Role Models

This week for class we talked about both the myths and trends that the American "Family" is facing. The age for marriage is rising, women are working, teens are having more sex, abortion is becoming more and more available, couples are choosing cohabitation over marriage, and it just gets worse. However, throughout this week of classes, I have had one word echoing in my head and that is HOPE. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints, I don't look at these trends and get freaked out over getting married and what my family will be like. I know that by living the teachings of the gospel, we can have good relationships with our family in the midst of all the chaos.

Yesterday we talked about the population declining because more and more people are deciding to have 1 maybe 2 children at the most. In the video, "Demographic Winter," The author of the book "The Population Boom" claimed that having 5 children was as selfish as robbing the bank of 5 million dollars. I would like to tell him now that the opposite is true. Not having babies is what is selfish. In class we touched on the effect of role models and what one person can do to make a difference. Like most girls, my role model is my mom. After my oldest brother was born my mom was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She was told she would need to have her uterus removed which meant no more babies. She asked about chemo therapy and radiation as an alternative. The doctor told her that her chances of the cancer spreading would be increased and it wasn't worth the risk. Mom went forward with faith to receive the chemo and radiation  anyways. Long story short, mom had 5 more babies. She literally risked her life to have children. Just the other day she said to me "Lex, as much as I love BJ, what would I have done without the rest of you?" I jokingly responded that we would have found our way down here eventually somehow. But in all reality, my mom is a solid example to me that family is where it's at. Family is always worth the risk.

In conclusion, as Latter-Day Saints it is our duty to stand up for the family and be role models to the rest of the world. They can laugh at us because we get married and have 8 children, but we stand as powerful examples. I can't imagine life without my big crazy family. They are my best friends. I fully intend to have a large family of my own when the time is right. President Hinckley once said, "The sun will never set on the work of the Lord." Families are ordained of God and they will never lose that standing if we all do our part to be role models to the world.

Deep Learning

The thing that I enjoyed most this week was Brother Williams explaining a study done called Deep Learning. He taught us that when we ask three types of questions we are being deep learners. The three types of questions are: Important, Intriguing, and just plain beautiful. Important questions are ones that, for me, are the ones that clear up confusion or just help to understand/comprehend  the material. Intriguing questions are ones that get me to think, to look deeper. To inspect at different levels and make new connections. And just plain beautiful ones, I think, are the ones that come from applying the important and intriguing questions into one. Just plain beautiful questions are the ones that just make you have to stop, slow down, and really think. All three questions invite the Holy Ghost, the teacher of truth.

The study said that when you apply these questions into your learning, change happens. When you really learn, you want to change, be better. As I've tried applying this principle to my classes, I've been more prepared, more eager to learn, and more eager to listen to my classmates. The classes haven't changed, but my attitude toward them definitely has.

Another way I tried applying this was in church yesterday. I had the opportunity to give the lesson in Relief Society and I taught the girls this principle, and asked them to apply it to their comments as well. Those amazing women did just what I asked and it was a beautiful thing. We each come from different lifestyles. We're all at the same school, but how each person got here is so different. There is so much to be learned from fellow classmates whether it's an intriguing question in math class, or a just plain beautiful comment in Family Relations. Change is going on all around us in classmates and ourselves. All anyone has to do is speak up.