# Which one was the most diffcult?



## Benjamin Baxter (Jan 31, 2011)

For all of the MM's, which degree was the most difficult for you. What was the hardest thing to overcome. Did it not make sense, or seem overwhelming and then all of a sudden just "click"? Explain if you can.


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## Dave in Waco (Jan 31, 2011)

I would say the EA was the most difficult.  It's that first step into such a big brave new world.  There is just so much to take in.  Plus like anything new, there is an adjustment period in getting used to all the new inflow of information coming your way.  But although it's the hardest, it also wets your appetite for more.


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## AAJ (Jan 31, 2011)

For me, the EA degree was hardest. It was kind of like getting used to driving to around in a strange city. Once you know how to get to one place, learning how to get to another is not as hard since you already know the basic layout of the major streets.


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## JTM (Jan 31, 2011)

EA was tough because of all the memorization for me.


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## Benton (Jan 31, 2011)

I found the MM the most difficult because of additions that were difficult to keep straight.


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 1, 2011)

EA


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Feb 1, 2011)

For me the EA was the toughest to learn.


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## Brent1204 (Feb 1, 2011)

Me it was the EA that was the hardest but once I got it it all made sence. That is what I tell everyone I teach dont get discouraged because all of a sudden you to will be able to say it all


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## QPZIL (Feb 1, 2011)

Looking back on it, I'm sure I will say that it was the EA degree, but right now that I'm learning the MM degree work, I'd say this one 

There's just so many "I.F.S.S."s! It's okay though, I will get them.


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## Brent1204 (Feb 1, 2011)

QPZIL said:
			
		

> Looking back on it, I'm sure I will say that it was the EA degree, but right now that I'm learning the MM degree work, I'd say this one
> 
> There's just so many "I.F.S.S."s! It's okay though, I will get them.



Keep working hard u will get it


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## Dave in Waco (Feb 1, 2011)

QPZIL said:


> Looking back on it, I'm sure I will say that it was the EA degree, but right now that I'm learning the MM degree work, I'd say this one
> 
> There's just so many "I.F.S.S."s! It's okay though, I will get them.



Get you a system that helps you memorize the order.  And don't feel bad, I saw a PM who hadn't done it in a while try to give them.  He got the first 4 right, then started skipping around.


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## Beathard (Feb 1, 2011)

First section of the EA. After that everything is downhill. Once you learn the style of language and common phrases it is easier.  My son is about to be raised. It took him a month to learn the EA. The FC only took 2 hours on the night of his passing to memorize. Wish I was 18 again. His mind is like a sponge.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Feb 1, 2011)

Beathard said:


> First section of the EA. After that everything is downhill. Once you learn the style of language and common phrases it is easier.  My son is about to be raised. It took him a month to learn the EA. The FC only took 2 hours on the night of his passing to memorize. Wish I was 18 again. His mind is like a sponge.


 
WOW!


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## bgs942 (Feb 1, 2011)

The EA work because it is new to us at that point in our light but the MM obligation because of all it encompasses.


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## Benjamin Baxter (Feb 2, 2011)

I appreciate all the comments on this thread I started. It encouraging and interesting at the same time. Hopefully I will get to post my thoughts on the subject latter this year.


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## jwhoff (Feb 2, 2011)

Many say it was the first secton of the EA.  My biggest challenge was the second section of same said degree.


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## Beathard (Feb 9, 2011)

Goatrider is worried about the 13 further mores in the mm.


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## Dave in Waco (Feb 9, 2011)

As my instructor explained it to me when I got the 13, "You already know at least half of it."


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## relapse98 (Mar 13, 2011)

Sam smith and Henry king say the 13 are not really as hard as they seem. I found 2nd section of EA the hardest due to it's length.


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## Jacob Johnson (Mar 14, 2011)

hahaha Sam smith and henry king. that's how i remembered it too. For me it was definitely the EA degree prof. FC was very quick to learn, I also only took 2 study sessions to learn it. I think it really IS about getting used to the form and not so much about the memorization being that hard. Once you have the EA down, the FC and MM just need a little bit of work in a couple places before it clicks.


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## steve632111 (Mar 15, 2011)

the mm was hard just because it was close enough to
the fc memorization that I would
confuse the 2 when starting out


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## MikeMay (Mar 15, 2011)

For me it was the EA...It took me about a month and a half before it started to soak into my thick skull and not so pliable brain tissue, then it became easier.  The FC and MM took two weeks each, old brain trying to learn new tricks....


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## Michaelstedman81 (Apr 12, 2011)

I really had no idea that on the general, most Brothers would say the EA like my answer is.  I think what makes it more difficult than the other degrees is just like what a lot of the other Brothers have said.  That it was basically stepping into a whole new world and the methods are different than what we are normally used to.

It is also interesting that according to this poll, nobody voted for FC being the hardest...lol


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## S.Courtemanche (Apr 12, 2011)

Part 1 of the EA, after that it started to flow.


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## Brent Heilman (Apr 12, 2011)

I would say that the EA would make sense for being the hardest. It is a whole new experience and since you don't know what to expect you aren't prepared. Some of us also have some problems remembering things and getting the brain used to that type of learning takes a bit, but once it is accustomed to it the rest goes pretty smooth.


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## RTidwell (Apr 12, 2011)

For me the only somewhat difficult part was the EA obligation.  Once I got past that everything it was all easy.  The FC and MM work wasn't that bad at all.

Now if I could just keep Q/A and floor work separated. Hahaha


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## AnthonyBolding (May 8, 2011)

Its not that ea was hard but it was time consuming and took dedication. It discouraged me a little when I found out how many questions there were but I stuck with it. The ea really test if you want to really be a master or not. The other degrees are just fun and much more understandable. What's hard is petitioning because it made me nervous.


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## cacarter (May 10, 2011)

EA, because like everyone says it's all new material and the wording is simply weird sometimes.  MM was next because of that dang obligation.


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## MikeMay (May 10, 2011)

cacarter said:


> MM was next because of that dang obligation.



LOL, yeah, that obligation was long...but well worth it, wouldn't you say?


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## Bro. Bennett (May 11, 2011)

I remember walking with Sam Smith and Henry King when I learned this stuff. Glad they walked with me since my old brain needs cheering on sometimes.


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## Beathard (May 11, 2011)

And they bought a lot of cotton when they were with me.


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## RobinWinslett (May 12, 2011)

Like most brethren, I found the EA the most challenging. I had to learn how to learn mouth-to-ear which is way harder for me than any previous study experience.  I had very willing and patient teachers and they prepped me for the higher degrees so the FC and MM were relatively easy.


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## cacarter (May 12, 2011)

I walked with them as they bought cotton at various country gins.


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## jwhoff (May 12, 2011)

It took me a while to digest "ralitish" in the second section of the EA. Once past that it was a down hill slide.  Come to think of it, I'm still not past "ralitish."


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## Bhatt (Nov 3, 2013)

None of them was particularly hard for me but if I had to choose I would say say the EA degree only because I really didn't know What to expect but it wasn't hard at all just didn't know What to expect 

Bro.Hatten
Pride of the West Lodge #53


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## Virgin Islands Brother (Nov 3, 2013)

Entering the brave new world. Definitely EA.


My Freemasonry


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## rebis (Nov 3, 2013)

Beathard said:


> My son is about to be raised. It took him a month to learn the EA. The FC only took 2 hours on the night of his passing to memorize. Wish I was 18 again. His mind is like a sponge.



Two hours for the FC proficiency?!?
No way...
He must've done it short form...and even then...

He got past on the same night as his proficiency?

I don't know brother, I find all this hard to believe.


My Freemasonry


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## rebis (Nov 3, 2013)

I had to put in a lot of work for the EA since it was new. I am glad I did it in long form because it really helped with the MM proficiency...which definitely was no a walk in the park....furthermore


My Freemasonry


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## otherstar (Nov 5, 2013)

EA, because everything was so new. It took me 2 months to go from EA to FC (back when the wait between degrees was 1 month), and it took most of that two months to get the work down. It only took me a few weeks each for the FC, and MM degrees.


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## crono782 (Nov 5, 2013)

Yeah, when learning the EA work, you also have to get your mind and tongue used to the language and cadence of the catechisms as well.


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## poweredbylight (Nov 5, 2013)

Definitely the EA for me. You don't know what to expect, and are overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown at you. By the end of the initiation (while you're getting all of the smiling faces and handshakes), I felt like I was drunk.


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## jmiluso (Nov 5, 2013)

EA


My Freemasonry


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## dfreybur (Nov 5, 2013)

For me it was the MM proficiency.  Not only is it longer in California it's also optional unless you are elected to office.  So I was in the middle of memorizing the JW work for all degrees and the WM work in the first degree when I suddenly jumped back to the proficiency.  Oops ...


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## usmcvet (Nov 9, 2013)

The EA lecture was the toughest for me. The Fellow Craft was easier because I'd already learned how the lectures work. We don't have a MM proficiency here in VT but I plan to memorize the MM lecture too. I'm about half way there.


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## Bro. Michael (Dec 7, 2013)

The MM was the most difficult for me, and not even all of it. Actually, the only part I struggled with on any of my degrees was the MM obligation (I did have a really good teacher though).


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## Dow Mathis (Dec 11, 2013)

I'd have to agree that the EA was the hardest.  I never realized until after I was raised that there were "sections" to the EA.  For me it was hard because I had to learn how to learn.  We're all programmed to reach for the written word, whether it be on paper or screen.  The EA taught me how to listen actively and how to learn the cadence of the spoken word.  Learning this cadence helped me immeasurably in the FC and MM.  It's funny... If I'm not careful, I'll find myself answering a question from a coworker or friend with the same cadence and grammar as that used int he degree work.  Sometimes I don't even realize it until I see the look on their faces and realize that I just sounded like a doofus. :biggrin:


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## Sammcd (Dec 11, 2013)

The E A was the hardest for me. My mentor explained that each of the degrees built on pervious degree. He eased my anxieties before each proficiency by assuring me that I knew material or he wouldn't have recommended that I test and every one in the lodge room was a brother.


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## dfreybur (Dec 12, 2013)

Dow Mathis said:


> It's funny... If I'm not careful, I'll find myself answering a question from a coworker or friend with the same cadence and grammar as that used int he degree work.  Sometimes I don't even realize it until I see the look on their faces and realize that I just sounded like a doofus. :biggrin:



But it's cool when one of them pulls you aside and asks if you have traveled!


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## Dow Mathis (Dec 12, 2013)

dfreybur said:


> But it's cool when one of them pulls you aside and asks if you have traveled!



That it is. :001_smile:


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## Pscyclepath (Dec 15, 2013)

The proficiency lectures weren't all that hard...  It took me a little longer (about 6 weeks) to turn in my MM proficiency, as my lecturer had family problems at the time and wasn't available.  It wasn't all that hard to start learning the conferral parts either, save the 7 arts & science in the FC stairwell lecture still give me fits from time to time.  You just gotta stay at it ;-)

Tom


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## Brother_Steve (Jan 7, 2014)

Dow Mathis said:


> It's funny... If I'm not careful, I'll find myself answering a question from a coworker or friend with the same cadence and grammar as that used int he degree work.  Sometimes I don't even realize it until I see the look on their faces and realize that I just sounded like a doofus. :biggrin:


Co-worker: How do you load the program?

---In the way and manner illustrated in the instruction book! :wink:

I found my FC was the hardest to return. I knew it backwards and forwards but I was the most nervous during the FC exam on the account that we were to be raised the same night.


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## fasttito (Jan 16, 2014)

EA for sure due to being a new-bee to all of this at the time...


2B1IS2ASK1
/G\You Are Never Alone/G\
Stay Thirsty My Brothers


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## brother blaine (Jan 17, 2014)

Qpzil is right I'm working on my MM right now it's kinda hard piecing it together but I do have to say the eA was harder just a whole change of speaking 


Sent From My Freemasonry Pro App


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## brother josh (Mar 5, 2014)

Ea by far 


Sent From My Freemasonry Pro App


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## Zaden (Mar 25, 2014)

Is "[FONT=verdana, arial, sans-serif]ralitish" a mnemonic? I've been running through mentally and don't see where that would fit? San Antonio Hat Co, and our buddies Sam and Henry I know, but not "[/FONT]ralitish".


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## jmflores (Mar 25, 2014)

My mentor who is teaching me my work, Bro. Ken Rowe PM told me that his father who was also a brother specifically told him that the EA is so long because its meant to test the student's desire to advance, and if the student really wants to do so he would have the willingness to learn the EA work and get it done. We tend to think that is true. As always brothers the earnest student will persevere.


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## Thulsa Doom (Mar 28, 2014)

MM was the most difficult.


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