Recently updated Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Resource Guides are now more accessible via the Church's Web site. The resource guides, which are still available in May and November issues of Ensign and Liahona magazines, now contain not only suggested articles for Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women lessons, but also suggestions on how to use these articles.

"It's very helpful in providing up-to-date resources for teachers to use in preparing their lessons," said Elder Stephen A. West of the Seventy and an assistant executive director in the Curriculum Department. "It's not limited to articles, but it also gives references to hymns and materials in the Duty to God program and the Personal Progress program so it helps the teacher make their lessons timely and current."

The purpose of the updated resources guides, said Jon Stephenson, an assistant manager in core curriculum in the Curriculum Department, is to "refresh the manuals that are currently used. We want the words of the living prophets brought into those lessons."

"The news is twofold," Brother Stephenson continued. "One is the increased ease of accessibility on the website and the other is the change in the content of the helps being given to teachers. It's no longer just a list of magazine articles."

The updated Resource Guides now include suggestions of how to incorporate the articles into a lesson, along with hymns and additional scriptures, and even ways to correlate the lesson with the Duty to God and Personal Progress programs.

For example, in the upcoming Aaronic Priesthood Lesson 28 on the Sabbath, an article by H. Aldridge Gillespie, "The Blessing of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy," in the Liahona, Jan. 2001, p. 93; and in Ensign, Nov. 2000, p. 79; is recommended, with the suggestion to "add the quotes from modern prophets to your discussion." The hymn, "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain," Hymns, No. 146, is suggested. In addition, the teacher learns that this lesson correlates to the Duty to God program, "Spiritual Development," No. 2.

For Lesson 28 on Agency for Young Women, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's article, "Three Choices," found in Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2003, p. 78, is suggested. The teacher is encouraged to "discuss the three choices mentioned in this article as you conclude the lesson." The hymn, "Choose the Right," Hymns, No. 239, is suggested, and the teacher is directed to additional scriptures, as well as the "Choice and Accountability Value Experiences," No. 3, in Personal Progress.

Brother Stephenson pointed out that the references for Ensign and Liahona are now the same, whereas in the past different articles might have been suggested. And the articles can be found in more than 40 languages in Liahona.

"Are you a teacher of youth?" Brother Stephenson asked. "If so, explore the new Resource Guides. There's more help for you there than ever before. And the ideas are Church-approved and easier to use."

To access the Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Resource Guides, go to www.lds.org, and click on Gospel Library. The link to the latest guides are on the right hand side of the page.

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