Friday, April 12, 2013

Teaching and Knowledge

I think of fear of mine, and a lot of future missionaries, is teaching. Do we know enough? Teaching is something that I don't consider one of my best qualities. In fact, anything that has to do with giving a lesson or public speaking just is not my forte. But the Lord must have known that I would be going on a mission, because he began to prepare me before I had even heard the announcement of the age change. I definitely was never even considering taking Public Speaking in college. Between that class and Communications, I would much rather take Communications. But, my adviser really suggested I take Public Speaking. And for some weird reason, I listened to him. It was not a bad class, but I got pretty nervous before each speech. Only one month after the class had started, I was called as a Relief Society teacher in my college ward. As if taking a Public Speaking class was not enough, now I had to prepare lessons for church as well. Not ideal, but looking back now, it has taught me a lot and better prepared me for when I will be teaching in just a couple months.
I was thinking about teaching the lessons. I was worried that I did not know enough. I still worry myself sometimes. But I started thinking about it, and this is what I came up with:
We have to remember that we were baptized when we were 8 years old. The only knowledge we had was what we had learned in primary and what we had learned from our parents in the home. We did not know all. We knew a miniscule amount actually. So we can't be expected to know all now. There is always going to be more to learn. Those we teach do not need to know all before being baptized. The Lord doesn't send apostles and scholars on missions, because that is not where they are needed. We are needed there. Not only for others, but for ourselves as well. To better ourselves to later become those future leaders who will expand information for converts who were baptized after learning the simple truths of this gospel from the missionaries. Do not fear, because we know enough. Right now we shouldn't be trying to learn everything, but rather learning how to teach what we have known since primary and really making sure that we have a strong testimony of the gospel truths. The Lord will put words in our mouths at the exact moment we need them. He will not leave us without answers to questions that we are asked. And we will have his help as long as we are faithful. So do not be scared to serve. Do not be scared to teach. We know enough. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. I don't know everything, but I do know that this is the true church. I believe in the Lord and in all that I have been taught since primary. And I am ready to serve!

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