3. "You Are Not Special" David McCullough Jr. Graduation Speech

We were asked to do a rhetorical analysis on a speech. I chose to analyze a graduation speech that was given by David McCullough Jr. that was titled, "You Are Not Special". This speech is definitely unusual, and it is something you would never think you would hear to be given at your high school graduation. I picked it without much thought, and I was surprised with what I found. I was able to find many ways in which he was able to successfully sell the points he was trying to make. He used statistics, overstatements, imagery, and repetition to really captivate the audience and communicate what he wanted to. I realized that in this speech he wanted to be blunt and shocking, and he really used a lot of rhetoric to accomplish that. Without learning about all the different kinds of rhetoric, I don't think I would have realized just how influential and talented he is as a writer and speaker. Doing this analysis really helped me see all the different ways in which I can personally use rhetoric better to become a convincing and effective writer. Rhetoric goes a long way!

2. The Stories That Bind Us

What helps a family stay strong and unified? According to The Stories That Bind Us, a New York Times article, it is sharing your family stories. While reading this, I was a bit skeptical. It talked about many benefits for youth when parents share their family stories. Some benefits listed were facing challenges better, moderating stress, higher self-esteem, feel they have a better control over their lives, and feel they belonged to something larger than themselves. I wondered how learning more about your family could possibly effect all of these things. What really interested me was how it said people are able to deal with challenges better.

I started to think about my extended family. On holidays, our grandparents would always sit us down and tell us stories about our ancestors, our parents, or about their lives growing up. When we were younger, we would silently complain about sitting and listening for so long. As we got older, I was able to see how much our relationships with each other were being strengthened. I remember last Thanksgiving we sat and listened to each of our parents share the story of how they had met each other, awkward dates, proposals, etc. I just remember how fun it was to learn more about my aunts and uncles, and all the laughs we had. I remember sitting there trying not to cry as I thought of the amazing family I had been blessed with, and how much love I realized I had for them. My family and cousins have become a huge part of my life as we support, uplift, and love each other in all we do. Over the past few years, my grandfather has been battling cancer and recently has gone through chemo therapy. There were moments when my cousins and I would sit and cry together, wondering how much time we had left as we watched him  quickly change.

As I read The Stories That Bind Us it hit me that the reason my family has been able to go through moments like this together was because of the time we spent listening and learning about our family. Those moments we share are helping to keep us strong and uplifted. I can truly testify that sharing those lessons and stories will bind our families together differently than anything else can. Families are central to God's plan, and I know that when we treat those memories and times together with appreciation, we will be able to face any challenge we are given.

1. Things As They Really Are

Elder David A. Bednar wrote a talk titled Things as They Really Are  which talks about the surge of media in a spiritual perspective. Elder Bednar brings up a very interesting point and perspective that I have never thought of. He brings up the point that the adversary wants us to misuse our bodies and thus minimize their importance. A way which the adversary accomplishes this is by causing us to slowly disconnect from reality as we spend more and more time on social media or spend time using other technology. He says, "... you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication." This is a very important and powerful reminder. We may not realize we are slowly distancing ourselves from our loved ones and from the Spirit. Our virtual reality distracts from what is truly important in our lives. If we are too caught up in the media aspect of our lives, we are not living in the moment and showing our appreciation for our bodies we have been given. They are a gift that shouldn't be taken for granted. Our Savior atoned for us with an unimaginable sacrifice. His body suffered more than we can comprehend. We need to take the time to be still and show our gratitude to our Savior, and then we will be able to truly "see things as they really are".