Gene R. Cook - Teaching by the Spirit

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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cook, Gene R.
Teaching by the Spirit / GeneR. Cook
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-57345-889-4 (HB)
1. Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsEducation.
2. TeachersReligiouslife. 3. Christian education. 4. Holy spirit.
I. Title

BX8610.C66 2000
268'.89332dc21

00-050877

Printed in theUnited States of America
Publishers Printing, Salt Lake City, UT

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

Acknowledgments

Teaching by the Spirit. What an elevated and sacreddoctrine! The very idea connotes an involvement on the part of the Lord toimbue a principle with his Spirit, and then by that same Spirit to convey it tothe heart of another. What a profound process by which we learn truth.

My debt of gratitude to my Heavenly Father is greater thanmy ability to express. Through the years, he has taught me by the Spirit of theLord the truth of the doctrines found in this book. There have been numeroustimes when the Spirit of the Lord has impressed a truth upon my heart and mind,and I knew that I had been directly taught by the Spirit. There have been timeswhen I have sat in a meeting and tried purposefully to humble myself thatI might be open to learning by the Spirit. A confirmation has come as theLord taught me something or reconfirmed or expanded the truth to me. What aglorious experience!

The Lord has also often utilized others to teach me by theSpirit. I am deeply indebted to the General Authorities of the Church,especially the prophets, seers, and revelators of this dispensation with whom Ihave had the privilege of serving through the years. They have consistentlyemployed these sacred principles to teach the doctrines of the Lord, conveyingthem with power to the hearts of the children of men.

There are others, as well, whom the Lord has inspired toteach and cause me to learn by the Spirit, mainly my parents, my wife, my children,good teachers throughout the Church, and even good people not of our faith. Allthese the Lord has touched, and the Spirit has taught me through them. To allof these, I am indebted for having been the beneficiary of their teaching bythe Spirit.

A special thanks goes to Brother Jay A. Parry, who hasprovided valued assistance in the editing and preparation of the manuscript forprinting. Jay has a gift for being able to say things succinctly and withmeaning and feeling. For that, I am most thankful. He has been most valuable inreading the manuscript with new eyes and being able to make insightfulsuggestions to improve the content. He is an excellent editor.

Lastly, I would like to say that this book is not in any wayan official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Anyshortcomings, omissions, or deficiencies are clearly mine as the one solelyresponsible for the material in this book.

Chapter 1

Who Is a Teacher?

When I was growing up I had a number of fine teachers in theChurch. But often others teach us besides those who are called to do so. Anexample that illustrates this principle is how I came to obtain my owntestimony.

My older brother had always been an inspiration to me. Oneevening when he was about seventeen, he came home from a Church youth meetingand announced to me that his teacher had told him to gain his own testimony andnot to rely on those of others. He saidalmostpropheticallyIm going to gain that personal witness and testimony, nomatter how long it takes or what the cost. I will pay the price to know.

He then began fasting, praying, and studying the Book ofMormon. One morning a short time later, he was stricken by paralysis. He couldnot move his body, and his right side was in terrible pain. He was barely ableto whisper to my father that he wanted a blessing. As soon as the blessing wascompleted, my brother was miraculously healed. He uncoiled his tense body,straightened up, and was free of pain.

When he was later examined by a doctor, the diagnosis wasthat he had had what appeared to be a ruptured appendix, but no trace of damaged tissue was found in his body. Later, my brother told me of his feelings about being healed, and he told me that heknew the Church was true. However, he said a spiritual witness of the Book ofMormon had come before the healing. He told me how he had studied the book andprayed over every page. He bore his testimony to me. I was very touched by thisexperience, and I said in my heart, If the Lord will answer my brother, hewill also answer me.

Thus at age twelve I began to read the Book of Mormon. I,too, received a personal confirmation of the truthfulness of the gospel. I knewthen and have never doubted since that the Book of Mormon is the word of Godand that the gospel is true.

It is now clear to me that my brothers testimony reached myheart and caused me to desire the same thing he had. Though he was just ateenager himself, my brother was a powerful teacher in my life.

All Are Teachers

Who is a teacher? We all are!Think about the many roles in our lives that involve teaching: father, mother,caring brother or sister, home teacher, visiting teacher, ward or stake leader,teacher in a Church class, speaker in a meeting, missionary, neighbor, and soon. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, In this Church it is virtuallyimpossible to find anyone who is nota guide of one kind or another to his or her fellow members of the flock (ATeacher Come from God,Ensign, May 1998, 25).

The Church has spent much time and many resources to teachus how to be good teachers. All members are encouraged to take the Teaching theGospel course, a twelve-week series of lessons that give us a basicunderstanding of how to teach better. Lessons include such topics as lovingthose you teach, teaching by the Spirit, teaching the doctrine of the kingdom,the role of the learner, and effective methods of teaching. In addition, allleaders and teachers are invited to attend a quarterly teacher improvementmeeting designed to upgrade the level of teaching in the wards, branches, andhomes of the Church. Resources for this training are also wonderful resourcesfor personal reading and review: Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guidefor Gospel Teaching; and Gospel Teachingand Leadership, Section 16 ofthe Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and AuxiliaryLeaders, which is to be distributed to allteachers and leaders in the Church. (Both are published by the Church and areavailable in Church distribution centers.)

Elder Boyd K. Packer underscored the idea that we are allteachers, even as we serve in other roles and callings: The prophet is ateacher; his counselors are teachers; the General Authorities are teachers.Stake presidents and mission presidents are teachers; high councilors andquorum presidents are teachers; bishops are teachers; and so through all of theorganizations of the Church. The Church moves forward sustained by the power ofthe teaching that is accomplished (