Sunday Snippet

It was a good day - I felt like I got something important out of all three meetings, and the things I got were all tied together. I appreciate the reinforcement, what with being a *little* hard-headed, and all.

The Sunday School lesson focused on the importance of learning -

And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
…And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
- Doctrine and Covenants 88:77-80, 118

Look at that list! There is so much to study and learn, and no way we could ever get to it all... we really don't have time to waste when it comes to the things we "study". As discussed in our class, in the end it's not really about WHAT we study, as it is about "learning how to learn". Learning to learn and making a habit of learning from the best books does not seem to include space for procrastination and filling our heads with mental cotton candy.

I was having a related conversation with my neice this evening (well, "conversation" might be a bit strong, as it was more of me on a soapbox with her staring, wide-eyed) - we were discussing books, and looking over the ones she might take with her this week to EFY. She had a pile of very old, very harmless historical romantic fiction novels - in fact, I remember reading those very books when I was her age. I remembered, too, that my mother had once warned me against reading romance novels - and that over the following years, I ignored her advice. Now, every few months I make another resolution to stop reading them. Talk about your mental cotton candy - they are in no way productive, or inspiring, or "of good report"... they just sit and rot your brain with fantasy and escapism. I was reminded rather forcefully in church today that I simply don't have time for that kind of thing - I should/could be learning Spanish, figuring out how science and religion mesh, studying for grad school, reading biographies of important people, working on family history, discovering the different ways in which the written word can be truly beautiful... etc... (all of which is covered in books currently living, unopened, on my bookshelves.)

Along with my newest resolution to give up sugar (starting tomorrow - I had to have one final milkshake tonight) I will also be giving up (PERMANENTLY) romance novels. I don't need any of that in my body or brain, and there are plenty of other things on which I can and will be spending my time.

***In the interest of full disclosure, however, I will admit that I just started re-reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and that books Six and Seven are also on my current list, to be finished before the next movie comes out in two weeks. (Look for the review!)***