Choosing
a Carreer
From my earliest
recollection, all I wanted was to be a wife and mother. College came and went,
as well as a faithful mission… yet still I found myself alone at the age of 27.
I had tried to make marriage and family a priority. I even remember wanting to
train to be a seminary teacher while attending BYU, but when prayerfully
considering what I should do, I felt that I needed to follow my heart -- which
was to stay on the morning shift at the MTC and to not go into the training
that would have conflicted at the same time.
When I graduated from
Brigham Young University contemplated entering law school. I prayed to know if
this was the right decision for me. I asked the Lord to take the desire from my
heart if it was wrong. Well that prayer was answered quite abruptly. My current
relationship with a young man ended, I lost my employment for the summer due to
the recession in the economy and on top of that I found that I had a serious
illness. It was important to have a surgery to decrease the pain, but the
recovery process was more than I had anticipated. Due to my weakened condition
the complications took months to overcome. Matters were made worse by the
recession in the economy which made it difficult for me to find full-time
employment.
I took a job
answering phones in a telemarketing job while I looked for work. I made enough
money to pay for expenses and I felt blessed. Still I felt empty and struggled
to get ahead, working as much as I could and then resting. I felt strongly at
work one day that I needed to help more people with the employment I was
seeking. That answer left me with more questions. What does that mean? Help
people how? I started looking around and found a job with my Bishop who had a
company that focused on speaking to large corporations about the family. I
thought, “This has to be it”. Something still didn’t feel right. I sought the
Lord in prayer and received a priesthood blessing. The answer did not come
immediately in the priesthood blessing as I had hoped, but the answer came as I
was in apartment pondering upon my dilemma.
As I wondered what
course of action to take, I felt warmth enter and all the darkness and
confusion leave me. I was illuminated by the Holy Ghost. I felt the words “You
need to go home.” “HOME?” I thought. I
knew it was the right choice, but the decision wrenched my heart.
There was nothing for me there. My single life was well established in Provo,
but literally penniless I had no other option than to obey. Living with my
parents at age 27 I felt like I had failed in some way, but they knew it was
temporary. Bills from my surgery started to pour in. Still not having
employment, I began to sell my belongings to pay for my medical expenses. I prayed to the Lord one night and told him
of my challenges and the need I had for money to support myself. I do remember
saying that I had always been a full-tithe payer and I would continue to be if
he would just help me find a job. By turning to the Lord in my hour of need I
was again comforted by an answer, I felt a voice communicate to my soul that I
would have all I needed. I knew in the near future my desires would be met, I
just didn’t know how.
I sought for
employment while trying to recover. I continually prayed to do what the Lord
desired and to be delivered from my current condition. I needed repairs done on
my car and I had just had to turn down a job at JC Penny that would have led to
a manager position because I would not work on Sunday. I had also been turned
down for a position in which I was the 2nd choice. They told me that
they worried for my safety and so the job was given to someone more equipped
for the danger of working with adult males with disabilities.
I was directed by the Spirit of the Lord to train teach Seminary
It was in these distressing circumstances that
my Aunt Tonya came by. She told me I should get involved in the Seminary
program. With that suggestion I felt
warmth and love. Again the Lord had communicated in such a way that I
understood that this was the answer. I
called the director of training for the seminary program at ISU, and he told me
that BYUI would shortly start classes. It would be the first year for the program.
Teaching the gospel had always been such a fulfilling experience. Prior to this
I had taught missionaries at the MTC for over two years. Teaching at the MTC
developed in me a passion for teaching the gospel. It was amazing to feel the hand of the Lord
guide me to the seminary training program in Idaho.
There were all
kinds of things needed in the beginning. I was a graduate of BYU, so I was
allowed to take the training courses as part of the Institute program. This was
a huge blessing and would save me hundreds of dollars. It’s awful and a bit
funny that I didn’t have enough money to pay the fee of $8.00 plus the price of
my books. Upon learning of the problem, my Grandma Matthews offered to pay the
fee and buy my books so I could begin. Oh I am so thankful for the help of my
Aunt and Grandmother, and for my parents willingness to support me for a short
time.
The next angel
that made such an impact in my ability to teach the youth was my trainer Robert
Walquist. Because the program was just beginning at BYUI, he allowed me to take
both classes that were necessary to become an instructor at the same time. I
didn’t realize what a privilege I was getting. In all other established
training centers you have to pass the first class in order to be admitted to
the 2nd. He literally saved me an entire semester worth of time. After passing my two classes I was allowed to
start the student teaching portion of my training. I was assigned to my own
High School. There they were all my old seminary teachers. I was grateful to be
with those that I knew, and I didn’t know what a battle was a head of me.
Overcoming stereotypes against female teachers in the Seminary Program
Women seminary
teachers were a rarity in Idaho. In fact, other than a few substitute teachers
there had never been a full-time female teacher to ever work in Rexburg. I
later learned that no woman had ever been hired to teach full-time seminary in
Idaho. It didn’t take long before I started to see the prejudices coming out in
the students, who are just a product of their environment. Some students
continued to be my opponents and even told my instructors that I shouldn’t be
allowed to teach the gospel since I was not a priesthood holder. I will always
remember the kind response of my trainer Brother Walquist, “Now Andrea we know
this is not right, but you need to know what you are up against.”
The ugly truth of
it all was even some adults and in the community were unsupportive of me
training to become a full-time teacher. For those of you that do not know, I
think it would be helpful to tell of the policy that existed at the time I was
trained until just recently. The policy for women teaching seminary is that
they were available to higher if they met the qualification for teaching and
did not have dependent children at home. I was a single returned missionary which
helped my eligibility. While I was qualified for hire, it would not be without
a fight.
The training was
incredible. I was learning all kind of techniques that would keep the students
interested in the lessons and I was having a good time teaching. I was very
obedient and stuck to both the style they required as well as the curriculum. I
learned early that if parents were going to call and complain about me it was
easily handled if I had just used church materials to teach from. Little did I
know how much this one decision to keep to the curriculum would bless my career
and life. Still the observations were meticulous and demanding. I was told more
than once that my lesson was bad. I just worked harder and prayed with all the
energy of my soul to do better and show them I was what they wanted to hire.
I impressed my
immediate trainers enough to get another round of student teaching as well as
observations from Salt Lake. I guess I didn’t impress the first one that came
to visit, and my trainer felt like again I was not being given fair treatment.
He demanded, as I learned from another teacher that was outside his office
while he was on the phone, that I would be given another chance. I can’t
believe how blessed I was that my trainer believed in me and fought for me.
They then sent the head of the HR Department to look at me. He interviewed me
after the lesson and said that he thought that I was genuine, to which I
responded, “Well I would hope so.” I think my trainer would have rather I not
said that, but I was unskilled and young and I was recommended to receive a
General Authority interview.
Am I worthy?
I remember the day
well, just not the date. I met with Mel Hammond, who at the time was serving as
the General Young Men’s President. Lucky for me, he had come to town for
meetings and I was able to meet with him in the Stake Center next to the Idaho
Falls Temple. I was a little nervous,
but he was very kind to me. This was similar to a worthiness interview that we
receive at an important event such as baptism, temple endowment, or for a
missions, but it was different too. I was also interviewed as to my desires to
teach as well as my goals for an eternal marriage. I was asked to share my
disappointments and what had happened in my desires for marriage. This was to
ensure that I was truly not married because it was not the Lord’s time for me,
and not due to unrighteous desires that I clung to. I admit there were tears
and heartache that were opened for inspection. He was very kind to me and He
asked me to write to him and let him know how things turned out for me.
Just as a side
note: I not only got to write that letter to let him know that I had been
hired, but I had the opportunity see him many years later when I was a temple
worker in the Provo Temple. On my way to a meeting in the chapel, I waited for
him to stop his conversation and then I approached him and briefly explained
who I was. He said, “I remember you. And you are still not married?” I had
become accustomed to the question and I knew it was not offensive, but rather a
shock that I had not been snatched up! I had also taught his grand-daughter
which was fun to talk about too.
After the General
Authority interview, the last step is to have your name and qualifications,
including letters from your Bishop and Stake President, presented to the Church
Board of Education. Of course the Prophet is the head of this board and there
were many qualified applicants my year, but there were only 25 positions that
needed to be filled. I was asked to meet with my trainers so that I could learn
the outcome of long process to which I had undergone. I remember being asked,
“what will you do if this doesn’t work out.” I told them I had a dream that I
worked at my Dad’s gas station.” They both laughed pretty hard and then said,
“Well you don’t need to worry about that, you are hired.”
The Area Director
of that area in Idaho shook my hand and congratulated me. He told me that I
needed to overcome a lot of inertia in order to be hired. To tell you the truth
I was glad I was oblivious to so much of that, and grateful that the will of
the Lord was to teach his children a little longer. I was hired that spring to
teach full-time seminary in American Fork Utah.
Though the opposition was great, I new it was God’s will, and his
purposes are not frustrated. In April 2003 I was told that I would begin
employment in June.
Accomplishing all I needed to do
while I was there.
I left Idaho
My first year was a major transition, but not as hard as
my student teaching days. I did want to quit after having some bad experiences
with students, but a priesthood blessing from my father told me that I was
training future leaders of the Church and that if I put all my heart into this
work God would make it up to me. I then determined to teach with all my heart
like every year was my last. I my fears faded and my confidence grew as I taught
the principles of the Gospel.
The Lord also strengthened me physically. It was while
teaching in my first assignment I came the association with a substitute
teacher who connected me to a doctor that treated my illness. Several months
later I showed no signs of the disease. Hope returned to my heart and again
filled my soul with the confidence and assurance that the Lord will fill my
“hunger” and “thirst” for righteous desires.
It has been more than twelve years since I joined the
Church Educational System; I had no idea the blessings and experiences that
being a seminary teacher would bring into my life. The greatest blessing of my
career is the wonderful people with whom I associate. I was able to get into
the Master’s of Religious Education Program at BYU, who had previously to my
application only accepted one other female applicant. I completed my thesis on
the Historical and Doctrinal analysis of the Young Women’s Curriculum from the
beginning of the Church until today. I also was also hired by the BYU’s
Continuing Education Department for EFY and Education Week. Both those
experiences were miraculous and worth sharing at another time.
I know that through the atonement of the Lord
Jesus Christ I know we can achieve all the goals and desires that are necessary
for us to complete our missions on the earth. I believe that all people who are
born have a work to accomplish while they are here. Though my full-time
employment has ended for now, I am glad that I had the Lord with me during that
wonderful preparatory time and that he is still with me. I know that God will
fulfill his word (D&C 82:10). If we
lose a blessing eternally it will be due to the choices we have made. We are
bound by sacred promises to do the work of the Master. We are invited to take his yoke upon us
(Mathew 11:29), and by so doing we will accomplish all we have promised to do. Regardless of where we serve, in the home,
community, and the world, His promise is that as we lose ourselves in the
service of God, we will find what we came to find – the Kingdom of God
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