September Journeyman Readings and Inspirements

(Estimated total time for Journeyman: 2 hours or more)

Study (Know) 

1. Read The Miracle of America: Birth of a Nation (by Brian Trotter and William Norton). (Estimated time: 1 hour)

Take time to really look at and feel the spirit of the beautiful pictures in the book as you read the stories.  Start reading a the at the forward. As you read look for any quotes you like. Record those in your journal or quote book. 

OR if you don't have the above "Miracle of America" book, you could use this one instead: The American Revolution (Landmark Books) by Bruce Bliven Jr. (Estimated time: unknown). Again, look for quotes you like and record those. 

2. Read The Mayflower Compact (from 1620).

And do some research to understand and explain its background. Here is one source: http://www.usconstitution.net/mayflower.html. If you own it, I highly recommend using Great American Documents for LDS Families. (Estimated time: 30 minutes)

Teach (Understand)

Choose ONE of the following inspirements: (Estimated time: 30 minutes or more)

1. After reading the book, open your journal or computer to a blank page. Write for about 30 minutes. Write whatever comes to your mind about America, a favorite quote from the book, God’s power to help His children, the heroic qualities of those who sacrificed so much for America, what you think you may be able to do to help preserve liberty, what freedoms you appreciate, ways you feel inspired to be a better person or educate yourself and prepare to live your life mission, or any other thoughts or feelings you’ve had while reading the book.  

2. What ways do you see God’s hand in the founding of America?  Choose your favorite story from the book and find a creative way to share it with the class. You could tell the story in your own words using animated voices, create a poem or skit or song, create a multimedia presentation, or draw a graphic summary of the events in the story. When you share your presentation with the class, share with us how this story builds your faith in God’s power and/or your gratitude for America's founders. Knowing that God helped those people, how strong is your belief that He will help you in your challenges too?  What can you do to increase that belief?

3. Reread the paragraph in the top right corner of page vi, and all of page 22. Ponder the sacrifices our Founding Fathers and their families made to bring about our free country of America. What kinds of sacrifices are you willing to make to follow what you know is right? To stand up for freedom in your own way?  To prepare and educate yourself to make a difference in whatever ways God wants you to? Would you have had enough courage to sign the Declaration? Find a way to record your thoughts and feelings about this -- in your journal, in a poem, in a multimedia presentation, or other way to share with the class. 

4. After reading The Mayflower Compact, ponder the significance of this agreement from 1620. What effects do you think it had on the direction of government in our country?  Do you think if these people didn’t live this way, their posterity would have had enough experience with the concept of liberty and virtue, that they would have fought for independence and then created the US Constitution?  Find a way to record what you learned, and your thoughts and feelings about this -- in your journal, in a poem, in a multimedia presentation, or other way to share with the class. 

(If you have any questions, please ask Sister Edwards!)

BONUS: 

Enjoy a video performance of beautiful music combined with fine art photography from the book.