Master Class Service Project for Oct. 29

The Morford's son, Chris, is serving in the Kumasi Ghana  mission.  As their family prepared to send him to Africa, they became aware of many needs in that area of the world and even among the native missionaries called to serve there.

They recently completed a service project where they were able to send over 15 suitcases  that included not only p-day clothes, shoes, white shirts, ties, skirts, tops, and dresses for the native missionaries, but also 10,000 pairs of eye glasses that will be distributed along with free eye exams at the end of this month.

They are continuing their service and their current project is to send 700 hygiene kits to the participating missions in Ghana and the Ghana MTC to be distributed to missionaries.

As our Leadership Master service project that we will do on Oct. 29, we will be helping with this effort.  

We would like to make 20 hygiene kits to donate.  If you are able, we are collecting donations of the following things in order to put together complete kits.  

Please let me know what your family would like to bring so that we can keep track and not duplicate but get all of the items needed.  I will update the blog as donations are requested.  We need all donations brought to Vanguard next Thurs. (Oct 29).  

*toothbrushes (20) - HARRISON
*toothpaste (travel size) (20) - CLOWARD
*dental floss (20) - WELLS
*small hand sanitizers (20) - ANDERSON (10) PULLEY (10)
*snacks (2 per kit) (total of 40) - SEGO
*gallon Ziplock-type bags (1 box of 20) - FONTANO
*sandwich sized Ziplock-type bags (1 box of 20) - COLBY
*razors (20) - FONTANO (5) COLBY (15)
*travel sized shampoo (20) - WELLS & LINES
*travel sized conditioner (20) - WELLS
*travel sized lotion (20) BROWN (10) CLOWARD (10)
*deodorant (for both elders and sister missionaries) (20) JOHNSON (10) HUNT (10)
*tie (does not need to be new)
*cash (in any amount...each suitcase costs $200 to send)

Any extra items donated that don't go into the kits we make will be donated to the Morfords to be included in kits they make.

Thank you for your generosity in this effort.  Even youth who are not attending master class that day are welcome to donate items for the project.

November Apprentice Class

APPRENTICE: Having an Honest Heart

Study/Learn

1 - Read chapter 8 in "Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado.  

2 - Read chapter 9 (IX) "Plan for obtaining moral perfection" in "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" by Benjamin Franklin (It's in the public domain and can be read online here)  Find principles as you read and record them in your commonplace book.

3 - Read Job 27:5

4 - Read this article "Three Towels and a 25-cent Newspaper"

5 - Copy this month's memorization (scripture and part of "The Family") onto note cards and study them every day.  You can find this month's memorization on the main page of the blog.

Know/Understand

Choose 1 of the following:

• Choose 1 of the following virtues that Ben Franklin wanted to attain in his life:  (E-mail me so that I can put your name by it so that we don't double up).  Do a word study on the virtue.  Understand it well and come to class ready to teach us about this virtue and whether or not you believe it is valuable to attain, or not.  Be creative with your presentations! 

                       1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation - SETH

                   2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. - MACK

                   3. Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. - LUKE

                   4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

                   5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i. e., waste nothing.- JESSICA

                   6. Industry: Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

                   7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly. - EMMA M

                   8. Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

                   9. Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.- EMMA H.

                   10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation.

                   11. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. - ADRIANNA

                   12. Chastity

                   13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

• Did Ben Franklin have a good system for attaining these virtues?  Try out his system for 2 days and come to class prepared to tell us whether or not it worked for you.  If it didn't work, what would have worked better?  

• Did Ben Franklin list all necessary virtues on his list?  If so, journal on why you think this is a complete list.  If not, what virtues would you add to his list?  Come to class prepared to defend your point of view.

• Why is honesty important?  Do a word study on honesty.  Create and teach your family a FHE on what you've learned about honesty.  Come to class prepared to teach your FHE lesson to us.

Become/Serve

In the article we read, Elder Edgley says:

"There will never be honesty in the business world, in the schools, in the home, or anyplace else until there is honesty in the heart."

What does it mean to you to have an honest heart?  Journal on having an honest heart and what you can do to have more of an honest heart.

November Journeyman

This course is an attempt to strike at the root.

--- The ten Boom Institute

Principles of Liberty - The Founder's Education

Study/Learn

1 - Watch Lecture 2 (from the CD) and take notes.

2 - Read The 5000 Year Leap Principle 23

3 - Read “Education and the Pursuit of Happiness” by Mortimer Adler

Know/Understand
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Since we are duty bound to care for the poor, what is wrong with current news and legislation?Should we stop this trend? If so, what ideas do you have for stopping it? Will your ideas work?  Come prepared to share what you learned in class.

• Watch the news and consider the following concepts from the lecture.  Journal on what you learn and come to class ready to share.

             1. How Constitutional forms become Democratic through a focus on the interests of the poor. Look deeper at the news stories and the legislation that is being passed and constantly ask yourself if the issues are motivated by taking care of the poor.
             2. The ideas about relativism. In the stories where relativism is supported and encouraged, try to see if people are still being held to moral standards. Think about how confusing this can be when you are faced with important decisions.
             3. In light of the Tytler cycle and Aristotle’s forms, notice how often the word “issue” is used in comparison to the words “principle” and “form.” As you read through the material for this course, keep in mind which words earlier Americans used. Consider what difference our use of words makes.

• Go through the list of Educational Principles below and decide if you believe they are true educational principles. Look for them in the readings for this month.  Back up your decision with facts and come to class ready to share.

Educational Principles:

1) Parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children.

2) Young children learn best in a nurturing home environment.

3) Children should be given freedom within bounds in their educational pursuits.

4) Character development should be a primary focus and outcome of education.

5) Children should be given great role models to follow.

6) Education should be as simple as possible.

7) Parents educate their children best when they provide structure and choice.

8) Children should be shown what there is to learn and given the skills to learn it.

9) Understanding is more important than facts.

10) Knowledge is only valuable if applied appropriately.

11) Education should focus on the pursuit and application of truth.

12) Learning should aid in self-discovery and the development of talents.

13) Education should promote the use of talents in the service of others.

14) Skills for lifelong learning are more important than information.

November Master

Study/Learn & Know/Understand

1 - Research Horace Mann; Robert Hutchins; Mortimer Adler and John Dewey
2 - Journal in your commonplace book the following on each one:
          - What each of these men about education and which of the educational
                   principles (from journeyman) they honored.
          - At least 5 things that each of these men did to influence American public education.
          - Were their ideas good or bad for education?
          - Are their ideas still being used today?  Is that good or bad?

You may use the following links in your research:

Horace Mann

Horace Mann
 From Biography.com, Horace Mann’s 6 educational principles which can be compared to the educational principles list.
 This is extracts from the Common School Journal by Mann published 1891.
 Thoughts, a collection of ideas on education by Horace Mann published 1917.

John Dewey

John Dewey
 “My Pedagogic Creed” by John Dewey.   This is pretty short and is one of his most important writings.
 “Moral Principles in Education” by Dewey.

Robert Hutchins

Robert Hutchins

 Highly recommended for learning about Robert Hutchins: The Higher Learning in America published by Transaction Publishers has an introduction by Harry S. Ashmore which discusses the Hutchins-Dewey debates on education in the early 1930’s. You could purchase it or get it from the library. Read the Introduction and the last chapter “The Higher Learning.” You’ll find many great ideas there pertaining to principles and morality in education.
 Listen to this Mike Wallace interview of Hutchins.
 An article on the Hutchins-Dewey debates, compare this author’s conclusions to what you have learned about these two men.

Mortimer Adler

Mortimer Adler
 Since you’ve already read several articles by Adler, it might be a good idea to look over the Great Books of the Western World set either in your home if you own it or at a local library. Adler is responsible for all 102 articles in the Syntopicon on each of the “great ideas” discussed throughout the set.
 Here’s a funny video of Adler talking about what a bad idea it is to speed read.
 There are many interviews with Adler on YouTube that you can watch.





Become/Serve

• What do the scriptures tell us about education.  Find 5 scriptures about education and copy them in your commonplace book.  Ponder on them and then journal your thoughts.

October Apprentice Class

APPRENTICE: Having an Enduring Heart

Study/Learn

1 - Read chapter 12 in "Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado.  

2 - Read "The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles"

Find principles as you read and record them in your commonplace book.

3 - Read Doctrine & Covenants 20:25

4 - Read at least one, or as many as you want, of the four gospels in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) about the life of Jesus Christ.

5 - Do a character T-chart on Jesus Christ.  Use your reading from the Bible as reference.  List at least 5 character traits in your chart.  Bring it to class to share.  (You can find out how to do a T-chart in the "tools" section of the blog.)

6 - Copy this month's memorization (scripture and part of "The Family") onto note cards and study them every day.  You can find this month's memorization on the main page of the blog.

Know/Understand

Choose 1 of the following:

• Read this article by Pres. James E. Faust.  In the article, Pres. Faust tells us 5 things that we can do to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Evaluate yourself and set at least 2 goals to better live these 5 things.  Come to class prepared to teach us what you learned.

• Choose one of the following divine missions of Jesus Christ (email me so that I can put your name by the one you choose so we don't double up).  Do a word study on the word(s) and study how Jesus Christ fulfilled this mission and how it affects us today.  Prepare a presentation for the class on what you learned. (Hint: you can look to the visiting teaching messages in the Ensign for 2014 for details on each one to use as a starting place for your research.)

Advocate - MACK

Exemplar

Good Shepherd - ADRIANNA
 Light of the World

Savior & Redeemer

Minister - ISAAC

Messiah

Comforter

Bread of Life

Prince of Peace

•  Create a poem or piece of artwork depicting your relationship with the Savior.  Bring it to class to share.

• Study artistic depictions of the Savior throughout time.  Choose your favorite, make a copy/print of it to bring to class to show.  Be prepared to tell us who the artist is and why you love it so much.

• Choose your favorite story from the life of Jesus Christ.  Come to class with a creative way to present the story.  Tell the story and why you like it so much and the lesson that can be learned from it.

Become/Serve

In 1984, Pres. Ezra Taft Benson said:

"I testify to you that there is no greater, more thrilling, and more soul-enobling challenge than to try to learn of Christ.  “What would Jesus do?” or “What would He have me do?” are the paramount personal questions of this life. Walking in His way is the greatest achievement of life. That man or woman is most truly successful whose life most closely parallels that of the Master.

Using all that you have learned about the life and mission of Jesus Christ this week, how can you better "walk in His ways"?  Journal for 15 minutes about why you would want to walk in the ways of the Savior and how your life can better parallel that of the Master.

October Journeyman

 This course is an attempt to strike at the root.

--- The ten Boom Institute

Principles of Liberty - Natural Law

Study/Learn

1 - Watch Lecture 1 (from the CD) and take notes.

 Write down your thoughts and questions about the Tytler Cycle

2 - Read The 5000 Year Leap Principles 1 & 5

3 - Read “The Nature of Natural Law” by Mortimer Adler

Know/Understand

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TO DO AND JOURNAL FOR 15 MINUTES AFTER YOU WRITE THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS:

COME TO CLASS PREPARED WITH A CREATIVE WAY TO DEMONSTRATE OR SHOW THE CLASS WHAT YOU LEARNED.

- Answer the following questions about Lecture 1:

      - How is history cyclical?

      -  How is history linear?

      -  Which is the right view of history?

      -  Why is the change in the meaning of happiness important?

      -  What is the most important thing you learned in this lecture?

- Compare the Forward (that you read last month) to "The 5000 Year Leap" to Lecture 1.  Write down your thoughts and questions as you consider the following:

      -  What similarities did you find between the lecture and the reading?

      -  Why are these similarities important?

- Choose an examples of natural law and come to class with an original, fun way to teach us about it.  What makes it a "natural law"?  How have people tried to violate this natural law?  What have been their results?

- Read an article on current events from one of the following news sources:
       - Imprimis newsletter (by Hillsdale College, conservative)
       - your local newspaper
       - The Economist (liberal)
       - The New American (conservative)
Come to class prepared to share the thoughts and insights you gained from the article you read.  How is natural law being respected and obeyed?  How is it not?  What things would be changed to better obey natural law?

October Master

Study/Learn

1 - Briefly research the life of John Winthrop.

2 - Read “On Liberty” by John Winthrop

3 - Think about the following questions and write your conclusions in your common place book:
- How is Winthrop’s definition of natural law different than
                the other author's you've read?
- Is Winthrop’s ‘civil law’ the same as natural law?


Know/Understand

Think about it for a while.  Write your conclusions in your commonplace book:

- Discus the characteristics of natural law. Discuss the relationship between natural law and Christian beliefs. What did Cicero warn against by passing laws that violate “the laws of nature”?