teachers of youth

We had a great ward conference yesterday. The 2nd hour lesson was on teaching youth. We are all teachers of youth as formal teachers, parents, grandparents, examples. Of course the most important teachers are parents who have an immeasurable influence on the lives of their children.

Jeff Mangum was the teacher and outlined how to teach in the saviors way.

I wanted to remember his points and apply them more to my kids.  I have formal teaching jobs in church and out of church and I spend a lot of time and energy making good lessons and honing my teaching skills.  As the lesson was given I thought I need to spend more time and effort in teaching my kids at home, better Family Home Evening lessons, etc.

1. He loved them, prayed for them and continually served them.

2. He knew who they were and who they could become.

3. He prepared Himself to teach by spending time alone in prayer and fasting.

4.  He used the scriptures to teach and testify.

5. He shared simple stories, parables, and real-life examples that made sense to them.

6. He asked questions that caused them to think and feel deeply. He was sincerely interested in their answers.

7. He invited them to testify, and as they did the spirit touched their hearts.

8.  He trusted them, prepared them, and gave them important responsibilities.

9. He invited them to act in faith and live the truths He taught.

A few years ago I made the goal to have FHE every week. I did a great job that year and FHE is definitely a regular part of our life but I have been slacking on getting good lessons prepared and really taking advantage of those few minutes I have to teach.

I was thinking I might follow along with the youth curriculum of the church which would give me some great topics and references each month. I need to look into it more.
Jan - The Godhead
Feb - The Plan of Salvation
Mar - The Atonement of Jesus Christ
April - The Apostasy and the Restoration
May - Prophets and Revelation
June - Priesthood and Priesthood Keys
July - Ordinances and Covenants
Aug - Marriage and Family
Sept - Commandments
Oct - Becoming more Christlike
Nov - Spiritual and Temporal Self - Reliance
Dec - Building the Kingdom of God in the Latter Days


The 3rd hour of church the stake president taught. His lesson was great too. One of his messages was a reminder that there are different ways we spend time some are bad, good, better and best.  Many things we do are good but if idle time doing okay things, we may not have time to do the best and most important things.  Elder Scott said, "Make the spiritual development of your spouse and children a very high priority."  

Other notes : Isiah 58 is a sermon on fasting. Never knew that. Now I'm trying to figure out what it actually means, haha!

Elder Maxwell says many of us want to have our permanent residence in Zion but our summer cottage in babylon!  So true. We want to feel the love of Christ, enjoy spiritual blessings and still nibble on our favorite sins. It's a good reminder that we need to give it all up.

Pres. Clyde mentioned that he decided early on that they wouldn't do sports on sunday.  It was a one time decision. They never had to make it again...just let the consequences follow. Among those consequences was learning the meaning of the Sabbath Day, understanding what it means to put God first.   It made me think that I need to be sure that my kids can learn to put God first. It is easy to put life first and do a lot of good, but the first commandment is love God. Very simple and yet easy to overlook in the business of life. If we contemplate why we do things and follow the commandments it is because we love God.

Elder Scott gave a talk about the atonement and gave a lesson about how we each need to put up timbers as a fortress to defend ourselves from sin. Areas of weakness need stronger timbers, just as in a city or a country, the weak places would need more protection. Likewise, as individuals we need to set our own timbers and defend ourselves from our individual weaknesses.

Anyway, it was a great day. Lots to think about any many improvements need to be made. The easy part is realizing that, the hard part is making the changes to cause improvement.