Fall Week 7 - Biography and Scenarios Continued

We missed almost half of you in class on Friday, but since Friday's class was important in understanding the nature of happiness, I am asking for those who weren't there to do just a little make up work (it shouldn't take you longer than 15 minutes). Then you can work on next week's inspirements.  If you were in class, scroll down to "Inspirements" after the make-up work.

If you were not in class Friday:
Make up work-

Watch: In class we discussed the article Infinite in Love and conference. Some of the youth thought it would be fun to ask each other what scripture we have "Ponderized" that week in future classes. We then watched the following video that I would like you to watch at home (even if you've already seen it):



After the video, we talked about why a loving God would let these things happen and what it the refiner's fire has to do with happiness and whether we could be happy through a refiner's fire.
We talked about how sometimes videos about trials make us anxious about the trials that we will have to face some day. So we discussed what we could do so we could face the future without fear:

Write:
We had a reflection. Here is what you need to reflect on at home if you weren't in class:
a)What are some of your "selfishness triggers" -things that tend to put you in a selfish mindset (stress, overwhelm, hunger, being tired, free time being infringed on were some that were mentioned).
b)After identifying your selfishness triggers, list some principles of happiness that can help you when you notice one of these triggers is putting you in a selfish mindset.

Watch:
We then watched the following video that you can watch at home (even if you've seen it before):



We talked about how if we practice being unselfish with the triggers we have now, we will be strong and immovable when other, perhaps even bigger, trials come our way. Through anything we encounter through our lives, we can be calm, like Elder Nielson and we need not fear.


Everyone:
Inspirements:
1. If you have not yet done so, comment on 5 or more people's process papers on the discussion blog. If your final process paper is not yet on the blog - post it by Tuesday. You will be using your process paper for your final writing assignment  in a couple of weeks so be sure to get them finished!
2. Write the principles you would apply to last week's scenarios on this link on google docs (I added a couple more on the list) - we will have everyone's answers on the same page and start creating a class list of principles.
3. Read: A biography about someone who chose happiness in difficult circumstances.
4. Write: As you read, write down the principles of happiness they applied in their lives. Be prepared to share one experience from their life in which they chose real happiness over pleasure or ease and what the outcome was of that choice. It might be fun if you share it in some creative way - make a drawing of the situation, or a stick-figure cartoon (graphic summary), song, or whatever you think might be fun. This is optional, but it may make it a more interesting class time if we have some of you present the situation creatively.

Preview for next week:
If you would like to know what you need to do for our last week of class (Oct 23) before our final presentations to our families (Nov 6), here are the next week's inspirements. You don't have to complete these this week, but I am posting them so you can start thinking about them before next week and you can let me know if you have any questions. Some of you asked if we were having class the day of the "Into the Woods" performance (the 23rd). I will check with parents and see if we can move class that day to Thursday (October 22) or Friday (October 30th).

1. Review this semester's readings and write a happiness plan:
For our final writing of the semester, we will be making a personal happiness plan. You may use your extended definition paper or process paper and adapt it to yourself,  or you can write something new if that is better for you. I will post an example of this by Monday if you need one. This final writing will need to include at least:

• One quote from Plutarch
• One quote from Plato OR Tolstoy
• One quote from Stevenson
• One scripture
• One quote from Maxwell, or another church leader

 This is easier than it may sound since most of you have already written your favorite quote from each of these readings. The quotes can be put in quote boxes somewhere in your paper (as decorations to what you are saying) -  or you can add them as quotes if they fit in within the paper. We will be using this final writing to help us with our final presentation to our families on November 6th.

2. Email me any ideas you have about what you would like to do for your presentation on November 6th:
For your presentations, I will ask you to share two things: First, present your happiness plan in some way (speech, Prezi, song, poem, Powerpoint, skit, video, poster, craft, etc). Second, share something your are currently working on that gives you joy and share why it gives you joy (it could be a talent, or a weakness you are trying to improve).