"News of the Church," Ensign, Jun 2010, 74-78
By Lauren Allen Church Magazines
Lauren Allen, "Sunday School Presidencies Learning Important Role," Ensign, June 2010, 74-75
Each Sunday in the Highland Utah 30th Ward, Richard Christiansen and his counselors in the Sunday School presidency go through a routine familiar in almost every unit of the Church. They make sure that each class has a teacher and help students get from the hallways to the classrooms.
However, Brother Christiansen has caught the vision that his responsibilities are not limited to herding students and ringing bells.
One of the primary roles of each quorum and auxiliary organization is to teach members gospel principles essential to their salvation. The role of the Sunday School presidency, such as Brother Christiansen and his counselors, is to assist auxiliary and priesthood leaders in this charge by acting as teacher training specialists within the ward.
"Teaching is the primary means the Church has to strengthen members, help them deepen their witness of the Restoration, and gain salvation and exaltation," said Russell T. Osguthorpe, Sunday School general president.
As ward Sunday School president, Brother Christiansen has the responsibility to serve as a resource for parents, leaders, and teachers to help improve the instruction that occurs in the home and in the Church.
"Teaching is what it's all about, and being effective as a teacher helps others be excited to learn," Brother Christiansen said.
One of the tools at the Sunday School presidencies' disposal is the teacher improvement course that may be offered during Sunday School. The course consists of 12 lessons found in the Teaching, No Greater Call manual and may be taught by a member of the Sunday School presidency under the direction of the bishop.
"This is a course that can be helpful to any Church member who is interested in improving his or her teaching skills," Brother Osguthorpe said, whether in the home or the classroom. "The lessons help participants learn how to teach by the Spirit, how to invite active, diligent learning, and how to teach so that members will be eager to apply the principles of the gospel in their own lives."
According to Brother Osguthorpe, Sunday School presidents attend ward council regularly, as outlined in Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, so that they can understand the bishop's goals for the members of the ward and can counsel together on how to help improve teaching so those goals can be reached.
During a ward or branch council the Sunday School president could be invited by the bishop or branch president to provide instruction on principles relating to gospel teaching and learning. Brother Osguthorpe suggests that he could also report on attendance in youth and adult Sunday School classes and invite the help of other ward leaders to assist those who may be struggling.
"The most effective teaching in the Church occurs in homes where faithful parents live gospel principles and teach those principles to their children. The auxiliaries exist to support the home in these most sacred duties. The Sunday School presidency is a resource in the ward to help both parents and teachers fulfill their responsibilities," said Brother Osguthorpe.
Successful gospel teaching on the part of parents and Church leaders can strengthen members' testimonies and help them come unto Christ, he said.
"The only reasonable way to measure the effectiveness of gospel teaching [in a ward] is to observe the faithfulness of the members. If more young men are serving missions, if more youth are [growing up and] marrying in the temple, if more parents are reading the scriptures, holding family home evening, and worshiping in the temple regularly, teaching is improving."
In a letter dated November 17, 2006, the First Presidency announced changes to how teacher improvement should be handled.
Some confusion persists. The following identifies what the policy discontinued and what it did not.
Discontinued:
Continued:
The positions of stake teacher improvement coordinator and ward teacher improvement coordinator were discontinued.
The responsibilities of the teacher improvement coordinator now belong to the ward Sunday School president.
Quarterly teacher improvement meetings were discontinued.
The teacher improvement course in Teaching, No Greater Call may still be taught as needed.
Through use of the scriptures, the Teaching, No Greater Call manual (item no. 36123), and the "Gospel Teaching and Leadership" section of the Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, members may improve their teaching and fulfill the call of President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ "better than we have ever done before" ("We Have a Work to Do," Ensign, May 1995, 88).
"We must strengthen ourselves and our people to get our teachers to speak out of their hearts rather than out of their books, to communicate their love for the Lord and their precious work, and somehow it will catch fire in the hearts of those they teach," said President Hinckley (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1977], 619-20).
The purpose of the Teaching the Gospel course found in Teaching, No Greater Call is to help Church members develop their teaching abilities and realize the importance of improving gospel teaching. The course covers topics such as teaching by the Spirit, inviting diligent learning, and using effective teaching methods.
The Teaching, No Greater Call manual is available in more than 30 languages. Contact local distribution centers for availability.
"Education Is Key to Protecting Families from Pornography," Ensign, June 2010, 76-77
A good friend, family member, or neighbor may be one of the millions trapped. Pornography lures people of all types and ages.
"We have in America today a crisis of pornography," said Patrick Trueman, former chief of the U.S. Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Division.
Mr. Trueman was the keynote speaker at the ninth annual conference of the Utah Coalition Against Pornography. He discussed how the $97 billion pornography industry has addicted men, women, and even children across the United States and is destroying marriages, families, and lives.
Pornography hijacks the brain by fueling dopamine production, which provides excitement, but no endorphins are emitted to help the brain feel satisfied, he explained. This cycle leads users to fall deeper and deeper into their addiction as they seek a satisfaction that will never come.
The worldwide Web can be a great tool and resource for information, but it is also a tool widely and intricately packed with pornography and other obscene materials.
Parents can do many things to safeguard their homes from harmful materials found on the Internet. At the conference, Ken Knapton, Internet safety expert and author, offered tips for protecting families against Internet pornography.
Youth in this generation are "digital natives," he said. They have been inundated by technology since birth. However, their parents have not, and as a result, need to educate themselves about technology in order to recognize the dangers.
Installing filters on computers can be helpful in sifting out harmful material, he said, but filters will not block everything, and there are other ways to access the same material besides through the computer. Many video game systems have the ability to connect to the Internet, he explained. Cell phones are also becoming a common venue for accessing Web content.
By placing computers and televisions in an open, public area of the home, parents can monitor the content on the screen. It is also important to supervise the amount of time family members spend surfing the Web and to teach children to use chat groups, instant messages, and social networking sites with caution, Brother Knapton said.
He urged parents to talk to their children and continue to build open, honest relationships with them. Ensure that they understand that they should never give out their private information over the Internet. Teach them to shut down the computer and tell an adult if they accidentally encounter a pornographic Web site, and assure them that they will not be punished for these accidents.
Children will likely encounter obscenity throughout their lives, he said. Parents, friends, and leaders need to teach them to run from it, not indulge in it.
LDS Family Services has launched a new Web site to help people learn about and overcome pornography addictions. The Web site, combatingpornography.org, targets five different audiences: individuals with a problem, spouses, parents, youth, and leaders.
The Combating Pornography site was not designed as a treatment site, but rather a site to provide people with accurate information from a gospel prospective and to educate them about the problem of pornography, said Michael Gardner, product manager for developing the site.
Within each of the target audiences, the Web site is divided into four main categories: prevention, recognition, overcoming the problem, and support. Each category contains resources and information specific to each audience.
For example, individuals struggling with pornography addiction will find information, various articles, videos, and other resources available on the Web site, including advice from the First Presidency and leaders of the Church on overcoming pornography addictions. Spouses will find information on how to cope and deal with a partner's addiction and be supportive during the recovery process. Parents can find information about preventing pornography addictions in their home, identifying the signs of pornography use, and helping family members to overcome pornography.
The site also has information about the Church's 12-step Addiction Recovery Program, and a copy of the addiction recovery manual may be downloaded.
Parents who know how to safely use technology can teach their children to be safe too.
"Around the Church," Ensign, June 2010, 77-78
In the first address given by a cardinal at Brigham Young University, His Eminence Francis Cardinal George said Catholics and Latter-day Saints must stand together in defense of religious freedom.
"When government fails to protect the consciences of its citizens, it falls to religious bodies, especially those formed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, to become the defenders of human freedom," he said.
Cardinal George, the Archbishop of Chicago and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed 12,000 students and faculty members at BYU.
He expressed gratitude "that after 180 years of living mostly apart from one another, Catholics and Latter-day Saints have come to see one another as trustworthy partners in the defense of shared moral principles."
Both churches have stood together on issues such as abortion, pornography, and gay marriage, he noted. With these issues, as well as other rising concerns, religious groups must stand together.
"Religious freedom cannot be reduced to freedom of worship, nor even freedom of private conscience," he said. "Religious freedom means that religious groups as well as religious individuals have a right to exercise their influence in the public square."
Dressed as people from the scriptures, members of the Church in Romania shared stories about the Savior, the Apostasy, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon during a special program for members and friends. The program was part of a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the dedication of Romania for the preaching of the gospel.
The celebration was held in February 2010 and included a gathering at the place where Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the land in 1990. An excerpt from the prayer became the basis for the celebration's theme, "Romania: A Beacon of Light to Neighboring Nations."
"During the event we felt the Spirit and the happiness of members to be a part of this great work," said Vasile Doru, president of the Bucharest Romania District. "We all pray that soon we will grow to become a stake in Zion and 'a beacon of light to neighboring nations.'"
After the program, members divided into small groups and gave away copies of the Book of Mormon.
A senior missionary couple in Andrainarivo, Madagascar, recently received the country's highest civilian honor for their humanitarian service.
During their 18-month mission, Elder Robert and Sister Susan Bird, from Fruit Heights, Utah, USA, helped provide humanitarian aid, including projects that provided potable drinking water to approximately 100,000 people.
The Minister of Water in Andrainarivo, the honorable Nhiry-Lanto Hery Andriamahazo, presented them with the Medal of Honor and offered kind words regarding the Church, saying missionaries in Madagascar are recognized as part of the Malagasy society.
Members of the Bucharest Romania District ascend the hill where Romania was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel 20 years ago.
Photograph by Teodor Dumitrache
"World Briefs," Ensign, June 2010, 78
The nearly 40-year-old Ogden Utah Temple will undergo a major 18- to 24-month renovation. The core design of the temple interior will remain the same, but the exterior will feature a new design, with new stone and glass. The building will be remodeled to meet seismic requirements, will feature the latest technology, and will include more energy-efficient equipment. An underground parking structure also will be added.
The Honor Bee charm is now available to young women who go beyond the regular Personal Progress requirements. To receive the charm, a young woman may reread the Book of Mormon and complete 40 additional hours of service after receiving her Young Womanhood Recognition medallion. This service must include helping another young woman complete her Personal Progress goals. The small honeybee charm is worn on the same necklace with the medallion.
The Church History Museum is featuring an exhibit called "Mi Vida, Mi Historia: Stories of Faith and Inspiration from Latin American Saints." The bilingual exhibit highlights spiritual experiences from the lives of 24 members. Their photos are hung throughout the exhibit, and interactive audiovisual kiosks allow visitors further insight into their lives. The film, kiosk, and photo exhibit are available online at lds.org/museum. Click on Exhibits and Galleries, then on Current Exhibits.
The Family History Library has made eight family history research classes available online at familysearch.org (click on Free Online Classes). The classes are made up of multiple lessons in video or pdf formats that teach specifics of family history research in countries such as England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Russia, and the United States. Seven classes are available in English and one in Spanish. Additional languages will be added in the future.
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