# Hello from Southeast Iowa



## Raymond L Couch (Feb 5, 2019)

Hello Brethren,

I just completed my MM in September '18. I need to study more and be a bit more present at lodge. I'm interested in speaking with tenured brothers about their experiences and maybe help me East.


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## Winter (Feb 5, 2019)

Welcome to the Craft, Brother.  I wish you a long and enjoyable Masonic journey.  As a brand new Master Mason, the best advice I can give for your first stop on your travels is to first learn your jurisdiction's ritual.  That will be the foundation as you progress forward.  There were several layers to the lessons to be learned from all three degrees that went right over your head and you completely missed.  Don't worry, we all missed them as we went through the degrees!  But there is nothing superfluous in the Craft degrees, it is all there for a purpose.  Go back and unpack all the various parts of the ritual and delve into what they have to offer.  Spend enough time studying the 7LA&S that you are able to give a five minute talk to a group on any of them with no preparation.  (Hopefully one or more of them grab your attention and it becomes a lifelong path of study)  And don't forget to go line by line over all of the obligations for the degrees.  You are bound by them now and they have become the foundation for your Masonic conduct in your daily life inside and outside of the Lodge.  Don't be afraid to tell the appendant bodies who will be pushing petitions into your hand that you are not ready.  They become a distraction for brand new Brothers.  Ask questions, and make the effort to go to Lodge.  This is a great group here (unless you're a troll!) and there are a ton of knowledgeable Brothers in this group.  I look forward to hearing more about your journey.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 5, 2019)

Greetings and welcome to the forum Brother. You will learn a lot here.


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## Raymond L Couch (Feb 6, 2019)

Winter said:


> Welcome to the Craft, Brother. I wish you a long and enjoyable Masonic journey. As a brand new Master Mason, the best advice I can give for your first stop on your travels is to first learn your jurisdiction's ritual. That will be the foundation as you progress forward. There were several layers to the lessons to be learned from all three degrees that went right over your head and you completely missed. Don't worry, we all missed them as we went through the degrees! But there is nothing superfluous in the Craft degrees, it is all there for a purpose. Go back and unpack all the various parts of the ritual and delve into what they have to offer. Spend enough time studying the 7LA&S that you are able to give a five minute talk to a group on any of them with no preparation. (Hopefully one or more of them grab your attention and it becomes a lifelong path of study) And don't forget to go line by line over all of the obligations for the degrees. You are bound by them now and they have become the foundation for your Masonic conduct in your daily life inside and outside of the Lodge. Don't be afraid to tell the appendant bodies who will be pushing petitions into your hand that you are not ready. They become a distraction for brand new Brothers. Ask questions, and make the effort to go to Lodge. This is a great group here (unless you're a troll!) and there are a ton of knowledgeable Brothers in this group. I look forward to hearing more about your journey.


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## Bloke (Feb 13, 2019)

Greetings from Australia and welcome to the forum !


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