Cross training means training in a variety of sports in order to improve performance in each of them. Thus, improving in one sport makes you better at other sports. Closely linked is the idea of muscle confusion: When you work a muscle the same way every time, eventually you plateau. However, if you change the routine, working the same muscle but in different ways, you continually progress.
Spiritual cross training is a scripture-study program based on this principle. Instead of studying The Book of Mormon for a month (or a year), you mix it up daily–you cross train. This idea came to me when I was spending up to two hours a day studying the temple. I was very excited about it, but eventually I got burned out: I didn’t have the time or energy to study that much on a daily basis. The unfortunate result was me taking a break from scripture study for days on end.
Here’s my schedule (but the principle can be personalized to your interests and schedule):
- Sunday: Topical study (Temple, for now. 1-2 hours.)
- Monday: Priesthood/R.S. manual (20 min.)
- Tuesday: Conference talk (20 min. Usually from the last conference, but the options are open.)
- Wednesday: Book of Mormon (15-30 min. I read in Spanish. Consecutive chapters, not by topic.)
- Thursday: Conference talk (20 min.)
- Friday: Book of Mormon (15-30 min.)
- Saturday: Preach My Gospel (30-45 min.)
This keeps my scripture study fresh. And it allows the flexibility to ease a bit during the busy week and do a heavier workout on the weekends. Also, the routine could be changed. For example, once I get my applications finished, I might start doing topical study 2-3 times per week.
I think an important part of this is to have a set schedule. If I miss Monday, I don’t repeat it on Tuesday. I skip it and catch it again next week. This makes it easier to keep from doing catchup all the time (as missing days is inevitable).
– Travis
(P.S. I’d love to learn from your scripture-study techniques.)
Just over a year ago, I posted my second post on Sacred Symbolic. Anyone can post once, so I consider the 2nd post the proof that I was serious about my new project of trying to write up various restored gospel truths, as I studied them, found them, etc.
Its been a great year, and I’ve seen tons of changes in my own life. This blog has meant a lot to me, as you–those who read–give comments and feedback. It has kept me thinking, studying, and praying about doctrines of the gospel, in times when I might otherwise have given little time to such matters, because of the press of less spiritual–but often more loudly demanding–challenges of everyday life. For that I thank all who read.
The room is mostly quiet, except for the occasional whisper, and the children. Toddlers talk softly and babies cry or make other noises. A wave of coughs and throat-clearing passes through the congregation, a single hack jumping from one person to the next until it has run its course. The organist silently practices the next hymn by touching the keys, without depressing them. A husband whispers to his wife. A high priest falls asleep. A twenty-something woman is lost in thought about her job.
One middle-aged woman weeps quietly. She’s watching a sacred drama as it is played out around her. Symbolically, God the Father kneels beside an altar. He says a prayer, consecrating the offering covered in linen laying upon the altar. The words do not consecrate the body for burial, but for the sake of all mankind. Upon finishing, he rises, pulls back the covering, and gathers the collected blood from the ritually sacrificed offering, passing it to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then goes about the room, offering the blood of the sacrifice to the whole church, just as it had done with pieces of the flesh moments before. He passes this token of the great sacrifice to each person, if they receive it.
Some accept it, others do not. Of those who accept, most are oblivious to their part in the drama. They partake mechanically, out of habit, and pass the sacred blood on to others, quickly returning to their whisperings, thoughts, and sleeping. Unlike the middle-aged woman, who fully realizes her part in the ritual drama, they see only a quiet opportunity to think, sleep, or practice the rest hymn. The flesh and blood offered them is only bread and water, an interruption.
First ever guest post on Sacred Symbolic:
Travis Washburn is my brother and a great friend. He has a bachelor’s degree in English, and studied Spanish extensively both in school and on his own. He served an English-speaking mission in the Arizona, Phoenix Mission, then later spent six months in Chile as an exchange student, where he honed his Spanish skills, among other adventures. He is currently working as a graphic designer and technical writer for Xennsoft. He’s also in the process of applying for grad school.
He recently shared with me something he was doing to enhance his scripture study. Just reading the result changed the way I see Alma 2. I’m going to incorporate the method that follows in my own study, and hope you will too. He’s shared with me some other great study material, so you may see more from him in the future.
Alma Chapter Two: in Modern Language
By Travis Washburn
This is an experimental scripture study. I don’t mean this to be a replacement of the original; I just want to understand the language better. Translating something makes you weigh each word and really think about what is meant. This is especially interesting when you remember that The Book of Mormon wasn’t written in English—the copy we read is a translation.
You might consider reading the actual verses alongside as you go (click here to open Alma Chapter 2 in a new window). I noticed a lot of things about the specific language. For example, although the enemies have “armies”, Alma doesn’t lead “armies”; he leads “his people”. And the Amlicites are fighting “their brethren”, a more serious offense than just fighting an enemy. Tev brought up the point that Joseph Smith must have had an extremely keen understanding of the text because of his translation efforts.
I also noticed Mormon’s role as historian—he copies details that don’t particularly drive the plot, and he repeats details one might initially think to be uninteresting or irrelevant. A careful look shows that the Nephites should have easily been defeated. Yet they miraculously conquer.
Many of you may have heard about Elder Oak’s recent BYU-Idaho devotional address. I just wanted to collect some of the information here for you to read/listen to/watch. Its an important message at an important time.
First, read the full text of the talk at LDS.org, or download the MP3 at BYU-I’s devotionals archive.
Second, here’s an article the Church posted about it, along with the following Q&A video with Elder Oaks, about the talk:
Some of you probably know because you know me, or have noticed by my video and other media posts: I am kinda an amateur dabbler in video production and film making.
So I was excited when I noticed that the church announced a new DVD set as a resource for teaching Old Testament in the upcoming year. There are 56 videos in the set, many of which are new, or have never been available for purchase previously. There are also many, many other visual resources. From the preview video, they look like great quality reenactments of Old Testament stories. The reenactments either include, or other resources have, life-like renderings of the Tabernacle, Temple at Jerusalem and other stuff that can seem very distant until you see video that looks very real, as if peaking into the past. I’m excited to see all this new stuff, and see if it aides teachers in real Sunday School teaching situations.
You can watch the preview video they made here:
If you’re interested in how technology like this can help advance the purposes of the church, Bryce Haymond at TempleStudy.com posted, and started a Google Wave, about about using Google Wave to advance the purposes of the church.
Like many authors ranging from Victor Hugo and Shakespeare to James Redfield and James Ferrell, Dan Brown understands the power of a good fictional story. In reading his books, you realize that like the mentioned authors, he teaches ideas and concepts through a made up story instead of a true one. The advantages to this are twofold: 1. You don’t have to write a bibliography (or otherwise back up or defend what you say), and 2. More people will read it if the story’s engaging, regardless of the ideas being taught.
I remember laying in bed reading the DaVinci Code several years ago excited by the story, intrigued by the symbols and codes, and impressed by what seemed to be some restored-gospel truths about Christ and his possible marriage to Mary Magdalene. Originally I rejected the idea of the marriage, but after talking to some of my mentors of the time, decided that “we don’t know” is probably the only for-sure answer we are going to get for the time being.
My wife teaches the youth 14-18 Sunday school class in our ward. Today’s lesson was on the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. She said that in the manual it was in two parts, one all about the actual events of the martyrdom, and the rest about what might be called Joseph Smith’s “legacy,” essentially a list of all the things he accomplished. She felt there wasn’t time for both, and wondered which she should focus on?
Parallels
I understand the purpose of both, but personally a list of Joseph’s accomplishments belies the true purpose and meaning of what he did. I made a simple suggestion, and my wife followed the Spirit and put together a great lesson around the importance of Joseph Smith giving his life for the Savior. Among other things, she came up with this great list which she read to the class, allowing each student one guess as to who the list was describing:
I just wanted to give a quick update on some things.
First, this is still the right place. I changed the skin/theme to one that I felt was more professional and less busy. The old one had that cool “ancient scrolls and scripture” feel, but I just didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. This new theme is much better on the eyes and more functional. Hope you all like it as much as I do.
Second, I fixed the video in the Political Iconography post. Seems it wasn’t working, and that’s probably why nobody commented on that post. Still, an interesting video, and it should be working now. There’s a link below it to Youtube, in case its not.
Third, I have begun updating the J Ballard Washburn page, under resources (at the top). The first major update is a talk that he told me was “the best talk [he'd] ever given,” though he couldn’t remember giving it. I’ve posted the video on that page, and you can download an MP3 of it there as well. I’ll add more soon.
Nancy, who comments here, pointed out to me a very interesting and well-made video about iconography in politics today. It explores powerful iconography in use in American politics today. It a great video about symbolism used in the propaganda of our time. “Iconography” in particular, is essentially the same type of symbolism I employ in the design of this blog: using pictorial symbols or icons to convey meaning.
In fact its the same kind that we use a lot in computers and the internet, but its just so common, we don’t think about it much. For example, the little orange icon under the “Sacred Symbolic” title–at the top of this blog–with the white circle and a couple curved lines that appear to radiate out from it, mean “you can click here to subscribe or follow our RSS or Atom Feed” to anyone who uses Feeds. These “Feeds” are ways that websites update other sites and anyone who wants to subscribe by feed reader such as Google Reader, of any news posts or other changes that have been made to them. If you use facebook or Twitter but are not familiar with feeds or feed readers, its kinda like following another person on those sites, but instead you’re following the blog or website through your feed reader.
