I have always loved history (personally I think that I was born in the wrong time) but I have always felt a spiritual closeness to those who have paved the way for me to be who I am. There are so many but ten hold a very special place in my heart: Jesus Christ, Joan of Arc, Captain Moroni, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Paul, . Of course there are many many others but those were the ones I felt connection to the most while studying TJYC! Another thing I thought of from what I learned was the traits of a statesman: “virtue, wisdom, diplomacy, courage, inspires greatness in others and moving the cause of liberty. But there are two more on my list and that is experience and Charity. To be a great leader you have to have all of these things.
Courage-Joan of Arc: “I know this to now… every man gives his life for what he believes, every women gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes we believe in little or nothing but we give our lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have and we live as we believe in living it, and then it is gone. But to live without faith that is more terrible than dying even more terrible than dying young.” Maxwell Anderson took these words of the great Joan of Arc and expanded them for his amazing play. These words are the words that sent me to my love for Joan of Arc the young women who at 13 heard the voice of God, by 17 was head of the French armies and by 19 was burned by her enemy which made her a martyr, saint and for me personally a hero. When I think of the traits of a statesman I use courage to best describe Joan hers truly is a story of courage. She truly is a great leader in my eyes.
Defending the cause of Liberty-Captain Moroni: His story reminds me a lot of Joan’s he too became a military leader when he was very young and he too acted in the name of God! I think of him as the boy version to Joan. When I was learning the traits of a Statesmen I used Moroni for the defending the cause of Liberty mainly because of his love for Liberty as shown in his title of Liberty.
Diplomacy-Abraham Lincoln: I found a connection with Lincoln because he had a brain kind of like mine he had troubles with worry and depression and he overcame them to become who he was through God and knowledge. I chose him for the trait diplomacy because he was a diplomatic man who looked at all the different sides of things.
Inspire greatness in others-George Washington: George Washington holds such an important part in my heart because he is the father of our nation. I chose him for inspiring greatness in others cause that’s what he did. I am reminded of the story of him when he spoke to the troops and he had to use his glasses to read to the troops, because the war took such a tole on him. I don’t think one soldier listened to a word he read because of the inspiration they felt.
Virtue-Paul: Paul had the greatest virtue next to Christ in the whole bible. He is more quoted than anyone in the bible besides Christ because his words are full of such virtue.
Wisdom-Thomas Jefferson/King Benjamin: Thomas Jefferson is another father of our country he wrote the Declaration of Independence and helped create a foundation with his Wisdom that still holds today. King Benjamin from the Book of Mormon also was a man of great Wisdom. Him words are full of wisdom strait from heavenly father.
Experience-my community: this is one that I added in for me because I feel it is so important. There is no way that you can be a leader without having experience. I have seen this so well in my life through trial. (a little harsh I know) The best way to gain experience is through trial. I have seen death in my community and I have seen those with and without experience. Those with have found peace through their faith and those who do not have experience find hopelessness. I think this applies to all of us. Many get so caught up in only study and preparation that we forget to go out and experience the pains we need to feel in order to connect with those we lead. We have to fail, we have to become lost in order to be found and to become the best leaders we can be, so that we can lead others to light.
Charity-Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ, the first on my list, is the ultimate leader and he has mastered every one of the traits which makes him the perfect example. Of course the one I use for him is Charity because Charity is the pure love of Christ. We have to have Charity to become leaders.
Love this! :)
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