Up to Section 64

Monday we will continue with section 64, with the 2nd Scripture Mastery in that section! Hopefully the purposes of Zion is making sense, the importance of missionary work, the struggles of the early saints, and the commandment we have been given to FORGIVE all men. Or the sin is on us. Sobering doctrine.

I have a growing appreciation for the home teaching program in the Church. I know it isn't an easy assignment, to correlate schedules, find everyone home. We have missed visits since we've been here in this home. Until recently, we got a new assignment. Once a month, an assigned man from the Church comes and checks on us, in our home. Gives us a lesson. Sometimes brings treats his wife made. Makes sure we are doing okay spiritually and physically. THIS MONTH HE FIXED OUR VAN HEATER! Every time I get in the van and feel the warmth, I am thankful. We would have gone much longer waiting to go get it fixed. My warm toes are thankful!

I know sometimes we do things for free-service/donations/gifts--but it makes it really easy to offer to barter/trade/reciprocate in these situations. This hometeacher is super talented and handy. Mechanically and tear-down-walls kind of guy. In return one of his sons is going to get a fantastic bedroom redo, mural of his choosing. That, to me, is what creating a Zion community is all about. No poor among you because you are sharing your talents and means with one another, united in faith and service, pure in heart=loving and free from the vices and selfishness that ruins neighborhoods.


Nine more mornings of class before the Christmas break. Landbecks have food next Friday. YES class on the 23rd of December(IT WILL BE A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JOSEPH SMITH! PLEASE COME!)

Consider catching up on your personal scripture reading during the long break. Continue to read scriptures first thing in the morning. Have your own mini-devotional and start your day our right!

What is Your Favorite Commandment?

Yesterday we listed the traditional 10 commandments prophet Moses gave us plus two (Mormons have lots of commandments they are responsible for, many, many more than just 10 and with additional instruction on those first ten). The student journal question for the morning was "What is your favorite commandment and why?"

1. no other gods before me + "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind and strength"
2. not make any graven image
3. not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
4. remember the sabbath day to keep it holy + "go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day" and "let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart..."
5. honour thy fahter and thy mother
6. not kill + "nor do anything like unto it"
7. no adultery + "love thy wife with all thy heart, and cleave unto her nad none else" and "he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit" and "nor do anythign like unto it"
8. not steal + "pay for that which thou receivest of thy brother" and nor do anything like unto it
9. not bear false witness + "not lie" "not speak evil of thy neighbor, nor do him any harm" and "live together in love" and "love thy neighbor as thyself
10. not covet
11. "Thou shalt not be proud in thy heart" Doctrine & Covenants 42:40; "Thous shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things" Doctrine & Covenants 59:7
12. "Thous shalt not be idle" Doctrine & Covenants 42:42

Eye Single to....

What do we value the most? What is our passion, our favorite thing in life? And how can we use that to consecrate our lives and build up the kingdom?

We made pirate eye patches, to see what it felt like to have a single eye.

Is this what the scripture means? An eye single to the glory of God!

Or is it something else?

Like service? Putting the Lord's kingdom first, and using our talents and interests to build up the Church?


Here is a good link to an article about seminary. Becky Thomas of the Deseret News says:

"Isn't that what seminary is all about? A time and place set aside to learn absolute truths, raise the bar and rub shoulders with others who are striving to do the same.

Oh, the joy of seminary.

Yes it is a joy, along with the discipline and sacrifice comes a great opportunity to grow, change and experience a spiritual makeover."

FEAST on Scriptures!

(the students got these before Halloween, in case they didn't have a costume for the ward trunk-or-treat!)

Take a big bite out of reading the whole Doctrine & Covenants by May!

Me, aka Mrs. Rejoice & No Fear

Section 25 is full of good qualities for young women to emulate. I told my 9 YW students they were elect and chosen and sent them out of the seminary classroom, gave them sparkly homemade Miss America sashes while Brother Landbeck gave the 5 young men a pep talk about appreciating with spiritual eyes the values that the Lord pointed out to Emma Smith. Miss Given to Reading and Writing Much; Miss Virtue; Miss Faithful; Miss Comforting & Consoling Words; Miss Cleaving to Covenants; Miss Unworldly; Miss Meekness; Miss Expounding Scriptures; Miss Exhorting Church

Burger King is very kind when we ask for crowns for our Bible Study Class for teenagers. Crowns of Righteousness for the guys and the ladies.

Peace

We've been talking about how to identify inspiration and the spirit of revelation, how we will know in our minds and hearts when something is true and right. (Scripture Mastery Doctrine & Covenants 8:2-3)

Dove (wedding) candy in plastic (wedding favor) hearts. I was hoping they would be minty, but they are slightly acidic lemony, almost like sweet tarts.

Pointing out when the Spirit is testifying in class is my daily goal for Daily Seminary. Devotionals help bring that spirit into class.

Happy Moroni Day!

(LAST NIGHT and..)today is the day, when Joseph Smith was first visited by the angel Moroni in 1823. And then Moroni returned each year on this same day to teach Joseph more and help prepare him for the work to come. Celebrate!

Make a VIDEO!

Look here for LDS youth video contest $500 prizes! Be sure to read the guidelines and rules (specifically about music you can use) and get busy filming!

Today in class we started out in Doctrine & Covenants Section 1 reading the invitation to ALL, even to the isles of the sea. Leis and island stick game completed the morning.

No School Monday...Thursday...Tuesday...

The first Friday Food Day went marvelously! Thank you to Sheridan family. Perfect!

And just for fun, a view of Utah mountains: the world's biggest water balloon fight

Seminary Scoop

Hope you had a great summer! It is ending in a week! Brother Landbeck and I squeezed in a temple trip last Saturday.

First day of seminary =September 1st, WEDNESDAY 5:55 am! YOU WILL NOT NEED TO BRING YOUR SCRIPTURES TO CLASS! Leave them home in a convenient place to read. Doctrine & Covenants books will be supplied for you in class.

Sunday 29th at 12:15 (right after Church) in the Relief Society Room there will be a short meeting for students and parents (no younger or older siblings invited). We will go over policies, dealines, Generation of Excellence, give out calendars and lists and scripture matery lists and assignments for devotionals.

Please come with your parents (we understand if one parent needs to take care of younger siblings and only one can come).

Ice Cream social immediately aftewards!

Graduation

SENIORS: 6 PM at the STAKE CENTER meet in the Relief Society Room.

All other students: come before 6:30 and sit on the far LEFT side of chapel in rows reserved for you! We will have certificates for you!

MAKE-UP work still being accepted.

READ!

READ the scriptures every day!

Thank YOU for the Light!

What a great surprise! I love them! Thank you for the sweet gift!

May His Light guide you home!

Next Time...

Last inside day of class--taking a scripture mastery test.

Next year, I will teach them differently. The numbers are going to be tricky to keep straight, and I need a head start. This is my plan:

Hymns & Scripture Mastery Doctrine & Covenants

1:37-38 Search these commandments; 271 Oh, Holy Words of Truth and Love

8:2-3 Spirit of Revelation; 143 Let the Holy Spirit Guide

10:5 Pray Always; 145 Prayer Is the Soul’s

14:7 God’s greatest gift; 76 God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee

18:10, 15-16 Worth of souls; 335 Brightly Beams Our Father’s Mercy

19:16-19 Christ suffered for us; 65 Come, All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth

25:12 The song of the righteous is a prayer; 71 With Songs of Praise

58:26-27 Anxiously engaged in a good cause; 252 Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

58: 42-43 Repentant are forgiven; 125 How Gentle God’s Commands

59:9 Keep the Sabbath holy; 146 Gently Raise the Sacred Strain

64:9-11 Forgive one another; 220 Lord I would Follow Thee

64:23 Those tithed are not burned; 229 Today While the Sun Shines

76:22-24 JS and Sidney Rigdon saw Jesus Christ; 135 My Redeemer Lives

82:3 Greater light, greater condemnation; 277 As I Search the Holy Scripture

82:10 The Lord is bound when we obey; 41 Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise

84:33-39 Oath and covenant of the priesthood; 325 See the Mighty Priesthood

88:123 Love one another; 224 I Have Work Enough To Do

89:18-21 Word of Wisdom; 256 As Zion’s Youth in Latter-Days

121:34-36 Many Called, few chosen; 320 The Priesthood of Our Lord

130:18-19 Knowledge rises with us in the resurrection; 14 Sweet is the Peace

130: 20-21 Obedience to law brings blessings; 303 Keep the Commandments

130: 22-23 Father & Son have bodies of flesh and bones; 113 Our Savior’s Love

131: 1-4 New and everlasting covenant of marriage; 300 Families Can Be To-

137: 7-10 Heirs of celestial glory; 297 From Homes of Saints

Joseph Smith History 1:15-20, The First Vision; 26 Joseph Smith’s First Prayer

One scripture mastery a week for the first 25 weeks, then review and rotate through the remainder of the weeks?

Daily We Need to Be Reminded of Sacred Things

Have you finished reading The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ? Have you prayed to know it is true? How have you felt this year? Any changes in your beliefs, feelings, thoughts, actions?

Just because the last day of early morning DAILY SEMINARY is tomorrow, I pray you keep studying, keep reading, keep holding on to the Iron Rod. Every day, for the rest of your life. ENDURE TO THE END!

Best wishes to our graduating seniors! Have fun in Institute--or in religion classes! Keep in touch and let us know where you go on your mission so we can write to you!

Doctrine & Covenants starts in September. It's okay to get a head start over the summer!

Love you all,
Sister Landbeck

Build Your Testimony BONFIRE HIGH!

Five more days left! I hope you can figure out how to sleep in the last few days of school after seminary ends on Friday!

MONDAY devotional by Jameson. (Happy 18th birthday to Kris!)
TUESDAY Steven.
WEDNESDAY Devin.
THURSDAY Michelle.
FRIDAY Kris.
(Kyle did last week, and Stewart did many, many devotionals this year!)

We will miss you, seniors!

Encore firepit bonfire on Friday! Come with hoodies so you stay warm, or sit close to the fire. Think about what things you can do over the summer to keep your testimony growing and full of light. Shiny, sparkly, happy, glowing, joyful feelings.

4 Combined Seminary Activity!

Thanks for participating! We had a great time--but wish I had taken MORE pictures! The Time Travel Tunnel, your arm bands into tribes, the weapon practice area...textile bracelets are all over my house. Glad the ancient Nephite art of macrame has made a come back!









I hope you know the impact on your participation in activities like this. The younger kids were STRONGLY disappointed they weren't included (only seminary-aged kids) and they were very HOPEFUL that we do this when they are old enough to be in seminary...

Say NO to Secret Combinations! NO Kings!

Because of the testing going on for High School Assessments next week (somehow the kids always know about days off before parents)...

I have given all the students 4 days worth of seminary make-up work. The first page reviews early Ether scriptures, and the last 3 are in Moroni.

THERE WILL BE SEMINARY NEXT WEEK every day.

We will be studying Moroni, and food-refreshments provided for several of the chapters (read them and see if you can figure out what I will feed you! Remember Jacob and the olive allegory? Well, it gets better!).

WEDNESDAY the day that nobody has HSA tests there will be a seminary send-off-the seniors breakfast, celebrating those who will be leaving us and moving on to Institute. If you would like to contribute to the pot-luck breakfast, please bring something for all 24 of us.

For the days that YOU have a HSA test, you have to be at school normal time and coming to seminary will help you "Choose the Right."

For those who DON'T have tests, and don't have to go to school until 10am or so? If your ride MUST go and take a test, and you would be hanging out that early anyway at school waiting for school to start, come to seminary and than you can hang out here and watch seminary movies for make-up work, or WII play until you need to go to class. Bro Landbeck will be here to supervise (since I have to leave at 7:30 am for work).

If your carpool situation DOESN'T have a HSA test to force them to be to school early, and you are a sleeping-in-kind of person, the 4 days of MAKEUP work is for you. Turn in all 5 pages (two for Thursday-the word search and clues of what to look for are on 2 pages) by next SUNDAY the 23rd May for makeup work for M, T, TH, F.

If you are borderline in 80% attendance, COME TO SEMINARY all week May 17-22 and the 4 days of makeup work that you turn in will be in your favor towards passing this year! Stay and watch seminary movies, and each 45 minutes of movies = a makeup day.

Originally I mentioned seminary done early--but the stake wants us to continue to teach up to the 28 MAY Friday. So TWO more weeks of seminary, and then done for the year. (so that means IF you have had stellar attendance AND you turn in the 4 days of make-up work for next week, then you COULD pass with taking 4 days off 24-28 May, but we would miss you.)

The end is near. It has been a fun year. We need to work on memorizing the scripture masteries a little harder. I still have things to hand out to you, more to tell you before your summer off begins. Some challenges to make (including starting to read the Doctrine & Covenants over the summer so you will be DONE before seminary starts in September!!!). And some invited guest speakers will be showing up the week of 24-28. Things you won't want to miss.

Missing you already, but looking forward to handshakes and eye contact each Sabbath I see you during the summer!

Sister Landbeck

Missionary Companions

Dear Seminary Students and Families:

We are getting down to the end. Monday morning we will cross the deep sea with the Jaredites by light of glowing rocks. I have been moved to tears reading this section of the Book of Mormon again and the serious, sober stories, the warnings, the testimonies, the sadness.

BE GOOD! Grow up strong, holding on to the Iron Rod with both hands! Prepare to go to the temple! Go on missions! Get married to an amazing, strong-testimony Saint, someone who will help you live the Gospel and raise your family righteously.

My parents are newly arrived on their mission in St. Croix (rhymes with "boy"). Their adventures include a tour of the Church building and finding 3 dead lizards in the baptismal font, (because the elders really like it when they have beach baptisms...as that is the ONLY way they can get in the water).

I have believed for a long time that the ideal missionary companionship is a husband and wife, the way they can compliment each other's talents, build on one another's strengths, do things unitedly but differently based on their talents and natural abilities. It felt right teaching the Gospel that way when I was 21 (doing zone leader splits, always 2 elders and one sister in my mission back then)--and I know that was preparation for future FHE lessons for my own children. Now, I look forward to serving a mission with Bro. Landbeck. Not just us writing back and forth for two years, but serving together. It is going to be amazing!

That companionship, that trust and working together-united-wonderful feeling can be yours now, as you live worthily to have the Holy Ghost be near you. Things of the world offend him-contention is a guaranteed way to make the Spirit leave you. Dirty words, ugly thoughts, foul language, selfish-lustful-not-waiting-for-temple marriage-to-be-intimate sexually and rude actions--they all drive the Holy Ghost away, and you are left feeling hollow, alone, sorrowful, depressed, guilty, shamed, and not wanting to pray (quick--think Scripture Mastery 2 Nephi 32:8-9!).

I want so much for you to have beautiful, joyful lives! I want you to feel the love that I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for you youth! I want to see you with your arms around your spouse when we bump into each other after a temple session, and we will smile at each other, knowing it is worth the awkwardness of being different, of being modest, of talking softly and being good.

Hang in there! Finals and HSAs and graduation and big projects are here. You can make it. I know you will be blessed as you sacrifice sleep for seminary. You can feel the spiritual renewal and flow of intelligence as you make it clear about your commitment to obeying the Lord. He will help you. You just need to ask. Sincerely ask. Ask with faith--which we learned last week means ACTIONS! We have to do something, believing we will get an answer. Seek help knowing He will help you.

Keep coming! There is still more good stuff ahead!

General Conference Game?

I am trying to figure out how to make a seminary game/activity from this General Conference, either "taboo" style, trying to guess the speaker name, or more topic related, what students think the Ensign title of each talk will be-what phrase summarizes the talk...and see how many the students get right when the May issue comes out?

Any ideas?

I want students to immerse themselves in the words of modern day prophets. If they missed the sessions, I want to figure out a way to get the messages and counsel from conference into YOUR hearts and minds.

Great summary of talks on my brother-in-laws blog:

Photo Shoot for Local Paper!

Matt, you are hiding! Missing one student, but impressive teenagers!

Temple Trip 4-21 NO SEMINARY 4-22

Susquehanna Ward youth have a temple assignment on Wed April 21st, so NO SEMINARY the next morning, Thursday 04-22-10.

And in case you are planning your calendar, ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS: 7 weeks left. The last day of this Susquehanna Seminary is Friday the 28th of May.

Which means please read 11 pages a day EVERY DAY to finish up The Book of Mormon (if you haven't started, it's NOT too late!).

Stake Seminary Graduation is Sunday 6th June at 7 PM STAKE CENTER. I will accept make-up work that morning for you to qualify for a year certificate of achievement.

The Generation of Excellence stake requirements asks for scripture reading, journal writing, and knowledge of the scripture mastery scriptures. How do you prove you know them? Fill in the blanks? Physically find them in your scriptures? Memorize word for word? The interpretation of that is left up to us teachers.

Endure to the end!

5:55 am class starts!

The End is in Sight

I apologize for not being more consistent in seminary blogging.

11 weeks left until seminary graduation.

That means 10 weeks left of seminary.

Lessons will follow this general schedule:

Week of
22 March Helaman 1-16
29 March 3 Nephi 1-7
5 April 3 Nephi 8-10
12 April 3 Nehpi 11-26
19 April 3 Nehpi 30
26 April 4th Nephi
3 May Book of Mormon
10 May Ether
17 May Moroni
24 May Scripture Mastery Games & Prove You Know Them Week;

All Make-Up Work DUE on FRIDAY 28 May

Scripture Mastery Activity

Winter Olympic theme. Thanks to Sister Bullock for a fun activity!
It was hard work figuring out the clues and finding the correct page number for 15 scripture mastery questions. The fonts were varied, and only partial words written.

















Brother Premont came, shared his testimony with us!

And amazing refreshments at the end.