WEEK 13 :  Disciple Leadership & Social Entrepreneurship

 

Main Ideas and Topics of the Week:

This week we made the correlation between social innovation and what the church of Jesus Christ teaches about becoming like Christ. Social innovation is the secular application of the gospel.  Social innovation and living the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t require that we act a certain way, but when we see others the way Christ does we become different- more like Him.

I loved this paragraph from the introduction to the lesson, it states, “Social innovation is not a checklist, formula, or set of skills. It is a perspective and a process. As perspective, social innovation changes world problems into opportunities, changes people from circumstantial definitions into potential, and changes ourselves into agents of change with the mission and power to create a better world. As a process, social innovation applies to every aspect of our lives so that not only do we see the world differently, but we act different. We are different.”

 

Reflection:

The reading that most impressed me was the talk by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin.  I remember him giving this talk.  I could feel his love even through his trembling body, and then when President Nelson stood by him, as he finished the last minutes of his talk I saw what love looks like.

Loving as the Savior does is not something that is measured entirely by our works.  It is in a great part measured by our heart.  How we see others, how we treat them, the way we spend our time, what our thoughts are reflects how we love Him and His children.

Elder Wirthlin taught, “Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life.”

Later in the talk he asked us to ask ourselves if we love the Lord.  If we answered in the affirmative he said, “Spend time with Him. Meditate on His words. Take His yoke upon you. Seek to understand and obey, because “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”16 When we love the Lord, obedience ceases to be a burden. Obedience becomes a delight. When we love the Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things that will bless and uplift others.”

I will take the counsel of Elder Wirthlin and choose to spend more time with my Savior, to relentlessly repent, to pray to be His hands and to act upon the promptings I receive.

 

Writing Prompt:

Reflect on your future social innovation goals and The Gospel.

As I took this class, I became more engaged with learning about the humanitarian efforts of the church. As I learned more about what the church has done in years past and how it has evolved more recently, I can see a huge shift from charitable donations to social innovation.  We definitely still give donations, but I think there is a broader view now of what those donations can do if handled more innovatively.  An example of this is the giving machine that the church has placed globally during the holidays.  It would be easy to just collect donations, but instead they are finding organizations to support that allow people long term stability like chickens and goats that people independently raise. 

My personal goal is to become more engaged with Latter-Day Saint Charities and local organizations where I can offer my time and talents.  

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