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Melissa's "Last Lecture"

Reflection is starting to become an important part of my life. My kids are starting to spread their wings and head out into the world. I have spouted plenty of advise, counsel and personal insight to my children over the years. It has been interesting to watch and see if any of it has been worthwhile or helpful. I think that what I would want to share here is some of what I have poured my heart into over the years sharing with those most dear to me -- my children. I will do it by answering the questions below: If you had one final lecture to share with a group of students on what you have learned from this course, what would you share?  Lesson 1 for my children: Some of the things that I have learned from this course that will stick with me are that success = using what I have to I lift and help others. What I do in my life will be worthwhile if I am working to seek out those in need and do what I can to help them. I have been given so much and blessed beyond anything I dese...
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I have been so inspired by this course. It has given me much to contemplate about what I want to do with my life. I am not sure I have decided on anything specific yet, but I have figured out that it is important to think about what I am doing with my life.  I love photography. I don't get to spend any time on it at all. I have been so busy with everything else in my life, including school and work. I just get so excited and have a fire lit inside of me when I am shooting with my camera. It seems like a huge mountain to climb to get where I want to, but I know it its worthwhile. Working to make the world a better place is what I am called to do. I have some things to learn to make it work, but feel more sure and inspired than ever to keep working toward it.  Another really important thing that I have learned is that there is much to learn about running a business. This week I loved what President Monson said about how much better it is to give than to receive. When we are ...
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"What's A Business For?" -Charles Handy Based on what you read in the first two pages (pages 3 and 4), why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy? TRUST. When the trust is gone, or even shaky, it tends to effect business and economy. It certainly effects the consumer, but also has a great consequences for the those employed by companies. Both are critical to economy. Integrity and virtue hold great power to confidently and with peace of conscience help those making critical business and financial decisions in "steering their ship". The temptation to steal and skim seems to be pervasive in business- and is very much a self-serving act. Virtue and Integrity help one to see beyond themselves and work to the betterment of the business. It invites trust and confidence from others and that invites more business.  According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses? It is for a business to do something mo...
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Rest, Real Rest -- Attainable?

The reading material was great this week, as always. But Chapter 7 in The Heroes Journey felt like it was written for/to me. It is kind of a joke in my family how little sleep I get. Even when I am working to have "down time" - it is often watching a movie or some series on Netflix. It amounts to less sleep and no real peace. "Without rest, as we press on, day after day, striving and working, we become frazzled. We think less clearly; we make poor decisions; we snap at loved ones." I have become so spread thin with all that I am trying to do that I am beyond frazzled. I know that the Lord has carried me through much of it. I have no right to claim all that I can get done in a week sometimes. It has truly been through the grace of a loving Savior. But I notice that I start into a pattern of numbness and distance from the peace and warmth of the Spirit. Not because there is overt sinning or even anything bad. But, just checking the boxes and getting done what need...
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The Challenge to Become

I first thought this title described how hard it is and what a challenge it is to "Become". I really enjoyed readying it and realizing that Elder Oaks was issuing a "Challenge to Become". I think this is very cool. Elder Oaks is such an amazing orator and so smart. I love to read his words and I appreciated this challenge 'to become'. To become a better disciple of Jesus Christ. A couple of great and wise points that Elder Oaks taught in this talk are: "Now is the time for each o us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should remember that our family relationships--even more than our Church callings--are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur. The conversion we must achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a good wife and mother. Being a successful Church leader is not enough. Exaltation is an eternal family experience...
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The Emperor of Flower Seeds & DPC

Reading this Hero's Journey book has been interesting. I have enjoyed the little clips of wisdom. I found it very interesting that Jeff Sandefer shared that he not only met and knew Jeff Skillings, but that that they were friends. I really found his perspective interesting. He knew Jeff Skillings as a person, not just as an Enron evil-doer. Sometimes I think I forget that people who do terrible things like he did, are just people... who have lost their way. It must have been difficult for Jeff Sandefer to watch his friend make those unwise decisions and then have to account for them. I really loved the talk that we read this week by David A. Bednar. I have read that talk before and loved it. Which makes it especially fun to review the principles. I love how he outlined BYU-I and other Church institutions as Disciple Preparation/Learning Centers. Factor #1: BYU-Idaho is a temple of learning Factor #2: BYU-Idaho will be located next to a House of the Lord (and now the temple ha...
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Good Things To Come

One of the videos this week was Elder Holland's "Good Things to Come". I love that little Mormon Message. It takes me back to times where I wanted to quit. Times that I felt like I was not equipped to "slay my dragon" - so to speak. It is emotional for me every time I watch it. I lost a baby when I was seven months pregnant. It felt more than I could bear. It has almost been six years now since our little boy was born. Just one year prior, one of my dearest friends lost her eighteen year old son. When I watched this video this week, it took me back to those days that seemed impossible to me to move forward. I think that I loved the Hero's Journey reading this week for the same reason. There have been some tough things in my life that I have had to overcome, but those deaths and that time period 6 or so years ago was a dragon I didn't feel equipped to slay. But it was a one day at a time sort of progress. Some days, it was minute by minute. But with alm...
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