BYU Education Week

Last week was Education Week which is usually one of the highlights of the year for me. This time I was unable to attend as much as previous years and I believe I was too stressed to really do it justice.

That said, it was still worth every penny of the registration fee!

I attended several classes on teaching. I love to teach! I especially love to teach the youth and I love to teach them the gospel! So, I enjoy attending classes designed to help me become a more effective teacher. Then, it is so fun to come home and try to put those lessons into play at home, in Young Women's, and when I substitute teach seminary.

I truly desire to be an instrument in the Lord's hands in building His kingdom and in preaching His word.

great Ed Week quotes

Speaking of temple work and guardian angel:
"Whoever seeks to help those on the other side receives hlp n return in all areas of their life." - Elder John A Widstoe
"Perhaps if we would do our work in behalf of those unseen dead, they would help us in our hour of urgent need." - Elder John A. Widstoe
"In the gospel of Jesus Christ we have help from both sides of the veil." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Speaking of scriptures:
"Going to the scriptures to learn what to do, makes all the difference." - Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Speaking of the Atonement:
"The enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ strengthens us to do that which we could not do on our own."
The closer we get to God, the more the small things bother us."

Speaking of Personal Revelation:
"...before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
"The prompting that goes unresponded to may not be repeated" - Elder Neal A. Maxwell
"When we get revelation, write it down then ask, 'Is there more?'" - Elder Richard G. Scott
"Knowledge carefully recorded is knowledge available in time of need." - Elder Richard G. Scott

sin and unmet needs

I learned so much from Education Week that I'm sure my posts will be filled with things from that for the next while.

One intriguing idea was that "all sin springs from deep and unmet needs". This idea came from a talk "Jesus the Perfect Leader" given by President Spencer W. Kimball.

The instructor of the class who introduced this idea to me had once been a bishop. He said he came across this talk from Pres. Kimball and it changed how he counseled as a bishop. Instead of first addressing the sin, he would try to help the individual discover what the deep, unmet need was so that they could change the behavior.

He shared an example of a young couple (BYU students) who were ready to divorce. He found that they were surviving on rice krispies, Coke, and lemon creme cookies. He got them to change their eating habits and that turned their marriage around.

That is (I am sure) an extreme example. Still, it has caused me to reflect. What sins of mine stem from an unmet need? What is that need? How do I go about filling that need? Am I helping meet my children's unmet needs? My husband's?

Education Week

I've spent this week at Education Week at BYU. I'm loving it so far!

I look forward to this week every year. It provides a spiritual boost and a plethora of ideas. Over the years, I have incorporated many of the things I've learned into my teaching methods or into my family practices or into my own personal habits. I have also gained a great deal of knowledge about the scriptures.

The theme this year is "Teach one another words of wisdom". However, the message that I've received is to have more trust in the Lord. I need to be better about laying my cares and concerns at His feet and not allowing myself to feel stressed and heavy-hearted.

I always find it interesting that although a theme may be chosen for a conference or a talk, I hear what I need to hear.

(Two more days at BYU...so excited!)

FAITH

From a BYU Education Week class taught by Hank Smith, here's 3 ways to increase faith:

1) Believe in good things to come
2) Distance yourself from the world
(don't judge through the world's eyes)
3) Let go of the past


Here's some great quotes dealing with letting go of the past:

It's not fair to judge yesterday's mistakes with today's knowledge" -Hank Smith

"Refuse to let yesterday hold tomorrow hostage." -Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"Don't create a barrier to progress by tying yourselves to past experiences." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"...faith is always pointed towards the future." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

marriage

Here's some excerpts from John Bytheway's class on Marriage at BYU Education Week:

"...we can see others' examples as inspiration, instead of as measuring sticks..."
--Joni Hilton

Harmony is being different together. Elder Neal A. Maxwell called it "compensating competences". I really like that because I often think that I'm so glad Kevin and I do the parenting thing together. He is certainly better at some aspects than I am or has patience when I've run out. I would hate to be a single parent!

People either change themselves or they are changed by the Holy Ghost (there is no other way to change people).

Your marriage will grow and develop and last if the positives (compliments, affection, etc) outnumber the negatives (complaints, criticisms, etc) by 5 to 1.

Ardeth Kapp was once asked about her husband "How did you find a man like him?" Her answer "I didn't find him like this..." (gotta love it!)

identifying the problem

Another class that I found helpful at BYU Education Week was taught by John Bytheway. He talked about identifying problems correctly before we try to solve them. Problems stem from 3 areas:

1)Value - should I? (doesn't know value of doing it)
2)Motivation - will I? (knows should do but doesn't want to)
3)Competency - can I? (knows should do and wants to but doesn't know how or is unable)

For example, as a teen, I almost never made my bed. It wasn't because I didn't know how. After all, I worked a couple summers as a hotel maid - I could make hospital corners with the best of them. I just couldn't see any value in doing it. I was just going to sleep in it again and mess it up again. Why bother making it? It drove my mom crazy but having her show me how was not what was needed. There was no motivation to make my bed and I couldn't see the value in it so it didn't happen.

I think that as a parent, I often attack the value of a problem. For example, Brakston steady dated throughout high school against the prophets' counsel and his parents' wishes. I kept attacking the problem from a value standpoint. "You shouldn't do that." Now I can see that the issue was more competency based. I think it was too scary for him to ask out different girls. Steady dating felt safer and more comfortable.

My goal is to try to correctly identify the problem (whether as a parent or a spouse or a leader or whatever) before I jump in and try to solve it. I see the value in such an approach and I'm motivated, now let's just see if I am able to do so!

blind spots

One of the classes I attended at BYU Education Week was taught by Hank Smith. He is a friend of mine who teaches at Copper Hills seminary. He is absolutely laugh-out-loud-until-you-cry hilarious!

Anyways, Tuesday's class dealt with marriages but could be applied to any relationship. He called it "Motes, Beams, and Marriages" based on Matthew 7:3 and Luke 6:41. Basically, there are 4 areas:

Known to self and known to others = ARENA
Known to self and unknown to others = FACADE
Unknown to self and unknown to others = UNKNOWN (potential)
Unknown to self and known to others = BLIND SPOT

Most problems come from our blind spots! We don't always consider that we are the problem or our actions are the problem because we can't see ourselves clearly.

To reduce our blind spot (and therefore reduce problems), we should:

1) closely examine ourselves first
2) ask trusted individuals to reveal our blind spots to us
3) listen to the Spirit

It was recorded about the Prophet Joseph Smith that when he received untrue criticism (and we know he received a lot of that), he would carefully review his actions to see if anything (even unconciously done) could have contributed to that criticism. If he found some basis, he would go to the person and thank them for showing him a weakness he didn't know he possessed.

That takes courage! Sometimes I feel like I'm so full of imperfections that I know about that I don't need anyone to point out any more! I don't often want to know that I'm the cause of my own problems. Still, it's good advice and I know I'd do well to take it.

"Lord, is it I?" (Matthew 26:22)