So- I seem to be gleening some good stuff from my American Literature class! Today in my readings I came across an excerpt from Booker T. Washington's "Up From Slavery". As I read I couldn't help but think of President Uchtdorf's Conference Address, "Lift Where You Stand." I find when juxtaposing these two pieces, and perhaps my Patriarchal Blessing as well, I just might be able to determine where and how I personally need to "Lift" and/or "Cast down my bucket". After reading "Up From Slavery", and combining it with what I know from the BYU-I Learning Model, I asked myself what I see in Lyndee that I need to change so as to create Zion within my school classes, my home, my ward, and/or all the other regions of my life. I'll have to get back to you with my answer- that is I'll get back to you when I HAVE my answer.

Booker T’s excerpt mentioned above:
“A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a signal,“Water, water; we die of thirst!” The answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” A second time the signal, “Water, water; send us water!” ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” And a third and fourth signal for water was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River. To those of my race who depend on bettering their condition in a foreign land or who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly relations with the Southern white man, who is their next-door neighbor, I would say: “Cast down your bucket where you are”— cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded.”

President Uchtdorf's Address http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-18,00.html

Learning Model http://www.byui.edu/learningmodel/src/default.htm