Holdin to the Rod

This week we studied 2 Nephi 9-16. This world is pretty crazy right now and these passages talk about a future vision that seems scary close to the times we are now living.

These passages are comparable to Isaiah so therefore tons of deep thinking. Our weekly study skill was visualize. Have you ever tried to visualize as you are studying the scriptures?  As I tried to create a visual picture of the setting, people and possibly placing myself in the setting as I listened to the scriptures this week was really amazing. As I continue to study daily in the scriptures I am amazed at how much adding these study skills help me seek greater understanding. As I was reading/listening I kept visualizing scenes from Capital in the Hunger Games, 2 Nephi 12: 7-9. How haughty and self-serving the people depicted in the movie as well as how outrageous they all look, it was a really interesting visual. But these same wicked and worldly men will be brought low "the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down" (2 Nephi 12:11). The Lord will humble all of us, especially those who deny him.

We talked in specific detail more about Chapter 2 Nephi chapter 9. We discussed that which brings us closer to Christ vs. that which brings us closer to the devil. In class we reflected on how much easier it is to just go with the flow, how it seems so fun to party and play and worry about our troubles later. At first the consequences either don't set in, or they seem worth it until further down the road. But… further down the road you now have an addiction, a sin to repent from, and much farther reaching consequences than you realize. The things that bring us closer to Christ seem like a list of rules, things we can't do and the way we are supposed to the things we should do. But as we follow the rules and gain the reward of our righteous choices we see and understand that there are no chains only freedom and happiness. It was reconfirmed this week to me that following Christs example is the true path to happiness, I plan to keep holdin tight to the rod.

Once again I want to reiterate my gratefulness to this Pathway program, it is helping me achieve all the things the Lord wants for me at this time. Its giving me the opportunity to learn how to do the "ponderizing" that we learned about in conference this last Oct. It's making sure I put Christ in the center of my life and learning.

Some take aways from this week:

Lifelong Learning:

Elder Dallin H Oaks spoke of education having an eternal “shelf-life”. What we learn on this earth, we take with us to the next life. Continuing our education through life-long learning with fulfilling experiences such as artistic accomplishments, meaningful conversations, museums and acts of service are enriching and enlightening. They help us expand and enjoy the journey. This is so true. As I am expanding my journey my joy is so full. The quality of information and the program design is causing me to reflect in new and amazing ways. It is causing growth and in turn a greater capacity to feel the joy of this gospel.

President Henry B Eyring shared the inspirational story of Duke Ferguson. After gaining professional success and basically cheating the system by attending college even though he couldn’t read, he changed his life. His story is an inspiration to all of us who want to start over and do it the right way. Pres Eyring taught us the 3 keys to lifelong learning. We were all reminded that being a Child of God provides us with the birthright to excel in our academic goals as well as with other enriching pursuits. Heavenly Father wants us to succeed and thrive! He has created the perfect program that starts with the basics and makes sure we have the tools to succeed and he throws in tons of positive reinforcement and spiritual pick me ups. If you chose this program and follow the counsel, I promise, you will be transformed.

I realize as never before, how much furthering my own education has enriched my life. I have felt so much joy to know I am doing as the Lord has directed me. It re-confirmed my own commitment to this journey. I can do this, I can do hard things with the Lord’s help. I am exemplifying and applying this mind-set into my life, I am being an example. I am walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. I feel like my children will gain much from my example and desire to follow this path and embrace learning. A life of continual learning and growth in both informal and formal education will enrich all of our lives and we can take this precious knowledge and growth into the next. 

Social Media Etiquette:

Ask yourself these questions as Elder Bednar encouraged us to ask: does this activity invite or impede the ability Holy Ghost has to direct your life? Does the time you spend enlarge or restrict the ways in which you live and love and serve? Virtual Reality cannot replicate or replace actual human relations.  I am taking this advice to heart and choosing to spend valuable precious time with my “actual” not “virtual” reality. I love this advice, but there is so much good we can do with social media. 

Thus the Pathways Blog:

I was avoiding this blog. But after we were counseled to use all the wonderful tools the internet provides us to share the gospel, I realized, this is it. I need to share my experiences. Even if I only reach one of you out there, then you’re the person the Lord knows I will connect with. I truly have a testimony of this amazing gospel, and I am certainly developing a very strong one of this Pathway program.

Leading up to right now

This Pathway program is amazing, can I just start by saying this?! I never knew I was going to gain such personal insight, I didn't know it was meant to be a spiritual as well as educational journey. Some things I learned this week really solidified the true purpose of this Pathway program. In order for us to change and become the future academic successes or just the productive, positive, contributing people we hope to be, we have to recognize just who we are. A child of God. Men are that they might have joy 2 Nephi 2:28. Who knew that learning would enrich my life and give me great joy? I'm the girl who said she would rather poke herself in the eye than go back to school, I am so glad the spirit "pushed" me into this very classroom.

I have decided late in my Pathway journey to start this blog. After this weeks speakers and lessons I realized it wasn't too late and I need to record and share this awesome experience. Last week was week 3 and I am going to share some of the experiences I have had so far. The first few weeks were eye openers for me because I didn't know Christ would be the center of all this learning I was going to experience. I had no idea that I might need to work on myself in order to be a better learner. While all the learning is centered in Christ it's also bringing some basic skills into my life, very needed skills. The program makes sure we have basic note taking and study skills, in case you missed that info. somewhere in surviving your life. I certainly have gained much insight and realized that I needed to augment some of my learning and study skills.

Boy, the Lord and the leaders know exactly what they are doing! How many of us have children? Have we said to ourselves, there was never a manual to show me how to do this. It's all trial and error and hopefully the spirit guiding us in our parenting. But what if there really is a way to learn better and understand better. The Pathway program starts right there, assuming we never had that manual on how to be a good student. It makes the correct assumption, at least for me, that I might need specific skills and tips to begin this journey. So the first few weeks were all about providing some tools to help this learning process. They are all about reminding us of who we are, why we are here, how can we get where we want to go. Then lets put us into a Gathering every Thursday with a group of like minded individuals and we have total inspiration as a result.

There are 2 courses in this program, one is a religion/institute course and the others is a general studies course. Each week we have assignments for each course and many hours of study time is required. To whom much is given, much is required D&C 82:3. The first few weeks are the hardest, you have to navigate the computer and many of the students in my class were first timers on a computer, so there's a challenge from the get go. You have to work really hard to prove you want this. The price is so reasonable so that's not the real challenge for most of us. The real challenge is the time commitment, and we are reminded and given a test on the honor code. Just in case the lines have gotten a little blurry in life, those lines are straitened out and cleaned up to a very clear black and white. We know exactly what is expected of us all. Shall we run for the hills and take the easy way back to our comfort zones? I am so proud to say that only 2 people of our original 30ish students have dropped out, one never even showed up. I have no doubt the Lord will keep nudging them right on back to another class at another time.

My Eternal Family

Aren't we pretty?