I have been a teacher in Church auxiliaries for more than 30 years. The Church publications have greatly facilitated my lesson preparation. Here are some methods I have found helpful:

- Clip notable Church News articles and columns. I have a worn file filled with Church News material, especially articles from the "Gospel Doctrine" page, and other inspiring stories.- Remove the index section of the Ensign that is found in every December issue. Compile these into a binder, thereby creating an invaluable quick-reference guide to any gospel topic. I have referred to this binder often to locate material to enhance lessons, prepare talks or to just help someone find enlightenment on a specific gospel topic.

- Read through your lesson manual to familiarize yourself with the various topics you will be teaching for the year. As you receive Church publications, you will be cognizant of the articles you may want to save and use in future lessons. Mark the specific chapter in your lesson manual with a note as to the publication, date and page so you will be reminded of the article when you prepare that lesson.

- Be particularly aware of experiences that are faith promoting and testimony building as you read the publications. Lessons, talks and personal study are greatly enhanced when a meaningful story is included. Clip these stories and set up a file by topic. - Janet Pliler, Salem, Ore.

*****

How we did it:

Personal growth

Teaching and passing on to others the beautiful lessons in the gospel has always been of great importance to me. I love to teach, and studying has helped me in many ways to share scripture lessons and more importantly to aid in my own personal growth.

For the past several months I have personally been going through a great trial in my life that has not only consumed my thoughts, but also my time and money. In the midst of my personal trial, memories kept coming back to me of portions of a talk President Howard W. Hunter gave in 1993 at BYU. I read his talk again from the Ensign with greater care, noting the uplifting comments. I started marking the sentences that were affirmations, and when I came to the last page the whole manuscript was ablaze with yellow highlighter. Inspired, I began searching all the scriptures for themes relating to faith, hope, courage, and joy, and the theme of living with a perfect brightness of hope. I found strength and encouragement. I am thankful for the inspiration to go back to the talk and reread it. - Rose Anne Marshall, Rolling Hills, Calif.

Yearly index

At the end of each year I remove the yearly index found in the back of the December issues of the Ensign and the New Era and put these in a loose-leaf binder I've been compiling for several years.

Selected Church News articles are cut out, dated and filed under their corresponding topics, except articles that pertain to the four gospel doctrine class courses of study. I have a large, labeled manila envelope that I began in 1982 for each of those courses. These have come in very handy since I was sustained as the gospel doctrine teacher in our ward last year. - Billie Jo Clapp, Idaho Falls, Idaho

Increases understanding

I am serving as a gospel doctrine teacher. As I read the scriptures, ponder the gospel and pray for the Spirit, I am often led to an article in the Ensign or the Church News that increases my understanding of a gospel principle and strengthens my testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ. During Sunday School class, I encourage class members to read these article after they have completed the weekly New Testament reading assignment. - Carol C. Peterson, West Valley City, Utah

`Gospel Doctrine' page

I teach early morning seminary and gospel doctrine in our ward. I use the Church News and Church magazines all the time. I especially enjoy using the "Gospel Doctrine" page in the back of the Church News. There is always two or three articles and a nice picture that I cut out and mount to use in my lesson. I file these away to use again. I also use the maps and other articles to help me study and prepare. In addition, the January 1991 and 1995 Ensign issues are full of wonderful articles and pictures to go along with our study of the New Testament this year.

I make it a point to tell my family what lesson I am preparing for seminary and Sunday School. I am surprised how many times my husband or children refer me to an article in the Friend, New Era or the Ensign that goes along with my lesson.

When I am preparing my lessons and praying and thinking about them ahead of time, I will run across an article that is just what I am looking for, or I will remember an article that I read a few years back. I will then get out my stack of magazines and find the article that I was looking for. - Elizabeth Giles, El Paso, Texas

Quick reference

I keep all magazines in file boxes, which can be obtained from Church distribution centers or office supply stores. I file by year except for general conference issues. Since those are the most frequently referred to, I keep them filed chronologically in a separate file box. To find information for a talk or lesson I use the index which is printed in December issues of some of the Church publications.

Most helpful, I keep my own subject file using a small file box with alphabet tabs and index cards on which I list references. For example, as I read each month, if I come cross an article that I feel I could use for lesson material, I list the subject on top of a card. Then I include the magazine with date and page. A few comments about the article are helpful to refresh my memory.

This system can also be used to file references in books or other sources. Also, even if one does not have space to store all magazines, the references are handy to to go the ward library for a source. - Lois Huston, Kaysville, Utah

Words of Brethren

When I was on my mission in England from 1965-1967, we would go door to door tracting and tell people that there was a living prophet on the earth today. One man asked my companion and I, "OK, if there is a prophet of God on the earth today, as you say, what has he told you lately?" We were hard-pressed at the time to give the man an answer. We returned to our apartment and searched for the most recent copy of Improvement Era. We found this question could be answered as we read the words of the Church leaders in the Church publications.

Since returning from my mission, I have saved the words of the Brethren in Church publications, and I refer to them often for counsel and advice and when teaching the youth in our ward. - Melvin Grant Koford, Riverside, Calif.

*****

How to checklist:

1 Seek guidance of Spirit as you study, prepare to teach.

2 Refer to counsel of Church leaders in publications.

3 Clip stories, articles from publications, file them.

4 Utilize indexes in publications for subject searches.

*****

WRITE TO US:

March 11 "How to move upward from spiritual plateaus."

March 18 "How to teach children the principle of sacrifice."

March 25 "How to enhance your commitment to Church service beyond the three-hour block schedule."

April 1 "How to teach children the true meaning of Easter."

April 15 "How to sustain the priesthood in the home."

April 22 "How to help those who are less-active."

Had any good experiences or practical success in any of the above subjects? Share them with our readers in about 100-150 words. Write the "How-to" editor, Church News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110, or send fax to (801) 237-2121. Please include a name and phone number. Contributions may be edited or excerpted and will not be returned. Due to limited space, some contributions may not be used; those used should not be regarded as official Church doctrine or policy. Material must be received at least 12 days before publication date.