As the relatively new gospel doctrine teacher in my small branch, I find myself daunted looking out over all the people in the class who are much wiser than I and think how can I teach this material in a way to reach them. I know it's not me personally. It involves study, preparation, prayer, the Holy Spirit and delivery to touch them with a timely message. Every week I go through the agony of listening carefully to the Spirit to make sure what I think I am hearing is in fact what I am hearing as far as the direction of the lesson.
I read several additional material and, in the case of the Doctrine & Covenants, I try to read up on the church history behind the sections we are studying. So I feel somewhat prepared by Sunday. The problem for me is making sure I am focusing on the message I need to give. Sometimes that doesn't happen until I actually stand up and welcome them and even sometimes not until someone asks a question and it sends me off to the message I suddenly perceive is indeed the correct message.
Funny, I don't put that much effort into my writing. I don't take the time to contemplate the why of a scene or the personality of a character. I expect it to flow creatively from my fingers on demand. And I get frustrated when it doesn't.
I think the message here for me is take my writing as seriously as I take my callings. How I do what I do counts as much as what I do from an eternal point of view.
Good point. And once you get comfortable in your new calling, maybe you'll find it easier like writing. Of course, once you're comfortable they'll release you. :)
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I like it! Although with MY writing experience, sometimes that preparation is putting in a load of laudry and make a few phone calls before writing so the Spirit can prompt me on my writing instead of trying to get me to do the OTHER things I should be doing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, Teri! Why do we expect writing to just pour like water out of our fingertips, when nothing else in life works that way? Writing is hard. It takes thought and effort, and yes, even prayer, just like your gospel doctrine lesson. Thank you for helping me to realize I'm not alone as I struggle along this writing path!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Terri. I'm just learning that using our talents is like fulfilling our callings, which can make a huge difference in how we magnify them.
ReplyDeleteYour writing can always be counted on to be on point, when you comment on my blog. I always appreciate your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteTwo blogs that really help me spiritually are Mushroom's "Fungle Jungle" and "Holy Experience," both of which are in my sidebar.
I'm way behind in reading, let alone commenting on blogs, so it's great to have blogs still here when I get to them.
ReplyDeleteI love the analogy of teaching and writing. We do both, and both take serious study. Actually, it takes me more work to do the writing part. I just thought-- maybe that's why I no longer have a church teaching calling.