Work for Lesson 2

9:30 start time - 10:26 end time.

Lesson 2 is on Cornell Note Taking and Disciple Leadership.

I guess Cornell note taking is a method that helps people remember what they learn and I guess it was named after the university that the inventor of it was teaching at at the time.

I read a bunch of notes on note taking and the importance of reviewing information constantly and quickly after you learn it so it's easier to retain.

Then came the notes on disciple leading and disciples are those who follow after one for the purpose of ministering or attending to the needs of others, as the disciples did when it came to Jesus Christ beckoning them away from being plain fishermen to become fishers of men and helpers of souls.

We become a disciple when we learn of Christ and strive to be like Him...isn't that cool? Just by our faith and acting in faith, we are already walking away from those worldly nets and becoming better!

Preparation is the simple part, but sacrificing can be very hard if you don't keep an eternal perspective and realize that you need to know where you want to be before you can head in that direction.

There was also a disciple leadership video that was both soothing and informative.

After reviewing the lesson material very carefully, I took a quiz and got 20/20 - 100%!

Then came reflection time and after choosing to reflect on one of the Cornell note taking steps, which was Reflect, I drew upon personal experience to make that reflection. I often organize my thoughts here and then reorganize them for the sake of doing well on the assignments.

I share here that others may know of how Pathway is benefiting me personally.

*****

I chose the reflection step from the Cornell Note Taking System simply because unless you reflect on what you have learned after going to all the effort to learn something new that will help you grow, have you really learned anything. Memorization of facts is truly a great thing, as it helps people pass academic tests and be able to eventually engage in opportunities outside the classroom. However, facts are just facts and the real learning takes place in both your heart and your mind, not just on the pages of the books.

I had an Institute teacher named Brother Blackwell that once shared with us, his class, about how he learned during his time at university that memorizing facts from a book to pass tests is not enough; he told us that his instructor told him that if he was just there to learn what he needed to learn in order to pass the test, he shouldn't be there, as there was more to his class than spitting back the textbook for good grades. I happen to agree with that instructor and I don't get a lot from just learning what I need to pass tests and get grades; I also learn by making personal notes about what I learn in an online journal and I apply what I learn to my daily life so that I can become a better person.

The online journal is more of a blog where I put a little bit about what I have learned and also my reflections on what I am learning to not only help me get my thoughts in order when I need to make these posts, but also to teach others about Pathway and about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

During my institute class, and during the many that I have taken over the years, I keep a journal so that I can write things down when I am taught by the Spirit; otherwise, I may forget what I have learned and not receive any more teachings by the Spirit for a while.

Reflection is my chance to learn by the Spirit and also to express my feelings about what I have learned and that is very therapeutic for me.

Post Lesson # 1 - Teach A Friend Activity

In the Teach a Friend Activity, we were asked to pick something we learned and share it with a friend and seeing as friends are hard to come by because it has not been that long since I moved here, I taught my mom about Principle One. Principle One is exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as a principle of both action and power.

After we said a prayer to invite the Spirit into our lesson and as we discussed the principle, Mom said that praying before things like lessons or classes helped her to be more in tune with the Spirit and she can see things more clearly from an eternal perspective.

I summarized a scripture on exercising faith and that scripture was Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, which basically says that it is by faith and acting in faith that we become courageous. I went on to add that exercising faith is using discernment to make a choice and we come to know if the choice is good or bad by how it makes us feel and how it prompts us to behave. Our experience of learning the difference between proper and improper behavior comes because we choose to exercise faith and applied knowledge to use the gift of agency that God has given us.

To teach what we know, we must first learn to know it and to learn, we must be willing to accept that we will eventually have to teach what we learn in order to keep the knowledge in practice and also learn how to better apply it.

We also discussed the standards in the Honor Code and Mom said that it is to remind us that we need to be casual, but reverent.

I then read the following quote from Pres. Faust about Satan's most appealing lines and placing emphasis on the "it doesn't hurt anyone else" spiel, I said that nothing of a wicked nature can be done without hurting someone else, as we CAN cause hurt to ourselves and Mom said that was so true.

As a concluding thought, I shared my observation that it is IMPOSSIBLE to engage in a bad behavior and/or activity without hurting a person, as we are also people and when the Spirit leaves us, we come to be in pain when we feel the absence of it. It may take time for us to feel the absence of the Spirit when we lose it, but we will eventually feel it and also the pain of loss.

By making correct choices, however, we won't need to go through the grieving process that comes when the Spirit is lost and we acknowledge that it is lost by our own behaviors. I ended by saying that it is by our own choice and acting in faith that we can utilize the Atonement to get the Spirit back into our lives and our hearts where it belongs. Without the Spirit, we are but a shell of what we can be.

My comment about letting the Spirit back into our lives made Mom ask why we couldn't live the way we were supposed to in the first place so we wouldn't have to let it back in? Mom also asked why can't our behavior be as such that the Spirit would always be there and never leave?

I also had to do a Learning Survey and it was very interesting to explain what I have learned.

I started the work at approximately 6:05 and ended at approximately 6:50.

Post Lesson # 1 Work

I watched a video on the Honor Code, reflected on the school's Academic Honesty policy, and also reflected on what I learned from the Learning Model and Five Principles of Learning.

I feel like the Honor Code is a protection from that gray area that the world tries to create to make people justify any bad behaviors they might participate in or consider participating in. I like the term disciple leader because it says that though we may lead, we are always learning of Christ and from Christ about how to become more like Christ and we are never too old are intelligent to learn that.

In the application activity, we answered questions about the Honor Code and learning tools. I have found it easier and safer to live by the Honor Code standards because they are a protection to me and a way for me to maintain my sacredness. I feel like the Honor Code is a protection from that gray area that the world tries to create to make people justify any bad behaviors they might participate in or consider participating in. As a Pathway student, I find that living the Honor Code will help me be in better tune with the Spirit and I will get a lot more out of learning because I will have the Spirit to help me learn.

I will be honest about how much effort I put into my work, how much time I apply towards my Pathway work, and also about how I conduct myself in class. I want to be seen as an honest individual who can be trusted to not only put a fair amount of effort into all that is required and I also want to be known as someone who is honest about the effort and time that is spent working on both learning and teaching by the Spirit. If I am honest, the Spirit will help me become even better.

I chose to exercise faith in Jesus Christ by engaging in that which will motivate me to help others and to come out of the comfort zones I have established for myself. My short term goal for next week is to learn how to talk to people for a prolonged period of time and to also get better at seeing people how the Savior sees them and treat them as I would expect to be treated.

I expect to find learning easier as I continually seek the help of the Spirit and by continually seeking help from the Spirit, I expect that, as it always has, living a lifestyle in accordance with the Honor Code will bless me and enable me to become more of one people can look to as a positive example.

 If I do not work towards my goal, I do not expect anything good to come of it. I understand that effort has to be applied to a goal in order for the goal to be accomplished. If I do not put forth an effort and invest time into the process, I do not expect to learn as I should be learning.

I confess that I also find the Ponder/Prove step appealing, as I am always trying to figure out the reason that things may be the way they are or why things happen the way they do. I have seen people use their agency in various ways and a result always comes whether it be good or bad.

I want to more carefully observe the decisions that I make this week and see if I cannot do things differently than I have in the past, as sometimes I act or speak without thinking and it can get me into trouble sometimes. My goal is to think before I act and/or speak and see how it may result in a better outcome in situations.

 I will hopefully learn to better gauge how others react and feel to decisions I may make before acting or speaking if I actually think before going ahead with words or actions. Sometimes, I really do not consider how my words or actions may affect others and I really need to think about that, as people may eventually act and/or speak without considering my feelings just to teach me and I would prefer not to be taught such a lesson in such a manner.

 If I do not work on learning to think before I speak or act and actually do it, I may encounter more hurt feelings and possible anger from others for not being considerate of their feelings. I really do not ever intend to cause hurt, but I sometimes do with my inability to think before I speak or act and I understand that it is something I need to work on and if I do not, the issue will not improve.

I also put some thoughtful replies on to others' posts about this lessons topic.

I believe I have spent at least 45 minutes doing half of the post Lesson 1 work. I started at about roughly 9:30 and am stopping at about 10:15.

Lesson # 1 Gathering

Institute was from 6 to 7:30. I will add more about that later.

I would like to begin this week's reflection with an analysis of Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, which basically says that it is by faith and by acting in faith that we become courageous enough to keep enduring the insanity of mortality.

Acting in faith includes teaching and to teach, we must first learn and to learn, we must be willing to accept that we will eventually have to teach what we have learned in order to keep the knowledge in practice and to also learn how to better apply it in our own lives.

When it comes to free agency, there are two ways to use it; properly or improperly. It is IMPOSSIBLE to engage in a bad behavior or make a bad choice without hurting a person, as we ourselves are people and when the Spirit leaves us due to bad behaviors that are not repented of, the absence of that presence will surely come to cause us pain when we come to feel that loss.  It may take time for us to feel the absence of the Spirit when we lose it, but we will eventually feel that something is missing and the pain of loss will accompany the realization that something has been lost.

By making correct choices with our gift of free agency, however, we will not need to go through the grieving period that comes when the Spirit is lost and we acknowledge the loss as being real and has come as a result of our own bad behavior. Ultimately, it is by our choice as to whether or not we keep the Spirit with us and it is by our own choice when we lose the Spirit as to whether or not we utilize the Atonement to get the Spirit back into our lives.

Without the Spirit, we cannot hope to be taught what we need to learn nor can we learn to teach what others may need to learn. We cannot be an instrument of the Lord without His Spirit.

Working on Assignments

Today's work was focused on Lesson One: The Learning Model and the Honor Code. It was basically a Welcome to Pathway lesson that was very much enjoyable. As I read through the different principles of the Honor Code, I was very surprised that such a spiritual institution would need such strict standards, as I expected that students who choose to go there would understand what is expected of them and behave themselves. However, we are all mortal and hence, we need some guidelines so we can become better each and every day. Guidelines protect us from engaging in bad behavior and it's very sad that there are those who knowingly try to cheat in school or do other things that would compromise their experience just so they can look good in the eyes of the world.

I took the lesson quiz twice and averaged 90% because I got two wrong the first time, took it again, and got them all right the second time, which averages to 18/20. Students can take quizzes two times and the total score will be the average of the two. Thank you, dearest God for keeping me calm and focused.

The discussion board is interesting and I was able to reflect on and be proud of the fact that I already live a lifestyle in accordance with the Honor Code, so it's not difficult for me to do now.

 How will preparing to live/living the Honor Code strengthen my learning experience?

I had heard of the BYU Idaho Honor Code long before I had even considered Pathway and since I am very careful to live good standards anyway, as I have seen how not living the standards can have a negative impact on people, it was not very difficult to accept the code into my life.

I am very grateful for the protections that the Honor Code provides, as we live in a world that is not so kind about people who have morals and I have seen that time and time again as I conduct my daily life. Now, though I am already living the standards found within the Honor Code, I am so grateful that I have it as a protection and a way for me to not only preserve my self-worth, but to build upon it. Since I can build upon my self-worth because of the Honor Code, I will feel that it is worth my time and effort to put my best foot forward in the Pathways program and I hope that I will be able to do well because my focus will be on doing well and how I can do better.

Because of the principles in the Honor Code, I have learned that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, as well as the many who serve under them and for them want us to see ourselves as valuable enough to invest time and effort into those things that edify us and motivate us to live life in a way that will give us the desire and ability to serve as a positive example.

The Honor Code will help me to learn to love myself and treat myself with enough respect that I will want to invest my time and effort into doing good and living well. When I want to spend my time well, I will naturally want to help others to learn to do the same as I continue to do what is right.

I took approximately an hour and 10 minutes to work on Pathway assignments today.

After the Gathering

I took a nap this afternoon, so I decided to work on the things that will be due Saturday until I get tired. Firstly, my grade went up to an A- from a B because I attended the gathering tonight.

The post-lesson notes involved studying the syllabus and the Pathway relationship model, and a video about adjusting to change before taking a quiz to see how much I have learned. Change is necessary as life goes on, but if one follows God's Spirit and takes courage, great growth can come from change. I wonder what blessings will come because I decided to take courage and do this course?

There was a quiz that required inputting rather personal answers about the sacrifices involved in doing the Pathway program and how doing the program impacted people in my life. I answered each question using personal experiences to the best of my ability since I couldn't find any other way to answer each question. I spent about 20 minutes doing the quiz and I also completed the activity after that, stating that I had done 0 to 4 hours of study thus far, but I'm sure that number will increase.

I spent about an hour working on Pathway things tonight and I am loving the spiritual food.

Gathering # 1

Tonight, I attended the first Institute class of the three semesters worth of classes that are required as part of the Pathway Program and I was horrified to discover that I couldn't connect to the building's internet connection on my laptop, but I didn't end up needing the laptop this week anyway.

The teacher for the Institute class is Brother Gold and the topic is 'Foundations of the Restoration' with the first lessons being 'A Marvelous Work and a Wonder' and 'The First Vision.' I took a copious amount of notes, which I will add later on. Needless to say, the class was very insightful.

After the class, which lasted from 6 to 7:30, the Pathway missionaries and the.  students gathered for the Pathway gathering. Elder Gilmour explained about the lead students and how they facilitate weekly gatherings every week and he also compared Pathway groups to family groups, as the group will eventually become a family. Sister Gilmour then invited us to give our names, unique facts about ourselves, and how we ended up coming into the Pathway program.

I said, "My name is Heather Cameron, three unique things about myself are that I served a mission at the Bishop's Storehouse for a year, I play clarinet, and I helped with proxy sealings at the temple. I don't know what brought me to Pathway, but I know I am supposed to be here."

There were subsequent discussions about how to be a lead student and how that there are both lead students and observing students, who will be the lead students for the next gathering. After each gathering, the lead students, the observing student, and the missionaries meet to discuss the evening's teaching in an encouraging manner.

The Gilmours then said that the Lord makes a way for us and we don't have to be a great speaker, but do our best and follow the Spirit. Sister Gilmour emphasized that we would all become a family.

The evening's spiritual thought was given by Sister Gilmour and it talked about caterpillars; it talked about how they are and how, like caterpillars, we will eventually realize that we are meant for something important, but we need to put forth work and effort in order to become better.

We are currently caterpillars in Pathway, but we will come out of it radiant and majestic.

In 2nd Corinthians 5:17, it says that through Christ, all can become new.

Taking the Time to Introduce Myself - September 13, 2015

Okay, so I posted my personal introduction on the class discussion thread because it was part of the assignments and I will also share my introduction here in hopes of gaining some understanding.

Hello there,

My name is Heather Leigh Cameron, I am 27 years old and I am in the process of moving to Lethbridge from Raymond. Since my dad passed away on October 26, 2014, I just have a family consisting of my mother, my 26 year old brother, and I, as well as a dog named Frodo.

I am not yet married nor am I seeing anyone, but I would very much like at least to go on a few dates this year if at all possible. Since I am not married nor have I ever been, I do not yet have children, but would love some someday.

Although I was baptized by a family friend when I was eight years old, I did not have a secure testimony of the gospel until I was 18 and now at 27, I regard my testimony as one of my most precious treasures.

That testimony eventually grew to the point where I enlisted to serve a mission, which I eventually did do at the Lethbridge Welfare Services Field Office and Bishop's Storehouse for 12 months from March 2013 to March 2014. I kept a journal and blog on my mission and I am very grateful to have those experiences to treasure always.

I enrolled in the Pathway program because I sought a way to get more education for myself that would allow me to work on my social, academic, and spiritual skills in a safe environment without fear of being judged or harassed. You see, I have what is referred to as Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, which is both a social and learning disability that makes me have somewhat of a 'Spock/Vulcan' personality at times.

I enjoy learning, but it has been difficult to do so successfully because my disability makes it hard for me to read social cues and learn like everyone else. I hope that through the duration of this course and beyond, I can learn to love and accept myself to the point where I feel deserving of receiving love that others may have to give me and also to the point where I can see myself as valuable as the Lord sees me.

September 13, 2015

I'm beginning a new part of my life and with that, I hope to grow spiritually and learn to love myself in such a way that I can allow myself to love others and be loved by others.

I am starting the Pathway Program through BYU-Idaho this week and this semester's courses consist of GS 120, an Institute class, and a weekly Pathway gathering. I am very excited for all of it.

The assignments for Pathway's Fall 2015 semester have been available on the computer, on a site known as I-Learn, since yesterday and I've already watched the Introductory video, which made me feel as if this is the best way for me to go at this point in my life. I received initial confirmation of this feeling back in August during the fireside that explained exactly what Pathway was and how it benefited the lives of people who took it. I hope I can soon see the benefits of my choice to take it.

I also skimmed the quotes from former Pathway students and my hope is that I will have some wonderful things to say about the program when I am at the other end of it. I'm sure I will.

Next, I read through the Pathway Support & Expectations Sheet and it discusses both the support available for students and also the expectations that students need to live up to, as all students have their agency about how to approach this course, in order to get the full academic and spiritual experience that one could possibly get from Pathway. It is quite obvious that such a program requires time, sacrifice, and the ability and willingness to adhere to the academic requirements and spiritual expectations that BYU-Idaho asks of all those who join this program. I feel very fortunate for the spiritual guidelines that are in place, as I strive to be as spiritually minded and righteous as I can.

I hope this journey serves me well that I may do the same for others as Christ has done for me.

I accidentally did a bit of work out of order, but no matter, as I plan to get it done because it will be easier than waiting til the middle of the week when I am entangled in a move. The next thing I am focusing on is called 'leaving a mark' by way of doing a survey that shares my learning style.

My answers were submitted for grading and I'm happy to say I got a complete mark, which is 100%

I am now reviewing a page that discusses basic course navigation and the expectations associated with online learning. There are some more videos to watch about the very subjects. The first video discusses the I-Learn course navigator and how to both find and complete assignments successfully.

The tutorials themselves are very helpful and I am enthusiastic to try this online learning.

Mention of discussion board posting and reading other posts are mentioned in the tutorials and I admit that I am very interested in how this learning style will work for me. Online course navigation is also mentioned and for that, I am grateful, as I have never done online learning before at all.

There is also a brief video and information about orienting oneself to the process that is online learning that involves a great deal of encouragement for those doing it. Although there is flexibility in online learning, there are due dates and therefore, a bit of structure is there to help keep me focused.

To conclude, there is a quiz making sure I can apply what I have learned thus far concerning the preparatory information and course introduction information.

I took the quiz twice and scored 16/20 the second time, which is 80%. Pretty good, eh?