“Help Learners Come unto Jesus Christ,” Teaching in the Savior’s Way: For All Who Teach in the Home and in the Church (2022)
“Help Learners Come unto Jesus Christ,” Teaching in the Savior’s Way
As teachers of Jesus Christ’s gospel, we help others understand and rely on His teachings, power, and love.
Help Learners Come unto Jesus Christ
Nothing you do as a teacher will bless learners more than helping them know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and feel Their love (see John 17:3). Think of experiences that have helped you come to know and love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. What have you done to learn about Their attributes, power, and love? How has your love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ brought you joy? Then think of what Their love and power can do for each person you teach. (See Alma 26:16; Moses 5:11.)
Our ultimate goal in this life is to become more like our Heavenly Father and return to Him. The way we accomplish that goal is by coming unto Jesus Christ (see John 14:6). This is why, as the prophet Nephi taught, “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26).
Every child of God needs the light and truth that comes from the Savior and can choose to respond to it. To be a teacher of Jesus Christ’s gospel means to help others understand and rely on His teachings, redeeming power, and perfect love. Consider how the following ideas can help you inspire others to better know Jesus Christ and follow Him.
Help Learners Recognize the Lord’s Love, Power, and Mercy in Their Lives
It’s good to know about the Savior’s love, power, and mercy, but we also need to experience it. Seeing how He blessed and healed people in the scriptures helps us develop greater faith that He can bless and heal us. For example, learning about the experiences of Daniel is incomplete if it doesn’t inspire us to trust the Lord when we face our own figurative den of lions.
As you help learners recognize the Lord’s “tender mercies” (1 Nephi 1:20), both in the scriptures and in their own experiences, they will feel and know that the Lord is with them and will lovingly stand by them (see Doctrine and Covenants 68:6). They will see and feel the reality of the Lord’s love and mercy in their personal needs and circumstances.
Teachers can help learners experience the Savior’s love, power, and mercy.
Help Learners Strengthen Their Relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
The purpose of teaching and learning about Jesus Christ is to help each person draw closer to Him and our Heavenly Father. Help the people you teach to never lose sight of that purpose. Encourage them to strengthen their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by studying the scriptures, repenting continually, speaking with the Father in prayer, and testifying of the Father and Son. Teach learners by word and example how making and keeping covenants binds us to Them. Help them know how precious and beloved we are to Them. Strengthen their faith that Jesus Christ, by virtue of His perfect Atonement, is the only way back to our Father. Provide opportunities for learners to receive a witness from the Holy Ghost, “which beareth record of the Father and the Son” (Moses 5:9).
Help Learners Intentionally Strive to Be More like Jesus Christ
Ultimately, learning about Jesus Christ inspires us to become more like Him. But becoming like Him happens only as we act in faith, both in and out of class, making intentional choices to follow His example and receive His grace. Invite learners to seek the help of the Holy Ghost to identify ways they can become more like the Savior. Offer guidance and support as learners make striving to be like Him a lifetime pursuit.
Jacob taught that “all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world” can teach us about Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 11:4). Your teaching can be one of those things. Place Jesus Christ at the center of each teaching and learning experience. As you and the learners “talk of Christ, … rejoice in Christ, … preach of Christ” (2 Nephi 25:26), the Holy Ghost can plant a witness of the Savior deep in each person’s mind and heart. As you help your learners come to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for themselves, they will be more likely to turn to Them for help, hope, and healing throughout their lives.