D&C 88:122. D&C 50:22
“Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.” -- “Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.”
The Ideal
I would submit that this is the ideal for gospel instruction within our priesthood quorums.
- How close to the ideal are we coming in our quorums?
- Do our quorum members come away feeling strengthened and edified?
- Are our quorums more unified after the lesson? Are the bonds of love and fellowship increased?
Then Reality Sets In
How well prepared are the lessons being presented in our quorums? Do your quorum instructors take the time and make the effort necessary in their preparation to receive direction from the Spirit in what they teach?
Are our quorum instructions being taught by the Spirit? Or by some other way? And if by some other way, they are not of God. (See D&C 50:17-18)
Do we have instructors preparing their lessons in Sacrament meeting, and then reading out of the manual in quorum meeting?
Are class members paying attention to the lesson, or are they visiting with each other, or catching up on their sleep?
Elder Jeffery R Holland Said:
[Real spiritual food] is what our members really want when they gather in a meeting or come into a classroom anyway. Most people don't come to church looking merely for a few new gospel facts or to see old friends, though all of that is important. They come seeking a spiritual experience. They want peace. They want their faith fortified and their hope renewed. They want, in short, to be nourished by the good word of God, to be strengthened by the powers of heaven. Those of us who are called upon to speak or teach or lead have an obligation to help provide that, as best we possibly can. We can only do that if we ourselves are striving to know God, if we ourselves are continually seeking the light of His Only Begotten Son. Then, if our hearts are right, if we are as clean as we can be, if we have prayed and wept and prepared and worried until we don't know what more we can do, God can say to us as He did to Alma and the sons of Mosiah: "Lift up thy head and rejoice. . . . I will give unto you success."Quorum Instructor Training
“When crises come in our lives and they will the philosophies of men interlaced with a few scriptures and poems just won't do. Are we really nurturing our youth and our new members in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life appear? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie spiritually empty calories?” (Elder Jeffery R Holland, “A Teacher Come From God”, Ensign, May 1988.)
I was inspired recently by President Collett, of the 1st ward Elders Quorum, who is instituting his own Teacher Improvement instruction for his quorum instructors. Some wards have an active Teacher Improvement Program, and some don’t. Whether your ward has a good teacher improvement program or not, ultimately, it is your responsibility as quorum leaders to ensure that you have quality instruction in your quorum.
Tools for Quorum Leaders
I would like to give you some tools to assist you in training your quorum instructors and leadership.
I have prepared 3 handouts for you:
1. The Well Prepared Lesson
2. Using Class Assignments
3. The Fine Art of Asking Questions
- Having better prepared lessons will help bring the Spirit into your quorum instruction. Without the Spirit, no real or lasting learning or life changes will take place.
- Assigning quorum members to participate in the lesson, and using good questioning techniques will encourage class participation.
- As the brethren of the quorum share their insights, and experiences with one another, we know our quorum members better.
- We also better utilize the combined wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and experience that lies within each quorum.
- As real-life experiences are shared with one another, we feel after one another in our hearts, and the bonds of brotherhood and love within the quorum are increased.
The scripture that was read at the beginning of my remarks would seem to indicate that lessons taught as a quorum discussion, rather than a lecture format would best fit the ideal for quorum instruction, where each member of the quorum can edify, lift and build one another.
D&C 88:122, D&C 50:22
“Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.” -- “Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.” (D&C 50:22)
The First Handout (The well Prepared Lesson) discusses the following topics:
- Preparing and Teaching a Lesson by the Spirit.
- Focusing the lesson on one central, or main idea.
- Applying the Lesson Concepts to Real Life
- Committing Class members to implement the truths being taught in the lesson.
The Second Handout discusses using Class Assignments as a way to involve class members in the lesson.
- Class assignments help give class members some of the benefits of being a teacher. In nearly all cases, the teacher learns far more in the preparation of the lesson, than does to students. Why should the teacher keep all the blessings to himself?
- Giving assignments to class members helps involve everyone in the class discussion – even those who would not always voluntarily participate in discussions. (or those who seem to be visiting or sleeping during quorum lesson time.)
- There is a wealth of knowledge and experience in our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums. Class assignments help bring out that wisdom and knowledge.
- The handout discusses how to use class assignments, and suggests different types of assignments that can be given to class members.
- As class members share their insights and testimonies, we come closer to the ideal of each class member participating in turn, and edifying one another.
The Third Handout is titled “The Fine Art of Asking Questions”
- This handout discusses different types of questions, and various questioning techniques.
- Instruction is given on how to craft questions to get the desired effect.
- Questions are an excellent way of way to stimulate class discussions, and involve class members in the lesson.
- Care must be taken to ensure that discussions do not stray from the theme of the lesson (Unless directed by the Spirit).
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