I teach seminary for the local high school students. It starts at 6:30am every school day. It is now time for me to start preparing for the upcoming year. I have been battling with myself a bit lately. The battle goes something like this: I am excited we get to study the Old Testament this year! I learned so very very much when I taught it before! I am excited that I can draw on my previous lessons and experience and make our study even better! I love expanding my understanding and appreciation of the Gospel. I love the students - they are wonderful! I LOVE feeling the Spirit each day as I prepare lessons and as I teach! BUT how did I ever get up at 4:30am every morning?! How did I prepare 5 lessons each week that would interest high school students? I'm going to have to go to bed early again. I won't be able to sleep til 6:30am and enjoy surveying the valley out front and my hill in back every morning. I am going to have to spend 20-plus hours a week on this. It's hard for me to teach, and I bet I'm not a very good teacher. I wonder if they wish there could be a new seminary teacher. Why did I tell them I will teach again this year? It is so hard to teach seminary!
Then this morning the Spirit said to me: "Just focus on all the good. Forget the hard stuff. You know I will help you each day as I have in the past. Have fun and enjoy it!"
Now, why didn't I think of that? (That's what I always think when the Spirit points out the simple but profound to me.) I am not only going to apply to seminary, I am going to apply that to anything I have to do that is hard. You can use it too if you want.......!
9 comments:
Good for you!!! Positive thinking works everytime. Why do we even entertain the negative but I do.
Lately I find myself commenting to myself (I'm a black/white type person) I say, "I HATE MY LIFE" and really mean it! and feel so sorry for myself. Then one Day I wake up and feel so good, "I LOVE MY LIFE" The only difference between these to phrases is how I ALLOW myself to react or perceive situations. I am really going to try and eliminate the negative statement.
That is great and I am sure you are a wonderful teacher and your students love you!! I wish I could take seminary from you and I bet just being able to feel that spirit in the morning is TOTALLY worth waking up at 4:30 am for!! Enjoy it while it lasts!!
You'll do an awesome job Michelle. I admire your ability to teach. High School is an interesting age but i'm sure if they are getting up that early too that they are dedicated young LDS kids. Way to go!!
I was watching KBYU yesterday and they had a live broadcast of Elder Scott's opening address for Education Week. It was all about how to teach and it was wonderful. There were some great quotes (I hope they replay it. I thought of one thing he said when I read your post "Easy things never produce much beneficial fruit. Neither Heavenly Father nor Jesus Christ take joy in watching you struggle, but they do rejoice when they see you master these steps to growth." It was one of the best talks on teaching and being taught that I have ever heard.
I am glad there are great people like you teaching the gospel.
Way to focus on the positive! I need to do this more too! Thanks, Mom.
I love that thought! Too easily I get overwhelmed by hard things, and I forget that with the Lord I can do anything in this life. Either He makes things seem easy or He makes them easy. Thank you for the reminder!
"FOCUS" will be my mantra for the day. Thanks for the reminder.
Thank you for that reminder.
And you are an EXCELLENT teacher. Your students are lucky.
Focus on the good! Good reminder. I hear Seminary is one of the best and hardest callings to have! But I've always heard how great it is! The times I have been up early in the morning before anyone else is, in the house and out. I have truly enjoyed the peace and beauty of a new day. Since I am not an early person I am trying to focus on the good!
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