Ensign Tidbit--From Sister Lant (Newly released General Primary President)

Teaching our Children from the Scriptures
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Teaching Children from the Scriptures

There are a number of good ways to teach children from the scriptures. I’ve found this pattern to be particularly effective after reading a scripture:

•               1. Clearly identify the doctrine.
             
•               2. Help the children understand the doctrine.
             
•               3. Help them apply the doctrine to their lives.
             
•               4. Encourage them to pray for a witness of the Spirit that what they are learning is true.
  
  Let’s use Moroni 10:4 as an example. Let’s say a mother is giving a family home evening lesson. She begins by asking the family members to open their copies of the Book of Mormon and read the verse: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
  Next she takes the family through the four steps outlined above.
  Identify the Doctrine. She asks: “What is Heavenly Father asking us to do in this verse? And what is the blessing He promises us if we do what He asks?” The family discusses the questions and determines that Heavenly Father wants us to read the scriptures and then pray in faith, with a sincere intent to know the truth of what we have read. Heavenly Father promises to answer our prayer by giving us a witness of the truth through the Holy Ghost.
  Understand the Doctrine. Next the mother shares the story of Joseph Smith, who upon reading in the Bible that he could “ask of God” (James 1:5), prayed about which church to join. He had faith that his prayer would be answered. As he prayed, the Father and the Son appeared to him. She reminds the family that, of course, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do not appear to everyone who prays, but Heavenly Father will answer sincere prayers in ways He considers best.
  Apply the Doctrine. A child asks, “Does this mean Heavenly Father will answer my prayers?” The mother responds, “Yes. Moroni 10:4 indicates that through study and prayer we can know the truth of all things.” The family then decides how to put Moroni’s promise to the test.
  
  
  Ask for a Witness. The mother bears her testimony and shares how she knows this scripture is true. She closes the lesson by assuring the family that as they do what Moroni says—studying a gospel principle with a desire to know if it is true—they will gain a sweet assurance of the truth through the witness of the Spirit.