Sunday School Lesson January 2015 "How does the Holy Ghost help me learn?"

"How does the Holy Ghost help me learn?"

Ideas: from the Redheaded Hostess

While her ideas seemed great while reading them, after I read them and tried to think from a 13 year old perspective, I think I would have a hard time matching any one of the items to the things she had chosen.  Not that I did any better when trying to come up with objects to demonstrate the roles of the Holy Ghost.  So I decided to look at this lesson from my own perspective.  I ended up delivering this in two lessons.

Part I:

I opened class (after prayer) with a "Getting to Know You" game called "Two Truths and a Lie".  Each youth writes down two things that are true about themselves and one lie, then hands it back to me.  Then I read them and everyone has to guess who it is.  I learn something about everyone while everyone has fun.  All these kids have grown up with each other for quite sometimes so it was extra fun.

I began the lesson with reading this somewhat revised paragraph from the LDS Youth Sunday School Lesson site:

"This months lessons are focused on helping you learn how to strengthen your faith in the members of the Godhead as you study the scriptures and share your testimony with others.  You will gain experience following the guidance of the Holy Ghost in your efforts to learn and teach the gospel.  Please, ask questions about what you are learning, seek to learn more, and share what you discover."

I asked the youth to think of when a sacrament meeting was boring.  I then asked them to think of a time they felt the Holy Ghost during a meeting.

We followed by reading D&C 88:118 "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

We likened this scripture to teaching/ learning at church from the scriptures and church literature, then I read a quote by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom: "As we come to each meeting prepared 'to seek learning, even by study and also by faith," the Holy Spirit will be our teacher.  If we come to be entertained, we often will be disappointed.  President Spencer W. Kimball was once asked, "What do you do when you find yourself in a boring sacrament meeting?" His response:"I don't know.  I've never been in one."

I asked them to think again of when a sacrament meeting was boring.  What happened in their morning, day, week, prior to the meeting? Had they spiritually prepared to learn or be taught by the Spirit?

I then asked them to think again of when they felt the Holy Ghost during a sacrament meeting.  What happened in their morning, day, week, prior to the meeting? Had they spiritually prepared to learn or be taught by the Spirit?

I shared the statement: Come prepared to be taught by the Holy Ghost!  You will enjoy sacrament and your classes so much more and so will your teachers!

We read this excerpt from "Receiving the Spirit" that I had printed in a note taking format:

An Excerpt from “Receiving by the Spirit”

by A. ROGER MERRILL

Sunday School General President

In our Church meetings, in our personal and family scripture study, and even this day as we listen to the Lord’s prophets and apostles, some of us will receive more than others. Why? I am learning that those who truly receive do at least three things that others may not do.

First, they seek. We live in an entertainment world, a spectator world. Without realizing it, we can find ourselves coming to conference or going to church with the attitude, “Here I am; now inspire me.” We become spiritually passive.

When we focus instead on seeking and receiving the Spirit, we become less concerned about a teacher or speaker holding our attention and more concerned about giving our attention to the Spirit. Remember, receive is a verb. It is a principle of action. It is a fundamental expression of faith.

Second, those who receive, feel. While revelation comes to the mind and heart, it is most often felt. Until we learn to pay attention to these spiritual feelings, we usually do not even recognize the Spirit.

Third, those who receive by the Spirit intend to act. As the prophet Moroni instructed, to receive a witness of the Book of Mormon, we must ask “with real intent” (Moroni 10:4). The Spirit teaches when we honestly intend to do something about what we learn.

 I then wrote on the board:

1. Seek-How can we seek?

• ask questions, write them down
• study the scriptures
• read other church literature (i.e. the New Era, Ensign, church history, etc.)
• be ready to learn
• pray for the Spirit

2. Feel-How can we recognize the Spirit?

• pay attention to how you feel
• recognize revelation that comes to mind and heart as coming from the Spirit
• record feelings and inspirations
• increase activities that help you feel the Spirit
• Pray

3. Intend to Act-What can we do to act upon what we are inspired to do?

• Record personal revelation or promptings or thoughts that come to your mind in action form
• Take notes
• Write an action plan and/or goals
• Pray

I've been wanting to do something with interactive Sunday School journals, and this lesson was the perfect way to introduce them.  I still don't know the kids that well since this was only the second week I taught, so I took blank notebooks and handed them out.  I had them write their name, address, phone number, favorite color, interests, and a scripture or scripture story or a hymn they especially love.

I then asked them if anyone had learned anything new today?  Did anyone have any feelings or impressions?  Did anyone want to share them?  I then encouraged them to record those feelings and/or inspirations in their new 'journals.'  I asked, "Do you understand how the Holy Ghost helps you learn?"  "Does anyone have any additional questions?"

I had the youth return the notebooks to me with their notes taken on the excerpt from "Receiving by the Spirit." I intend to make a cute scrapbook-y cover individual to each notebook according to the information they wrote in them and will tape the excerpt into the notebook as an example for them so they can see how they can use their journals.  I'll be handing the new and improved notebooks back to them at the beginning of the following week.

Part II:

I began by asking what the substitute teacher taught the previous week (my kids were sick and hubby had a meeting during second hour he couldn't miss, so I stayed home), then asked if anyone remembered what I had taught two weeks ago.  No one could remember, but when I mentioned the Holy Ghost and gave a quick review there were lots of comments about the lesson, so I knew they didn't completely forget!

I handed out their completed journals, went through it with them and how they work and left it up to each individual as to whether they wanted to take it home or hand it in at the end of class each Sunday.  I did say that if they took it home that I would expect them to bring it back each Sunday for class.  It ended up being about half that took it home, and half that left theirs with me.

I then mentioned that we would be playing a game at then end that would test their note taking skills.

I asked a class member to read this first part of a print out I had put in their journals...

Learning by the Holy Ghost (Preach My Gospel p. 18)

Your gospel study is most effective when you are taught by the Holy Ghost. Always begin your gospel study by praying for the Holy Ghost to help you learn. He will bring knowledge and conviction that will bless your life and allow you to bless the lives of others. Your faith in Jesus Christ will increase. Your desire to repent and improve will grow.

After we read this I realized I forgot to open the lesson with a prayer, so I pointed out the best way to learn was to invite the Holy Ghost with prayer, and asked for a volunteer for prayer =).  I didn't do it on purpose, but it fit right in.

Then we continued with a different class member reading...

This kind of study prepares you for service, offers solace, resolves problems, and gives you the strength to endure to the end. Successful gospel study requires desire and action. “For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old” (1 Nephi 10:19). Like Enos, as you hunger to know the words of eternal life and as you allow these words to “[sink] deep into [your] heart” (Enos 1:3), the Holy Ghost will open your mind and heart to greater light and understanding.

Learning the gospel is also a process of receiving revelation (see Jacob 4:8). To Oliver Cowdery the Lord said: “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right” (D&C 9:7–8). As you study, pay careful attention to ideas that come to your mind and feelings that come to your heart, particularly regarding the people you are teaching.

We talked about how we have a role and the Holy Ghost has a role in teaching us.  I invited them to read the following scriptures found at the bottom of their study guide in their journals and to call out different roles that either the Holy Ghost had or that we fulfilled in being taught by the Holy Ghost.  As they read the scriptures I wrote the role labels they called out in two bubbles on the chalkboard, one for the Holy Ghost and one for us. 

Scripture Study

What is the Holy Ghost’s role in helping us learn the gospel?

·         2 Nephi 32:5

·         Alma 5:45–46

·         Moroni 10:3-5

·         D&C 11:12–14

·         D&C 39:5–6

·         John 14:26

·         John 16:13

·         1 Corinthians 2:9–14

After we had populated the bubbles, I then had them stand up and turn around so their backs were to the chalkboard, and I erased a couple of things from each bubble.  I would have them turn back around and try to figure out what I erased.  We did that until time for class ran out.  Everyone participated really well throughout class (even some of the kids that hadn't during previous lessons), and I closed by bearing testimony, followed by a class member saying the closing prayer.

If I were to play this game again in the future, I would write down what I erased.  After I would erase it, the kids would call out so many different things I sometimes forgot exactly what I had erased! They were forgiving, but in the future, writing it down would be a great solution.