Teach them to Understand

I know it has been a while since I have posted and I am sorry for that. I have been under the gun with the end of summer, clients, and Church lessons. Last week I taught Gospel Doctrine (I was called to this earlier this summer) and the Relief Society (I got that call on Saturday night at 9:30pm) and this week I am giving a talk. :)

My talk today is entitled "Teach them to Understand" and really covers my lessons last week - the importance or really critical responsibility of teaching our children the gospel. But it is not just teaching them, but teaching them to understand.

My talk today is based on a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar in 1998 at Education Week at Ricks College. Click here for this talk. This is one of the most incredible talks I have read. Please read it and be fed like I have been today.

This talk incorporates a lot of what I do for my work. I know a lot of you really don't know or understand what I do and sometime I will fill you (don't have time now), but it incorporates a lot of teaching principles of success for my specific industry. Many years ago when I was living in Provo and working at Morinda (now called Tahitian Noni), I was trying to decide what to do when we moved back home to the Pacific Northwest. As I prayed and pondered about it, I really felt inspired that I should become a teacher. At that time, I had NO desire to become a teacher. So, I prayed that if that was the right thing for me, then I would have a desire to do that. And of course, my prayers were answered. I grew a desire to teach.

It is funny because at that time, with my limited perspective, I saw teaching as become a classroom teacher. I see now that that was not the case. I am a teacher now, but in my own profession, not in the classroom. And I am a teacher in my home and at church. I love to teach. One of the most important aspects of teaching is to help the students, whoever they may be (children or adults, church or profession or family) to Understand. You cannot truly know a principle or doctrine if you do not understand the Why and How. Knowing the answer is not enough. You have to understand.

Again, read this talk. It will be time well spent.

:)

I wish I knew Chinese

I wish I knew Chinese. It sounds like such a cool language. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to speak it? My brother in-law speaks it as he went to Hong Kong on his mission. Very cool. :)

It would be particularly helpful to know it so that if people are speaking Chinese but intersperse it with your name, then you would actually know what they were saying. The Chinese people keep saying my name but I have no idea what they are saying about me!

I guess I better start watching Ni-Hao Kailan more. :)


:)

Gold Star to Technology

Technology gets a Gold Star today. I am sitting on an online meeting right now. We have individuals from China, Canada, Idaho, and myself (on the West Coast). How amazing it is to be able to conference over thousands of miles like this. Wow. :)

:)

All is Well

Well, I did it. I finished. :) And (drum roll please) I didn't cheat! I didn't read the end first! I actually taped the last 150 pages or so behind the back cover so I couldn't peak even if I wanted to. Which I did (want to) but didn't (peek). :) Yeah for me!

YEAH! This is me doing a happy dance!

I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it, but suffice it to say I am very pleased with how everything worked out.


Ahhhh... (sigh of relief)

:)

Friday Favorites

Ok, I know that I have done this one already, but how could I not do it today? Today has been a "Avoid thinking about Breaking Dawn coming out and my obsessive need to know that Bella chooses Edward and Jacob imprints with someone else" day. That's right. At the start of my business call, I couldn't help but mention it to someone else while we were waiting for the others.

If you haven't guessed, my Friday Favorites today is the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. If you haven't read it yet, WHY NOT?!!! Honestly, I have not met anyone that has read it that didn't absolutely love it!

I am also happy to say that I am going to the pre-release party at Barnes and Noble tonight. The only bummer is that I won't be able to stay until midnight to actually purchase the book! I have, however, arranged with a friend to do the deed for me. I am trying to determine if I can get it from her before 6am tomorrow morning. :)

My thanks go to my friend, Autumn, who suggested that I tape the last 3/4 of the book closed so I can't cheat. Honestly, I think I am going to have to implement that suggestion. :)

So that is my Friday Favorites for today. Happy reading to one and all. :)

:)