Learn fundamentals to teach; all can do it
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Learning to teach the gospel is similar to his young granddaughters learning to jump rope, Brother William D. Oswald, second counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency said during the Sunday afternoon session of conference.
His 5-year-old twin granddaughters, and then a 3-year-old granddaughter, learned to jump rope from more experienced children who taught and demonstrated the principles of the activity, he said.
"When we learn a few fundamental principles about teaching and are shown how to teach," he added, "all of us can do it."
He spoke of the traits of gospel teachers in the scriptures, focusing particularly on Moroni's teaching young Joseph Smith the night he appeared to him in his bedroom in answer to his prayer and told him about the gold plates.
Brother Oswald focused on three of the principles Moroni demonstrated.
• Show love to those you teach and call them by name.
Just as Moroni put young Joseph at ease by calling him by name, teachers can show their love for their students by calling them by name, Brother Oswald said.
• Teach from the scriptures.
He pointed out that Moroni quoted many passages of scripture to Joseph.
"From the many scriptures quoted by Moroni, Joseph learned about his prophetic role in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the true gospel again to the earth," he said.
• Encourage the pondering of gospel truths.
Moroni's words led Joseph to ponder, Brother Oswald said, adding, "Effective teachers will want to follow the pattern of the resurrected Christ among the Nephites when He asked the multitude to return to their 'homes and ponder upon the things' he had taught them so that they might 'understand"' (3 Nephi 17:3).
