Thursday, April 16, 2009
"Live well. It is the greatest revenge." - The Talmud
When I was a teenager, there was a man who was my Seminary teacher. He was also my Sunday School teacher. I often wondered why he taught Seminary every day and then taught us again on Sundays. He was a great guy. If you were in his class, you knew he liked and cared about you. You just knew it. When we went on our youth trip to Mesa, Arizona to the temple, he was one of the chaperones. He just loved the youth, and whatever we did, he was there. He used to ask me to babysit his kids. I didn't do it a whole lot, but I did it several times. I always felt bad when I quit going to Seminary and Sunday School and Young Women's(my parents made me still go to Sacrament Meeting). I felt like I had let him down. Then years and years later - like 15 years later - I ran into him. I told him I was active in the church and what calling I had (can't remember right now). I said to him, "I just wanted you to know that I'm a good person now and I'm active in the church." He said, "I never doubted you." I don't know why, but it totally shocked me that he said that. I know for a fact that there were several people from that ward who in fact never did forgive me for being a rebellious teenager - they've more or less told me so. But I guess secretly I'm glad I could prove all those people wrong.
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4 comments:
I've had alot of those doubting kind of people throughout my life. I had a boyfriend in High school, and many people in our Ward thought I was horrible because I kissed him. It has been interesting to see their own kids make more mistakes in their lives than I did.
I think some times we are our own worst enemy though. We see our mistakes and weaknesses as being much larger than other do.
Our Bishop is the kind of man your teacher was. He recently told the youth leaders that he didn't want anyone to ever criticize the youth for the way they are dressed. I think he's right. They may not be dressed appropriately at times, but we don't ever want them to feel that we look down on them. We should make them feel, like your teacher did, that we care about them, and we believe they can be better than they are.
I disagree D. As a teacher, I see the best and the worst dressed youth. You can accept them for who they are, while still holding them to a higher standard, and encouraging them to meet that standard. Don't put them down, but let them know that you expect better of them.
Yeah but they know the rules so they should be allowed to be trusted to do the right thing rather than being condemned...and yeah, Mom, I hope everyone has somebody in their life like that...I've had a lot of teachers like that throughout my life and I think everyone of them made me a better person...
Delirious,your bishop said that because he knows how easily young people can get their feelings hurt, and he doesn't want them to quit coming. Satan tries so hard in those years, because he knows that is when so many of life's important decisions are being made.
I think it is wonderful when we have teachers who love their students and the students feel it. That's when teaching really takes place and influences forever.
Nene, you were never a bad person. Never. And people have always been, and always will be, drawn to you. You've got a little extra-something about you.
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