Zack's Blog™

  Week 14 So this being my final blog, I figured I would write on this semester as a whole and what I've taken away from the class. I've certainly learned a lot from both the teacher and my fellow classmates, but the class also helped me to learn things for myself and of my own experiences. I learned a lot about how to be a good father, husband, roommate, sibling, and son to my parents. I learned that there is still a lot for me to become as I work to improve myself day by day. I learned the importance of humility and grace in cultivating healthy and lasting relationships. I learned a lot about budgeting, money as well as time. I have come to appreciate my own parents and siblings more by taking this class, it has helped me open my eyes to the many things which they do for me. I am more appreciative of my Heavenly Father for sending me to a healthy family, repledged to live in the USA. I've become more devoted to Him and more generous with how I share my blessings and testi

  Week 12 This week hit mostly on raising and more specifically disciplining children in a healthy way. Near the beginning of class, Brother Williams asked us to think of an important lesson we learned personally during our childhood. Then, he asked us to raise our hands if we learned those things from a lecture, few people raised their hands, then he asked us to raise our hands if we learned it from a punishment or reward from our parents. Again, few people raised their hands. Then he asked us if we learned that important lesson from personal experience, and most of the class raised their hands. This shows that the most important lessons in life are learned independent of parents, siblings, teachers, or friends. Still, a good parent is mindful to teach their children the right things to do, reward and punishment are both viable tools in doing so. It relates very well to the gospel, in fact, discipline and disciple share the same root word "discere", meaning "to learn&qu

 Week 11 This week we talked a lot about budgeting as a married couple and family. Brother Williams spoke a lot about how having a second income was debilitating to a family and marriage. Not to say anything he said wasn't true, but it very well could be the case that having a second income creates more problems than it solves, but the people who I know who take a second income seem to do very well while balancing a happy marriage and family. I'm glad Brother Williams told us how he came to these conclusions, but I felt that the sources might be out of date and his justifications were somewhat biased. We made a list of expenses that the teacher presented as unwanted burdens to the family's finances, but to me seemed like luxuries, a new car, "splurging the kids", etc. Again, I'm not saying what he says isn't true, I just don't think I have enough evidence or understanding to say having a second income is either good or bad. At any rate, to quote the pr