Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit, by Matthew O. Richardson
Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency
Toward the beginning of my mission, a common instructional phrase among missionaries was to "use the Spirit" as we taught, went tracting, and lived our Christ-centered missionary lives. This phrase was used so often that it lost almost all of its meaning.
Some time later, this all changed. I don't remember when it happened, or who said it, but in a missionary meeting somewhere I heard, "The Spirit—the Holy Ghost—is the third member of the Godhead. You don't use the Spirit; the Spirit uses you!"
Almost immediately the charge to "use the Spirit" disappeared and it, at least personally, was replaced with a feeling similar to what Alma shared as his glory (see Alma 29:9):
I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.
I'm sure we were trying to be instruments in the Lord's hands before the shift in phraseology, but I personally felt like a better teacher when I imagined that I was teaching "by the Spirit," and not "using" the Spirit to do what I wanted to do.
Brother Richardson reminded me of this when he taught:
Every family member, Church leader, and Church member (including the youth and children) has a responsibility to . . . teach "by the spirit." They should not teach "in front of the Spirit" or "behind the Spirit" but "by the Spirit" so the Spirit can teach the truth unrestrained.
I enjoyed the reminder of the role I have as teacher, not just in the classroom, but at home, at work, and everywhere I go. And I also liked the reminder that my children are teachers, too! They really are helping me learn to love, be sincere, and put off chores every once in a while to have great fun together!
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