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

Weekly Update

So time has really gotten away from me. It's been a blur. My last posting mentioned I had been sick. It only got worse from there. I went into the doctor who exclaimed "You're blue!" She promptly called the paramedics who took me into the hospital. Double pneumonia. For five days I was waited on hand and foot because they were afraid I would slip into respiratory arrest. For five days I got all the IV antibiotics, chicken broth, jello, and soda I could hold. Now back at home, the waiting-on continues. My family has been wonderful to jump at my every request and my wonderful ward family has been bringing us the most delicious dinners. I haven't missed the broth at all. When I went to the doctor Thursday, she said "I am so happy to see you alive!" I'm happy, too, and will be even happier when she releases me to return to my normal schedule.

I miss everyone at Seminary, but I know for certain that everything is just fine. Thank you, thank you Sisters Pope and Weitzel! You rock!

Love,
Sister Mann

Weekly Update

This was my week. Laying on the couch with a fever and aches. Planning to get right on that as soon as I wasn't coughing hard enough to rupture something. I hate being sick. So please pardon the typos and the ramblings -- medicine head.

I owe a HUGE thanks to Sister Weitzel for filling in for me and to Sister Pope for hanging in there. This week found the class in the first few chapters of Jacob with his admonitions to both the righteous and the wicked. The Allegory of the Olive Tree was also introduced. Friday was Par-tay and Breakfast Day. Everyone got a fabulous gift and an even more fabulous breakfast. Eggs, sausage, waffles -- it was so tasty and the first real food I'd had all week. Thanks Bishop Naillon for such a yummy Christmas send-off! (So, Bishop, maybe consider leaving something like that for Santa...)

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

So the count is on -- only 5 days of Seminary left until Christmas break. The excitement of the season is as contagious as the flu...what a bad analogy, huh?

Monday was the finale of Crocodile Craft Day. We talked about how sin and temptation are like hungry crocs, just waiting to pounce on the innocent and unaware. And, again just like hungry crocs, they hunt with patience and cunning. However, in the end, dinner is dinner and damnation is damnation. This week we finished 2 Nephi. His words to us in the last four chapters, while written so long ago, are so insightful and so personal. Nephi teaches us about faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. The students did some great mini-lessons based on chapters 29, 30, and 31. In chapter 32, we looked at the triange of "tell all things" and "show all things" and "pray always." Chapter 33 is one that is, in my humble opinion, one of the most personal chapters in all of scripture. I cry every time I read it -- so read it with a big box of Kleenex standing by.

Next week, if school is delayed or cancelled, we won't have Seminary. Our Christmas party plans have been foiled for the last 2 years in a row and I'm praying it won't become 3. So you pray, too! We want to par-tay in a Seminary kind of way!

Love,

Sister Mann

Weekly Update

First of all, my apologies for not having a weekly update last week. There were only two days of class, one of those being a game day. So, really, there wasn't much to update.

The room was set up differently this week with the tables facing towards the back parking lot. There's nothing like rearranging furniture to brighten up dark mornings. Next week, we'll try it the other way.

This was a big week, chapter wise. We studied from 2 Nephi chapter 14 all the way through chapter 26 by Thursday. Whew! Friday was Crocodile Craft Day. The crocodile part will be explained next week. Anyway, the students made green croc bookmarks and googly eyes and croc trading cards. The trading cards highlighted evil crocodiles -- sins and temptations. Talk about creativity! I won't tell you what's on them, but suffice it to say I was impressed and entertained at the same time. The cards will be up in the room this week, so stop by and take a look.

Students also got their most current attendance percentages this week and make-up work was handed out. If you have questions about your student's punctuality or attendance, please don't hesitate to ask.

Only 10 days of Seminary until Christmas break!

Love,

Sister Mann