Teaching with the spirit

Yesterday, my lesson at Church went flat. I didn't seem to have a good rapport with my audience. At one time I contradicted a student speaker and that set a bad tone. Although there was good class participation, the material and discussion didn't flow. The power to persuade wasn't there. I was unhappy by the result.

The reason for the lack of success, I feel was that I was not teaching with the spirit. The LDS Doctrine and Covenents (42:13,14) suggests that "if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach." It was one of those moments when I really wish I was somewhere else and someone else was teaching the lesson. However, often times our assignments require us to teach even though we may not want to.

If you want to learn to teach with the spirit, I recommend a talk by Apostle Tom Perry, published in the May 1999 Ensign of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.lds.org), called "Teach Them the Word of God with All Diligence."

He lists a number of scriptures about teaching with the spirit and suggests some practices he has used in his own life.

"And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand" (D&C 88:77,­78).

We first need to follow the example of the Savior in our teaching. If we are to be good teachers, read about his life, study the way he taught and emulate his qualities both as the son of God and as a teacher.

When He was 12 years of age, He accompanied His parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover, as was their custom. As they were returning to their home after the celebration, they discovered that Jesus was not with them. Returning to Jerusalem, they found Him.

"And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, and they were hearing him, and asking him questions.

"And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding, and answers" (JST, Luke 2:46­47)

According to Perry, "fundamental to becoming good teachers is serious study of the word of the Lord, that we are able to impart our acquired knowledge to others."

The lord declared, "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men" (D&C 11:21).

Effective teaching requires humble prayer and study. Then the Spirit of God can be with the teacher and can be felt by the students.

"Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

"And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

"And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

"If it be some other way it is not of God.

"Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together" (D&C 50:17­-22).

To read Perry's complete talk, search under Gospel Library at lds.org.