The Apostasy Cycle and your Hand, Babies Photo near failure success

Each week we were responsible for writing a letter to our mission president.

At the beginning (pre-Preach My Gospel) the body of the letter was completely left to us and we were responsible for reporting some numbers.

***June 26, 2004 LETTER TO PRESIDENT: Part One
President Pulsipher,
          This week we taught a lady named Lorline.  It was the first opportunity I had to teach, here in Pohnpei.  I'm grateful most people here have, at least, a slight grasp of the English language.  I got to teach about the apostasy pattern, and used that visual method with my hand.  She seemed to understand that pretty well.  We decided to touch on reformers, just a bit, to see how much she'd understand.  We got to Joseph Smith and the light bulb went on for her.  We all felt the spirit there helping us to learn together.

While we were in the MTC we learned (from another missionary) how to teach the apostasy cycle using our hands as a visual.

 

• Because God loves us, he sends us prophets like Adam.  Over time the people forget about God.  They fall into a state of disbelief and sin, so God takes away his power and priesthood from the people.
  
  But Because God loves us he sent another prophet, Noah, to help teach the people.  Noah cried repentance to the people.  They would not listen to him.  So God took his power off the earth again.
  
  But God loves us and sent Abraham, the prophet.  After a time the people would not listen to Abraham and God's teachings.  The people fell back into sin and disbelief.  God took his priesthood off the earth.
  
  But God loves us, so he sent a prophet to teach us, Moses.  After a while the people would not listen to Moses.  God removed his priesthood from the earth.
  
  But God loves us, so he sent his son, Jesus Christ who was more than a prophet.  Jesus Christ organized God's church.  He set the perfect example for us to know how to return to our Heavenly Father after this life.  But most of the people wouldn't listen to Jesus Christ.  After the people crucified Jesus, they killed most of the apostles and there was no one that had God's authority to use God's priesthood powers to  bless the lives of the people.
  
  
• As a matter of clarification, God still loves us and in modern times restored his gospel, his priesthood, his power and all the blessings related through a man named Joseph Smith.  Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
• We are still led by a prophet today, Thomas S. Monson.  God still loves us.

5 July 2013

Grammy once bought these babies matching-esque shirts and we tried to take pictures of them when they were tired and crazy

Listening to The Spirit and Continuing (Continuous) Learning

Wow, what a week.  We were just getting ready for Lloyd's preschool "graduation."  Can't imagine how busy we'll be fore his real graduation.

Here's the rest of the talk I shared last week:

***ZONE CONFERENCE TALK: Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3 "How the spirit speaks to me"
          In, "Lord Accept Our True Devotion" it says, "Let they spirit whisper peace, swell our hearts with fond emotion, and our joy in thee increase."  A few weeks before I was to report to the MTC I questioning myself.  I felt like I had a lot going for me at home and didn't know if going on a mission was the right decision.  I took this concern to the temple.  As I prayed there, a feeling of peace came over me.  I wasn't confused about my decision anymore.  I felt good about it.  I know that was the Holy Ghost speaking to me.  Speaking peace to me and swelling my heart with joy.
          In, "Let the Holy Spirit guide" we sing, "Let the Holy Spirit guide, let him teach us what is true, He will testify of Christ, light our minds with heavens view."When I was at the MTC, I know i was blessed with amazing teachers.  One of them was Brother Robinson.  While we were studying about the restoration, I was having trouble seeing how that whole discussion fit together.   Brother Robinson went over it and as he was speaking, things started to click.  It all started to make sense.  I know that was the spirit.  I know that he spirit helps us to learn.  The spirit teaches us what is true.
          I know the spirit speaks to us.  I know the spirit speaks to me.  To my mind and o my heart.  It helps me to learn things when I am confused.  It brings knowledge to my mind and helps me to remember things i may need.  I know the spirit speaks peace to my heart when I feel conflicted or sand or angry.  I know the spirit testifies of Christ.  I know that if I learn to trust the promptings of the spirit I will be led to do the things that I should do.

1 July 2013

Yesterday our Sunday school lesson was on learning by study and also by faith.  Sister Porter mentioned about free online courses at BYU.  I did a little search and organized a new page of free online courses (see new tab /\ /\).

Last year I took an online course at the Univeristy of Georgia on food preservation.

I haven't used any of that information yet, but it was an informative class.

The class was not for credit, but I did get a pdf of a certificate I can print.

The class was slideshow style with pretests and quizzes in each section.

You needed to get at least a 70 in order to pass each section.

I could do it on my own time and was able to print out the lectures for future reference.

It was awesome!