Do's and Don'ts of Teaching in Church

Since the time I've graduated high school, every calling I've had has dealt with teaching in some way.

First, I was a Primary teacher for the summer in my home ward. I taught the 8-turning-9-year-old's, and I really enjoyed it. I team-taught with my old Young Men's leader. It was a new experience for me, trying to adjust teaching to younger kids. I miss my class, and love it when I still see them now. They'll be Deacons and Beehives this year!

Next, I was called to be an instructor in Elders Quorum in my Young Single Adult ward. I was pretty scared at first, but over time I came to enjoy it as well. I learned a lot and really established my "base line"for how I teach.

The next year, I was a Gospel Doctrine teacher. I still remember the day when I met with my Bishop and he extended the call. That calling, especially teaching the Old Testament, was "the one calling I never wanted." When he first said it, it took all I had to not laugh in his face. I never wanted to teach Gospel Doctrine, and I told him that. But I accepted. Honestly, once I started teaching, I didn't know what I was afraid of. Over time, I started looking forward to teaching.

This year, I'm a ward missionary, and with that comes teaching Gospel Principles every so often. Just can't get away from teaching, I guess. It's a good thing I love teaching, now.

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Over time, I learned quite a bit of what you should and shouldn't do as a teacher. After church today, I felt inspired to share what I know after listening to a talk (which was a good one, for the most part) that had a few of the "Don'ts" listed below. I'm not sharing these lists because I want to brag about all my cool teaching moments- that's not my intention. I share this because I want what I've learned to help you.

Don't...

Tell the story of how you got your topic. We all have been called by a member of the Bishopric, we assume that you got a phone call as well.

Give excuses about your lack of prep. "I only had a day to prepare this" is not a good way to start your lesson or talk. It's an invitation for those hearing your talk to pull out their phones, take a quick nap, or do anything but pay attention to you. If you're not as prepared as you'd like to be, they don't have to know. Be confident- fake it 'til ya make it.

Keep mentioning the time/stuff you won't have time for. "I only have ten minutes, so..." or "I have four more topics I want to cover, but I won't be able to." Once again, you don't need to let them know your entire outline.

Be afraid to go off the outline. If the lesson goes one way, go with it. Most of the time, it's the Spirit guiding your lesson in the direction it should go. You could be an answer to someone's prayer. So listen!

Ask no-brainer questions. Make sure questions are deep enough. Simple yes/no questions aren't the best if you're trying to get interaction.

Be afraid of awkward silences. Embrace it. Someone will speak up eventually! One time after I taught a lesson, a member of the Bishopric came up to me and said, "That was a great lesson! But you need to give more time for your class to answer. Don't be afraid to just let it be silent."

Look away from someone while they're talking. If you're using the time people are talking to prepare for the portion or something like that, you're doing it wrong. People like to know their comments are appreciated. So, make sure you are listening to the comment being made.

Do...

Testify. One of the most important moments in my time as a teacher in the Church have been those moments when I can testify of eternal truths. One time, my uncle and cousin came to my Gospel Doctrine class because they were in town. At the end of the lesson, they said they were impressed that I "was able to testify at important times during the lesson, and thus making an easy transition for other members in the class to comment and testify." Testifying more than once should be your goal for the lesson.

Take your calling seriously. In Teaching, No Greater Call (which everyone should look at, by the way), a resource for teachers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it says: "As you think of the role of gospel teaching in the salvation and exaltation of God's children, can you imagine a duty more noble or sacred?" Not to scare you, but teaching is a pretty big responsibility. So take it seriously.

Make it a discussion rather than a lecture. Unless you're speaking in Sacrament Meeting. Otherwise, leading a discussion helps the class to interact, give to the lesson, and make the lesson better than anything just the teacher could contribute. My favorite lessons have been ones when people comment and contribute immensely- not because I don't want to talk as much (because I can talk forever), but because I love hearing examples that one person has that others might not have.

If you teach Elders Quorum or Relief Society, check out the teaching helps at the end of each lesson in the Teachings of the Presidents books. They're really cool. And I've used them.

Pray for the Spirit. I would be sorely mistaken if I thought that I could get through an entire lesson without the Spirit- at least a lesson where hearts are touched. The Spirit knows exactly which way the conversation should go, so pray hard that He can be there when you teach. Your lesson can go so much better.

Invite the Spirit. This relates to the last point. Sometimes in Sunday School we didn't sing an opening song, but I loved having one, because it really set the spiritual mood. Invite your class to be open to the Spirit, because what they get out of the lesson/talk is entirely up to them.

Enjoy your calling. If teaching is scary, find a way around that. Gospel Doctrine Teacher was "that one calling I never want." I laughed a little when my Bishop extended the call to me, but honestly, it turned into one of my favorite callings, ever. Just like everything else in life, if you aren't enjoying it, change something.

Keep running.

Let's [Not] Compare

I'm going to make myself vulnerable for a minute.

Over my lifetime, I've discovered that I'm really bad at comparing myself with others. I wish I didn't have this weakness, but I do.

I don't want to give you any specific instances, but I will tell you that I've been jealous of friends/roommates/etc that I see going on dates, having a girlfriend, meeting tons of new people. I see guys at what I feel like is the same point as me, but they have so much more going for them (from my point of view). I feel like I should be "as far along" as people around me.

Facebook and Instagram are another problem for me--- And this quote sums up how I feel perfectly: 

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare
our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."

Social media is a false window into people's lives. Honestly, how willing am I to post about the bad moments? Only the good, fun, exciting ones, right? It's fun to see updates, and I love seeing what people are up to, but I walk away sadder when I spend a lot of time on social media.

I think it's "human" to feel like that, but to key is not to dwell on it. Here's the thing: I'm not like anyone else, and therefore, I don't have the same story as everyone else. No one else has served a mission exactly like mine, had ten neck surgeries, two rounds of chemo and radiation, and the many other good and bad things I've faced in my life. I'm not saying this to try and say I'm better than anyone else, but to tell you- we're all different.

Because I'm different than the people around me, why in the world should I compare myself to people who have a different life story than me? Erik's journey is my own and I'm happy to tell you my story, but I don't want to compare drafts.

I've come to realize over the last few years just how personal the gospel of Jesus Christ is. His Atonement is infinite and eternal, and available to everyone, and helps me and you in the personal battles we have. My witness of the Book of Mormon is personal. My patriarchal blessing is personal guidance just for me. When I pray to my Heavenly Father, it's personal. Why? Because my journey is not yours, just like your journey is not mine.

My biggest weapon against the fight of worldly comparison is perspective. I try to keep the perspective that I am unique, that the Lord is highly invested in our lives, and that our goal here on this earth is to learn and grow. Perspective in the scriptures, rather than on social media.


Comparing myself to others is what's holding me back, but today is a chance to make a change.

Keep running.

Cancer and College

As I prepare to move up to Logan for school (two days!!), I've been thinking a lot about my life here in Cedar City, and therefore the experiences I've been through. I've also been thinking about how it will feel to get back into school and classes again. I found an essay I wrote a few months ago, and it helped me realize one thing that cancer has given me: perspective in everything. Good luck with school!!

I knew at a young age that I wanted to pursue a career in which I could help people. That was solidified at age 15, when I was diagnosed with cancer in my salivary glands. The five-and-a-half year journey that included numerous surgeries, relapses, radiation, and chemotherapy have both helped and hindered my college pursuit in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined. 

My college experience began in my home town of Cedar City, Utah at Southern Utah University in the fall of 2012. I stood six months clear from a relapse, in which I had a surgery to removed cancer-infected tissue from my neck. Toward the end of the semester, however, I was faced with yet another relapse, this time requiring a major 13-hour surgery which would take place the day after my last final. Because of the immensity of this surgery, I made the choice to un-register for the upcoming spring semester, so that I could recover and focus on my health. It put me behind a semester, and I wish I could have kept going with my schooling. 

On the other hand, I have been blessed in regards to my higher education because of cancer. Months after my major surgery, I sat at a crossroads. I wasn’t necessarily happy with my chosen major. My education was at a point where I didn’t have many general education requirements left and needed to pursue a major. I combed through the list of majors that SUU offered, but nothing jumped out at me. It wasn’t until I looked at the results of my personality test that I immediately found my answer- Speech pathology. I wouldn’t have recognized that career had I not received speech therapy from my major surgery months before. If I hadn’t gone through cancer, I probably wouldn’t have gone toward the career I am pursuing today. 

The biggest impact of cancer is that I am a better college student. I have full confidence that I can push through hard classes and tough teachers, assignments, or study groups- all with phenomenal grades. Why? Because I’ve made it through harder times. I know that I can succeed at anything in life because I have already succeeded in something bigger than myself- taking back my life from cancer.

 Keep running.

Go, But Stop

As some of you may know, I teach Gospel Doctrine in my ward. I taught a lesson last week where we talked about our Savior Jesus Christ giving signs of the destruction of Jerusalem in years to come,and then signs of the Second Coming. The scripture references we talked about were from the book of Joseph Smith-Matthew (which is a inspired translation from God through Joseph Smith of Matthew chapter 24- more information about what it is here). In JS-Matt 1:12-15 it reads:

12 When you, therefore, shall see the abomination ofdesolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, then you shall stand in theholy place; whoso readeth let him understand.

13 Then let them who are in Judea flee into themountains;

14 Let him who is on the housetop flee, and not return to take anything out of his house;

15 Neither let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes; 

Christ gave counsel to flee from the destruction into the mountains. We talked about this concept and about fleeing from danger. Along with getting away from the danger and destruction, it's important that we don't look back.

Jeffrey R. Holland gave an excellent talk on this concept, entitled Faith is for the Future: Remember Lot's Wife. [Who is Lot, and his wife? Quick recap: Lot and his family were commanded to flee from Sodom and Gomorrah because of the cities' wickedness (which would soon be destroyed). As Elder Holland said in his talk: "Surely, surely with the Lord's counsel 'look not behind thee' ringing clearly in her ears, Lot's wife, the record says, 'looked back,' and she was turned into a pillar of salt." Wow.] Lot's wife looked back and longed for the life she had left behind. If she was part of the group that left, I assume that she wasn't committing sins that caused for the cities' destruction, but she longed to be back in her comfort zone, where she was before.

How many times have you or I looked back? Sometimes longing to be as days of old, sometimes looking back with shame or regret?

I feel like for every few days, there is always at least one not-so-good day, or not-so-good moment. Most often, those moments have come as I lay in bed and think about my day. Memories of past actions sink in, and make me feel like I'm still that bad person. It changes, very briefly, how I think and feel. I've made mistakes that I really regret, that make me feel like a pretty horrible person, and make me feel that my Father in Heaven and my Savior are really disappointed in me and that I can never be clean again.

BUT guess what? I'm not that person anymore. I've changed, repented, turn my life toward the right path. Mistakes do not define me, they refine me. As I turn my heart to the gospel, to the Savior, to those who I know love me despite what I've done in the past, I'm changed. The change is not easy, but worth it. It's never been easy to go and talk to a priesthood leader and change things, but I testify to you that God's plan is manifest all around us, repentance is REAL, and you can be whole again.

[Sometimes it's necessary to look back, as you learn from your mistakes, repent, and realign yourself with God, especially as you partake of the sacrament every week.] I need to give this advice to myself at times too, but stop looking back with sadness. Yes, the past happened; there is nothing you can do to change it. What you can do is move forward with faith and a determination to be better.

If you need to take action to be able to move forward, like talking with a priesthood leader and fixing those past mistakes, do it now!

Go forward, but stop looking back. Stop lingering from the past, stop sulking over your past mistakes. Let it go, and move on. "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (In 2015 language: Don't look back once you've started moving forward.)

I have a bright future, and I'm not going to let myself sulk about my past to change that! Keep running.

I Wish I Could Tell You That It's Easy

April 13th, 2015 will go down in history as the last day of chemo- EVER. If you didn't see the joyous celebration, check out the video on my Facebook or Instagram feed. I rang the bell. I'm done. What a great feeling!  The day after my treatment, I was administered a shot designed to help boost white blood cells, typically given 24 hours after a chemo treatment. WBCs are what help with your immunity, fight off sicknesses, and allow me back into society. I had never gotten this shot before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The doctors explained that I'd feel achy in my joints because my bone marrow is going to town making these white blood cells. Suggested aid: Claritin. Take night before chemo treatment, day of treatment, and for a few days after.

I wish that I could tell you that it was all smooth sailing. I wish I could tell you that life was just joyful that week because my white blood cells were happily multiplying inside my body. Well, I'd be wrong to tell you that. I spent 90% of Thursday and Friday on the couch. I felt like crap. No question, it was the hardest week of treatment. What I felt can be compared to that feeling of taking a nap but wake up feeling achy and much worse off. (On the bright side, my nausea level was about a 3 out of 10) I assume that because my body went on a WBC spree, I'll bounce back to 100% faster than normal. I'll take the week of crap in order to feel better one week sooner.

We see all the time on social media the phenomenon of peoples' lives seeming so glorious and perfect, when in reality, no one's life is that perfect. Sorry, that's just the way it is. I have tried to treat my cancer journey the same way, especially with what I post. It's great to post that I'm feeling great, and it's fun to post all the good things that come out of this experience, but let me be frank with you: It's not all easy.

There have been many times where I get mad because I don't want to be the sick kid. I don't want a reason for people to do things like bring us meals or get me a nice gift card. I don't want to spend the day just watching Netflix because that's all I really feel up to. I remember the day where I had the biggest kick-in-the-stomach-and-crotch-at-the-same-time feeling; I sat in the library and unregistered for the following semester because of an upcoming surgery during Christmas break, and I would be out of commission for a while.

There have been times where I questioned. I questioned why things were happening. I questioned why I was still falling into the same bad habits. I questioned why someone my young age had to deal with something so big.

I consider myself happy and optimistic. I consider myself the person that always knows how to have a good time. Guys, I voted myself "Life of the Party" for Senior Favorites [I didn't get it, in case you were wondering]. It's not always easy. Not at all. But can I tell you the secret to my good life? The gospel and atonement of Jesus Christ in my life.

I want to shout it to the world how much I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not just "something cool" that will suffice for a good thought of the day. It's a way of life, it's a way of happiness, and a way back home to our Heavenly Father. I know you've "heard it all before," but hear me out. I have quite the list of reasons to hate my life, yet I don't. My reason is my Savior.

Looking for the knowledge of why we have trials can be found in many places, but I'd like to share one with you today. Elder David A. Bednar, one of the current leaders on the earth of this Church, gave such an excellent talk on this subject. Read the first story from his talk here, or check out the video below (or through this link).

"Two guiding questions can be helpful as we periodically and prayerfully assess our load: “Is the load I am carrying producing the spiritual traction that will enable me to press forward with faith in Christ on the strait and narrow path and avoid getting stuck? Is the load I am carrying creating sufficient spiritual traction so I ultimately can return home to Heavenly Father?”Sometimes we mistakenly may believe that happiness is the absence of a load. But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness."

Cancer has been a part of my load. It is heavy and I hate it. But it has helped me lead a better life, be more grateful for the life I have, and treasure all my relationships that much more. If my load is what Heavenly Father sees as a way for me to grow, then bring it on. Again, I'll tell you: I wish I could tell you that it's easy. It's not. But it is worth it. So worth it, in fact, that our elder brother, Jesus Christ, paid the price for our sins, downfalls, injustices, and weaknesses so that we could come to this earth, gain a physical body, learn and grow, and return to our Heavenly Father again.

Because of my load, and because I've pushed through the uneasy, I have gained so much. I have a greater relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. I have a deeper understanding of His sacrifice on our behalf. I have a greater understanding for people. I have a deeper knowledge of the plan of salvation. If we are righteous, this life is the hardest it will get. Temples are really the House of the Lord. Good days come. God does heal. The sun will come out tomorrow, if not today- bet your bottom dollar on it. Had I not gone through cancer, I never would have met most of my friends, I wouldn't be in the exact spot I am today, I wouldn't already have my Associate's degree, and I might be headed down a career path.

[If you don't take anything away from your reading here, take this: Life isn't easy, but God is good. He is there to help you through the hard times so that we can rise above our weaknesses, trials, deficiencies, hardships, addictions, and pain.]

I'm ready to work my hardest to become the person that my Father in Heaven wanted and my Savior suffered for. Are you?

Keep running.

Lotion Feet

To prove this blog isn't just about cancer and some of that serious stuff, do you want to hear a hilarious story? OKAY, you're gonna get a kick out of it. Hahahaha. 

So on Sunday, my mom, brother, and I were sitting on the downstairs couch with watching a movie. I took a drink out of my water cup, and a minute later wondered why I tasted lotion. Well...

1. My mom put lotion on her feet.
2. Cork (our chihuahua) likes to lick lotion off her feet. Cause he's a dog. Yeah, gross.
3. Cork tried to take a drink out of my cup and I stopped him.
4. He did manage to get some of the lotion he licked onto the tip of the cup, and that's how I tasted the lotion. 

The lotion went from my moms feet, to Corks mouth, to my cup, to my mouth!!!!

So essentially I licked my own mother's feet. Happy Tuesday.

*for the record, my mom's feet aren't gross*

Keep running [And not eating lotion from your mother's feet].

Have You Seen What's Happened in Just ONE Week?

I don't know how many of you are aware of a social media miracle that happened in just over one week.

I follow the account Humans of New York on both Facebook and Instagram. In this account, a photographer named Brandon photographs people on the street and tells their stories. It's pretty unique, and pretty interesting: "New York City, one story at a time."

On January 19, 2015, Humans of New York posted a picture of a boy asking who is the person who has influenced him the most in his life. He told about his principal, Ms. Lopez. 

Here's an outline of the last week for Mott Hall Bridges Academy- keep in mind today's date while reading this:

• January 19: First post about Vidal and Mott Hall Bridges Academy
• January 22: Decide to start a fundraiser for trip to Harvard every year for students (goal on fundraiser website says $100,000)
• January 23: $365,000 hit."...this is the most warm hearted group of people on the internet." Anything raised beyond $350,000 (ten years of Harvard trips) will go toward a summer program costing $40,000 per summer
• January 26: $700,000 hit. Funds over this amount will go toward a scholarship fund for graduates of Mott Hall Bridges Academy.

And for the total, as of 9:02 a.m. on January 28, 2015 (with NINE days left of the fundraiser)....
$877,916! And counting. How incredible, right?

Some facts about this fundraiser:

Current running time: 5.5 days. Total current amount: $874,916.

Average amount donated per day: $159,075.

Total amount of donations: 29,255. Total current amount: $874,916.
Average amount per donation: $29.90 (not that much out of the budget!)

In just five days, "these donations have provided funding for ten years worth of Harvard trips, and ten years worth of summer programs.".... plus the start of a scholarship fund.

Blown. Away.

To best portray the full story, I've taken screenshots of seven posts directly from the Humans of New York Instagram account, with the caption of the photo written underneath. To check out all the pictures from this story, check out the Instagram account itself.

[Some housekeeping: All pictures and captions that follow the specific picture are taken directly from the Instagram account entitled Humans of New York, unless otherwise noted. I do not take credit for anything said from the account, I'm just portraying this story to you.]

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On January 19, 2015, Humans of New York posted:

"Who's influenced you the most in your life?"
"My principal, Ms. Lopez."
"How has she influenced you?"
"When we get in trouble, she doesn't suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains to us how society was built down around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter."

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January 22, 2015

I spent yesterday afternoon in a brainstorming session with Ms. Lopez and her assistant principal Ms. Achu, trying to think of creative ways that the HONY community could help further the vision of Mott Hall Bridges Academy. Our discussion covered many needs, but we kept returning to one in particular-- the limited horizons of disadvantaged youth. Ms. Lopez’s school is situated in a neighborhood with the highest crime rate in New York, and many of her scholars have very limited mobility. Some of them are very much ‘stuck’ in their neighborhood. And many have never left the city. “It can be very difficult for them to dream beyond what they know,” Ms. Lopez explained. 
So the three of us struck on an idea. (OK, it was Ms. Achu’s idea, but we all agreed.) We want to create a fund that will provide each incoming 6th grade class at Mott Hall Bridges Academy a chance to get out of their neighborhood and visit a new place. And that place is Harvard University. “I want every child who enters my school to know that they can go anywhere, and that they will belong,” said Ms. Lopez.

So we’re going to try to make it happen! Let’s help this visionary educator enrich the lives of her students. 
Please consider donating.  Link in bio.

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January 22, 2015

A couple days back, I posted the portrait of a young man who described an influential principal in his life by the name of Ms. Lopez. Yesterday I was fortunate to meet Ms. Lopez at her school, Mott Hall Bridges Academy. “This is a neighborhood that doesn’t necessarily expect much from our children, so at Mott Hall Bridges Academy we set our expectations very high. We don’t call the children ‘students,’ we call them ‘scholars.’ Our color is purple. Our scholars wear purple and so do our staff. Because purple is the color of royalty. I want my scholars to know that even if they live in a housing project, they are part of a royal lineage going back to great African kings and queens. They belong to a group of individuals who invented astronomy and math. And they belong to a group of individuals who have endured so much history and still overcome. When you tell people you’re from Brownsville, their face cringes up. But there are children here that need to know that they are expected to succeed.”

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January 23, 2015

The note included with the flowers:
"Thank You For Being An Inspiration To Your School And Community.
Keep Doing Amazing Work With Your Scholars. You're
Simply Amazing. -A Fan Of Humans Of New York"

Just came back from a quick meeting with Ms. Lopez at Mott Hall Bridges Academy, so we could discuss how to make the most impact with the amazing success of our fundraiser so far. ($365,000!) There was a wonderful energy in the school today, everyone was beyond thrilled and overwhelmed by your generosity. My favorite part of the day was when I walked into Ms. Lopez's office, and discovered that some of you had taken it upon yourselves to send her bouquets of flowers. I've said it before-- this is the most warm hearted group of people on the internet.

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January 23, 2015

We've raised enough money in 24 hours to make the Harvard trip a permanent part of the MHBA curriculum. With two weeks left in the fundraiser, I sat down with Ms. Lopez today to learn the best way that we could continue to help her secure a bright future for her students. “We have a major need for a summer program,” she explained. “Learning stops during the summer for my scholars. We have what is called a ‘summer slide.’ My scholars can’t even go outside. It’s too dangerous. As an exercise, my teachers broke into small groups and took a walk through the community. We wanted to understand how our students live. We went inside the housing projects. The parks and playgrounds were empty because it’s too dangerous. Even the library isn’t a safe zone. Just last Saturday, one of my scholars had two guns pulled on him while he was walking to the community center. In broad daylight. It’s just too dangerous to be outside, so my scholars stay inside all summer. They aren’t learning to ride horses or drive boats, and they certainly aren’t traveling. They miss out on the enrichment available to children from more affluent neighborhoods. They need a safe place where they can do activities and continue to grow their minds. I tried to put together a program last summer, but I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t really put together any activities, and I could only use teachers-in-training. I need the funds to put together a program with my own teachers so my students have a safe place where they can continue to grow outside of school.” Ms. Lopez estimates that an effective summer program will cost about $40,000 a year. So every $40,000 beyond the $350,000 we’ve already raised will provide another “safe and productive summer “ for the students at Mott Hall Bridges Academy.

If you hadn’t already donated, please consider helping us continue to empower this visionary educator in her quest to transform her school and community. Link in bio.

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January 24, 2015

I only had a few minutes to speak with Ms. Lopez yesterday because she was hosting a conference for the district’s principals. (Because that’s the kind of thing Ms. Lopez does.) Attending the conference was Ms. Mauriciere de Govia, the superintendent of Brownsville’s school district, who was kind enough to speak with me for a few minutes in a quiet stairwell. I asked for her opinion on Ms. Lopez: “Nadia is fearless. When she says that every kid can learn, she means it. And not only does she mean it, she puts systems in place to make it happen. It all begins with high expectations. When students arrive at this school, many of them are very behind. But Nadia sets high expectations on every one. She never says: ‘This student lives in the shelter so he deserves a break.” Or ‘Because of his parents, this student can’t be expected to keep up.’ She says: ‘This is how we do things here, and there is no sidestepping.’” ------------------------------------------ We are currently profiling Mott Hall Bridges Academy, a very special middle school in a very tough part of Brooklyn. As we learn about the school and its inspiring leader, Principal Lopez, we are also raising funds to help leverage its impact on the community. Please consider donating. Link in bio.

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January 26, 2015

I asked Vidal if I could photograph him in the same place that I met him for this next announcement. In only four days, we’ve raised over $700,000 for Vidal’s classmates at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. Nearly 25,000 of you have made a donation. Taken together, these donations have provided funding for ten years worth of Harvard trips, and ten years worth of summer programs. Your donations have given a heavy boost to a group of scholars and educators in their battle to establish a culture of success in a disadvantaged neighborhood. There was an assembly today where the full impact of the fundraiser was explained to all of the students, and it was quite emotional. (But more on that later.) I wanted to announce that all funds raised over $700,000 will be reserved for a final purpose. We are starting a scholarship fund available to the graduates of Mott Hall Bridges Academy. A committee of MHBA educators and administrators will choose the recipients each year. We’re going to use the money from our campaign to get the fund started, but we’re also going to lay tracks so that it can continue to assist scholars for years to come. It will be called The Vidal Scholarship Fund. And the first recipient will be Vidal himself. If you’d like to contribute, please click on the link in the bio.

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How neat is this?

There are good people in this world. Sometimes with all the bad we see in the news, the good gets pushed aside and people, myself included, forget the little things that happen everyday. This story is more than a fundraiser, more than photography, more than popular social media. This story shows the value of education, hope, love, unity, and selflessness. Thank you to Vidal, Ms. Lopez, Brandon from Humans of New York, and everyone who does good for their fellow men.

Thanks for all you do to make this world a better place.

For the full story of the Humans of New York fundraiser, check out the links provided throughout the article and listed below:

Instagram     Facebook     Donation Site

Keep running.

Social Media

I'm a service missionary.

But that's nothing new to you; well, 99% of you. I started serving as a Church-Service Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was set apart in July of this year, and soon started my service at the temple.

It's been four months since that time. Four months, almost to the day, that I have been set-apart as a service missionary- July 15th. A service mission is a little different from the two-year and eighteen-month missions you hear about for men and women, respectively. The process of my mission started with my Bishop. From there, I met with my Stake President. My Stake President was ultimately in charge of my mission call, deciding and working out where I'd serve; a full-time mission call comes from Church Headquarters, assigned by inspiration from one of "the Brethren" (A member of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles), who receive that inspiration from our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.
**And just for the record, my call is no less than a mission. It is inspired as well. My mission may be a little different, but it's still service.**

While preparing for my mission, I met with my stake president a number of times. One of those visits, we discussed that we'd like to make my mission as much of a "mission" as possible; in association with dating, movies, music, television, etc.

At first, I was hard on myself. I wanted to be a missionary, I wanted to serve, and I thought being pretty strict on my association with media would help me like I'd hope. It took me less than a week to realize how much of a challenge that was; working at the temple half-days, living at home with my family, and being in a YSA ward. With help from my parents, and from my Stake President, I have defined some rules for myself to be a missionary and to not drive myself crazy.

I put out my last post on both Twitter and Instagram, and decided I'd still be on Facebook, and post uplifting things. I came up with a system: my nephew, Camden, is three-years-old. If he could watch a certain movie, I could too. So in essence, wiped out the possibility of watching those "grown-up" movies and TV shows. I stand by the "Camden-appropriate" method. It was a good idea for a missionary wanting to live the best way, without being a full-time missionary in a new area, being with a companion and strictly focusing on the gospel- which is nowhere near a bad thing!

I've finally come to terms. I can't be a missionary like we always think of. And that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not being disobedient and I'm really grateful that lately, I've been able to rely on the Spirit, and see the guidance from our Heavenly Father. My mission is specifically designed for me, and I feel like a big part of the missionary work I've done in my lifetime has been through social media- mainly this blog and Facebook.

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I was blog-hopping one day; I found a friend's sister's friend's blog. I don't know the writer of this blog, but I bookmarked the post because I found it perfectly in line with my thoughts today. The link can be found here.

My intentions were to stay off of Twitter and Instagram. You wouldn't see any posts from me for a year, the duration of my mission. I'd just get on Facebook to post uplifting things. But I'll admit, that's where I've fallen short. I browse my News Feed. I try to limit myself on Facebook. It's something I'm working on. I've been thinking about getting back on Instagram again for a while- with the same intentions as Facebook- post good things and don't stay on very long. While the big challenge is to limit my time, I finally decided improve my social media exposure- not to browse those sites, but to share goodness, using the internet for good while staying away from the bad. (Read something cool about sharing goodness here)

One reason I decided to start sharing goodness was because of the recent
news of my cancer treatments, I thought it would be good to express the
good I've found from the treatments. But that was not my main purpose.

There is a lot of bad out there. But there is also a lot of good. Satan wins that much more every time someone decides not to act for good. I am fighting against the adversary; I am fighting for the Lord; I am sharing goodness.

Join with me to share the good you see around you. If you are not religious, share something of good, with the intent to make the world a better place. It doesn't have to be with social media, it can be with anything. Do a service for someone. Improve a life. Maybe even your own.

As always,

#keeprunning

#sharegoodness

Life With MORE Than A Fibula

Did you know I'm missing a fibula? ;)

"Missing" might not be the right word.

In December of 2012, almost two years ago, I was faced with harsh news:

Cancer recurrence. This time, the cancer is in your jaw bone. The fix? Removing all of a fibula, except for the top and bottom 3-4"... so that the ligaments, tendons, etc. wouldn't be messed with.

On December 13, 2012, after finishing my semester finals only the day before, I underwent a 13 hour surgery. In this surgery, the doctors removed the fibula from my left leg, removed 2/3 of my mandible (lower jaw), and replaced the mandible with a portion of my fibula- among other things, which is not an important detail right now.

It sounds painful, and to be honest, it was. For a little bit. Getting out of bed to walk was definitely a hard hill to climb in my stay in the hospital.

My dad, me, and Haymitch the PT

I had given some thought to starting a blog, to getting my story out there, to sharing my experiences with others. In January 2013, a month after this surgery, "Life Without A Fibula" was born. I credit myself to coming up with this fancy, catchy (at least I think so) title. I have kept up with my medical journey over the last few years. I share my experiences of living life without a fibula.

Although I am living life without a fibula, life with only one fibula, I am living with SO much more than that. Let me tell you what I mean.

In a revelation given to Joseph Smith, Jr., the prophet of the restoration of the gospel on the earth in the 1800s, the Lord explains a little something about trials:

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaw of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. (Doctrine & Covenants 122:7)

What could possibly be good about going through hard things? A man named Orson F. Whitney said:

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God ... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.

You may not believe what I do. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called a "Mormon." I have the faith, belief, and testimony as to why we are here on the earth, and where we are going when this life is over. I believe that we are on this earth to learn and grow.

Earth life can be compared to leaving home for college. Once on our own, we choose for ourselves if we will follow what we know or believe is right. We are not obeying only to please our parents, who are no longer right with us, teaching us the way to go. As we left the presence of our Heavenly Father, we: one, gained a physical body; and two, are given the chance through our agency to obey the word of God.

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Life is more than our deficiencies, our weaknesses, our regrets, our insecurities. It's not about the pain we've felt, but the good we experience. It's not about the hardships in life, but the blessings we see. It's not what we don't have, but what we DO have. 

As stated before, I am living with so much more than just one fibula. Just a few good things I live with are:

An eternal family. I know that families can be together forever. I know that the family is central to God's plan. The gospel is all about families. Being in a family doesn't mean that things are always easy and peaceful, but it does mean that we are growing and learning together. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else for eternity except my family.

The blessings of the temple. The temple is the House of the Lord, and as such, it is a reverent and holy place. I know that I can feel the presence of our Lord in His house. I have the amazing opportunity of serving a mission there, five days a week. One day is out of the grounds, and the other four days I am inside the temple in different areas. I am grateful for the peace that comes from the temple, and the work done there is holy and eternal.
My patriarchal blessing. Everyone, after being baptized a member of the Church, is entitled to a patriarchal blessing. In this blessing (which comes from the Lord, through a patriarch) is for the benefit of the receiver. In this blessing is personal guidance, blessings, and truth directed to you. My patriarchal blessing has been a huge comfort to me as I read and re-read it (yes, the blessing is recorded, transcribed and delivered to you- so you can read it as often as you want).


The atonement of Jesus Christ. I have been taking a class on the Atonement in Institute. The atonement is what makes the difference between our imperfect lives and returning to our Heavenly Father again. The atonement is what enables us, redeems us, and uplifts us. It is through Christ that we are saved, after all we can do. What do we need to do? LET the atonement change our lives.

I may have lost physically, some have it worse. I have gained spiritually, more than I thought I could. The gospel is amazing, in that sense. Because I choose to look at what I have, because of the gospel, because of Jesus Christ, because of the atonement, I am HAPPY. Truly, happy.

Keep running!

Hey! Guess What?

So guess what? I'm a missionary. Yup, it happened. For those of you who are uninformed, or just want to hear the whole story, here's how it went down.

Back in the spring, I knew that I wanted to serve a service mission. What exactly is that? Well, in simplest terms, part-time glorified volunteered work. I started the process with my Young Single Adult (YSA) ward Bishop and Stake President. With a service mission, you basically get to choose in which capacity you serve.

After months of meeting with my Bishop and Stake President, who deserve a HUGE thank you, everything had been set. I found out a week from last Sunday, July 6th. I am to be a temple worker in the St. George temple!

I will be down there 5 days a week- every day except Sunday and Tuesday, which is my Preparation day. I will be doing something different each day, which includes working in the cafeteria, grounds, baptistry, and being a patron for the "upstairs" ordinances. Once I am more familiar with those ordinances, I can eventually have the opportunity to be an official ordinance worker.

YAHOOO!!!! Right? The scariest thing about all of this is how fast is has come together. On July 6th, I had no idea when I would be called, when I would start, all of that information. I met with my Stake President that afternoon, and found out that my call would be coming in a few days in the mail, my set apart date would be the 15th, and my start date would be the 18th. I talked with my home ward Bishop to schedule a time for my farewell, which was the 13th, only a week away.

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If you did the math from that last paragraph, you realize that right now? Yes, I am officially a church service missionary. As of yesterday. As this isn't a full-time mission, my rules are a little different.

1) I will still be living at home. I am able to keep up with my health concerns if they come up, and able to maintain doctors checkups. I'll see my family everyday. Like I said- part-time gloried volunteer work. A full-time mission with a rigorous schedule might be too much for me to handle. With my mission, I am able to completely take care of my body, which is the most important thing for someone who has been through what I have, while still being able to serve! Thanks for watching out for me, Heavenly Father.

2) I will still be attending my YSA ward. I am excited to still be in the ward I have spent the last year in and be around some friends I have known and love. The only difference is this year, I won't be hanging out as often as I did last year.

3) As for dates? Nope. Friends, I can still do a little bit with. Not crazy adventures, but maybe some lunches or hikes here
and there, as long as it doesn't interfere with my call as a church service missionary and maintains an environment worthy enough for the Spirit to be in.

4) I can still watch TV and movies and go on the computer, but it is suggested that I only do those things that invite the Spirit to stay with me. So, I'm giving up "regular" music, all of the action movies, etc. I said goodbye to my Instagram and Twitter for the next year. As for Facebook, I won't be browsing my News Feed or getting on the site nearly as much. I've decided to post quotes and good things on there. And of course, links to this blog.

5) The normal missionary rights weekly to his parents and family, and any others that write him. Right now, I can tell you that I'm still working on this one. I don't know if I will send an email out, or just post once a week in that regard on this blog. Whatever I decide, I would love to still maintain this blog. It's been such a blessing for me to write down my experiences, especially to look back on in the future.

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I'm glad I am able to serve. I never thought I would serve in a capacity like this, but let me tell you, I am just downright excited. Thank you for all your kind words, support, and love you've shown me as I have gotten ready to serve this mission.

I won't really say goodbye. More like, see ya around?

I'm excited for my part-time glorified volunteer work! That's really what it is- glorified. The temple is an amazing place to serve. Stop by sometime!

Keep running!