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diff --git a/src/md/19_Survival_Journal_Final_Paper.md b/src/md/19_Survival_Journal_Final_Paper.md deleted file mode 100644 index bbdfa30..0000000 --- a/src/md/19_Survival_Journal_Final_Paper.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,94 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: Survival Journal - Final Paper ---- - -_Since the experience of the past month has been a period of great -learning for me, this paper will be an attempt to express the lessons I -have learned from survival. Hopefully, it will be a summary of my -thoughts and realizations as I have come to understand them during solo._ - -From the hardships and tests of endurance I learned much about my -limitations. Strangely though, I learned more from observing others than -myself. The first realization came when we left the little pond at the -mouth of Horsethief during impact. I thought I had nearly reached my -limits as we hiked that day and was extremely reluctant to continue on. -Then as I was given the opportunity to help Melody and saw how tired she -was, but how determinately she continued on I knew that I had not even -come close to my limits of endurance. Throughout many of the tests of -survival I have felt that my trials have not been as severe as those of -others and each time I knew that if they had the courage to carry on -surely, I must also. - -One of the greatest lessons I have learned is the role that humility -must play in my life. During group ex. it was humbling to see how well -the girls groups performed together compared to the boys groups. An -essential part of cooperating as a group is having the humility to put -your trust in a leader and his decisions. We boys were too -individualistic and did not function well as a group until we were -humbled by becoming separated. Humility also is an essential element in -a person's relationship to the Lord. Only when a person has enough -humility to know that he must depend upon the Lord instead of his own -strength, can he earnestly strive to seek the help and guidance he -needs. This lesson was not fully realized by me until the end of -survival week when I felt sufficiently humble. I now have a better -understanding of how much I must depend upon the Lord not only during -times of hardship, but in all walks of life. - -Survival has also taught me a lesson of appreciation for the sacred -privilege of living in this beautiful creation. During solo I witnessed -many wonders, from the graceful motions of deer and great hawks to the -delicate scampering of field mice and insects. I often studied the -canyon walls and remembered back to the other beautiful landscapes I had -seen during the past month. I had time to appreciate their immensity and -perhaps more fully understand how all these things are filling the -"measure of their - -creation", as Sharon said. My eyes have beheld many of these marvels -before, but I was not a part of them and could not fully appreciate -them. It was as if I looked at them only through a picture frame until I -had this chance to experience some of the joys and pains of living so -intimately amongst them. For this added appreciation of the sacred -blessing of earthly existence I am most grateful. - -Some of the lessons I have learned are in relation to the goals I set, -at the beginning of the course. One of my goals was to learn to base -friendships upon the inner qualities of people rather than on outward -appearances or superficial, less eternal qualities. From this experience -of knowing hardships and suffering, of depending upon and living so -closely with people I did not previously know, I feel I have learned how -to more easily recognize the qualities upon which I want to base love -for others. I am continually amazed at how much I can find to love in -every single person I have met, during survival. I feel I have a greater -understanding of Christ's love for all his children and His commandment -that we are to love others as we do ourselves. Another of my goals was -to overcome my selfishness or to learn to love others to the point that -I cared more about them than I did myself. From the many opportunities I -had to serve others and give of myself I learned much about myself. I do -not feel that I gave as much as I could or that I have overcome all my -selfish desires, but I have learned much about where my faults lie and -what I must do to correct them. - -To summarize my feelings from survival, I have come to know a great -peace within myself. It is not a peace such that what I am is entirely -what want to be, but the lessons I have learned and the knowledge of -myself I have gained do not disturb me, but confirm my faith in myself. -I feel a sense of accomplishment at having endured hardships and having -born them without faltering. I feel, too, that the direction I am going -after survival will enable me to apply what I have learned toward -improving - -myself. I will be able to increase my faith in the Lord and learn to -more fully love and serve others during my mission to Brazil. I am -extremely grateful to have had this chance to learn so much that will -serve as preparation for mission my experience. - -As far as an instructor critique, I'm afraid I have little to say. -Throughout the entire month of survival I never at any time felt a -lacking on the part of the instructors. Their total dedication to their -responsibility always seemed more than sufficient to me. The two -instructors with which I had the most contact and whom I learned to love -and appreciate the most were Fred and Russ. I feel that they both gave -me much more than could give in return and that they both did an -excellent job of teaching what they were. I will be eternally grateful -to them and all the instructors for making survival the great experience -it was to me. |