With only two days left, on Thursday we returned to one of our old favorite teachers, Jack Marshall. Brother Marshall was my seminary teacher at Cottonwood High school, more years ago than either of us would ever admit. We have grown to be good friends and colleagues over the years. As my teenage years have been swept away, I know his memory must be failing, as he no longer remembers me as the snot-nose brat that I once was. We sometimes take for granted wise teachers who are only interested in helping us have happy and productive lives. As I look back, it is only now that I am so grateful for those who helped me become the person I am today.
Brother Marshall filled the De Jong Concert hall as he taught about the Second Coming. His gentle humor was perhaps hauntingly true when he said that the spirit world would be much like Education Week, with people running to and fro, pushing and shoving just to get in and get a spot!
Actually, my wife and I were talking about how the crowds have dwindled over the years. I remember our first year here I sat in a small dark room in the basement of the Harris Fine Arts Center listening to a man who had just returned as a mission president. There must have been five or six overflow classrooms to hear Hyrum Smith address his new idea of time management. As the years moved on, I watched him take this idea he presented at Education Week and move it into his successful company Franklin Quest. Those years were filled with long lines, missing classes just to get into other classes, and really plain frustration.
Years of construction, new buildings and people staying home to watch Education Week on TV has made it nice for all of us yearly attendees. Still an occasional class will fill up, but they are few and far between. It did happen to us this morning when we tried to attend Bob Millet's class. The line filled the halls of the upper floor of the Wilkinson Student Center. It was not worth the wait so my wife went to the nearest class while I went off to visit with a friend nearby. We agreed to return at the end of the class.
She attended Connie Sokol's class called "Get an eternal perspective on your daily life". When I returned, she was in tears. Women cry over the weirdest stuff. She even had Sister Sokol in tears. It is just what she needed, and really made the whole week worthwhile for her. I was glad I went to see my friend!
It is amazing how God will lead you to hear what you need to hear. It is evident to me that God knows and understands the struggles we are enduring, but we need to reach out for the help. Campus Education Week is a great place to find direction in your life. It has meant all the difference to us over the years.
(Darrell Robinson is from South Jordan, Utah. He has been married for 25 years and is the father of six children ranging from age 19 to 1. He is a professional educator and loves to spend time with his family.)