September - Master Level

I am SO excited to talk about turnings in history with you!  It's a fascinating subject that will help you make sense of your world and tie it into the cycles in the scriptures.  Another goal I have for class time is to help each of you understand how needed YOU are to successfully transform the difficulties of this fourth turning into the regeneration and renewal of a first generation!  YOU are the HERO GENERATION! (If you don't understand what I'm talking about here, read the book!) 

Master Level Inspirements:

1.  Watch Declaration of Independence signers' sacrifices HERE. (5 minutes)

2.  Read pages 1-22, 49-90, 95-105, 119-122, 254-334 (147 pages) in The Fourth Turning. The bulk of our time together will be spent discussing these readings and how they apply to you and your generation.  Be thinking how you fit into the current 'turning'. (I narrowed down the reading so it is more manageable, but you're more than welcome to read the whole book!

Choose ONE of the following inspirements to complete:

1.  Come prepared to teach your peers about the sacrifices made by one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  You could include what their life was like before and after they took a stand (home, family, job, etc.).  Don't spend a lot of time on this unless you want to.  This will take up only a brief part of our time together.  See this link for a list of signers to choose from.

2.  Find an example in the scriptures of a Hero generation (or an example of multiple turnings). 

In class we will also be discussing the importance of good mothers for a good society and the need for moral, capable statesmen/women. 

 

September - Journeyman

This month's principle is HUMILITY.  How does being HUMBLE tie into history, government & geography? Be thinking as you work on your inspirements how humility factors into the things we're studying so we can discuss it together.

Inspirements to Prepare for Class:

1. Read, watch or listen to The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson (click on words 'read', 'watch' or 'listen' for links).
2. Let Natalie know by September 4 which of the first 10 Principles of good government you'd like to teach the class about (from The 5,000 Year Leap). Call or text 801-347-9468 or email bountifulmomof4@yahoo.com.
3. Prepare a 3-5 minute presentation that will give the class the most important information about the principle you chose to present. Practice presenting in front of a trusted person and use their constructive criticism to make it better.  You can use note cards to remind you of key points, but please don't just read your presentation.
4. Read pages 1-129 in The 5,000 Year Leap (the introduction and the first 8 principles).  
5. Read the Introduction and Prologue in Just and Holy Principles (only 12 pages), then 'Treasure Hunt' for at least 3 gems you found thought-provoking.  Mark them and jot down your thoughts so we can discuss them in class.  
6.  Complete ONE of the following inspirements:
• Write a paper on the three branches of the U.S. Government.  Include how the branches work together to serve and protect citizens of America.  Refer to the 5,000 Year Leap pages 24-27 or do research elsewhere. Please have someone you trust proof-read your paper and help with paragraph organization, spelling, grammar.  Can be typed or hand-written but do your best!
• Find an example of the pride cycle in the Book of Mormon or Bible and be prepared to discuss in class.  Ask a parent or grandparent for help if you have trouble locating one on your own.
• Come up with an artistic representation of a way that the government can overstep its bounds and practice an IMPROPER role of government.  You could create a comic strip, a drawing, a poem, or a 3-minute skit with a friend. 
7. Read or listen to the quote segments below from Dallin H. Oaks' talk, "Freedom and Agency". You can find the mp3 link or the talk in its entirety at HERE (link). Come to class prepared to discuss what you learned. It may be helpful to do this inspirement with a trusted adult (great time to involve Grandma or Grandpa!).   
   
   Quote to read:

"Many losses of freedom are imposed by others. The science of government is a consideration of the procedures by which and the extent to which the official representatives of one group of citizens can impose restrictions on the freedom of another group. Decisions on the extent to which government power should restrict the freedom of individuals are among the most difficult decisions we face in an organized society. How much should zoning laws restrict a person’s right to use his own property? How many taxes should we extract, and what compulsory functions should government perform with them? How much harm can society allow a person to do himself, such as by self-mutilation or drug use? These are all questions of freedom."

"We have to accept some government limitations on freedom if we who live in communities are to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. A condition of uninhibited individual freedom would allow the strong to oppress the weak. It would allow the eccentric desires of one person to restrict the freedom of many."

"Interferences with our freedom do not deprive us of our free agency. When Pharaoh put Joseph in prison, he restricted Joseph’s freedom, but he did not take away his free agency. When Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple, he interfered with their freedom to engage in a particular activity at a particular time in a particular place, but he did not take away their free agency."

"The Lord has told us in modern revelation that He established the Constitution of the United States to assure “that every man may act . . . according to the moral agency which I have given unto him” (D&C 101:78). In other words, God established our Constitution to give us the vital political freedom necessary for us to act upon our personal choices in civil government. This revelation shows the distinction between agency (the power of choice), which is God-given, and freedom, the right to act upon our choices, which is protected by the Constitution and laws of the land."

Source of exerpts: Elder Dallin H. Oaks, http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=573

I know that Geo-Conquest requires a lot of reading.  Hopefully you won't give up and will trust that it will be worth it!  If it's any consolation, in class we're going to play a game, watch epic video clips of various battle speeches, look at political memes, and have fun learning from each other and sharing the gems of knowledge we've gained.  :)  

I'm super excited to work with you and exchange knowledge in a way that will allow the Holy Ghost to testify to us of truth and prompt us to find how we can use our knowledge to fulfill the missions God has given each one of us. 

 

2014-15 Geo-Conquest Introduction

I am so excited to be learning about history and geography with you this year!  I believe strongly in the principles upon which the United States was founded by our great Founding Fathers and passionately want to keep (and in some cases restore) the system of government they designed. In order to know for yourself that the system of government they designed is the best form of government (until the second coming of the Savior), you must study why it was designed the way it was and contrast it with other governmental structures and how they have played out historically.  I know that the Constitution of the United States of America has been approved by God as the right form of government for us and I hope you will come to know this too!

We will be studying the period of the Revolutionary War (1770s) through the Civil War (1860s) in America and will cover other world events within that time period as well. 

In September and October we will be laying a foundation of knowledge that will help us look at history for the remainder of the year.  These months will be pretty analytical and the reading may prove more difficult than the following months, but it is important because it will allow us to have the underlying knowledge and vocabulary needed to analyze historical events in future months.

We will also be looking at cycles in history because the most valuable thing we can learn from history is how to impact the future.  We are so blessed to have the Book of Mormon.  It is a historical account that allows us to learn from the past so we can do better in the future.  Take a minute to look at the following cycle of righteousness.  Try to identify where we are as a country in this cycle. Does this help you identify what's coming next or what we can do individually and collectively to return to righteousness, blessings and prosperity? 

 

I can't wait to discuss important things with some of the best and brightest and most capable youth who will soon be our country's leaders!