W01 Assignment_ Journal 9.12.23

Week 01 Notes:  With the gift of agency, we are given the choice to follow or not to follow the voice of the Holy Ghost  The Holy Ghost helps us become “learners who act on faith”  When we have the knowledge to seek answers by faith, then we will be guided, strengthened, and protected to act and ultimately do what is right  Having agency as a learner gives us the great responsibility to monitor what we will learn and how well we will learn  We can all end up creating limitations on ourselves  Agency allows us to be independent of the choices and actions we take and not just adjust as things are thrown our way without a choice in the matter  We are all solely responsible for our academic successes throughout our lives because of the great gift of agency  Knowledge is the only thing we take with us to the Eternal Kingdom  How much we each learn while on Earth will affect and determine our next life  Understanding and fulfilling our responsibility will help us stand up for our beliefs and values  Understanding our responsibilities will help us as learners will help us follow the path of righteousness  "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth." (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith)  We are gaining all the knowledge we can to help us defeat the evils of this world  Our voices will be powerful when we have to advocate for those who may not be able to  The family is one of the crucial things that help a child's development, which means that we must do what I can to protect them  "Whether by my own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same."  As an advocate, we are speaking the words of Heavenly Father in protecting His children  "The simple truth is that the family is 'the fundamental unit of society."  Many of us are able to pour out our hearts and souls in prayer, but we often forget to listen afterwards to hear what Heavenly Father has to say back to us  "Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses— yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will grow into the principle of revelation.” (Russell M. Nelson)  Some believe we have no choice whether we get offended/upset/angry in certain situations, however if our spouse, coworker, family member, etc., says something that is offensive to us, it is up to us individually how offended/upset we will become by it  Giving others control over our emotions, goes against the idea of agency for our choices  Agency is applied in small and large ways. It’s not just life changing decisions, it’s also the daily things like; waking up on time for school/work, eating a healthy breakfast, attending Church activities regularly. Week 01 Reflection: