May 23, 2016

2016 Seminaries and Institutes—Annual Training Broadcast

View the Broadcast

In February 2016, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles introduced Doctrinal Mastery, an exciting and inspired change within Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) designed to help teachers assist students as they face the challenges and responsibilities of the 21st century.

Part of the upcoming annual training broadcast on June 14, 2016 (previously held in August), will be dedicated to training and discussions about how to understand and implement Doctrinal Mastery (a 2016–17 S&I priority). Speakers will include Elder Kim B. Clark of the Seventy; Sister Neill F. Marriott, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency; and Brother Chad H Webb, administrator, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. There will also be a panel discussion on Doctrinal Mastery.

Preparation for the Broadcast

All S&I personnel should do the following to be prepared to be instructed more fully on Doctrinal Mastery:

  • Review Elder Ballard’s message "The Opportunities and Responsibilities of CES Teachers in the 21st Century." His inspired teachings remind us of the crucial role we can play in helping students “seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). He also admonished us to assess our own efforts in this great work.
  • Watch or read Brother Webb’s Brigham Young University–Hawaii devotional address "That They May Know How to Come unto Him and Be Saved" (available in English, additional languages located here). With insight and direction, Brother Webb taught about the importance of acquiring spiritual knowledge. When we approach questions—both ours and our students’—with the right attitude and perspective, acting in faith and seeking answers through inspired sources, we can gain the knowledge we seek to lead us through an increasingly difficult world. 
  • Become familiar with the new Doctrinal Mastery Core Document and the Doctrinal Mastery New Testament Teacher Material. Doctrinal Mastery focuses on acquiring spiritual knowledge by learning and applying basic doctrine and mastering doctrinal mastery passages that teach the basic doctrine.

Elder Ballard taught, “[Doctrinal Mastery] will focus on building and strengthening our students’ faith in Jesus Christ and fortifying them with increased ability to live and apply the gospel in their lives.” He went on to say, “This initiative is inspired and timely. It will have a wonderful influence on our young people. However, the success of Doctrinal Mastery, and of all the other programs of study in CES, will depend to an important extent upon you” (“The Opportunities and Responsibilities of CES Teachers in the 21st Century” [An Evening with Elder M. Russell Ballard, Feb.26, 2016], LDS.org).

With that counsel in mind, we invite you to take time to prepare for the June broadcast by becoming familiar with Doctrinal Mastery and prayerfully seeking to be taught how the Lord would have you use it to bless the lives of the students you teach.

Broadcast Instructions

Live broadcast: Satellite and Internet (there will be no satellite rebroadcast)

Live broadcast time: Tuesday, June 14, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. MDT (16:00 UTC)

Live broadcast link: lds.org/si/broadcasts

Live video broadcast languages: Albanian, Armenian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Malagasy, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainian

Accessing the Meeting for Future Use

The June broadcast may be streamed and downloaded at lds.org/si/broadcasts in the languages listed above beginning on the broadcast date and at anytime thereafter. Text transcripts of the broadcast will be added as they become available (no later than July 19), so check the broadcast page for updates.

The broadcast will be available by June 22, 2016, in the following additional languages: Bulgarian, Cambodian, Cantonese, Cebuano, Croatian, Fijian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Mongolian, Samoan, Tagalog, Tahitian, Thai, Tongan, and Vietnamese.