When we are teaching the gospel, whether at home or at church, it is important to focus on having the spirit with you. The spirit will help to testify to others of the truthfulness of the message. Additionally the spirit can guide you to cover points in the lesson, that you may have brushed over, or help you to remember answers to questions that you may not be expecting from your class.
The most important thing that you can do as a teacher is to pray and live so that you can have the spirit to be with you. You can pray as you prepare your lesson and just before you teach. When I taught Sunday school in college my teaching partner and I would say a prayer together before class to help the spirit to be with us as we taught. It made a big difference in how the class would go.
It is also important that you focus on teaching the doctrine that has been outlined in the lessons. This helps the lesson to stay focused, and allows the spirit to testify to class members about the concepts that you are teaching. When you are teaching be sure to stick to church approved resources when you draw on quotes and other materials.
When you teach in your family, you want an environment that welcomes the spirit. Strive to have peaceful family home evenings and scripture study together. This can be accomplished through diligent effort. Even the way that you call your family together for family prayer can make a difference in how the lesson goes. You should encourage your children to treat each other with respect as well. Your home should be a place where the spirit can be at any moment, since you may have a teaching moment at any time.
Teaching with the help of the spirit is the most effective way to teach the gospel. It is important to focus on living so that the Holy Ghost is your constant companion. Focusing on building your testimony and spirituality will help the spirit to be with you. This will help the classes to go more smoothly and effectively.
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