Teaching, No Greater Call

I have been discovering and rediscovering a resource to aid me and all of us in our desires to improve our teaching in institute, it is called, "Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching." You can find it here: https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-no-greater-call-a-resource-guide-for-gospel-teaching?lang=eng.

May I encourage each of you to take some time and either find your hard copy, or visit the webpage and consider how the Lord desires you to improve your teaching efforts in institute.

Today as I read, I reviewed a story shared on page 6, where Sister Susan L. Warner, former second counselor in the Primary General Presidency shared the experience of having early morning scripture study with her family. She had one son who, after much coaxing, finally came each morning, sat down and then put his head down on the table as if asleep. Many years later, as a missionary, this same son wrote his parents, thanking them for all that he learned during that time they read the scriptures together in the early morning. Brothers and sisters, this gives me hope. A lot of hope in fact. Right now I am dealing with a similar challenge in my own family.

As I read of Sister Warner's experience, it reminded me of an experience I would like to share with you. Many years ago, my wife, Amie and I were traveling through Utah on our way to Idaho. We decided to stay with some friends living in Provo, who were attending BYU, where one of them was working on a doctoral degree. Our friends graciously offered to watch our children so Amie and I could attend the temple together, this was a rare blessing with all of our little children still with us.

Amie and I determined we would spend about an hour being sealed together in behalf of the dead. When we

Provo, Utah Temple

entered the sealing room, there was a young couple and a sealer who welcomed us. The sealer wanted to get to know us all so he asked us where we were all from. The young couple across from us were from Price, Utah. That got my attention because I have friend who taught seminary there for many years. I asked the young man, "Did you happen to have seminary from Brother Woodruff?" The young man enthusiastically said "Yes! He was my favorite teacher!" That excited me to tell my good friend Brother Woodruff I had met one of his former students, who had gone on a mission, married his lovely wife in the temple, and was doing everything just the way we hope all of our students will. I took his name down so I could let Brother Woodruff know later.

When we returned home, I was in Brother Woodruff's office and told him of my chance meeting with this good former student of his. Brother Woodruff chuckled out loud when I told him the name of the student who had so enjoyed Brother Woodruff's seminary classes. At first I thought the chuckle was a bit odd, but Brother Woodruff went on to explain, "Sam, that young man came into my classes everyday, would drop his bag on the floor, place his scriptures on his desk, and then drop his head on his scriptures and never made a sound again until class was over. And then he would pick up his head with a big read dot on it from sleeping on his scriptures, would take his things and leave. So for you to tell me I was his favorite teacher I am bit shocked!"

Brothers and sisters, let us never give up on those we are teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to. We know what we teach is the most important thing which is or could ever be taught. Let us nourish our students "by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way" (Moroni 6:4) even when it seems our every effort is a waste; for that is when it is probably the most useful to some young soul. I bear my witness of this truth, even in the name of Jesus Christ.