All we need to know...

A wonderful youth named Jordan shared the following story that I thought was particularly applicable to the principle-approach of Vanguard.

A few years ago, a Japanese teenager lost his arm in a car crash that killed his mother.  He was involved in a prestigious Martial Arts group at the time. Shortly after the crash, the Sensei of this "Prestigious"  group dismissed him because of this injury. He was crushed, he had loved his martial arts, now it seemed his career was over. His loving father, seeing that he was depressed, found an old retired Sensei that would be willing to teach him. 
     This Sensei taught the young man one move, and had him practice it over, and over, and over. The young man questioned his father "why is it, that this old man has only taught me this one move? And why does he insist on me learning it so well? I will never be great! I will never show my potential if I never learn other moves!" His father told him, that even though he was learning only this one move, he had a wise master, who knew what he was doing. So, this young man continued to take his martial arts from this old Sensei. A few months later, he asked the Sensei "why is it, that you have only taught me this one move? And why do you insist on me learning it so well? I will never be great! I will never show my potential if I never learn other moves!"
      His Sensei smiled. "Some things are not for us to know right now, or soon, sometimes we must trust in the wisdom of those that have gone before us. This move is all you will ever need."
     So, he continued on with his training, always practicing his one move, and hoping that his master was right. Soon the national martial arts competition would come, and this young man found that his Sensei had recommended him to the competition, and he had been accepted, he was thrilled! Now was his chance to learn something else, surely his master would agree, if he was going to compete, he would have to know something else.  He asked, his master responded "Trust, I know what is best for you, This move is all you will ever need."
     He continued to practice his move, trusting in his Sensei's wisdom. It seemed impossible that he would ever gain the championship he had always desired, with only one arm, and only one move, he felt that he could not do it.
     The competition came, he was placed in the ring, the buzzer sounded, and the match was on, he waited, waiting for the moment he could use his move. It came. he used his move, and had his opponent pinned, he had won his first match of the championship, with one arm. He continued in the competition, winning every time, with his one move, his move. It came to the semi-finals, then to the finals. He asked his Sensei one last time if he would teach him one last move, his Sensei responded.
    "This is the only move you will ever need" With that he pushed the young man toward the ring. He stepped in, blood pulsing though his stressed out veins. This was it, honor or disgrace. The buzzer sounded. he could feel the bruises forming on his face and body. He waited, and waited. Then the opening came! he pulled his move, his opponent pinned. He, a one armed young man, had one the Championship with one move.  He asked his Sensei, "Why is it that I could win with only one arm? And why was it this move let me beat the best of the best in all of Japan?"
     His Sensei chuckled, "The only way to stop that move, is to grab the left arm."
Ether 12:27 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Vanguard is a matter of trust:  trust in what God tells us is needful to learn.  I feel that Doctrine and Covenants 88 is pretty clearn on that: 

 77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall ^ateach one another the ^bdoctrine of the kingdom.

 78 Teach ye diligently and my ^agrace shall attend you, that you may be ^binstructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

 79 Of things both in ^aheaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must ^bshortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the ^cnations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a ^dknowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to ^amagnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the ^bmission with which I have commissioned you.

What an amazing promise: "that ye may be prepared in all things!"  In the hubbub and insanity of modern education, do we trust that the simple things included in that scripture will truly prepare us?  Don't we often feel like the one-armed teenager of the story above: "Isn't there more I should know?  It's show-time, and I need to have all the tools I need!  Please!  Teach me more!" and sometimes, the answer is, "Trust me...you know everything you need to by studying this."

How deeply are our parents and youth converted to a leadership-education?  How deeply are they commited to a mission-driven education?  Again, I don't pretend that Vanguard has to be the answer for everyone, but, I believe, if used prayerfully and correctly, it can be the answer for anyone who wants to get a leadership-education....an education that is God, self, and mentor directed.

The purpose of Scholar Phase isn't to complete your learning, but to so immerse yourself i theabits of great learnig that you keepusing them to solve problmes, improve yourself and your conditions in life, and to help others do the same for the rest of your life!  That's Scholar Phase." (TJEd for Teens, p 81)

We need "mentors to match our message" in such a cause (here is the link to the script of that presentation I gave if anyone would like the notes).  Our mentors need to be mindful of the purpose of Vanguard, and challenge the youth and the parents to see if that is really what they want, or whether they want merely a new skill-set?  Vanguard is unique in providing an individually tailored, Spirit-directed avenue for leadership education...not a mere conveyor belt for knowledge, although, sometimes, that is what an individual craves or needs.


It is interesting, as I have read in "The Real Thomas Jefferson" that he stressed that "freedom and the happiness of man should serve as the polestars of all educational programs throughout the Republic." (pg 191)  Needless to say, I agree :).