TED Talk/This American Life Reviews

TED Talks/This American Life: While listening to a few of these, I found 3 particularly that I'd like to tell you about.

1. How Schools Kill Creativity: 
• Creativity is as important as literacy.
• We're too frightened of being "wrong"
• Mistakes are the worst thing you can make in education
• All children are born artists. The problem is to remain artists growing up.
• We grow out of creativity, not into it.
• We are limiting human capacity!
• We need to acknowledge multiple kinds of intelligence.
2. Extrasensory: The spotlighted man cannot see color. But he hears it! Each color has a corresponding note, with red as the lowest and violet as highest. He shared a lot of life experiences, but one thing that interested me was when he went to art school. There he noticed that he didn't see the world the same as everyone else. This got me thinking: while I may be able to see color, I have a different paradigm of the world than anyone else. I can do my part to make the world better in only ways I can make the world better. 
• Extending your senses extends your knowledge. 
• Technology can help to stretch human senses. 
• We only retain about 25% of what we hear. 
• Conscious listening creates understanding. 
• 3 minutes a day of silence to reset your ears.
• Listening is the most generous gift you can give to another human being.
3. How Great Leaders Inspire Action
1. Those who lead inspire us.
2. We want to follow who we actually follow; we follow for ourselves.
3. We don't work with people who can just do the job, we work for those who believe what we believe. 

New York Times Article Response

The New York Times recently published an article titled "Missions Signal a Growing Role for Mormon Women." I loved the response the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's hard to voice an opinion on these topics, but I personally didn't like the article. A few things bothered me: 

• The interview with the missionary- I'm sure she is a great missionary, but I wonder about her interview and whether it is taken out of context. The Times stated that the reason she wanted to go on a mission was because a mission would "not only please God but also give her the organizational and persuasive skills to succeed professionally." This could have been meant in a harmless way, but I think the reason one should go on a mission is solely to please God. It shouldn't be because you think it will help you get skills for your future career success.
• The tone- "Church leaders have been forced to reassess their views because Mormon women are increasingly supporting households, marrying later and less frequently, and having fewer children."
• The article makes the women sound like they are in charge of the church officials. 
• Overall, I feel like the article promotes the idea that the change in mission age change for sisters is due to the "movement" of the Mormon Women Project.

I personally have never felt discriminated against in the Church. I believe that men and women have separate roles, but that this does not make us unequal.

Elizabeth Smart

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to Elizabeth Smart speak as part of BYU's Voices of Courage Campaign. As she shared her story and insights, I gained my own insight and recognized what an opportunity it was to hear her speak.

As Elizabeth captivated her audience by sharing her experience, she testified of her knowledge that God loves all of us--no matter what. The advice she received from her mother upon being rescued is applicable to us all in our own trials. Her captor stole 9 months of her life, but she refuses to let him steal anymore. Instead of letting her horrific experience hold her back, she chose to be happy, be thankful, and live her life to the fullest. So can we--our trials don't define us, but how we react to them does. 

Now, you may be wondering: "What does this post have to do with service?!" I'd be happy to tell you!

You can serve more efficiently and to the best of your ability if you first become what you can yourself. For example, how would a doctor be able to help and assist patients if he hadn't first gone through years of schooling and training? Elizabeth smart has become a voice for courage through her experience of being kidnapped. Now she is an example to us all, as she is using her talents to serve and touch the hearts of so many others. 

Movie Review

God Grew Tired of Us

The Lost Boys shown in the film screening arrived at a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya, which was designed to help them for three years. There the UN provided basic education, and then the boys were “waiting for [their] grave”(“God Grew Tired of Us). The United States accepted some refugees and allowed them three months federal assistance until their work visas and social security cards were processed.

            This screening documented two particular Lost Boys and their adventures, thoughts, fears, joys, and hopes as refugees. Their story was documented as each found a job, learned about the technology found in a first world country, and discovered a new culture. Throughout this experience, the two men gave insight on the hardship of transitioning from African to American culture. For example, the meaning of Santa Claus and a Christmas tree were confusing to them. They felt discouraged and bombarded with the interesting traditions and meanings that were unknown to them in Africa.
          Throughout the story of the Lost Boys coming as refugees to America, their struggles are represented in daily activities. While eating dinner with their hands, they explained their feelings of a duty to keep up their African traditions, saying that “a person without culture is like a human being without land.” The lost boys did not want to forget their identity, especially as they did not understand American culture and the Americans they met did not understand African culture. Understanding is a common characteristic that society often neglects.

          Should the documentary prompt us to action? Should it make us feel uncomfortable? Should guilt be a resulting factor? Is the sole purpose for people of the world to become more aware? What does this screening teach us? These feelings generate a desire to act. The ultimate question is, “What now?” The film should prompt an increased desire to help--to serve--but does not suggest a specific way. Part of the discomfort and guilt we feel comes from not knowing what we should do as a result of becoming aware. One small way we can help is even just remembering what we have learned, as our attitudes will change and our awareness will affect the paradigm we hold. 

             Be aware! Serve!

Becoming

The gospel motivates you to become. It requires you to work-- there's no easy way out, no "easy A", no sitting back to ride the waves. You are either progressing, or digressing.

Service is one of those things that you can incorporate daily to progress. Sometimes we think we have to do something big: go on a humanitarian trip, go on a mission, or convert someone. But it really is "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (Alma 37:6).

So here's a little advice from Elder Oaks, in his talk The Challenge to Become:

"We are challenged to move through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal life. This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the right reason--for the pure love of Christ. The Apostle Paul illustrated this in his famous teaching about the importance of charity. The reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most significant acts of goodness he cited is that charity, "the pure love of Christ"(Moro. 7:47), is not an act but a condition or state of being. Charity is attained through a succession of acts that result in a conversion. 

Charity is something one becomes. 

Thus, as Moroni declared, "except men shall have charity they cannot inherit" the place prepared for them in the mansions of the Father (Ether 12:32; emphasis added). "

Forms of Service

Service comes in many shapes and sizes: from the humanitarian trip to Africa to smiling at someone. But all of it matters, and all of it has an affect-recognized or not- as service creates a ripple effect. One story about serving through forgiveness has been astounding to me.

Elder Oaks referenced this story in the April 2013 General Conference talk, Followers of Christ, when he stated: "Chris Williams drew upon his faith in Jesus Christ to forgive the drunken driver who caused the death of his wife and two of their children. Only two days after the tragedy and still deeply distraught, this forgiving man, then serving as one of our bishops, said, "As a disciple of Christ, I had no other choice."'

What an amazing example of service. Forgiveness is among one of the hardest gifts we are able to give. By acting in such a loving manner, Chris Williams gave the young, drunken driver a chance at life-- he gave him his future back.

The ripple effect of this service was unimaginable to Williams. As news reports shared the remarkable story, the community and world received an example of service that impacted their lives. Williams gave many talks to help others understand forgiveness. A Mormon Message was created to spread this example. Chris Williams also wrote a book, "Let It Go," to share the message of the importance of forgiveness.

Service comes in unexpected ways. 

Letter to the Editor

Service, from Elder Ballard, “the very definition of our religion,” can be bad. “Service” and “bad” aren’t usually stringed together- ever. By realizing there are ineffective ways to serve, improvement and effectiveness of service becomes possible. Members of the LDS church should approach service with unselfish motives in order to uphold the divine characteristic of charity.

Ineffective service is a common daily occurrence. One simple way to evaluate the effectiveness of service is to evaluate motive. Traditionally, the viewpoint of serving in order to receive blessings has evolved. This outlook should not be the motive- the one completely pure motive of service is charity, through love for God’s children and willingness to serve to display love for God.

It is important to recognize and improve tactics of service. Basic ways to improve service are: put in effort, go out of your comfort zone, use your brain, observe before you serve, reach your full potential in order to help others reach theirs, reflect on your experience, and learn through your service. Learning to serve effectively is essential, for service influences countless lives daily. Service is a quality we will always be encouraged to incorporate more abundantly in our lives, hopefully in a more effective way in order to maximize our efforts and abilities to help others. By recognizing the ineffective ways to serve by using our “heart, might, mind and strength” mentioned in D&C 4:2, assessment of our methods of service and improve upon them becomes possible.

Always

Saturday Morning

I remembered last night, but I pretended I didn't. I'll set my alarm and see if I want to go when it wakes me up...
Alarm. 

Five more minutes? 

Snooze.

Alarm.

Snooze...again? 

Guilt. 

Get out of bed.

Put on sweats, put my hair in a ponytail. 

Go grab gloves, a bucket, and a shovel.

Off to the youth service activity...

Search lds.org

"Unselfish Service" --Dallin H. Oaks

"The Spirituality of Service" --Derek A. Cuthbert

"Service" --Steven E. Snow

"Finding Joy Through Loving Service" --Russell C. Taylor

"She Stretched Out Her Hand to the Poor" --Barbara B. Smith

"The Service That Counts" --Thomas S. Monson
"Service, A Divine Quality" --Carlos H. Amado

"Why Do We Serve?" --Dallin H. Oaks

"Sacrifice" --Dallin H. Oaks

Always

Why does the hesitation always come? Never want to go sacrifice and serve, seems inconvenient. Then I start weeding with my friends in the ward. It becomes somewhat fun. 

Afterwards. 

Always afterwards. 

Always afterwards, happiness and gratitude flood in. 

Interview

The idea of posting on service came to me, as I mentioned previously, from an amazing course I took at BYU called Learning Through Service. The Professor, Casey Peterson, is also the director for the Center for Service and Learning at Brigham Young University. He became interested in service through "a lifelong pursuit as both a giver and receiver".

He changed my views on service, and so I asked him a few questions as I wanted you to have the same opportunity. 

Service to Casey Peterson is defined as "selfless sharing of time and talents to helping others as an instrument in God's hands." A major learning experience for me was when I realized that service isn't always effective. This realization allows for the opportunity to improve our methods of service. "Service can be ineffective when planned around the needs of the server, instead of the recipient. I believe some good will come from every effort to serve, but the efficiency increases as the awareness of the needs of the person being served is found."

He shared four suggestions to make our service more effective:

• Love
• Thought
• Reflection 
• Revelation

So, how does the Church of Latter-Day Saints exemplify effective service?
"Knowing the needs of cultures, individuals, and communities. Each response is specific to an area, well researched, and well planned. The larger picture is maintained well."

Lastly,
How can we incorporate effective service in our daily lives, jobs, school, and hobbies? "Continual prayer to be guided, a willingness to always act, and opportunities to continually reflect on what is happening."

Movie Review

     I recently watched a very interesting film, titled “Waste Land.” As I’ve been reflecting on what I saw, I’ve had a few thoughts that I would like to share with you! Yes, you could be broad and argue that recycling is a service because it saves the planet. And that’s just peachy, good, great…yeah! But I want to go deeper than this, like the film did, and make you realize that you can make a difference. 
     As this film explored the lives of a few particular pickers, it showed the transitioning of their lives as they helped create trash art. Each trash picker working at the landfill in Rio de Jeneiro reacted in similar ways:

•          They realized how life was comparatively, before and after.
•          They were grateful for their new perspective.
•         They wanted to make a difference.

     You may be wondering how this can relate to service? An understanding leads to a grateful heart and a desire to serve. 

     It becomes a cycling pattern for good. So take from that what you will, and maybe spend a night on Netflix watching “Waste Land.”

"I'd never imagined I'd become a work of art."

"I don't see myself in the trash anymore. I really don't."

"I have nothing to complain about in my life. Nothing, nothing at all. Oh man, if I complained God would punish me."

Paradox of Service

I'm 99% positive that in ever Sunday school, Young Women's, or any church lesson on service for that matter, the paradoxical statement that serving, a sacrifice, allows you to prosper. This seems senseless- if you give something up you shouldn't gain more, correct? Correct. But not. This is one of the amazing elements of service.

This paradox is illuminated upon reading the speech Why Giving Matters, given by Arthur C. Brooks, who was president of the American Enterprise Institute during 2009. (This speech can be found here: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1826). He explains the statistics better than I ever could:

"I worked for months with my computer in my darkened office to get my conclusion. The conclusion was, sure enough, that when people get richer, they tend to give more money away. But I also came up with the following counterintuitive finding: When people give more money away, they tend to prosper.
Specifically, here’s what I found. If you have two families that are exactly identical—in other words, same religion, same race, same number of kids, same town, same level of education, and everything’s the same—except that one family gives a hundred dollars more to charity than the second family, then the giving family will earn on average $375 more in income than the nongiving family—and that’s statistically attributable to the gift."

Brooks further explains that he couldn't believe the statistics actually lived up to the paradox; he couldn't bring himself to publish the findings until he accepted why this is true. This is the paradox of service- you get more than you give. 

Service: An Introduction

serv·ice

  [sur-vis]

noun     an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service.


Service is a word you hear often growing up in the LDS Church. You're taught principles of service, you plan service activities, you attend service activities, and you're encouraged to incorporate service into your daily actions. Maybe you love service. Maybe you enjoy the satisfaction that comes from helping others. Maybe service is something you dread, but you do it because you feel guilty otherwise. 

Well guess what. I think service is wonderful. But I also think there are flaws in how it is presented. 

I didn't always think this way; it all started when I took a class in Fall 2013 at Brigham Young University called Learning Through Service. This opened my eyes to all of the ineffective forms of service. 

Ineffective forms of service?

Yeah. I didn't know that was real. I thought all service was good- even if it doesn't achieve the desired results, at least you're trying, right? As long as you try, you get blessings, right? Right. But wrong. 

My goal for this blog is to unravel some of the misunderstandings concerning service. Hopefully by first understanding there are ineffective forms of service, learning through service will allow an improvement which will alter interactions within society.  


"In serving others you will find yourself."
-President Spencer W. Kimball