SEMINARY UPDATE

At the beginning of the school year I received a calling from my church leaders here in China (Pres. Weaver and Shaner) to teach seminary to the youth of my church who are not able to attend at a physical building here in China. I hadn't had a calling in the church here in China up to this point and I felt like I was already pretty busy with trying to learn the language, Stay on top of things at work, and make time for the family after work… but when a calling comes, You accept it!  That is because I believe these callings in the church come from the Lord and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Our church has permission to meet with each other regularly in China as long as each person in attendance or their spouse holds a foreign passport. All of my students in this early morning class do have a foreign passport, and we meet daily during the school year to teach a lesson about our scriptures.  This year the course of study is the Book of Mormon, my favorite book of scripture.  I am the teacher but I try to get everybody to participate. We start at 6 AM!

Seminary Update. Today, like yesterday and the day before, etc., went great (for me) and I suppose for the others too, because as we discuss the truths and principles learned from the Book of Mormon and how it applies to our lives, how can we not come away feeling blessed, especially after being able to share the testimony of the truth by the same power of the Spirit that gave us the testimony in the first place? I love the way that the Spirit guides during the discussion, and allows for scriptures to come to mind, and the Spirit weaves that all together into a tapestry of counsel customized for the day, for the class. For me. I am thankful so very much for all my blessings. Today we went through the things we could learn from 2 Nephi 1. Lehi counseling his sons just before he goes the way of all the earth. The words of a trembling parent. I got to bear my testimony of my acceptance of the commandment of the Lord to Honor your father and mother, that thy days may be long on the face of the land. I got to tell how, even in my 50's, and having kids already and grand kids, etc., that this does not dismiss the commandment that God gave us to honor your father and mother. I told them that my father is in his 80's and if he had something to

tell me, I would listen. I would honor (I do honor him and my mother), and although they are not perfect, neither am I, but the Lord did give the commandment and I still honor it to this day, until the day they pass on and can no longer speak to me. But I would still honor them in spirit, in the truth of this commandment. I counseled the kids in class that if there are any who are struggling with this one, to humble themselves, repent of it, and honor their parents as the Lord commanded. I also shared an experience of a long time ago when I disagreed with a bishop and had a short word with him, not respectful, because he did something that I strongly disagreed with... and so that percolated on my soul all that night and the next day was Sunday... and I repented. I first confessed to the Lord my sin, repented, and then resolved to walk right into that chapel the next morning Sunday, and make it right with the Bishop. I did that, apologized, and he accepted, and I put that behind me. It does not matter much who was wrong or right, they had trouble with Joseph Smith, remember, and all those who made an issue out of it got excommunicated anyway, so we know where that kind of rebellion goes. We also know where Laman and Lemuel's rebellion led them. It led to a sore cursing by being cut of from the presence of the Lord, as the Lord led Nephi and his family away out from them. Laman and Lemuel hampered themselves with their rebellions.

Applicable Book of Mormon Scripture on Callings in the Church:

• Mosiah 23:17

  17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore [Alma] consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men.

Comments:

SRA True, true, true. Love the Book of Mormon

LA Thank you for sharing your testimony, Grant.

JDL You are a great seminary teacher--the Lord is correct in all his choices and your students will truly benefit.

CT LOVE teaching seminary! Sounds like you are really making the best of it.

GJ I do love teaching seminary. It is a great privilege and experience. There is an additional challenge to teaching virtual seminary. It's almost like you are a radio announcer, talking into a microphone on your computer or your phone, and not being able to see the faces of your students in the conference call. But once in a while as you teach the lesson, you make a pause and then call out one of their names and ask them to either read a verse or make a comment, and then you wait… Then you hear their microphone click on and they begin to speak and you know that they're still out there. There is the added advantage of having your lesson material right there in front of you, ever present, and color highlighted text in the PDF file with all kinds of help. But the biggest help of all is the spirit of the Holy Ghost which prompts you to say things and share things and take things in the direction that it needs to go.