Education and Teaching

So I've just finished reading a book by Jacques Barzun written in 1945 entitled Teacher in America. One question it raised for me is what is education? We expect education to teach our children everything..."what the rest of the world leaves undone." He then proceeds to say that "education is a lifelong discipline of the individual by himself" and thus education is a synonym for civilization. I truly believe in lifelong learning. I believe that what we learn on this earth gives us an advantage in the next. I believe that there are good ways to get educations and poor ways, but throughout life's lessons every single one of us becomes more educated. I believe that every person is an educator - we all have responsibilities to teach...to teach our children, to teach fellow employees, to teach our neighbors, but we may never know what we taught someone. I especially believe that it is my responsibility to teach my children. It is not the government's responsibility, it is not my church's responsibility, but it is my responsibility and my right to teach my children. The government, my church, my neighbors and friends, they should and I hope will help me to teach my children, but ultimately it is my responsibility. And so I need to be best prepared to teach my children by being educated myself.

My Purpose

I believe that we all have a purpose in life and so recently I decided to write mine down and now I feel the need to share it with others, so... My purpose in life is to bring others joy. Both in this life and in the next. I can do that by continuing to develop my gift for charity and always being willing to serve those around me. I also need to be an example. If I have joy then I can share that joy and to some degree it is contagious. I can bring joy to others by living and sharing the gospel. I also feel a solemn responsibility to do temple work for my ancestors so I can bring them happiness. One of my sacred responsibilities is to have children and give those precious spirits the opportunity for joy. I need to teach them how to have joy, but ultimately realize that they have their agency. It was an interesting experience for me to write my purpose in life and to think about it. I know that I have a role and I have understood that for a while, but to actually try to figure out what it is was a very enjoyable experience. I definitely spent some time on my knees and spent time listening. I just find it so amazing and now I feel like I have some definitive direction for my life right now!

Tree of Knowledge

So as I was reading my scriptures yesterday I had a realization. I realized that if it hadn't been part of the plan for Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit from the tree of knowledge, than Heavenly Father would have prevented them by placing cherubim and a flaming sword to prevent them. He sure didn't hesitate to do so to the tree of life after they partook.

Agency

One of the rights that we fought for before we came to earth was the right to agency. Sometimes it is so hard to remember that everyone has their agency. Sometimes it is hard for me because I know that my friends are making poor choices and it is hard for me to see them do such, but ultimately it is their agency and they will reap their consequences. I hate calling it 'free agency' because it is not free. Consequences are a result of every choice that we make. I wonder sometimes if 'free agency' became a combination from 'free will' and 'agency.' Anyway, I really like these scriptures from 2 Nephi 2 about agency: "...there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon..Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other." It really makes me think about being proactive vs. reactive. If we are being proactive then we are choosing to act, but when we are reactive then we are being acted upon. Part of the plan is to see how we will act when we have two opposite forces acting upon us. If we choose to act then we are using our agency correctly. Later in 2 Nephi 2 it says, "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." The italicized part informs me that everyone has enough information to make good choices and bad choices. We all have our agency despite our life's circumstances. I know I don't always use my agency as I should, but I am striving to turn my will into the Lord's will, and hopefully every day I get a little closer!!!:)

Finding Happiness

I don't know that this idea is fully developed, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It all started with a class in church - someone made the comment that your spouse can't make you happy. At first I disagreed, but as I've thought about it a lot more, I've come to the conclusion that happiness has to come from within. You have to look to God and yourself for true happiness and if you find it there then you will be happy no matter what. However, you should be happy in your marriage too, Being with someone so much allows you the opportunity to get to know your spouse very well. So you can pick out the things that will make them tick or you can focus on the things that make them happy and spend your time serving each other. My husband and I choose the latter; which creates happiness in our home. I know whenever I am sad that my husband can cheer me up and make me feel better. However, sometimes we have to ask God first (usually in those cases he gives me a blessing and it works wonders!!!:) I'm not exactly sure how to become happy, other than I know it is a choice. Several years ago I took an institute class and the teacher talked about Christ and how He chose to be happy. Our countenances our supposed to reflect Christ, which is a sacred responsibility. I know that Christ took time to "mourn with those that mourn" and He angrily cast people out of the temple, but He mostly spent His time in service and love to others and I have to believe that He was happy...filled with joy as we are meant to be. So I guess as we become more like Christ than we can find joy and be happy with our decisions, despite adversity and trials.