Weekly Update

I've waited all year to use this crazy picture. In honor of Ammon, his two-edged sword, and a pile of severed arms, may I present to you the four-light-sabered Jedi flying squirrel...

We covered a lot of material this week (chapters 14 through 22) and so welcome to the Alma Buffet. Little bites of lots of different experiences, testimonies, and doctrines were offered. Hopefully, everyone will go back for more and feast until they are full. So what did we sample? Read on...

Alma 14: Martyrdom, silence, victory, and a perfect ending for the bad guys.

Alma 15: Missionary success and healing power.

Alma 16: Lamanites

Alma 17: Arms, Christ-like example, duty and purpose

Alma 18: Conversion

Alma 19: Lamoni, Mrs. Lamoni, Abish

Alma 20: Middoni adventures, conversion, freedom

Alma 21: Another missionary perspective

Alma 22: The pillars of eternity, conversion, property lines

Friday was the March Madness Shoot-Around. Nothing can be more frustrating that trying to make a basket with a tennis ball. However, the points added up and the students included them to their March Madness score sheets. Both bishops were there to help with announcing and timekeeping. Next Thursday, the March Madness winner will be crowned. Remember, no school or Seminary next Friday... And then it's Spring Break!

Sister Pope was gone this week to help her sister with a new baby. Thanks, Sister Weitzel, for coming and keeping us on the straight/strait and narrow!

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

My bad -- somehow I forgot last week's weekly update posting. So just consider this a BOGO --a buy one, get one absolutely free blog posting. How good of a deal is that?


Since there's so much to cover, let's just hit the highlights:

• The winner of Seminary Survivor was crowned, but has not yet received her $10 Burgervill gift certificate. (This is also my bad.)
• March Madness has begun, points are being scored, and players are being traded.
• Alma taught the people of Zarahemla and surrounding lands. Check out Alma 5 for all of the details on receiving a mighty change of heart.
• The Zarahemla folks shape up nicely.
• Alma travels to the land of Gideon and teaches them all about the Atonement in chapter 7.
• The people of Ammonihah are far less interested in hearing from Alma as they are in throwing him out of town. Upon his return through the back-door, he meets Amulek. Together, they make up one of the best missionary companionships of all time.
• Alma and Amulek begin to teach and Amulek shares the story of his conversion and his testimony in chapter 10.
• Zeezrom, a lawyer with 'tude, thinks he's going to get the best of them. Wrong. You can never pull one over on the prophet. Good thing Big Z becomes converted...it's far better than the alternative.
• Alma and Amulek give us great examples about how to talk to our non-member friends and some ways to asnwer their questions.
• Look for the Plan of Redemption in chapter 12...

If you have any questions about grades or make-up work, please ask! Spring Break is a great time to catch up on it in order to finish the year without any worries. And speaking of Spring Break, only 10 Seminary mornings until then -- but who's counting?

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

What a week! It was short (thanks, Mr. Presidents) and sunny...who could ask for more? It was also a week of late-nights (thanks, Olympics). Here's what happened in Seminary this week:

On Tuesday, we met Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. We also met an angel who spoke with a voice of thunder instead of the usual still, small voice. We were there when Big Alma and his ward rejoiced when they understood why Alma the Younger was carried home. Lesson to us all -- never underestimate the power of a parental prayer. Tuesday also saw the end of the Book of Mosiah and the beginning of the reign of the judges. Wednesday was Scripture Chase Olympics, and it was full of twirling, jumping, one-handed speediness! What athletic and scriptural prowess! Thursday and Friday were spent getting to know the Book of Alma and we truly jumped right into the action! Gideon and Nehor got it going and Amlici kept it going. By the way, the story of Amlici could be considered a type and shadow of Satan. Keep that in mind the next time you read Alma chapter 2.

This week, Seminary Survivor challenged us to offer to pray, give small and simple acts of service, pay attention to creation, and to get a talk ready. (How appropriate for our seniors because Seminary Sacrament Meeting will be here soon!) Just one more week of challenges and then the Ultimate Seminary Survivor will be crowned!

Grades will be passed out at church, so if you don't get something from either of us teachers, please let me know. If you have questions about your student's information, please ask.

Have a wonderful, sunny weekend!

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

Happy Valentine's Day!

How about doing this week's update in reverse?

Friday was the 13th Annual Johnny Lingo Love Day. Johnny, Mahana, Moki and even Mr. Harris were there! Too bad they couldn't enjoy the goodies that everyone brought. Popcorn, cookies, cake, truffles, candy, and donut holes -- all blessed and served with love at church. Therefore, they had no calories!

Thursday we talked about Alma's problem-solving technique found in Mosiah 26. Wednesay, Tuesday, and Monday were full of Mosiah chapters 19 through 24. Not only are those pages full of gospel truths, they are full of intrigue and daring escapes. They are good chapters to keep in mind when we need to make a daring escape from temptation!

Seminary Survivor continues to challenge us to outwit, outplay and outlast Satan on our way to the celestial kingdom. Challenges this week included helping without being asked, offering only sincere compliments, spending an additional 10 minutes in prayer, and choosing the right all day. The weekend challenge is a two-parter -- love and patriotism. We have to be creative in how to demonstrate both of those. If only I could send George Washington and Abraham Lincoln some valentine cards...

Next week will be short due to the President's Day holiday. Grades will be coming home this week and if there are any questions about your student's information, please ask me.

Thanks, once again, for your continued support of our Seminary program!

Love,

Sister Mann, not the sharpest trader in all the islands...

Weekly Update

Isn't this a great motto? It was coined by King George VI in 1939 when the British were facing the threat and early conflicts of WWII. What a perfect motto for the second semester of Seminary. Keep calm, carry on, and don't panic in the face of temptation. Honestly, it's a great personal motto, too.

Seminary Survivor started this week! I love Survivor! Every day there is a challenge to do or not do something -- a chance for personal growth and improvement. This week, we avoided sugar, listened to church music, shared graciously, and shook lots of hands. Every day, students score themselves on their efforts. At the end of the month, we will crown an Ultimate Survivor who will win a $10 gift card to his or her favorite fast food place. And what is the secret to becoming the Ultimate Survivor? Keep calm and carry on.

Lessons this week focused on two people -- Abinadi and Alma. We discussed types and shadows of Christ and how Abinadi was clearly one of those in nearly every respect. You just have to wonder if Abinadi knew that Alma got the message and that Alma was intent on sharing it with his fellowmen. Alma's discourse on the baptismal covenant in Mosiah 18 is just wonderful! In my humble opinion, they kept calm and carried on just as the Lord would have them do.

Grades will be done this week and will include the most up-to-date attendance/punctuality information. If you have any questions, please ask me!

Thanks so much for your support of Seminary! Keep Surviving! Keep Calm! Carry On!
Love,
Sister Mann

Weekly Update

Back in the saddle again! But man-oh-man, is this Seminary cowpoke tired! I didn't know it took so much energy to stand for an entire class time...

This week, we met King Noah and his naughty home-boys. And they all got to meet Abinadi. In Mosiah 10, verse 22, Zeniff says that because he was old he conferred the kingdom upon one of his sons. Did he know that Noah was such a bad guy? And if Zeniff did know, why did he do such a thing? Hmm. You just gotta wonder...

We also went over our calendar for the coming month. February is always fun for two reasons: Seminary Survivor and Johnny Lingo Love Day. Survivor will kick-off on Tuesday with the first daily challenge and this year students will be scoring themselves on their survival efforts. There will be a prize for the Ultimate Survivor at the end of the month. Friday the 12th is Johnny Lingo Love Day. Everyone should bring their favorite snack/treat and we'll watch the old-school Johnny Lingo. The bad wigs, the stilted dialogue -- what's not to love?

We've reached the half-way mark, so semester grades will be coming home soon. Don't panic if the grade isn't what you think it should be. There's plenty of time for improvement. Grades are based on daily reading, scripture mastery, and participation. However, if attendance or punctuality are less than 80%, the grade is an Incomplete. Like I said, don't panic. Everything will be fine in the end. If you have any concerns though, please contact me.

There won't be Seminary this coming Monday (Teacher Work Day) or on Monday the 15th (President's Day).

Thanks for your continued support of our Seminary program. Our youth are the best!

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

Another week of "fun" has come and gone while I stayed in my recliner. Somehow I picked up a secondary bug, but the new medicine is working well. The doctor still hasn't released me to work my normal schedule yet, though. Bummer. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the following week.

Thank you so much, Sisters Pope and Weitzel! You are holding Seminary together and you will be blessed over and over for your efforts. I have heard about your wonderful lessons and I am so grateful for all of your hard work on Seminary's behalf.

Thank you, my wonderful ward family, for all of your phone calls, prayers, and delicious dinners. Our family has been nourished in every good way and our prayers are that you will be blessed beyond measure for your kindness.

I hope to see you soon, my Seminary friends!

Love,

Sister Mann