Seminary Helps

Encourage your students to . . . read more slowly and more carefully and with more questions in mind. Help them to ponder, to examine every word, every scriptural gem. Teach them to hold it up to the light and turn it, look and see what’s reflected and refracted there.

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Students Need Teachers to Guide Them,” CES satellite broadcast, June 29, 1992

Doctrine: A fundamental, unchanging truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ
How to identify principles and doctrines that are indirect:

• #1.Look for cause-and-effect relationships#2 Ask questions
• Implied principles can also be identified by asking questions like the following:
• •What is the moral, or point, of the story?
• •Why did the author include these events or passages?
• •What did the author intend for us to learn?
• •What are some of the fundamental truths taught in this passage?
• Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized:
  
  “It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle” (“Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 86).
  As you do as Elder Scott suggests—“organize the truth [you] gather to simple statements of principle”—you will find that the most helpful statements of doctrine or principle share some of the following characteristics:
  They are complete statements.
• •They are simple, clear, and succinct.
• •The truths they express are fundamental, unchanging, and timeless.
• •They often suggest action as well as associated consequences.
• •They are personally relevant.

How to help them apply principles:
-it needs to get into our hearts
-the Holy Ghost is necessary for that to happen
-open your mind to questions...ASK good questions!
-It's good to study them
-It's better to understand them
-It's best to live them!
LESSON #3
The student's role:
-Develop daily scripture study habits
-Prepare their hearts and minds
-Discover/express relevant of doctrines/principles
-Deepen understanding through study, meditation and prayer
-Ask questions and seek for answers
-Share insights
-Explain gospel doctrines/principles to others and testify
-Develop scripture study skills

My role to help them:
-encourage, inspire and remind
-set the example
-welcome all levels of participation since all students are at different levels
-create a good environment
-teach simplicity of steps to fulfill their roles
-create situations where they can practice how to become better student learners.
Push-up object lesson:
Bednar: “Learning by faith requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not just passive reception. … A student must exercise faith and act in order to obtain the knowledge for himself or herself” (“Seek Learning by Faith” [address to CES religious educators, Feb. 3, 2006], 3, si.lds.org).

 D&C 50:19 And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

 20 If it be some other way it is not of God.

 21 Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

As part of this discussion, help students understand that one important way to learn by the Spirit is to be willing to share our testimonies with each other. Read the following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“As students verbalize truths, [these truths] are confirmed in their souls and strengthen their personal testimonies” (“To Understand and Live Truth” [address to CES religious educators, Feb. 4, 2005], 3, si.lds.org).

“[The students’] decision to participate is an exercise in agency that permits the Holy Ghost to communicate a personalized message suited to their individual needs. Creating an atmosphere of participation enhances the probability that the Spirit will teach more important lessons than you can communicate.

“That participation will bring into their lives the direction of the Spirit” (Richard G. Scott, “To Learn and to Teach More Effectively” [Education Week devotional, Aug. 21, 2007], 4–5, speeches.byu.edu).

ESP

To help students understand that negative actions can also influence the rest of the class, ask:

• •
  What kinds of attitudes or behaviors offend the Spirit in a seminary class?

Cool Missionary Message

I hope my cousin doesn't mind me posting this here. It is powerful and can be applied to missions or life.

Hello everyone,

This will be my last email from Taiwan. So weird. I've loved serving and being able to share so many of these experiences with you. I'll look forward to seeing you soon and sharing more in person. Here's my final reflection!

Starting out I never could have known what this would be like. 

How it would change me. 

It's changed my perspective in so many ways. 

It's funny how many things we think we need in life. 

Until we start to realize what really matters most. 

I think that's a big part of what a mission does for you. 

It takes off the blinders of every day life. 

And gives you just a taste of how He sees things. 

How things really are. 

You hit the ground running and rarely let up the pace. 

So many people to talk to. 

So much good to do. 

You watch people change as they come to know Christ. 

You see the struggle. 

You watch them fight for it. 

You ache for those who give it up. 

And sing with joy for those who see it through. 

Sometimes you stumble along the way. 

You wonder if your best is good enough. 

You see your enemy perhaps more clearly that you ever have before. 

It seems every weakness you have surfaces at some point or other. 

The true meaning of humility becomes more clear. 

Charity takes on new light. 

You plead for his grace. 

You realize that the more you give up, the more He has to work with. 

And so you give it all. 

You start to realize you're not quite who you  used to be. 

Prayers are more sincere. 

The Sacrament much more sacred. 

You begin to see what He's trying to make of you. 

And with renewed vigor you dig into the work. 

Before you know it, the end is drawing near. 

There are so many that you'll leave behind it's hard to walk away. 

But the experiences you've had whisper of something that lasts much longer than 18 months. 

It's woven into the very fibers and sinews of your being.

That isn't something you forget. 

And so you trust your Pilot to lead the way. 

And step into the next phase of your journey. 

Forever changed. 

And forever grateful for what has happened here. 

--

Sister Jessica Beus

Interesting Two Part Article on Why Trump Won

http://oliverdemille.com/2017/03/understanding-trumps-election-part/

Disclaimer, I don't agree with everything in the article and feel it digresses a bit at times but overall I thought it was an interesting perspective.