My Early Morning Guests

While teaching Young Adults was challenging, teaching teenagers was a whole separate learning curve. Receiving flashes of light was essential and I watched for them daily.

"Attending seminary every school morning requires sacrifice, but youth throughout the world are finding that seminary participation is worth every effort. And those who participate have something in common: their seminary experience brings them closer to the Savior and to our Heavenly Father."

Seminary is a program in my church which invites high school age youth to attend a religion class before school starts every school day. Believe me, I was way over my head most of the years I was teaching. But, my efforts were magnified and I give praise and credit to God who made the call and sustained the feeble knees. Our island had very small groups. One very special year I had two boys who came faithfully everyday. 

Seminary challenged me to learn and know the doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I could not testify of that which I did not know. 

What I Learned From Teaching Seminary

   About Teenagers-

 1. They can be fully engaged one day and have no recollection of your lesson the next day.

 2. They feel incredibly vulnerable.

 3. They want to discuss on a deep level.

 4. They need more connection to their Savior, Jesus Christ.

 5. They need motivation to read the scriptures on their own.

 6. Those who come from homes where spiritual matters are openly discussed have a stronger foundation.

   About Teaching-

1. When you are prepared as a teacher you have less to beat yourself up about when things fall apart.

2. Praying is essential.

3. The longer you teach the more there is in your vessel for The Spirit to work with.

4. Plan readiness activities in advance and have them at hand.

5. Don't be afraid to wait when you ask a question.

6. Use journals and make them important by writing in them often during the week, glue-in quotes and pictures, give open journal quizzes to insure they record information correctly, and at the end of the year pass them around to record last testimonies and thoughts from their peers.

7. You can be obsessed with teaching during the year and completely forget how to teach seminary during the summer.

8. Keep yourself focused by reading the whole Book of Mormon every summer.

    About the Holy Ghost-

1. He can high- jack your lesson and it is absolutely divine.

2. Sometimes he assists your teaching even when you don't deserve it because your students do.

3. He can connect pieces together when your lesson is disjointed.

4. He can teach your students a different lesson that you thought you did.

5. He can flood you with joy and make you feel whole.

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