Raising Good Missionaries

Our stake has a mission prep class that runs every Sunday evening. All of the Laurels and Priests(16-18 years old) in our stake are invited to attend.  (Perhaps this is church wide?)

As part of this class Shawn and I were invited to be "investigators" that the 16-18 year old could teach a prepared lesson to.

In our grouping for the evening, we had three different youth.  They each taught a discussion lesson out of Preach My Gospel, with their parent as their companion. All of them did well.  One in particular, did extremely well.

The one that seemed the most prepared, had prepared the lesson in advance.  He had taught it the week before in their Family Home Evening--with no notes, or manual.  He had memorized the scripture references that went with topic he taught us, and he sat forward in the chair looking us both in the eyes as he spoke.

I left the evening so very impressed with the way this young man had prepared, and I commented to Shawn that we have got to get our kids teaching FHE at least once a month, to get them used to teaching.  Then, once we have built confidence in that area, we need to begin inviting over other families in our ward to teach FHE lessons to.

Elder Holland counseled us that the homes are the first MTC that the future missionaries will participate in.  He also stressed that no longer will the missionaries be able to enter the MTC to learn how to teach, and to learn gospel principles.  Rather they must come prepared and ready to teach the gospel.

But It Was Calling To Me

I went in to help in Gavin's class again today.  Yesterday he had received a three for his behavior. Gavin can't have friends over if he gets less than a four, however we had previously arranged to have a friend over.   After a lengthy discussion and some begging, I approved the friend if he promised that today he would do extra well, and get a five.  

When I arrived in the class to help I asked him how the day was going.  He reassured me that he still had a five--pointing to it hanging on his desk.  By the time my helping hour was over, I noticed that he had lost a number, and a four hung in it's place.

"What happened? " I asked quietly.  I was surprised because I had been in the classroom the whole time and there was nothing that I had witnessed.

"Well, " He began to explain.  "During recess Alaina was hanging upside down on the monkey bars, and I walked by and tapped her R-E-A-L-L-Y.... L-I-G-H-T-L-Y on the head.  Alaina just told on me so my teacher took off a number."

"Oh, Gavin." I say with concern in my voice. "I thought you were going to try extra hard today."  

Gavin earnestly explained further.  "I was trying Mom.  But she was just hanging there..... and well... I just couldn't resist."  He looked up with his big, blue, repentant eyes. "It was like her head was calling out to me."