These are the questions still bouncing around in my head. They are the questions that Therese Collins challenged us with at our last class at the end of October. To recap in case you missed my first introduction to the class back in September. This was an 8-week class given by Sister Collins (my former mission leader) which she designed around a talk given by President Nelson in October 2022, "Overcome the World and Find Rest." She designed the course and put together an amazing collection of presenters, music, quotes, and personal experiences to teach us and motivate us and to increase our understanding of our covenants. Most of all, to make a step--tiny or huge--but a step forward closer to the Savior.
Each Saturday morning, she provided 6-10 sheets of quotes, activities, and scriptures for us to use during our class on Monday and to keep in our journal which she provided at the beginning of the class. I took notes both in the journal and on the sheets she sent us (which we glued into the journals). I added summary pages to some of the lessons and will probably go back and do that for the few classes which I didn't attend since I was out of town. My journal is now packed with great quotes and priceless information, but there are still many blank pages. I am trying to figure out how to use the journal for future study and as a reminder of the truths I heard and felt.
Our course of study:
One week there was an emphasis on our patriarchal blessings. We were invited to print a copy and then mark it like we would do with the scriptures--highlighting special parts, noticing words which were repeated, looking for warnings and blessings, etc. It was AMAZING! I kept my working copy in this journal for future review. I also took the opportunity to write down what I remember about the experience of receiving my patriarchal blessing when I was 15. That was good as well.
The topic of the desires of our hearts is an important one for me and I loved the class where we talked about that. We also had an assignment to choose a scripture from a list and rewrite it as if it was written specifically for us. When I decided to use that for my summary of the class, I knew that I did not want to have a traditional heart shape, but I wanted an image that reflected the human heart inside of us. I want my desires to match our Savior's with my WHOLE ACTUAL heart and I want His Image and His Teachings to be found there.
As you can see, we learned things, we heard things, and we felt things as we discussed a variety of topics together in the group and in smaller discussion groups. These women were almost all from Sister Collins's stake in the hills of Draper. They came from different backgrounds and were living lives for the most part in certainly different economic ways than the more suburban life of Syracuse. I didn't know any of them. But you know what? It was great to hear their comments and testimonies and many times I would think--I wish I knew that person and could have known the rest of THAT story or experience they shared. And when we did one on one discussion groups, it was so amazing to connect with them on these gospel topics. It all was well worth the hour drive down and then back and a great way to start the week.
And it was fun to connect with Sister Collins during the week as we thought of other things we could have said and I learned near the end that many people did the same thing with her---she said she was going to miss these spiritual emails coming each week. We love her and she loves us as a class and individually and the people she invited to share were amazing as well.
But it still goes back to the question--how am I different because of this whole experience?
1. I have "uped my game" in regards to the temple. We have done fairly well going once a week (except when I was sick with the kidney stone), but I think I was taking it a bit casual. I loved it, but I wasn't using the experiences there to worship intentionally. Being intentionally in our discipleship is important and one of those places is the temple. I have also focused on learning more about the temple covenants and history. I am currently reading a small three book series about the temple and hope to read more to expand my understanding. My new goal: four endowments, a sealing session and an initiatory each month. I know it isn't a huge commitment but it is the right goal for me right now.
2. I am different because I have learned some new teaching skills which I hope to use as a gospel doctrine teacher. It is good to learn from others.
3. I am more connected to my patriarchal blessing and to my testimony of them in general in our lives. I hope to continue to write about its fulfillment in my life to share with my children and grandchildren after I am gone.
And the desires of my heart continue to adjust and refocus on things that really matter--Jesus Christ, His Gospel and His Atonement in behalf of all of us; our family; and the community we live in. May I be found doing good.
Thanks, Theresa. Until the next time....
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