Dear Sisters and Elders –
As full-time missionaries, we teach people true doctrine to help them gain the faith necessary to repent and qualify for baptism and confirmation (see PMG, 8).
Why is true doctrine so important?
Alma the Younger explained that “preaching the word…had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than…anything else” (Alma 31:5). President Boyd K. Packer also taught: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior” (“Little Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17).
We must teach effectively so people can understand the basic doctrines of the gospel. The Spirit can then testify of the truths that we teach (PMG, 3) and the person being taught will have the chance to grow in faith and to repent.
How do we teach doctrine effectively?
Preach My Gospel provides many important principles for effective teaching. However, there are four elements that are fundamental to teaching any basic doctrine with power. These elements include:
- Explain the principle clearly (PMG, 182)
- Use a scripture (PMG, 180-181)
- Testify of the principle (PMG, 198-199)
- Ask a question for understanding (PMG, 183-184, and 44, 58, 70 for examples of questions)
(Ultimately, effective teaching always leads to a commitment invitation. After all, our purpose is not simply to teach, but to invite and help people to change.)
Invitation
As a companionship, evaluate your teaching and use of the four fundamental elements described above. Identify areas of strength and determine ways to improve.
Also, I invite each of us to create a reference chart that lists the 35 doctrinal principles contained in the first four lessons (PMG, 31-81) and “commit to memory the sequence of doctrinal principles” (PMG, 20). Identify “scriptures, questions, and examples” for each doctrinal principle (PMG, 20) and record them on the reference chart. These references will provide the doctrinal building blocks for you to teach any lesson to anyone at any time, and will help you to teach more powerfully by the Spirit.
With love and admiration,
President Pingree