Faith of youth fortified in seminary and institute
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Though much has changed in the modern history of the Church, the need to teach gospel principles to youth has not, Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy emphasized during a Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Satellite Broadcast on Tuesday morning, Aug. 5.
"What you do is so important in teaching and strengthening the youth of this generation," he told seminary and institute teachers, administrators and staff members.
Elder Johnson was the concluding speaker during the broadcast that originated from the Conference Center Theater in Salt Lake City. It was transmitted around the world live or by rebroadcast and translated into 23 languages.
Also speaking were Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Garry K. Moore and his wife, LaNell, Associate Administrator Randall L. Hall and Assistant Administrator Chad Wilkinson.
Relief Society General President Julie B. Beck and Young Women General President Elaine S. Dalton, members of the Church Board of Education, were seated on the stand, as was Young Men General President Charles W. Dahlquist.
Elder Johnson, former Church Educational System Administrator of Religious Education and Elementary and Secondary Education, recently assumed the position of Church Commissioner of Education. He succeeded Elder W. Rolfe Kerr, formerly of the Seventy, who has been called to preside over the Logan Utah Temple.
Concern over the spiritual strength of youth in the Church has been a longtime concern, Elder Johnson said, citing an 1890 letter signed by President Wilford Woodruff and his counselors in the First Presidency, President George Q. Cannon and President Joseph F. Smith.
To strengthen youth, the letter directed wards to start weekday classes for religious instruction. Bishops were to call teachers qualified by intelligence, devotion and love for youth to take charge of the ward schools and teach the first principles of the gospel, Church history and kindred subjects.
"While many specifics are different now than in 1890," Elder Johnson stated, "the basic struggle of building the kingdom and blessing the lives of the youth continues. We're still looking for those brothers and sisters well-adapted for such a responsible position by their intelligence and devotion as well as their love for the youth.
"Well, that's you," he said to the seminary and institute teachers. "Even though the world has changed dramatically over the past 120 years, the basic things we hope for have not changed. The simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Spirit, the power and blessings that come from keeping our covenants — even in the face of temptation and an onslaught of evil, these are the things that make a difference for us, for our families and for our students."
Elder Johnson also paid tribute to Brother Moore, his successor as Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, who has been called to preside over the Madrid Spain Temple.
"Garry is a remarkable individual," Elder Johnson said. "He combines a willingness to always do the right thing with a humility that allows him to be sensitive to the Spirit and to the direction of the board of education. Add to that his approachable personality, his great smile, his intellectual skills and attention to detail and it becomes clear why he has been such a powerful leader."
In his remarks, Brother Moore thanked his associates for all they do in seminaries and institutes and reemphasized some of the principles he spoke about the year before.
He spoke of the importance of priesthood leaders. Volunteer teachers and supervisors for seminaries and institutes are called, set apart and released by or under the direction of local stake presidents.
Brother Moore again emphasized the importance of personal worthiness to assure the companionship of the Holy Ghost. "I strongly encourage each of us to be even more circumspect and vigilant in our personal as well as our professional lives," he said.
He told teachers that they are more like missionaries than university and high school teachers. In addition to teaching a class, seminary and institute teachers need to "be very involved in identifying, contacting, enrolling and monitoring the progress of each student."
He said that convert baptisms and returned missionaries add about 120,000 potential new seminary and institute students each year. They need to be identified and involved as quickly as possible in Church education, he said.
Each student is important, he said, and should be sought out and found with joy just as were the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son as illustrated in the parables of the Savior recorded in Luke 15.
"There is always great joy and rejoicing when these seemingly 'hard to reach and hard to teach' (students) return," he said.
Sister Moore spoke of the creation of the world saying, "The Lord's word is His power. And as He worked by His word in the creation of the world, He works even more powerfully by His word in the creation of each of us."
Brother Hall reported on the effectiveness of the seminaries and institutes teaching emphasis in institutes of religion, following up a report of a year ago on its effectiveness in seminaries. The emphasis includes teaching and learning by the Spirit, helping students develop a habit of daily scriptures study and helping them learn to explain, share and testify of the doctrines and principles of the restored gospel. He said the results of the emphasis in institute were similar to those in seminaries. Students in classes where the emphasis is well implemented were rated higher in a broad range of outcomes including learning and applying gospel principles.
Brother Wilkinson compared the carrying capacity, or yield of produce, of parcels of land when the soil is good to the carrying capacity of the Church when hearts are good. He spoke of how the Lord was able to add to the Church in the days of Enoch and among the Nephites and Lamanites mentioned in Fourth Nephi as they became of one heart and one mind, with no spiritually poor among them. He asked, "How much more can, and could (the Lord) do if we will improve the carrying capacity in our own hearts and in the (Church Educational System) collectively."
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com
