is. Eventually the whole corn field is watered because of this one little drop falling first. We can apply this lesson as we go on our hero’s journey in life. For example, in my life I have played football. In a team sport like football, you need everyone on the field to play disciplined football and do their job on every play. When a play on defense lacks discipline and tries to play hero ball and tries to make the play by himself its usually one of two things either a good p
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Week 13

I really liked this week’s topic of a journey of gratitude. President Monson’s talk Attitude of Gratitude is one of my favorites. I really enjoyed the story he told about his primary teacher, Sister Gertsch. The class had been saving up all year to have a party. They had been working hard saving every penny and nickel they had. It was almost time for the long-awaited party. President Monson tells the story: “None of us will forget that gray morning in January when our beloved teacher announced to us that the mother of one of our classmates had passed away. We thought of our own mothers and how much they meant to us. We felt sorrow for Billy Devenport in his great loss. The lesson that Sunday was from the book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 35: ‘Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ [Acts 20:35] At the conclusion of the presentation of a well-prepared lesson, Lucy Gertsch commented on the economic situation of Billy’s family. These
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Week 12

The  "What's a Business For?" article from this week’s study section was very interesting. The author Charles Handy explained why virtue and integrity are so vital to an economy. He said, “Markets rely on rules and laws, but those rules and laws in turn depend on truth and trust. Conceal truth or erode trust, and the game becomes so unreliable that no one will want to play. The markets will empty and share prices will collapse, as ordinary people find other places to put their money – into their houses, maybe, or under their beds. The great virtue of capitalism – that it provides a way for the savings of society to be used for the creation of wealth–will have been eroded. So we will be left to rely increasingly on governments for the creation of our wealth, something that they have always been conspicuously bad at doing.” Charles Handy said this about the “real justification” for the existence of businesses. “The purpose of a business, in other words, is not to make a
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Week 11

I really liked President Thomas S. Monson’s talk from 1996 called “Formula for Success” that was in this week’s reading. He said, “I share with you a formula that in my judgment will help you and help me to journey well through mortality and to that great reward of exaltation in the celestial kingdom of our Heavenly Father. First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love.” He talked about how to fill your mind with truth. He suggested that when we search for truth, we search among those books and in those places where truth is most likely to be found. He said we can find truth by studying the words of our Heavenly Father.  He said, “You and I have the responsibility to learn the word of God, to understand the word of God, and then to live his word. By so doing, we will find that we have learned and accepted the truth.” The second part of the formula is to fill our lives with service. In the Book of Mormon it reads, “When ye ar
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Week 10

I really liked the subject we had this week in class about dreaming big dream. I shared this in the class discussion from this week, but I wanted to share it here too so I can remember this part of the lesson. I think the biggest asset that I need to achieve my biggest dreams is to believe in myself. I really enjoyed the reading and videos from this week. I like the short video Think Big. Taylor Richards said in the video, “So, the point I’m trying to put across to you is do not over underestimate yourself. You can do it, you can accomplish the goals and dreams that you set and if you involve the Lord, you can do the impossible, you can do amazing things you can do great things. Just like it says in good to great, it's a whole lot more fun to do great things than to just be good. Or to just be mediocre. And it's no harder to be great than to be good. So, I challenge you, pursue your goals and dreams. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. And involve the Lord,
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Week 9

This week I really enjoyed the talk Brigham Young University–Idaho:  A Disciple Preparation Center (DPC) that Elder David A. Bednar gave in August 2004 about BYU-Idaho. He talked about at the time 17 Missionary Training Centers around the world. He noticed 5 things that these missionary training centers had in common: • The missionary training centers are rather isolated geographically and are few in number • Missionaries reside and study in the MTC for relatively short periods of time. • The nature of the instruction in the MTCs is focused and intense. • There are in the MTCs distinctive requirements for demeanor and dress. • Most missionary training centers are located near a temple. He said as he considered these similarities, he was struck by the fact that Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg possesses these same characteristics.      •  BYU–Idaho is located in a rather isolated geographic area.  •  By and large, students are enrolled at BYU–Idaho for a relatively sh
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Week 8

I really enjoyed this week’s videos and articles about overcoming challenges. We all are going to face challenges in our life and it’s nice to know we aren’t the only ones. I really liked the video of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s called “Good Things to Come”. I have seen that video before, and I really like the message. Elder Holland shares the story about how as a young father his family’s car broke down twice in the same spot of road. Each time he had to walk back to town for help leaving his wife and two children behind. Years later he drove that same stretch of road. He said: “Just two weeks ago, I drove by that exact spot. For just an instant, I thought perhaps I saw on that side road an old car with a devoted young wife and two little children. Just ahead of them, I imagined that I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville, the weight of a young father's fear evident in his pace. In that imaginary instant, I couldn't help calling out to him, ‘Don't you quit! You ke
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