Mission lessons

I was speaking with my mother last night about tonight's Institute Class lesson - 'The Great Apostasy', and remembering how much fun I had teaching about it as a missionary. As odd as that may sound to some, it was the only principle that I could teach almost entirely from history. However, I didn't always have the chance to explain it thoroughly enough for the person to understand its significance and necessity in bringing about the Restoration of the Gospel. But aside from that, I remembered that at times I would get so into it that I unwittingly said too much, because it was so simple for me to comprehend - yet, it isn't the same for everyone else. We all learn things line upon line, precept upon precept; not everyone can immediately understand the import of the gospel message all at once - that requires faithful and diligent prayer and studying the scriptures, etc. etc...

Nonetheless, the valuable lesson I was able to obtain from it, was that I needed to depend more on the Spirit while I taught: to pay attention to my feelings, and those small whispers of what to say and to do. If the Spirit is not present, then one cannot teach the gospel. It didn't matter how much I perceivably knew about certain principles: what mattered was that I taught what needed to be said by the Spirit. While I was reconfiguring my teaching methods to apply this concept, my brother Ben sent me an e-mail with this counsel: To not make my lessons long and over-speak the doctrine. The gospel message is simple and the explanation of it should reflect that. The Spirit teaches through us, and when we simplify the doctrines, the person(s) will understand it - but most importantly FEEL it.

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited our mission in August of 2006; we had a special mission conference and after he had spoken to all of us, he opened the rest of the time to Q&A. An elder stood up and asked: "How are we to know when to act on an impression?" Elder Scott responded: "If it is a good impression, then do it."

And I make an end...