Love this class! Michael Johnson announced that he received his mission call to Bogota Columbia! He leaves on November 5! Congratulations! We are so excited for you.
In this picture each person is studying for a few minutes how they would teach the plan of salvation lesson to the "investigator" listed on their teaching record. They are finding scriptures, think of questions, etc. Then we broke up into 3 groups and each group discussed their ideas and came up with a group lesson plan to teach this investigator. You could feel the inspiration in the room. The class came up with some great ideas....
...however, we will have to wait until next week to role play teaching the lesson plan to the class because we got to hear from these 5 wonderful returned missionaries. From left to right...Bro. Pollard, Morgan Durocher, Alex Stulce, Nick Goodman, and Daniel Hancock. Simon had each one share an experience or testimony they had with teaching the plan of salvation.
Bro. Durocher served in Honolulu Hawaii. His testimony was strengthened when their car was being repaired and they had to walk to an appointment to teach the plan of salvation 1 hour away and would be late. Their mission president just happened to be driving by which rarely happens and offered them a ride and sat in on the lesson they taught. He learned that God is aware of him and to trust the spirit. When you teach you will find the words will just come that you need to say if you have the spirit with you.
Bro. Pollard served in Los Angeles, California spanish speaking. He shared the importance of teaching simply. Its is very important to study preach my gospel but you really only share a small portion of what you know. A very important thing to teach them is how to recognize the spirit. Explain to them how they will feel it and when and why they will feel it. As you teach simply and speak truth, the spirit will be there. Explain to them that you may not be the best teachers or that they may not understand everything you teach, but make sure they can recognize the spirit. He also said that the best missionaries are the best human being. Just be a good kind person and love people and you will be a great missionary.
I didn't get another picture of Nick Goodman. He served in the South Africa, Durban mission. His favorite lesson to teach was the doctrine of the atonement. He loved helping people realize they can have hope and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. He said it's scary to teach in front of people but if you embrace Preach My Gospel and trust in the Lord, you will figure it out.
Here is Daniel Hancock. He served in the Fiji Suva mission. He loved wearing skirts in the very hot weather there! He explained that there is nothing more difficult than a mission, and also nothing more rewarding. He said that the first lesson which is the Restoration is the most powerful, however in his mission many people did not have a christian background. So many times he taught them the plan of salvation first to help them get the big picture. Then they could see the need for the restoration of the gospel and what the purpose of life truly is.
He is pictured here demonstrating that he would often take of his tie when teaching the plan of salvation and put his tie clip in the middle of the tie after it is stretched out. The tie clip would represent us here on this life compared to our life before here on earth and our life after death. He said that was a great visual for this lesson.
Morgan Durocher also explained a door approach used on his mission using prayer. They would knock, introduce themselves and ask them if there was anyone that could use a prayer right then. They would offer a prayer for them and bear their testimony. The power of prayer was a great tool for helping people feel the spirit.
After these missionaries left, the class commented on how they had the missionary glow! Thank you for your great example and love of missionary work!
And then we got to hear from Jack Taylor...his last time with us. He leaves on wednesday for the MTC and will be serving in Bulgaria and Turkey. Oh how we will miss Jack but know he is ready to leave and prepared to teach the gospel...now he just has to learn bulgarian:-) We will be praying for you and know the Lord will be with you every day! Good luck.
Here he is after his Sacrament meeting talk.
Next weeks assignment: We will be teaching the "Plan Of Salvation" lesson to each other so continue to study and find scriptures to teach this lesson. Remember to teach simply and from the heart.
