Micro-Training # 14

Illustrate

To be a Christlike teacher, perhaps the most important thing you can do is to follow the Savior’s example of obedience and live the gospel with all your heart—at home, at Church, and everywhere else. This is the principal way to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. You don’t have to be perfect, just diligently trying—and seeking forgiveness through the Savior’s Atonement whenever you stumble.

Powerful gospel teaching means not just preparing a lesson but preparing ourselves. Because the Spirit is the real teacher and the true source of conversion, effective gospel teachers— before they think about filling class time—focus on filling their hearts with the Holy Ghost.

You have a responsibility to conduct your life with integrity and to be a worthy example of the doctrine and principles you teach. In all circumstances, you should speak, serve, and live in a way that is consistent with a person who loves the Lord and has the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

As you understand the crucial role the Holy Ghost performs in spiritual learning, you will do all you can to invite the Spirit to fulfill these functions. You will prayerfully seek to be thoroughly prepared for each lesson. You will seek to focus on your students’ learning experience and to be serene in your heart rather than feeling upset and anxious about other things. You will exhibit a spirit of humble inquiry. You will also encourage your students to invite the Holy Ghost into their learning experience.

In the New Testament, Matthiew and Luke said many times that the Lord withdrew to pray (See Matthiew 14:23 ; Luke 6:12 ; Luke 9:18 ; Luke 9:28-29 ; Luke 11:1 ; Luke 22:40-46). There were probably a lot of reasons why the Savior did so during his minister. One of them was likely the need to prepare to teach.

Watch the following video and note principles on personal preparation:

Invitation to act

Ponder and decide what you could do this week in your personal preparation so your lesson will be even more inspired.

To practice your skills on this subject, you can do the following exercises:

• Skill: Use the document “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation” to invite the Holy Ghost to help you refine your preparations to teach.

• Skill: Ask questions to assess your own experience and testimony with Jesus Christ and the doctrine and principles in the lesson.