Every time you teach, an invitation to act should end your lesson. This invite can be the means to move our gospel involvement from the “knowing” to the “doing”. But what should we invite students to do? Consider this - there is so much pain going on in the world, so many people that need so much help. Encouraging our students to go out and make a difference in the community may be the act of service and love that inspires true discipleship. There may be a specific invitation you want to give to the entire class, but at times it may be best to let the student determine how to act on what you have taught.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared in a recent General Conference talk, “Too often we notice the needs around us, hoping that someone from far away will magically appear to meet those needs. … When we do this, we deprive our neighbor of the service we could render, and we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to serve.”
The Church has prepared a great tool to help us understand and communicate what is happening in the world around us. The tool is the website, mormonchannel.org. On this site are numerous videos sharing powerful stories of service and need. These videos can be a source of inspiration for our students and may also be the means to share their faith by linking to these stories with others through social media.
Here are some examples that you might want to share with your students:
As a gospel teacher, we hope and pray you will focus on more than just teaching principles, but also find ways to help your students grow in testimony and become true disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.
In the news:
Putting the “Personal” in Personal Gospel Study - 08-SEP-2016
“To improve the impact of personal scripture study, one must seek personal revelation.”
“Pay attention to impressions even if they have nothing to do with what you are reading.”
“The number one thing that helped youth to do their own personal gospel study was family gospel study in the home.”
“No one of us can survive in the world of today, much less what it will become, without personal inspiration.”
“First you should record impressions, ponder them, and ask the Lord to give you further understanding.”
“You can articulate things to others by teaching them what you have learned. It will help you understand things in new ways.”