The stake president assigns one of his counselors to oversee the stake Sunday School under his direction. If you are a counselor in a stake presidency assigned to oversee the stake Sunday School, you may find the following suggestions useful.

1. Encourage members to study, teach, and live the gospel in the home. Encouraging and helping Church members to make scripture study a regular part of their lives is one of the most important things a leader can do. President Ezra Taft Benson gave the following counsel:

Bend your efforts and your activities to stimulating meaningful scripture study among the members of the Church. Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity levels in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending sacrament meetings. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow. ["The Power of the Word," Ensign, May 1986, 81]

The Prophet Alma taught the members of the Church in his day:

And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God. [Alma 31:5]

2. Ensure that the stake Sunday School presidency serves as a resource to orient and train all new ward Sunday School presidencies (see Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders [1998], 305).

To be efficacious and valid, every act in the Church must be performed under the authority of the keys at the appropriate time and place, and in the proper manner and order. The authority and power to direct all of the labors of the kingdom of God on earth constitute the keys of the priesthood. Those who possess them have the right to preside over and direct the affairs of the Church in their jurisdiction. [James E. Faust, “The Keys That Never Rust,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 73]

3. Establish a regular meeting time with the stake Sunday school presidency. You may want to consider alternating between meeting with the Sunday School president one time and the entire presidency (and the secretary) the next. You may also want to consider inviting the stake director of libraries to join in this meeting from time to time.

4. Keep the doctrine of the Church pure. Members of the stake presidency have the responsibility of overseeing all who teach the gospel in the stake. They ensure that teaching is effective and doctrinally correct and also advise bishops and other priesthood leaders and auxiliary leaders how to offer correction when necessary. (See Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics [1998], 3.) President Gordon B. Hinckley stated:

I have spoken before about the importance of keeping the doctrine of the Church pure, and seeing that it is taught in all of our meetings. I worry about this. Small aberrations in doctrinal teaching can lead to large and evil falsehoods. [Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 620.]

5. Ensure that improving the quality of teaching is a regular part of stake leadership meetings (see Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, 305). President Spencer W. Kimball once directed:

Stake presidents, bishops, and branch presidents, please take a particular interest in improving the quality of teaching in the Church. The Savior has told us to feed his sheep (see John 21:15–17). I fear that all too often many of our members come to church, sit through a class or a meeting, and they then return home having been largely [uninspired]. It is especially unfortunate when this happens at a time of stress, temptation, or crisis [in their lives]. We all need to be touched and nurtured by the Spirit, and effective teaching is one of the most important ways this can happen. We often do vigorous enlistment work to get members to come to church but then do not adequately watch over what they receive when they do come. ["Ministering to the Needs of Members," Ensign, Nov. 1980, 46]

Helps for Teachers: To view a collection of ideas and suggestions designed to help, inspire, and motivate gospel teachers throughout the Church to improve the quality of teaching in classrooms and at home, visit "Helps for Teachers."