Three Questions to Ask When Teaching and Learning the Gospel
Contributed By Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News associate editor
Elder Jorge F. Zeballos speaks during the 2016 seminar for new MTC presidents and directors of visitors' centers and historic sites in Provo, Utah, on January 12.
Article Highlights
- When teaching and learning, ask yourself:
- 1. What did I learn?
- 2. What did I feel?
- 3. What changes am I willing to make in my life as a result?
“When we build our life upon His doctrine, we are building upon the best foundation. We learn what the doctrine of Christ is and then apply it in our lives.” —Elder Jorge F. Zeballos of the Seventy
Elder Jorge F. Zeballos of the Seventy said an important part of teaching and learning is answering the following three questions:
1. “What did I learn?”
2. “What did I feel?”
3. “What changes am I willing to make in my life because of what I felt and because of what I learned?”
Speaking during the 2016 seminar for new MTC presidents and directors of visitors’ centers and historic sites, Elder Zeballos said, “The presence of the Spirit of the Lord is key when teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The purpose of missionary work is intrinsically related to the doctrine of Christ, said Elder Zeballos, Assistant Executive Director of the Missionary Department.
He quoted 3 Nephi 11:39-41: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
“And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
“Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth.”
It is key to both members and investigators to understand the doctrine of Christ and then follow what the doctrine teaches, he added.
Elder Zeballos quoted the missionary purpose found in Preach My Gospel, which is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”
He compared the work of missionaries to the work of a builder.
It is important to build on a rock, instead of sand, he said. “When we build our life upon His doctrine, we are building upon the best foundation. We learn what the doctrine of Christ is and then apply it in our lives.”
Elder Zeballos said when the Lord came to the Americas He taught His gospel before He did anything else. “It is not enough to have faith in God and His Atonement, but we have to endure to the end.”
Elder Zeballos closed by sharing his witness “of this wonderful work.”
Upon learning of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, he said, “I felt from the very first moment that this was the Church of Jesus Christ and the place I wanted to be.”
Participants sing a hymn during the 2016 seminar for new MTC presidents and directors of visitors' centers and historic sites in Provo, Utah, on January 12. Photo by Sarah Jane Weaver.
