We may facilitate one of the best lessons of our lives, but if we do not properly wrap up our discussions, the goal of building student testimonies may not be realized. We need to make sure we are not rushing at the end of a lesson to get in the last bit of information we want to share. Instead, we need to focus on the proper wrap up so our lesson can bring true understanding and change. Consider the impact if we ended each lesson with these four things:
In Alma 5:44-46 we have a strong testimony given regarding what has been taught, “And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?” Read the remainder of this chapter to see what else Alma does to close out this incredible sermon.
Please take the time to view the video on the link below. In it, Elders Holland and Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve lead a discussion about teaching with the Church Leaders of all the Auxiliaries. Much of their focus is on how to end a lesson:
Learning and Teaching in the Church
We pray for your continued growth as a teacher so you can make an even greater impact in this greatest of callings.
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In the news:
Teaching Moment: We are all teachers
28-JUL-2016
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865658910/Teaching-Moment-We-are-all-teachers.html
President Monson wrote: “In the Church, the goal of gospel teaching is not to pour information into the minds of God’s children, whether at home, in the classroom, or in the mission field. It is not to show how much the parent, teacher, or missionary knows. ... The basic goal of teaching is to help the sons and daughters of Heavenly Father return to His presence and enjoy eternal life with Him.” He continued by saying that the aim of teaching “is to inspire individuals to think about, feel about, and then do something about living gospel principles” (“Learn of Me,” Ensign, March 2016).
"Learn of Me"
President Thomas S. Monson
First Presidency Message
MAR-2016 Ensign
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2016/03/learn-of-me?lang=eng
'In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are all teachers and we are all learners. To all comes this gentle invitation from our Lord: “Learn of me … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
I invite all Latter-day Saints to ponder their efforts to teach and to learn and to look to the Savior as our Guide in doing so. We know that this “teacher come from God” was more than a mere teacher. He who taught us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our minds, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is the Master Teacher and the Exemplar of the perfect life. He it was who declared: “Come, follow me.” “I have set an example for you.”'
“The basic goal of teaching is to help the sons and daughters of Heavenly Father return to His presence and enjoy eternal life with Him. To do this, gospel teaching must encourage them along the path of daily discipleship and sacred covenants. The aim is to inspire individuals to think about, feel about, and then do something about living gospel principles. The objective is to develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to become converted to His gospel.
Teaching which blesses and converts and saves is teaching which emulates the Savior’s example. Teachers who emulate the Savior’s example love and serve those they teach. They inspire their listeners with eternal lessons of divine truth. They live lives worth emulating.”
“Perhaps the greatest hope a teacher can offer is the hope found in the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
‘Teachers, lift up your voices and testify to the true nature of the Godhead. Declare your witness concerning the Book of Mormon. Convey the glorious and beautiful truths contained in the plan of salvation. Use Church-approved materials, especially the scriptures, to teach the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in their purity and simplicity. Remember the Savior’s injunction to “search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”’
“Help God’s children understand what is genuine and important in this life. Help them develop the strength to choose paths that will keep them safely on the way to eternal life.
Teach truth, and the Holy Ghost will attend your efforts.”
‘Because Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient and submissive to His Father, He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Do we have the determination to do likewise? Just as Jesus “received grace for grace,” we must patiently and persistently seek light and knowledge from God in our efforts to learn the gospel.’
“Listening is an essential element of learning. When preparing to be taught, we prayerfully seek inspiration and confirmation from the Holy Ghost. We ponder, we pray, we apply gospel lessons, and we seek the Father’s will for us.”
‘Jesus “taught … many things by parables,”13 which require ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand. As we live worthily, we can better hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, which can “teach [us] all things, and bring all things to [our] remembrance.”
When we respond to the Lord’s gentle invitation, “Learn of me,” we become partakers of His divine power. Let us, therefore, go forward in the spirit of obedience, following our Exemplar by teaching as He would have us teach and learning as He would have us learn.’