ZOOM MEETING LINK FOR CLASS TODAY:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2354779168



Wide-margined copy of General Conference talks pdf: https://courtneycasper.lpages.co/april-2020-pdf/

April 2020 Leadership Academy

APRIL 2020

APPRENTICE

Well, it's our last Leadership class for the year.  Let's:

• finish up the Success Principles book (chapters 18, 19, 20 & the conclusion).  
• Then I'd like you to skim back through the book and your notes from both last year and this year's leadership classes.  
• Please choose 5 principles out of all we have talked about that you are willing to put into practice in your life in the coming months and years.  
• Make some kind of visual reminder that you can put in your room so you'll see it and remember the things you are thinking about.  You don't necessarily have to do them all at once, but they can be leadership goals to strive for in your life.  
• Bring it to the discussion to show us what you have come up with.  

As we've been studying King Benjamin in Come, Follow Me this week can you see the similarities between his address and our most recent General Conference?  Did you notice that (as a world, church, society) we were gathered as families facing the prophet more than maybe ever before?  

• Did you feel the elements of Synergy?  Did you recognize it?  Can you think of one word that summarizes the way you felt the Synergy of the Spirit?  What does that word mean to you?  Bring your thoughts to class for the discussion.
• Read Mosiah 4: 3-4 and make a list of what the people did after the "spirit of the Lord came upon them".  Did you experience anything similar while watching Conference?
• In verse 4 King Benjamin says, "...I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of my words."    Do you think that sometimes God feel this way towards us, He needs us to pay attention so that He can talk to us?
• Review the talks from Conference, either from your notes or a quick review found here online.  What personal revelation did you receive in Conference?  What is the message you felt Christ gave you?  This is meant to be your theme for the next 6 months.  
• What if you don't think you got any personal revelation at Conference?  Review your favorite talks with a prayerful heart this week and specifically ask God what His message is for you.  Then listen.  (Psalm 46:10)
• Read Mosiah 1:4.  How did Father Lehi "remember these things"?  
• Once you know what your message is for the next 6 months, write it down and hang it in a place you'll see it every day.  Just like Lehi, if it's not written down, we just don't remember.  
• If "synergy" means the whole is greater than the individual parts, how is that true for you when you are synergized with the Lord?  Journal on this for 10 minutes.  How can you be more in line with God, more synergistic?  If don't remember what synergy looks like, review that section in "7 Habits for Teens".  

JOURNEYMAN

Read: The Tuttle Twins and the Education Vacation


Write a paragraph discussing the difference between seeing children as clay and as seeds.  Why do you think it makes a difference in how educators see their students?  

Think about your own experiences with education (public school if you've been there, homeschooling, co-ops, etc.).  Come prepared to discuss your views about education and what you can do to enhance your own, as well as the education of your future children.  

March 2020 Leadership Academy

March 2020 Leadership

Apprentice

1.  Read Chapters 16-18 in Success Principles for Teens.

Ch. 16
Make a list of the 5 people you spend the most time with.  Answer the following questions:

• 1. When you are with these people, do you generally feel a positive or a negative energy?  
• 2. What do you think they would say about the energy that you bring to that relationship?
• 3. Do your friends encourage you and help you become a better person?
• 4. Do you do that for them?
• 5. Make a goal for one day to only say positive things and not to complain.  Keep track of how well you do and write about your experience. 

Ch. 17

This week, keep a running list of the things you do right.  You can get some ideas from the stories in this chapter.  

Chapter 18 

1. List some challenges that could arise in your life because of the coronavirus.
2. What are some ways that you can overcome them?

2.  Are you excited for General Conference?! I know I am!!!

Here’s a talk I found in the 1990s from Elder Nelson. Does he look younger now or then??

• I feel as if the heavens opened up and angels sang hallelujah!  This is the talk! For us! Today! Look for ways the Spirit is inspiring you to prepare for the upcoming General Conference!
•  Stephen R Covey speaks of Seek First to Understand, Elder Nelson in 1991 referred to it as Listen to Learn.  
• In your CPB, write what most inspired you in Listen to Learn. 
• Write down 2 ways you will follow, then Elder Nelson’s council as you prepare to Listen to Learn the Lord’s will for you in this upcoming General Conference. 

3. Watch the video of the allegory of the Olive tree in this weeks Come Follow Me, how does Listen to Learn benefit or apply to missionary work?

• Write answer in common place book. 

4. Ponder...

• According to Elder Anderson, does listen to learn mean the same as agreeing?
• After reading this General Conference talk, write down a reply you might give to someone who asks you to explain why you believe in Christ and/or Joseph Smith. (1-2 sentences each). 

Journeyman

Read The Tuttle Twins Fate of the Future. 

Write a paragraph that summarizes the ideas in the book. See the glossary on the last page to give you some ideas of things to talk about. Then answer the following question:  Can a peaceful society ever exist and last that doesn't use coercion?  

February 2020 Leadership Academy

APPRENTICE

Study/Learn

Do all the following:

Read these articles:

• The San Francisco Earthquake 
• The 80's in the Church: Looking Back

Read these talks by Pres. Benson:

• The Book of Mormon (Oct 1986)
• Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon (Oct 1988)
• Beware of Pride (Apr 1989)

Read chapters 13-15 in Success Principles for Teens.  Write down 3 points that stood out to you from each chapter.

Write out your answers to the questions at the end of Ch. 13 on pp. 150-151.

Know/Understand

Answer these questions in your commonplace book:

• How is the Lord thinking win-win?  Site 3 examples
• How does the Spirit of the Lord support those who follow Him in the midst of trials?  Write about 1 example
• How did the Lord begin preparing His people through President Benson for our day ?
• How has the reading of the book of Mormon influenced your parents?
• What are you gaining from the book of Mormon study this year?  Site three examples of win-win 

Become/Serve

Read this article: Flora & I: Partners in the Work of the Lord

This quote sums up their relationship:

"In her effort to help him do so, [Flora] joined him in putting God first."

How is this thinking win/win in their relationship with each other and with God?  Journal for 15
minutes about how you can be win/win in all of your relationships.  What are you already doing well?  What can you do better?  Choose 1 thing and work on it this week.

JOURNEYMAN

Read the Tuttle Twins and the Search for Atlas



Write down three examples of Socialism that you see happening in the United States. Feel free to Google it and/or ask your parents for ideas.

Read The Tuttle Twins and Their Spectacular Show Business



Also, watch minutes 1:00-13:00 in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaQHN_tUyFk

Kids Pitch Brilliant Products to the 'Shark Tank' Tycoons!

Think of a problem that could be solved with a new invention, or something that already exists that could be improved.  Design your idea on paper and prepare a one-minute pitch for our Shark Pond judges.  Bring a prototype, or at least a drawing to show them. 

January 2020 Leadership Academy

APPRENTICE

Read chapters 9-12 in Success Principles for Teens.



Think about and answer the following as you go through the chapters:

1. Ch. 9: Think of what you would like your life to be 5-10 years from now.  See it in your mind. Write a page describing the picture you have created of your life. Talk about it as if you are already in it. Describe your job, family, house, etc. Have fun with it and come prepared to share it with the class.

2. Ch. 10: What is one goal that you would like to accomplish this year? What are some roadblocks that could get in your way?  What will you do to overcome them?

3. Ch. 11: What is an area of your life where fear stops you from accomplishing something that you would like to do?  How might you work to overcome that fear?

4. Ch. 12: Think of something you want to do in your life (it could be a profession, hobby, a talent, etc.) and find out more about it in one of the following ways: 1) interview someone who is already doing it; 2) read a book about it to find out more about it, 3) watch a video of someone who is already doing it and see what you can learn about it.  Find out what it would take to accomplish it and write a rough draft plan of how you could get started on it. 


JOURNEYMAN

Economics

1.  Read The Road to Surfdom and also
The Road to Serfdom in comics:  http://sqapo.com/TheRoadToSerfdom.png (you might want to copy this one into a document and print it out).



Write your answers to the following questions:
1. In a few sentences, summarize what you think Hayek was trying to say.
2. Do you think it's possible that Hayek could be right in his assessment? 
3. Have we seen these things happen in our world? In our cities?

2.  Read The Tuttle Twins The Golden Rule.  Answer the discussion questions on page 60.




MASTERS

Study/Learn

1 - Read: “Laddie” by Gene Stratton Porter.  Mark passages that you like and would like to remember.

2 - Research the author, Gene Stratton Porter.  (See “tools” on the blog).  How has your interpretation of the book changed by knowing about the author?  Did it change your understanding at all?  Did she write any other books?  Have you read any of them? Be prepared to share what you learned with the class.

Know/Understand

Think about these questions as you read and come ready to discuss:

• How can we love those that are different from us? What could the Stanton’s have done differently with their relationship with the ‘Princess” family?
• Why is Laddie so determined to have the ‘Princess’? Why does she avoid him? What does he do to try and win her? What principles of courtship did you find?
• What makes father’s prayers so powerful? How can we connect more to God?
• What principles of good family life do we find?  Do we see any family life principles we might want to avoid?
• Little Sister asserts early on in her narrative that she was not wanted. Is there evidence of this? What evidence to the contrary does she provide along the way?
• “Really you have no business to ask God to take care of you, unless you know you are doing right.” (p. 6) Do you agree or disagree? Are there exceptions?
• “Do you know that being a stranger is the hardest thing that can happen to any one in all this world?” (p. 16) Why does she feel this is so? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Nov. 2019 Leadership

APPRENTICE:

The Success Principles for Teens:
Read chapters 6-8

Ch. 6: Using the chart on p. 67, rewrite at least two of your goals to be more empowering,
as defined in section 6.1.  

Ch. 7: Look at your goals and write down any negative thoughts you have as you think
about achieving them. Rewrite each of those statements as positive affirmations that you
can say to yourself to help you stay positive as you work to accomplish your goals.  

Ch. 8: Update your vision board (or make one if you haven’t got one yet) to reflect your
current goals. Spend a few minutes each day visualizing yourself achieving the goals,
putting as much detail as you can into your visual movie. Bring a picture of your vision
board to show us.

Read the following:

• Abraham 1:1-16
• Moses 1:1-28

Choose one of the following and bring it to class to share:

- Artistically Prepare a quote to share by Dale Carnegie
- Prepare a FHE lesson from one of the recent General Conference talks or President
Nelsons Gathering of Israel talk regarding beginning with the end in mind. Choose
opening hymn and closing hymn as well.

- Come prepared to share a vision board experience. Share with us what you choose.
Why you choose it. What did you think to say to yourself when you saw it.
What occurred in order for your vision to become a reality? Share the experience
of receiving what you envisioned.

Accountability: We will ask to see the written work and a picture of your vision board.

JOURNEYMAN

Read The Tuttle Twins: Creature from Jekyll Island  

Watch this Video called What Is Inflation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGPBTEugNnI

Answer the following questions:

1. Why do we use money? 

2. How does inflation harm people who depend on their savings, such as retired senior citizens?
3. Could you obtain everything you needed strictly by bartering with others? Could you do it for
a single week? 

4. Why does the government mandate that everybody use its fiat currency? 

5. Would fiat currency be used if it was subject to competition by other currencies that people
voluntarily chose to instead use in their exchanges? 

6. What would the world be like if things cost the same today that they did for your grandparents? 

7. How can each of us fight the creature to protect our hard-earned savings?

Read the Tuttle Twins: Food Truck Fiasco

Do the following activity:

Mayor for a Day

Imagine that you were elected Mayor of the city or town in which you live. Let’s even

pretend that the city council was willing to vote for whatever law you proposed! Think of

five laws that you would pass, and explain to a sibling or parent why you think they’re a

good idea.

Maybe they have to do with garbage collection, or fireworks, or swimming pools, or

lemonade stands, or speed limits. Perhaps you want to change the law about owning

chickens or the minimum wage.

But be careful! You should have a very good reason why you think your idea should be

a law. Will it hurt anybody? Is it a fair law? Write down your answers to these questions.

Come prepared to discuss the following questions:

1. Why does competition need to be fair?

2. What are other historical or modern examples of

protectionist laws that favor one industry or business

over another?

3. Why are people tempted to get the government

to pass laws that help their business?

4. What can we do to help make sure that the

law treats all business fairly?

5. What types of stories do reporters like to highlight?

6. Should the police officers have enforced the

unfair law that required the food trucks to leave?

7. Is it okay to violate an unfair law?

8. What types of businesses can teenagers

or your adults start with only a small

amount of capital?

MASTERS

Study/Learn



1 - Read: “Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli.  Mark passages that you like and would like to remember.

2 - Research the author, Jerry Spinelli.  (See “tools” on the blog).  How has your interpretation of the book changed by knowing about the author?  Did it change your understanding at all?  Be prepared to share what you learned with the class.

Know/Understand

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

• In “Stargirl” we have many characters who begin with the end in mind and live true to themselves and many characters who do not.  Pick a character that is living begin with the end in mind and one who is not and compare and contrast them.  Think about the following questions:  Is this person happy?  Would they be more or less happy if they we/weren't being/not being true to themselves?  How would their life have been different if they did/didn't live that way? Etc.  Journal about the differences in personality and what you have learned from analyzing these characters.  

• Who do you think is the happiest person in this novel?  Why?  Journal for 20 minutes on what makes that person happy and how you can find more happiness in your own life by emulating some of that person's characteristics.  

We will be reading novels for Master class for the rest of the year.  They are all lengthy (but worth it!) and you won't want to wait until the last minute to read them.  Here is a list of what we'll be reading so you can use your Christmas break to get ahead.  Mark your book well and you will remember what you read, even if it's months in advance.

• January 2020 - "Laddie" by Gene Stratton Porter (401 pages)
• February 2020 - "Gifted Hands" by Ben Carson (224 pages)
• March 2020 - "Christy" by Catherine Marshall (512 pages)
• April 2020 - "The Lonesome Gods" by Louis L'Amour (576 pages)

OCTOBER 10, 2019

LEADERSHIP

APPRENTICE

Assignment:

Success Principles--Read Ch. 1-5, Do exercises 3.7, 3.8, 4.5, 4.6

JOURNEYMAN

Tuttle Twins--Read The Law and The Miraculous Pencil (2 books)

 Go here: https://libertasutah.org/books/the_law.pdf (The actual version of The Law)

Choose 3 headings and summarize those sections in your own words

Choose anything in your world (a man-made object) and draw its family tree such
as those shown on pages 17-19 of The Miraculous Pencil. You can use words instead
of pictures, or if you'd like to have fun with it, find some pictures.  

MASTERS

Take a sheet of paper and divide it into 4 squares. Write the words Spiritual, Social, Physical and Intellectual, one in each box, like on the center page of the new Children and Youth books handed out last Sunday. While listening to Conference this weekend, listen for some ideas or promptings that you hear that might help you in setting your goals in each of those areas and write them in the boxes, or, so you don't miss what else they are saying, you could write down the name of the speaker and go back later and fill in the quotes. We will discuss your thoughts in class.