To ask and to answer questions is at the heart of all learning and all teaching. I try to find more inviting questions, more inspired questions that will bring out of the youth what I feel we need to talk about. When you ask inspired questions, it helps us think about our own feelings and experiences. Then the Holy Ghost leads us to inspired answers meant just for us. The Master asked, answered, and sometimes chose not to answer questions in His ministry.
Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Jesus listened carefully, so He could understand how to help His disciples grow. Some say that thou art John the Baptist. Some Elias. And others Jeremias or one of the prophets. His next inspired question invited them to search their own feelings. But whom say ye that I am?
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. He rejoiced to hear their inspired answers. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Some questions invite inspiration. Great teachers ask those. That may take just a small change of words and inflection in the voice. Here is a question that might not invite inspiration: How is a true prophet recognized? That question invites an answer, which is a list drawn from memory of the scriptures and the words of living prophets. But we could also ask the question this way, with just a small difference: When have you felt that you were in the presence of a prophet?
That will invite students to search their memories for feelings. The questions have gone from the questions on the side of the tab of the manual to "Tell me your feelings about this. Tell me how you can take this into your life and apply it." The answers they give now are very spiritual, very profound.
When we can tell that you really care about our answers, we'll feel comfortable asking you our questions. The chance to talk about the things that we think and worry about will open our hearts. As you help us find answers to our questions, we'll feel the Spirit, our confidence will grow, and our testimonies will be strengthened.
