As it says in the website: “EnglishConnect is a unified family of English-language learning products. EnglishConnect courses are designed to help learners increase their English proficiency in a gospel-centered environment. Developing English proficiency can lead to increased academic and vocational opportunities. EnglishConnect 1 and 2 help beginning-level learners.” [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church-education/englishconnect/learners?lang=eng] English Connect 3 is more advanced because it provides academic English preparation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Learners must achieve a qualifying score on the placement exam and participate in a weekly gathering focused on speaking and listening skills and use online self-paced practice activities for listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Once the necessary level of proficiency is reached, the learner can enter PathwayConnect and will have opportunities to develop advanced level English proficiency. [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church-education/englishconnect/program-overview?lang=eng] This represents a huge opportunity for advancement in a world of employment that values proficiency in more than one language, especially in English.
My husband asked me to share my experiences with the English language in the launch of the pilot program of English Connect 3 in the Christianborg Stake (which is the stake we are part of geographically speaking). I am a Puerto Rican who has loved the English language since grade school, not a small achievement on an island that calls the English language “el difícil” or the difficult one. Below you will find my notes. I wanted the flexibility of speaking without reading, so I only used an outline.
The photo above is of Matt speaking to introduce BYU Pathway to members in another far-away stake. For those who don’t know what BYU Pathway is let me quote the website: “By combining online learning with religious education, BYU-Pathway Worldwide inspires hope, opening new opportunities in higher education to learn by study and by faith. Students can start with PathwayConnect as a gateway to a college degree. They can also access online certificates and degree programs through BYU-Idaho.” [https://byupathway.lds.org] “At the conclusion of Spring Semester 2019, 733 BYU-Pathway Worldwide students completed an online certificate or degree accredited through Brigham Young University-Idaho. Among the students completing a certificate or degree are 570 former PathwayConnect students. Of the online graduates, 496 earned a bachelor’s degree, 196 earned an associate degree, and 51 completed a certificate. Students completing an online degree and/or certificate represent 26 countries and 43 U.S. states.” [https://pathwaynewsroom.org/spring-2019-graduation/] I think that is marvellous!
Going back to that that far-away stake, to tell you the truth, the stake is not that long a distance but it took us twice the usual time to arrive because we missed a turn or exit and landed smack in the middle of a humongous traffic jam. It took us more than an hour and a half to back track. Finally we arrived at the stake center an hour plus late and the members were still there! Not only were they there, they were still eager to listen to our messages and to participate with their comments and questions. I am amazed at the patience and love we were shown. That does not happen anywhere else. Let me correct myself, that could happen in our island because Puerto Ricans are usually late for events and they would have arrived with us.
We have a very consistent group of sisters who study the scriptures and come together to discuss them. I have mentioned that before but we have had some sisters leave and some come so there is a new picture of the group. The second picture was a take-out. I ruined it pushing my glasses up, but they sent it to me any way, so here it is.
WHAT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MEANS TO ME
Member Devotional English Connect
1. I am not a native English-speaker:
a. Born in PR our language is Spanish.
b. Studied five years in an all-English school two towns over because we were not admitted to the local catholic school.
c. It was a great experience. Loved the music class. Still have the book.
2. Read the BOM in English for the first time- still prefer it in English. Prefer to hear Conference in English, the language of the Restoration.
3. I heard this scripture that says, “Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). I identified closely with it.
4. What has English done for me?
a. I am a voracious reader in English. I love spelling words and knowing their meaning. I used to invent insults such as “You are an anencephalic nematode.” Look that one up. I have since repented.
b. Studied university and medical school in Puerto Rico – classes in Spanish, textbooks in English.
c. Did my specialty in the US – all in English.
d. In PR, I started a business with all English-speaking partners – I was their interpreter with government officials and business leaders who didn’t speak English.
e. In the company, the ads were created in Spanish for the Puerto Rican market and I translated them to English for the US government officials overseeing the business.
f. After serving in Guatemala, our first assignment in the church in Puerto Rico was to serve as interpreters for visiting church officials such as apostles and other general authorities.
5. In English, a little knowledge is not worth much.
a. Funny story: In 2016, Sisters Renlund, Maynes and Causse were visiting the Dominican Republic. The wives of the members of the Area Presidency accompanied them on a tour of the Historic City of Santo Domingo with an English-speaking tour guide. This guide was the chief of all the English-speaking guides there and was in charge of training them. We looked forward to this trip. Then I noticed that, on average, I did not understand every 4th word he said. The sisters would look at me to see if I could help because they weren’t understanding him either. Since I had been on other tours there in Spanish I tried to tell them what I remembered because I couldn’t tell what he was saying. I started to get a headache from listening to him intently. Turns out he was making up words!
b. Be not satisfied with just a little knowledge, seek for more, perfect what you know.
c. Elder Bednar has taught: “Ultimately, the responsibility to learn by faith and apply spiritual truth rests upon each of us individually. This is an increasingly serious and important responsibility in the world in which we do now and will yet live. What, how, and when we learn is supported by—but is not dependent upon—an instructor, a method of presentation, or a specific topic or lesson format.”
d. I am learning French now though I have been dabbling in it for 5 years. I say dabbling because it was like getting my feet wet at the river bank. Lately, I have decided to dive into it and dedicate many hours of my week to learning new words and verb conjugations. It is still hard for me to speak it, but my increased effort and prayers have helped me progress more this year than any other.
Journey to Serve 