There are so many different ways to approach a lesson, both as teacher and as student, and not all ways bring the Spirit.  It’s easy to just sit in a lesson and listen, but you may go home (after spending three hours at Church!), and not have anything to show for it.  Likewise, a teacher may stress so much on having the most perfect, the most clever, the most cutest lesson, and again go home spiritually empty handed.

I have lugged my scriptures to Church before and never opened them in any class.  As well, I have gone to class unprepared, and not allowed the Spirit to touch me.  I also regret being so nervous while teaching a lesson that I didn’t listen to the Spirit and follow it’s prompting.

Now here is a dilemma I have seen over and over again.  While teaching the lesson, does a teacher control the learning by doing ALL of the teaching?  This way she can teach doctrine, cover the material, and refer to the lesson, bringing out all of the important points.

On the other hand, aren’t group discussions great?  When the teacher introduces the subject matter and opens it up to the class, it’s interesting to hear everyone’s experiences.  They are often inspiring and we get to know sides to people we might not ordinarily see.

I came home from Church one Sunday, having enjoyed all the lessons taught.  Yet, it dawned on me that I hadn’t really learned any new doctrine.  No thoughts had been presented that edified me.  Don’t get me wrong; the classes were fine, in fact, there were some great discussions.  I just felt like something was missing.

Sometimes, after wandering aimlessly for a while, I feel the urge to climb a ladder and be taught from on high.  The world can wear me down and I have been known to readily accept its pitiful offerings.  The gospel, and pure doctrine, is there waiting for us to drink it in, feast upon, and bring us back to the feet of our beloved Lord, and Savior.  But do we engage, teach, or pass it on?

With this new year I have a challenge for myself, as well as for anyone else who is willing to take it on.  I am going to read the lessons before I sit down in class.  I’m going to discover the doctrines in these lessons for myself.  If given the opportunity, I will gladly share the Spirit I have felt.  If I teach, I will bring the class “up” with one or two principles of truth straight out of the lesson manual, then allow the class to open up with their own experiences, while keeping the class focused on those principles, so they leave the class, lifted and edified.  Challenging the class to additional study will bless all lives.

And this is a personal weakness of mine:  I am going to make a point to bear a simple testimony every time there is an opportunity, without anymore fear or awkwardness.

Here are some thoughts to inspire me further, and maybe you as well:

“Learning of the Savior and his truths is an essential part of living his gospel.  Your efforts to search the scriptures daily will help you draw nearer to him, for ‘these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name’” (John 20:31). You share with your Gospel Doctrine teacher the responsibility to help the class be successful.  The Lord has said that teachers need to ‘preach…by the Spirit of truth’ and that those who received ‘the word of truth’ should ‘receive it by the Spirit of truth’ (D&C 50:17,19). (This is found in the Introduction of the New Testament Study Guide.)

I love this from Joseph Smith:  “For when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 11-12).

The Gospel Principles manual opens up with this comment, “Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual.”  It goes on to list the best teaching principles:  Love those you teach.  Teach by the Spirit.  Teach the doctrine.  Invite diligent learning.

When a teacher has studied her lesson with the aid of the Spirit, she is guaranteed to learn much more than she has time to teach.  It’s hard to hold back some of the exciting things that the Spirit teaches. But to be an effective teacher, I have learned that it is best to stick to just one or two doctrines that are taught in the lesson. Let the Spirit help you pick which ones.  Teach with purity, simplicity, using the words of our scriptures and our prophets.  Open up to class discussion, but make sure the comments are inspiring and uplifting, climbing to a new spiritual depth.  Conclude the class with the testimony you have gained from your personal research and love of the Savior.

Class members can study the lesson in their own inspired way, coming to class prepared with the Spirit.  What the student discovers may be different from what the teacher teaches.  The Spirit answers our questions personally. He uses others to answer as well. He wants us to learn. As He testifies to us, He hopes we will testify of Jesus Christ.