Seminary this Friday!

I am hoping that you have all heard that there WILL be seminary this Friday! The student's day off while teachers attend in-service meetings at the institute has been done away with. This is due to school district furlough days. By attending seminary on those Fridays, we can be finished with our year on the 2nd or 3rd of June instead of the 10th or later.

We are just starting on the saints gathering in Kirtland! Gathering is a great home evening subject!

A quick note on attendance

I just wanted the parents to know what I told the students this morning: After finishing the October roll, some will notice that they have absences even though they attended seminary every day. How could this be??? Due to our new policy, outlined in an earlier blog entry, too many tardies can turn into an absence. A large percent of the class is arriving at least 5 minutes late. Kudos to Dayna and Natalie and Evan who were never tardy during October! Braden and Kiersten and Haley were almost perfect with just 2 "lates". Thank you to all of you who come on time! It makes the class run smoothly and the Spirit's presence more easily felt by all of us.

Lessons I Learned as a Boy

This is one of my favorite stories told by President Hinckley. What would the world be like if we all followed the lead of the older boy? The Spirit of God whispers to us to do good, continually. Let's listen!

October 10, 2010

This Sunday will be 10/10/10. I love days like this, (I think it is because of my Grandma Hope) they are just fun things that pop into our lives. But perhaps we should stop and think a little about the number ten as we prepare for our Sunday activities. There is an interesting article about the scriptural significance of the number 10 in the Bible and Book of Mormon that will get your brain cells moving. You might enjoy reading it: Meridian Magazine - The Scriptural Number Ten on October 10, 2010 I am going to make it a goal to do 10 nice/good things this Sunday. Let me know if you do this too, and we can compare notes.

Parents and Leaders: Well done!

While reading this article I was unable to keep the youth I know and their parents and leaders out of my thoughts. What and interesting world we live in, and what dramatic changes in religious beliefs and importance will occur in this generation's lifetime. Continue teaching truths, continue bearing testimony, continue opening your heart, continue sacrificing. It is making a huge difference in our youth's future.

Daniel Peterson: LDS teens attach importance to faith | Mormon Times

Avoid the fiery darts!

"For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God... Yet you should have been faithful". (Doctrine and Covenants 3:7-8) What a marvelous message for us today-to be more worried about respecting God and following in His ways than being swayed to follow the ways of "man". Look in verse 8 at the blessings that come when we are faithful: God's extended arm, His support against the "fiery darts" (and even the arrows) of the adversary and His presence in "every time of trouble". Samuel understood this doctrine. Joseph learned it in a very personal and poignant way, and gave us Section 3 and 10 to teach us an invaluable lesson.

Season of the Harvest

Today we celebrate the first day of fall. This is also a special day in church history; Joseph Smith received from the Angel Moroni the golden plates on this day in 1827. Just as fall is the season of the harvest, the translation of the Book of Mormon begins the "harvest"of mankind. What beautiful symbolism to help us remember this heavenly gift. Doctrine and Covenants 4:4 states "Behold, the field is white, ready to harvest..." . We have an exciting work to do, my friends! So happy harvest day to you all.

Mormon Church Growth By Stakes

Remember, YOU are a part of the "marvelous work and a wonder" in the Lord's plan for the latter days.

Through Heaven's Eyes

Last week I was able to attend a training day for seminary teachers in Irvine. Speaking was Elder Waddell, our Area Authority Seventy. He spoke of one of his Elders in Spain, where he served as Mission President. This Elder was not very handsome or eloquent. The language was difficult for him, yet he was an incredible missionary, bringing to many people the blessings of the gospel. In an interview with this young man, the question was asked; "What is the key to your success?". His reply? "When the person opens the door, I imagine them dressed in white. I see them for who they are, children of God." This statement came back to me in a very personal way this day, when I looked at the seminary students as who they really are and what they will soon be doing. With name tags on their suits and dresses. Dressed in white. Being spiritual leaders. I love them all. I pray that we can look at our children, our friends and ourselves as the Lord sees us, and strive to be that person while we are here, on this beautiful earth.

I thought you might like to hear this song that I shared at youth conference to help you keep these thoughts with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50HfPVpMZY

Seminary Website!

Greetings everyone!

Did you know there is a seminary website you can reach from lds.org? It is a bit tricky to find so here is how you locate it...

Go to www.lds.org and click on "Serving in the Church" at the top section.

Click on Seminary and Institutes of Religion in the drop down box.

On the Right is a box with "Seminary Website". Click on that.

Now, on the left is a box that will have in it "Scripture Mastery" Click that.

There you go! There are games that will help you memorize you scripture mastery. Please concentrate the most on Doctrine and Covenants, for the time being! Later on you can brush up on your past scriptures, too. This would be a great date activity, don't you think?

Students-go to the site and tell me what you did and it will be worth some Scripture Bucks. Parents, I would do the games when the kids are at school so you can show off your sweet S.M. skills at FHE. Just a thought... :]

http://seminary.lds.org/scripture-mastery/ Try this-it might get you directly there. Keep your fingers crossed!

Attendance Update

So we all start out on the same page, I thought I would go over what Br. Bronson said in our fireside about attendance.

-Seminary starts at 5:50 and ends at 6:40.

-If you arrive during opening exercises that will be counted as a 'Late'.

-If you arrive once I start talking, it becomes a 'Tardy'.

-3 'Late' arrivals become a 'Tardy'.

-5 'Tardy' arrivals become an 'Absence'.

To earn credit for the year of seminary, you must have at least an 80% attendance rate. (If you need to know what your attendance is, let me know and I can find out from the Institute Director.)

For those "strong and brave"* that leave early for practice or for any other reason, you will need to make sure you come on time. If you are 'Late' and leave early, I will have to count it as a 'Tardy'.

Please note that starting in October the teacher's in-service day will be the first Friday of the month, so no seminary for the students on that day. This is a change from last year. Also, we realize that Pacifica will be having late start every Wednesday. Seminary will still be held at the usual time. You will be blessed for coming!

*Luke B. in reference to the water polo team.

A Brand New Year!

Welcome seminary students and family to our new blog! Here you will be able to find schedules, get updates and learn what is going on in the wee hours of the morning in our seminary class. Here is to a great year studying the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. I can't wait for the 13th!