Lesson 4 Preparation

I came to the library to work this afternoon since I was unable to yesterday because of Canadian Thanksgiving. I began working at 12:10 p.m.

Lesson 4 is about Career Planning and Academic Exploration and I find that very interesting. I first had to watch a testimonial video about a couple who has done Pathways, Kameron and Chad Lemon from Nampa, Idaho. I enjoyed their attitude through the video, as it was filled with humor.

I like Pathways because it adapts to your life and you don't have to adapt your life to it. Most of it, save for a weekly gathering, can be done online and you can actually set aside time for it instead of being held to an uncompromising schedule. Even if you get married, have kids, or are doing other things in your life, Pathway is very possible and it opens the door for students to pursue an online degree after the year of General Studies, English, and Math, as well as Institute classes.

This testimonial said there are physical and spiritual benefits to Pathways and even though I've only been in the program since September, I see and believe it to be true. In most secular education, there would be a conflict of beliefs because those of world religions or those of no religion often clash with those who carry LDS beliefs because both sides have a tendency not to want to understand the other side; they often want to think they are right and nothing else but their point has valid views and Pathway helps me to think of different views and that being open-minded is essential, as it invites the Spirit and the Spirit helps promote further learning.

At the end of the year in Pathway, I would love to pursue an online degree to be able to get a better job just in case marriage and a future family isn't mine to be had yet. However, I will also trust the Lord and His timing and if He wants me to do more education after this, He will open the way and give me a clear idea of what He wants me to do and how He wants me to go about it.

The second part of the lesson preparation was to explore the section discussing degree options. One can do their degree online, on campus, or take their credits to other educational institutions where the credits may transfer, as credits from BYU-Idaho can transfer to lots of other schools.

I then read an article that was called 'Job Hunting According to Nephi' that was written by Edgar Tooley and it talked about how it is necessary to be humble in order to seek the help of the Lord in whatever predicament we find ourselves in, as He knows what will be best for us and can guide us in that direction if we are willing to allow ourselves to be taught. If we are not teachable or humble enough to realize that we may not always know what is best, why would the Lord want to help us find our way? The Lord is willing to help us, but only if we want to be helped and we are humble enough to realize that we NEED His help and sometimes, the Lord will allow us to have experiences that will help us realize that we need His help and cannot do without it.

Isn't it fascinating that we are given so many opportunities to do better and we are also given the Atonement so that we can do more than just dare to dream; we can dare to act? However, with all the opportunities we are given, the Lord doesn't just hand them to us; He invites us to go out and use our agency to pursue what we want and feel would be best for us even though it might not be the best thing in reality? Our choices make our reality and reality sometimes makes our choices for us, but we always have the Atonement to come home to if we come to find that we do not know what is best.

I like the scripture that was mentioned, 1 Nephi 16:30 about heeding what we are given and though the Lord admonishes us to do that exact thing, He does not order us. The Lord teaches us, explains that choices have consequences, and then leaves us to use our agency as we will.

Principles learned from this talk:
-Personal responsibility.
-Making/Following a Plan.
-Speaking Up for Yourself: Say what you want instead of just wishing for it.
-God's/Christ's Promises are Solid.

I then turned my attentions to the O*Net Interest Online Profiler. Before I did it, however, I took a brief break for a snack. There were 60 questions on a scale from extremely dislike to extremely like and my results were very interesting indeed.

Anyway, the Sections of the O*Net are Interests, Results, Job Zones, and Careers. The careers I am best suited for is a very interesting list and I find it rather amusing to explore.

Then came the open-note quiz, which I began at 1:11 and as I was about to submit, the server went beserk and booted me off. I restarted my computer and restarted the quiz at 1:27, at which point I checked my answers over and submitted. I got 100% even though it was a short quiz.

I then went to the Discussion Board and made my initial post for Week 4. Some of it came from my notes, as I often use this as a brainstorm board, and I also added a little more.

I finally finished my Lesson 4 Preparation work at 1:43 p.m.