A whole class on the Book of Psalms?

This summer Brother Peterson and Brother Jolley are tag-teaming a class about the Book of Psalms. Odd? That's what I thought. What can be said about a bunch of one-liner lyrics? You'd be surprised.

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BOOK OF PSALMS

Jesus quoted the book of Psalms more than any other book during his life

Psalms translated means "lyrics" or "hymns"

David (as in David and Goliath) wrote most of the Psalms

Psalms is the longest book in the bible!

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the bible and it's neighbor, Psalm 119 is the longest

The Book of Psalms is actually five books? Yep. True.

• Book 1 - Psalms 1-41

• Book 2 - Psalms 43-72

• Book 3 - Psalms 73-89

• Book 4 - Psalms 90-106

• Book 5 - Psalms 107-150

Psalm 90 is the oldest Psalm and is said to be the Prayer of Moses

The Psalms were composed over a span of about one thousand years

The class starts the first week in July. Room 144. 

INSIDE LOOK: Coming Soon!

We all get to see our institute instructors in their classrooms - in front of the generic whiteboard, projector screen, and pulpit stand - but how many of us have seen our instructors in their true elements: the office. Each one of these instructors have their own office within the institute with their own computer, books, pictures, and knickknacks. I was interested to know about their offices and decided for the next few posts I am going to post about something interesting I discovered about each one of the instructors while asking them about their offices. Stay posted!

Stay tuned for an inside look at the office space of the instructors at the Institute! (No worries, this pic is not an actual office there)

CONFERENCE COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS

Countdown to Conference: 3 DAYS!

Brother Staples shared this video with some of his classes last week. I thought it was pretty awesome. I've typed out what was said in the paragraphs below:

"I ask you to reflect on the unique phenomenon that general conference itself is - that we as latter-day saints believe such conferences to be and what we invite the world to hear and observe about them. We testify to every nation kindred tongue and people that God not only lives but that he speaks.
That for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The will of the Lord, the word of the Lord, the voice of the Lord and the power of God unto salvation.
Those who will address us have sought heaven’s help as they prepared their messages that we may be filled with the Spirit of the Lord and may be uplifted and inspired as we listen  and learn.

In the course of a general conference we always stress the eternal verities of faith, hope, charity, and Christ crucified. 

In the wide variety of sermons given is the assumption that there will be something for everyone.
If we teach by the spirit, and you listen by the spirit. Some   one of us will touch on your circumstance. Sending a   personal little prophetic epistle just to you."

 After Brother Staples showed this video, he encouraged the class to write down the thoughts and questions in our lives that are currently our struggles and then added his testimony to those of the prophets' that we will receive answers if we listen with the Spirit during this upcoming conference.

I know I have questions, as we all do, and I cannot wait to receive guidance from my Heavenly Father through his chosen Prophets this week. We're pretty lucky to be a part of this church and to be privy to the knowledge that we have about modern-day revelation.

It's exciting!

I hope you're all figuring out how and where you are going to watch it this weekend. I heard the institute will be open and playing it for everyone who would like to watch it there. Good luck!

Introducing... Insta-Man!

So here's the scoop. See this little Paper-doll/Nephite/Superman dude? He is going to be floating around the institute this week, hiding in classrooms, hallways, and in nooks and crannies all over the building. If ever you spot him, take him to the front office area near the south entrance and the ladies there will give you a T-Shirt in return.

The T-Shirts this year are actually pretty sweet. I've seen three different colors floating around: blue, pink (which Bro. LeFevre insists is "red") and then a blindingly bright green.

The fine print of the unwritten rules of the free T-shirt contest states that if you do become a recipient of one of these coveted Institute T-Shirts, you must wear it every Tuesday.

You may be thinking EVERY Tuesday? Idk if I want to wear an Institute shirt EVERY Tuesday. Being a recipient of a T-shirt myself, I want to just throw my two cents in about this -

In the Arts and Culture section of the Huffington Post, I read this article by a Ms. Barnett about T-shirts and how so much of who you are can be portrayed just by the shirt that is on your back. I posted the link below. It's kind of fun to scroll through all the pictures of people and take mental note of the things you assume about the person in the photograph just because of the shirt they are wearing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/susan-barnett-not-in-your-face-t-shirts_n_3499105.html?utm_hp_ref=arts&utm_source=crowdignite.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crowdignite.com

I have a cousin -let's call him Andy - who refuses to wear anything with a logo or brand name on it - no Hollister shirts, Abercrombie and Fitch, Aeropostale, etc. Tbh, I think it's because he is cheap and he wants an excuse, but he argues that he sees no good reason why he should pay a company a "single penny to be a walking billboard for them." Though I think Andy should get a summer job and buy some quality clothes, I have to admit his comment caused me to think about what I am actually saying to the world when I wear the clothes I do.

Ms. Barnett of the Post said this about T-shirts and the things we are "saying":

"The messages are similar to the very coats of arms warriors painted on their shields letting the enemy know just who they were fighting. Individuals wear t-shirts as a kind of badge of honor that says, "I belong to this group not the other,” and these images create a time capsule, placing the wearer in a time and place in history."

I love institute and I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints in this time in history! If that's what my message is when I wear that shirt on Tuesday, I guess I can do it EVERY time. There's not a club on campus that I'd rather be a walking billboard for than this one:
https://www.facebook.com/ldssa.suu

Some of the students in Ms. Cox's class sportin' the T's. Not too bad, eh?

The Pickle-ball Saga: Part One

Ever wonder what happens at the institute once classes are done for the day? Well, wonder no more my friends!

In today's episode we have Brother Staples and Brother Barrett teamed together in an attempt to out-pickle-ball Brother Peterson. Will they succeed? Read below to find out.

B. Staplator on the left and his accomplice B. Barrattack on the right.

Watch, out Bro. P! (P standing for Pickle-ball, naturally.)

Will they defeat B?

Oh NO!

Not this time. 

"Be Not Afraid"

At noon yesterday students filled the chapel of the Institute eager to hear our friend Professor Powell speak. (Actually, I learned at the Forum that he is also the President of a stake here in Cedar City - so I'm going to call him President Powell from here on out.) The gathering opened with a musical number by the Songs of the Heart choir. They were all dressed in their bright green polos, lookin' super sharp. The song the choir sang was pretty awesome and once they were finished, Professor Powell began his talk.

 

From the very beginning he had everyone's attention. He's a pretty loud dude and an animated speaker. Nobody was bored. He had us laughing about his courtship with his wife and the next second captivated by his conversion story. In the introduction of his talk he bore his testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel - something rather unconventional. People usually save that for the end. But what I loved the most about Pres. Powell's talk, was its effectiveness in causing me to be introspective. It motivated me to want to make some changes in my life and that  is what I believe these Forum's are about.

So.... though I didn't plan on it, I have decided to do a little spotlight on the talk and share some of the things Powell said so that those of you that may have missed it can get a little something from it anyway:

WHEN MAKING DECISIONS:

1) Go directly to the Lord.

2) Stop thinking you must be perfect. 

Pres. Powell expounded on the "perfectionism" problem many Latter-day saints face and encouraged us to be O.K. with not always getting everything right in our lives. He warned that many people will hesitate in making a decision because they fear it may not be the right and perfect choice. He bluntly said, "Get over that."

3) Stop taking counsel from your fears.

 I love that he said this. He also shared this quote from President Packer:

 “You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you.”

I'll share one last thing that kind of rang true with me yesterday, too. President Powell quoted that scripture where Jesus says, "Be not afraid." and then the one where he states, "Let not your heart be troubled." Powell explained how we usually understand these phrases as words of comfort to the persons Jesus is speaking to. But, perhaps it is not just that. Perhaps it is a commandment. Jesus is commanding us to let go of fear. I guess I hadn't thought of it like that before and I appreciated Pres. Powell's insight.

There was much more to be taken from the talk, but there ^ is just a little highlight.

After the Forum, Brother Lefevre and his wife handed out ice cream sandwiches and everyone went on with the rest of their Friday - including Professor Powell who literally had to run across the street to get to a class who was waiting for him to show up and teach. 

Friday Forums are awesome. I'm excited to see who the next one will be by. Happy day y'all.