Four Fundamental Purposes of Gospel Teaching- Anthony Sweat

This is Anthony Sweat

but I know him as “Tony”, and he knows me as “Shannon” always spoken with an Irish accent.   He is hands down one of the most phenomenal teachers I have ever known.    This guy really gets it.  And he just happens to be one of Deseret Book’s best selling authors – you  can see his impressive line of books here.

His latest book is “Mormons An Open Book

and he is going to give away an autographed copy to one of you!  I LOVE this book!  He helps put things into words that sometimes you just don’t know how to answer.

Mormons_7_detail

I really like the layout of this book too!  A lot of Tony’s books are this way.  You can take a look at a few more pages of his book here.

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“Lift Up Your Eyes”: Four Fundamental Purposes of Gospel Teaching

by
Anthony Sweat

Most people who don’t know me are surprised to find out that before I became a full-time teacher for the Church I once had dreams of becoming the next Rembrandt.

Yep, my original plans were to become a full-time artist, and I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of Utah. Here is a painting I did a few year back for a bridal company, just to prove that I can actually work a brush:

 

Up to this point, the Lord has had different plans for me than being an artist

(and, alas, Walter Rane has blessed all our lives and become the modern-day LDS Rembrandt). However, being an artists has taught me a lot about being a teacher, as teaching, according to President Boyd K. Packer, is the “finest of the fine arts.” As most of us begin our teaching year in seminary, one analogy between teaching and painting I want to draw upon (no pun intended!) in this post is the need to step and pull back, lift up our eyes, and see the big picture. When you paint, especially when you paint a large painting, it is necessary to step back quite often a few feet from the painting and look at it as a whole to see if it is coming together the way you want—if all the little brush strokes are coming together into what someone might call a nice piece of art. Similarly, when we teach, we need to step back from the day to day of planning and presenting lessons and look at the bigger picture of what gospel teaching is really about. The following are four fundamental purposes of gospel teaching—four indicators that the art of our teaching is on track, if you will—that I feel will bless all of us as teachers to step back and take a look at:

1. The primary purpose of gospel teaching is to help facilitate the Holy Ghost in the learning process.

This is so simple, and so oft repeated, that it can be overlooked. As a seminary principal, when I ask teachers if they feel like their class went well, I often hear answers like, “Yeah, the kids seemed to be having fun today” or “No. I didn’t really get through everything I had planned in my outline” and “I don’t know, nobody was really answering my questions and they were so quiet.” Perhaps you have said similar things. I know I have. Rarely do I have a teacher respond to that question by linking their success in the teaching/learning process to the degree that that Holy Ghost was present in class. I know it is difficult sometimes to know to what degree the Spirit was present, but we usually have a good spiritually discerning barometer. We need to use the presence of the Holy Ghost as our primary measuring device for teaching success. Speaking of teaching and learning by the Spirit, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “That is what our members really want when they gather in a meeting or come into a classroom anyway. Most people don’t come to church looking merely for a few new gospel facts or to see old friends, though all of that is important. They come seeking a spiritual experience” (“A Teacher Come from God”, Ensign (CR), May 1998, p.25). The challenge that is ours is to identify and implement effective ways of inviting the Holy Ghost into the learning experience on a consistent basis.

2. Teach eternal doctrines and unchanging principles from the scriptures and words of the prophets.

The word of God is more powerful than our personality (see Alma 31:5). The truths in the scriptures are more impactful on our students than if an angel—let’s say his name is Lazarus –personally visited them from the dead (see Luke 16:20-31, especially verses 30-31). The light and truth in the word of God will lead people to God the Father faster than any method we can employ, even using technology, music, and videos (read D&C 84:43-48 to learn about that). Let’s never forget that one of the fundamental purposes of gospel teaching is to get people in the words of the prophets. Doing the things that the ministers did in young Joseph Smith’s day—and that we sometimes do in our teaching—such as “reason and sophistry” and “disprov[ing] all others” in a “war of words and tumult of opinions” (JS-H 1:9-10) had little to no effect on young Joseph. But 26 short words in James 1:5 changed his life, and changed our world. There is power in the word. I testify of that.

3. Inviting students to exert spiritual, mental, and physical effort in the learning process.

Elder David A. Bednar has taught, “I personally do not know of a principle more central, important, or essential to spiritual learning than the principle of acting as agents and not being acted upon as objects” (Elder David A. Bednar, Increase in Learning, 2011, p. xxi) and “A learner exercising agency by acting in accordance with correct principles opens his or her heart to the Holy Ghost…[it]requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not just passive reception.” (Address to CES Religious Educators, Feb. 3rd, 2006, p. 3). In other words, one of the reasons why we teach is to invite learners to use their agency. As they do so, their voluntary use of agency will open their hearts to the Holy Ghost more than anything else. As teachers in class we should constantly be asking ourselves: What are my students DOING right now? Am I requiring and inviting them to exert effort to learn? Or are they just sitting passively and being acted upon by me? Are they reading, searching, marking, thinking, analyzing, discussing, writing, observing, touching, feeling, tasting, testifying, and exerting? Or are they sitting, sitting, sitting, sitting…bored, bored, bored, bored…Bueller? Beuller? Beuller? Bueller? Let’s get them to exert effort and use their agency as they learn. As they do so they will open their hearts more to the Holy Ghost, be touched by him, and become spiritually self-reliant.

4. Go and do thou likewise.

Preach My Gospel says something profound that should impact every lesson we teach. It says: “Rarely, if ever, should you talk to people or teach them without extending an invitation to do something that will strengthen their faith in Christ…People will not likely change unless they are invited to do so” (PMG, p. 196). In other words, our classes need to be relevant and applicable in the lives of the learner. And not only should they be relevant and applicable, we should invite students to act on what has been learned and follow up with them on what they are doing about it. Once again, some rarely do this in classroom teaching, but think how often missionaries do it: “Hi, here’s a Book of Mormon. Let me teach you about it. We invite you to read 3 Nephi 11. Can we come back on Wednesday?” (a few days later on Wednesday): “Hi. Did you read 3 Nephi 11? How did it go?” I have found there is power in teaching in a way that is not only relevant and applicable, but in a way in which I invite students to go and do something about what we are learning and then to periodically follow up with them on what their experience was. Notice how often the Lord tells us of the need to ACT on what we are learning, “And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given. And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me” (D&C 43:8-9, emphasis added). Jesus did it with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we should go and do likewise too.

To conclude, here are four questions to ask ourselves each time we teach to help us step back and take a look at the painting of our gospel teaching to make sure we are on target.

May God bless us all as teachers of his children. I know he will as we strive our best to emulate the greatest teacher we have ever had, even Jesus Christ.

1. How will my actions and methods today invite the Holy Ghost into the learning process?

2. Am I using the scriptures and words of the prophets as the main content of my class?

3. What are my students going to do in the lesson today to invite spiritual, mental, and physical exertion in the learning process?

4. How can I invite my students to act upon the truths learned today in class, and how can I appropriately follow up with them?

75 comments

  1. I’ve long been a fan of students being active, not passive learners. I think that’s really the only way they can internalize what is being taught. I love his quote by Elder Bednar: “I personally do not know of a principle more central, important, or essential to spiritual learning than the principle of acting as agents and not being acted upon as objects.”

    All of #3 really struck home with me. He emphasizes and puts into words exactly what I think . . . teaching us to open our hearts to the Spirit and then vocalizing our thoughts is good teaching.

    I loved his idea on giving assignments and then following up to see what happens. One of our Gospel Doctrine teachers does this when she teaches and I think it’s very effective. Even if I don’t always do the assignment, it’s in the back of my head and I find myself pondering it and looking for ways to implement it several times over the course of the week. Even if I only take the time to consider and act upon the assignment once, it’s a success.

  2. I love that he can state that God had different plans for him!! I think he does for a lot of us, we just buck the system and want it our way…we need to trust him who knows best!!

  3. I love suggestions #3 and #4. I have found as a teacher the more I have my kids do something the more they learn and understand. I try to make it a goal in every lesson to make sure the kids are searching for answers in the scriptures, writing their thoughts on paper, or even teaching part of the lesson.

  4. Thank you for the reminder of teaching by the Spirit. As a teacher I get caught up in trying to get everything across, but this was great reminder of working with the Spirit.

  5. I love the way Brother Sweat broke down the active learning into “Seminary actions”: “Are they reading, searching, marking, thinking, analyzing, discussing, writing, observing, touching, feeling, tasting, testifying, and exerting?” I’m going to type that up and put it on the wall, right by where I prepare for the next morning. Thanks!!!

  6. #4 mentions the follow-up and that is something I definitely need to do more often. We really are much more likely to do what we’ve been invited to do if we know it’s going to come up again later.

  7. I Just really like his approach to teaching. I have known most of these things but he puts it in a way that tells me why that way is effective.
    I love the idea of stepping back to look at what you’ve got. It will be most helpful in making sure the spirit is the one teaching and that the youth will be working for the things they learn. Making it something they will remember for more than 5 minutes.
    Brother Sweat is an amazing teacher. I was lucky enough to have one of my daughters in his class. It was a life changing experience for her and now I know why.

  8. I will evaluate my teaching by the measure of the spirit, not by the number of comments made in class or the amount of material covered.
    Beautiful article and beautiful painting.

  9. We have multiple books by Brother Sweat. Idea # 3 has been something I’ve been pondering lately, after reading the works of Elder Bednar. There is a responsibility on the part of the student to learn, it’s not just on the teacher. Finding those ways to engage them and help them learn this, I think will be a worthwhile endeavor.

  10. This will be my third year teaching early morning Seminary. The students blow me away with their understanding and knowledge of Gospel Principles and I have had many witnesses that many will be our future leaders. The responsibility of presenting material to these youth in a way that the Spirit will teach and edify each of us every day, is a never ending challenge as well as a privilege. I strive to seek out knowledge and wisdom from those who have had hands on experence in teaching the youth, and felt this article is very insightful and will help me in teaching these awesome young men and women! Thank you for sharing!

  11. Wow! Great article, THANK YOU! I am grateful for this blog and to Brother Sweat for sharing. I will be using these steps!! Thank you for helping us improve.

  12. Something that I learned and didn’t know – which is what you asked us to comment on – is to step back and look at what we’ve ‘painted’ to see the whole picture and to see if what we are teaching is coming together into the outcome we desire. I have taught for many many years, have 6 grown children now, and am now the YW President. I think stepping back, evaluating what I am doing, how I am doing it, if the Spirit is helping, and if changes in lives are being made, is a great idea. Something I hadn’t thought of before. Another comment he made in the article is something I really liked and that is: “one of the reasons why we teach is to invite learners to use their agency.” That’s the whole point! Act and not be acted upon, as Elder Bednar says so often. His son lives in our ward, so we have been taught at the feet of an apostle multiple times in our ward. How wonderful that experience is!

  13. I loved Br. Sweat’s reminder and amplification of the core principles of the Gospel (1) The Holy Spirit teaches and guides when (2) WE take action. It is easy, because of our earnest desires and prayers, to try to “do it” for our students. We must teach and reinforce the principles of agency, effort, and being in tune with the Comforter. Bless you!

  14. Thank you for this fabulous article! I teach in YW and so I really loved learning some new ideas on effective teaching. I have printed the article and plan to reread it and mark it up. I also cannot wait to read his book you have featured here.

  15. Bro. Sweat was my freshman year seminary teacher and he is responsible for my deep love of the scriptures and gospel. He is so talented and knows so much . Thank you for this post!

  16. This article touched me in many different ways…first pondering about stepping back and looking at the whole as it is happening…my son is also an artist..I have often watched him step back not only in painting, but also in life…next my memory as a nonmember student sitting in a seminary class in 9th grade and feeling the Holy Ghost strong enough to lead me to baptism…and last but not least wondering if I gauge my teaching success by the presence of the Holy Ghost…This article has been a great benefit to me..Thank you!

  17. Elder David A. Bednar has taught, “I personally do not know of a principle more central, important, or essential to spiritual learning than the principle of acting as agents and not being acted upon as objects” (Elder David A. Bednar, Increase in Learning, 2011, p. xxi) and “A learner exercising agency by acting in accordance with correct principles opens his or her heart to the Holy Ghost…[it]requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not just passive reception.” (Address to CES Religious Educators, Feb. 3rd, 2006, p. 3).

    Wow, I just found those statements so powerful and I cannot wait to implement them in my Gospel Doctrine and Mission Prep classes. Thank you!!!

  18. I plan on having the four questions at the end in front of me as I plan my lesson and as I reflect after the lesson is over. The only thing we can control is our actions and hopefully they will influence our students to recognize the spirit and to follow the spirit. It is a tall order!! I am so grateful for my calling!

  19. I didn’t know he was such s beautiful artist! It reminded me that sometimes the Lord has different plans for us than we have for ourselves. that can be a really hard thing sometimes.

  20. I a “bus driver” teacher, and I am working prepare my lessons following your steps so I am better able to meet the needs of my students.

  21. I, too, bear witness that the Holy Ghost has the most tremendous effect on each of us in an individual and personal way. I am a vocalist and before performing I always pray for the Spirit to come through me as I bear witness in song. It amazes me the transformation I can actually see as the message and the melody touches hearts in the congregation. I appreciate the four questions from Brother Sweat’s article and plan to incorporate them in opportunities I have to teach, sing, and bear testimony.

  22. I love how Bro. Sweat has broken it down into four main questions we must ask ourselves as gospel teachers. I have been inspired by his article to continually work on my gospel teaching and the methods and strategies that I’m using to make sure the Holy Ghost can be there and the learners are engaged. I will also share with my husband this article, he is an early morning seminary teacher.

  23. I thank you so much for your words and wisdom!! I am a new teacher this year. Just sustained this past weekend. As I have been preparing for my first class this week, teaching by the spirit has been my main focus. I think that I sometimes focus too much on the content when I teach. I am trying really hard to just be lead by the spirit. I love the part that you put in here from teach my gospel, “Rarely, if ever, should you talk to people or teach them without extending an invitation to do something that will strengthen their faith in Christ…People will not likely change unless they are invited to do so”. I am hoping to do apply this. Thank you so much!!!

  24. Thank you! I feel so strongly about having the Holy Ghost present when we teach. If the youth (and we) can feel him testifying we can’t help but have our testimonies strengthened!

  25. I loved the whole article. I teach Relief Society and realized I need to invite the sisters to act and follow up with them. I also had an a ha moment when his article said that the truths in the scriptures are more impactful than if the students were to see an angel. Loved it.

  26. Loved the article – put into words what I am trying to accomplish in my classroom very succinctly….I am very excited for this year of learning and growing for both me AND my students. Thanks.

  27. What a beautiful painting. Words can not express how emotional that painting is and how pertinent to becoming the Queen our Heavenly Father has promised we will be. I strive live worthy of that goal and teach the women I come in contact with to have the same goal. What a powerful teaching moment without words but by the power of the Holy Ghost. Thank You.

  28. Loved all the article…
    #1 is absolutely, hands down, my favorite – hard to teach without the Holy Ghost and with that sweet Spirit… I feel the kids learn more through Him (even if it means going away from lesson plans) than I could ever come up with on my own.

  29. I’ve been struggling with wondering if my kids get the gospel message. I see that I have fall short of letting them exert themselves in the learning process.

    Thanks for this article and tools that can help me teach my children more effectively.

  30. “The challenge that is ours is to identify and implement effective ways of inviting the Holy Ghost into the learning experience on a consistent basis.”
    I love this quote. In teaching primary, RS, Sunday School, or YW, the presence of the Holy Ghost is our number one priority. He’ll do the teaching and directing.

  31. I completely agree that reading scriptures is the best way to really learn. Singing and listening to talks are great, but to me those are more like praise, they invite the Holy Spirit to us. That’s a wonderful thing, but we need to learn and “liken” the scriptures to keep the Holy Ghost.

    Great article! Thanks for sharing and the chance to win!

  32. Wow! I loved the article. Need to do a better job “inviting” the kids to do something to help them apply the learning. And I didn’t know he could paint!

  33. What a great article. Thank you for the timely message. I am so excited to work on inviting them to go and apply the lessons and then following up with them later. Can you remind us in a few months when we are in the thick of things to take that step back 😉

  34. I just stumbled on this website today and am so thankful! I had the privilege of taking a class at Education Week from Bro. Sweat two years ago before I began my first year as an em seminary teacher and used every tip I could write! I couldn’t go this year and just got a facebook photo of my usual group of friends, which hurt my heart a little. Reading this article makes me feel the fullness of the spirit that attending a wonderful class brings – thank you for bringing that to me today. I printed this out and am excited to use these techniques to enrich my class this year. It is such a blessing to teach, and be taught by, these youth. Thanks to you, Shannon, and to Bro Sweat for sharing so unselfishly.

  35. I love how you boil it down so succinctly. It really helps us to focus on what really matters most, letting the Spirit be the guide and teacher

  36. A great article. I know the importance of preparing by the spirit and teaching by the spirit, but with teenagers it is difficult to know what they have received. I realize I need to increase my faith and rely on the confidence that comes from the spirit.

  37. Thank you for a great article. I am always seeking new ways to impart the Spirit with my Gospel Doctrine class. I am anxious to implement step four. I think we forget to “go and do” after our Sunday meetings.

  38. Great article! Action that is what I’m going to work on in seminary this year along with follow-up and sharing what they learned!

  39. I believe also that it is essential to have the Holy Ghost and also to give assignments that the student can relate to his or her life and act upon. Wonderful message, thank you.

  40. I have always believed as a teacher, that if a student 1. HEARS, they will forget, 2. SEES, they will remember and 3. DOES, they will learn.
    As in PMG, we must liken the scriptures unto us and internalize and practice the lessons. The Boy Scouts of America have a similar thought, learn, act, share. We need to act on our knowledge until it becomes part of us.

  41. Thanks so much for the article. I need to do more of these things with my kids and the Primary kids I work with each Sunday. I’ve seen the kids rise to the occasion when asked to put some effort into their learning. I will definitely be putting some of the other principles taught here into action.

  42. I saw his book in Barnes and noble yesterday and I thought… i’m going to wait till after.the giveaway! I enjoyed this post a lot. i’ve always liked 2 Nephi 2:26 that talks about being free to act for ourselves. but I never thought about it in gospel teaching, the way that he put it!

  43. Thanks for the article. I reviewed this book on AML. Excellent book, lucid explanations of the Church.
    I also found the four principles helpful as I teach Gospel Doctrine for the youth. And I’m speaking in Sacrament meeting this Sunday, and #3 will me invite the congregation to hope for a better life and to act and not be acted upon, which is the theme of the talk.

  44. “The word of God is more powerful than your personality.” WOW. Hit me between the eyes. I hadn’t recognized it, but I do think I draw far too much attention to myself while I teach, rather than focusing solely on the doctrine. I’m so grateful for the rebuke. I’ll fix it!!

  45. I had Bro. Sweat for seminary back in ’04 while I was in high school and he is a PHENOMENAL teacher. I have yet to come across someone who teaches the way he does, but as I have held callings in my ward teaching the youth, I have oftened thought back to him and tried my hardest to emulate him.

    Bro. Sweat you TRULY have touched so many lives and lit the fire of testimony in the youths you have taught. No one who has ever had the privledge of sitting in your classroom will ever forget you or the impact you have had in our lives 🙂

    Thank you for sharing this with us!

  46. I learnt that as teachers we are there to facilitate the Spirit. We need to do our best to have the Spirit, invite the Spirit, help others feel the Spirit and invite them to ‘go and do’.

  47. I loved this article. It helped me to build upon what I know. And gave me ideas on how to implement it in my Primary Class even though they are small. I loved the questions I should as my self the most and the analogy of the painting was wonderful.

    Sunbeams are hard to decern a great deal of the time but I think that by trying harder to invite the spirit. I will be able to be a better teacher.

  48. “Are they reading, searching, marking, thinking, analyzing, discussing, writing, observing, touching, feeling, tasting, testifying, and exerting?” YES!!! I love it! I don’t teach seminary, but I am going to apply that advice to our family scripture study!

  49. Hallelujah! You are right Shannon, Anthony gets it! No more dumping lessons and making sure we get through what we prepared! It is about looking at the big picture, it is about inviting learners in the gospel to act and about using agency to learn. No one can tell you everything you must know and do to gain a testimony of the gospel or any of the revealed truths. Self learning is vital through seeking and acting upon promptings from the Holy Ghost. It is about ordinary teachers inviting the spirit to teach. Loved the article!

  50. I agree that we need to invite the spirit & teach with it, and let the students learn what they need to learn. We as teachers should guide their learning & let the spirit testify to their hearts.

  51. I am so grateful you posted this! I worked with Bro. Sweat when he was a session director for EFY at BYUI in 2008. He is a powerful teacher. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  52. I have been teaching the gospel a long time – as EM seminary teacher, gospel doctrine teacher, and as primary chorister. With the teens and adults, I work hard to make my lessons relevant to everyday life, but one thing I do with the primary kids that I don’t do often enough with my older classes is point out when I am feeling the Spirit. I am going to do that more – and work more on the EFFORT of the student in learning. I am going to print this and put it in my scriptures:

    What are my students DOING right now? Am I requiring and inviting them to exert effort to learn? Or are they just sitting passively and being acted upon by me? Are they reading, searching, marking, thinking, analyzing, discussing, writing, observing, touching, feeling, tasting, testifying, and exerting? Or are they sitting, sitting, sitting, sitting…bored, bored, bored, bored…Bueller? Beuller? Beuller? Bueller?

    Hopefully no Beullers in my classes.

  53. Always invite the the Holy Ghost. In preparing the lesson, praying for guidance and inspiration, praying for the students and how to motivate them to act.

  54. What a great post! So applicable for all gospel teaching. We homeschool, and though my oldest girls are still in middle school, we do gospel study together daily, using Church manuals and resources, and trying to really feast on the scriptures and not just read them. I have been looking for ideas on how to teach their age group most effectively. In reading this article, I learned how important it is to invite them to act on what we study, so that they are truly engaged in the learning process in an active, not passive, way. Thank you!

  55. It’s really important to have the holy ghost in the lesson. As an early morning seminary student, it can be hard to stop and check for the holy ghost to be there. It’s good to remind ourselves that it’s there and when it is, you learn so much more.

  56. I love the idea of giving an invitation at the end of each class to “do” something. I loved when teachers did it at Ed Week and I am going to adopt that. Thanks so much for sharing.

  57. Loved this post! Thanks to both of you.

    I have started to make an effort to help my class identify how the lesson applies to their lives, but need to do better in ‘doing’ something about it, with follow through with how it has been going in the “doing” of the principle or topic!

  58. I appreciate the reminder to invite our students to exert some effort – both as they act as an agent of their own learning during class and as they accept invitations to apply what they’ve heard through the Spirit.

    I got to attend all his Education Week presentations and I so appreciate that he “gets it” so well and will share with the rest of us!

  59. I like what he said about asking ourselves how much was the Spirit present in our class today. I really feel like that is one of the most important things we can do for our students- is to help them to feel the Spirit and learn to recognize it. I also find that my students are more active learners when we spend more time immersed in the scriptures, which is what he suggests. Great article!

  60. Thank you for these valuable teaching helps! I am a newly called YW President and am “older”. Yet, these truths are timeless and so powerful to help the YW of our Ward “feel” the Spirit and “understand” the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Great Article.

  61. I love this. I will be printing it out to review. I don’t teach seminary, but I teach the Mia Maids in my ward and I have been thinking a lot about his points on how to get the girls more involved and exert more learning in their lives. I love the simple answers. I had forgotten about preach my gospel. I’m afraid I am still on the Beuller side of things. Thank you for sharing this!

  62. I think when we realize that we are just the facilitator it changes how we teach. I loved that point in his article and about letting the Holy Ghost bear witness to what is being taught. Thank you.

  63. This is great, Thank-you. I especially love the idea of following up on an action we can do. (#4). I have been thinking of ways to do this in my seminary class and decided to make a class notebook that we write down a challenge (at least once a week) that we will work on…ponder on. Then on Fridays we will have a “Follow Up Friday” and spend a few moments sharing how we acted on a challenge and what we learned from it.

  64. It was good for me to remember that the invitation to act upon the promptings of the Spirit during a lesson is really the point at which the teacher helps the student see how the lessons taught are relevant and applicable to them. This is a very personal connection which comes only after we, as teachers, have prepared ourselves and the class to be taught by the Spirit, given them direct access to the word of God, and encouraged them to be active participants in their own process of sanctification.

  65. I have been teaching Seminary for 10 years, but it is always great to be reminded that no matter what happens with our prepared lessons, we will not teach anything without the Spirit being present. Thanks so much.

  66. I heard Tony speak at Time Out for Women in Denver. I absolutely loved his presentation. I am teaching early morning seminary this year in my home with my husband. What a great experience we are having. Although, we are no where near the teacher than Tony is – we are doing our best. We appreciate these things we can read and learn from to be better teachers. Living in the Midwest, we are isolated from the mainstream of the church. But, we have awesome youth and are striving to do our best. Thank you for all you offer to help us help them.

  67. I have just been called as the Gospel Doctrine Teacher for Sunday School. I am terrified!! But this article REALLY helped me and calmed me down. If I just stick to those four things, I can do that. With the help of the Lord I CAN DO IT! (eeeek) I am so grateful for this advice from a great teacher. I have used many of your articles in the past to help me teach Young Womens and my family. It is the Spirit that teaches – and I can hopefully be that conduit.
    Thank-you again.

  68. Thank you for distilling what we need to do to implement the new curriculum with the Spirit! Thnak you so much, Kathleen

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