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The new Relief Society and Priesthood manual, "Joseph Smith: Teachings of Presidents of the Church," is an absolutely outstanding book!
I recommend that you read (or re-read) the Introduction section (pages vii-xii) -- but do so with Seminary in mind.
The comments in the "Personal Study" section are applicable to your daily Seminary lesson preparation.
Most of the ideas in the "Teaching from This Book" section relate directly to teaching Seminary and are a straightforward refresher.
The section entitled "Conduct Edifying Discussions" provides some excellent suggestions for encouraging discussion in a gospel classroom. Many of them should work perfectly in your Seminary class!
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If you have identified some changes that you would like to make with your Seminary class, then returning from the holiday break is a great time to introduce those new practices and "traditions" to your students.
If student punctuality has been slipping, now is a good time to gently re-emphasize its importance.
If you haven't been enjoying an activity day most weeks, you can start doing so now!
If scripture mastery needs more attention, dedicate a few minutes from each lesson beginning tomorrow.
January is also an excellent time to recommit students to learning the scripture mastery scriptures, reading the assigned chapters in the Old Testament, and remaining eligible to complete this Seminary year.
January is as close to a new beginning as you and your students will have this year! How you use it is up to you!
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Footnotes in the LDS edition of the Bible contain a wealth of information. Without making a conscious effort, though, it is easy to read a scripture block without ever checking the accompanying footnotes.
Verses from the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) can clarify difficult-to-understand scriptures and help increase student understanding -- but only when students recognize that there is a JST footnote.
An easy way to help students mark their scriptures (so that they will refer to Joseph Smith Translation verses and other important footnotes) is to invite students to circle the footnote letter in the King James Version verse. When the matching footnote is also underlined, it helps ensure that footnote will be noticed the next time that scripture block is read.
Here are two additional fun ways to bring ancient Egypt into your classroom this year by using the cartouche software program...
1) Create a Cartouche Bookmark for each of your students (with their name in the cartouche).
The picture above shows the various formats that you can use. The photo below shows sample bookmarks (printed on cardstock, cut and covered with contact paper).
2) Create a Cartouche Activity.
Make a cartouche for each of your students and place them in a word processing file. (You can probably place about 10 cartouches on one page.) Print a copy of the cartouche page(s) for each student.
Invite students to "translate" the cartouches. You may wish to provide the answer for one name (to help get your students started "translating").
A sample classroom activity (for 16 students and one teacher) is found here. The last three cartouches spell out "Rolling Valley Ward."
This file was printed to create the bookmarks (discussed above).
I teach at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, and some White House staffers showed up in my doorway unannounced one day to check out my office. I recognized where they're from (their tie tacks gave them away) so I asked, "When's the President coming here to speak here?" After hesitating a moment, they answered, "Next week."
My office is close to the entrance into our auditorium so it was designated as President Bush's preparation room. Before his speech, my office was checked and prepared for the President's visit.
President Bush used my office that morning to review his talk one last time and to prepare for the policy speech he gave. It was fun to know that the President spent some time at my desk, saw the pictures of my sweetheart and family, and also the picture of the Salt Lake Temple that hangs on my office wall.
When I found out that the President was going to use my office, I was especially glad that I keep my office clean, and it reminded me of the story about Joseph F. Smith that President Hinckley shared in Priesthood Session during the April 2007 General Conference. The Prophet said:
Joseph F. Smith was the son of Hyrum Smith, who was the brother of the Prophet Joseph and was martyred with him in Carthage. Joseph F. was born at Far West, Missouri, on November 13, 1838. ... At the age of 15 he was called on a mission to Hawaii. He made his way to San Francisco and there worked in a shingle mill to earn enough money to buy passage to the islands.
Hawaii was not a tourist center then. It was populated by the native Hawaiians, who were, for the most part, poor but generous with what they had. He learned to speak their language and to love them. While serving there he experienced a remarkable dream. I quote from his narrative concerning this. Said he:
"I was very much oppressed [when I was] on a mission. I was almost naked and entirely friendless, except [for] the friendship of a poor, benighted ... people. I felt as if I was so debased in my condition of poverty, lack of intelligence and knowledge, just a boy, that I hardly dared look a ... man in the face.
"While in that condition I dreamed [one night] that I was on a journey, and I was impressed that I ought to hurry—hurry with all my might, for fear I might be too late. I rushed on my way as fast as I possibly could, and I was only conscious of having just a little bundle, a handkerchief with a small bundle wrapped in it. I did not realize ... what it was, when I was hurrying as fast as I could; but finally I came to a wonderful mansion. ... I thought I knew that was my destination. As I passed towards it, as fast as I could, I saw a notice [which read B-A-T-H], 'Bath.' I turned aside quickly and went into the bath and washed myself clean. I opened up this little bundle that I had, and there was [some] white, clean [clothing], a thing I had not seen for a long time, because the people I was with did not think very much of making things exceedingly clean. But my [clothing was] clean, and I put [it] on. Then I rushed to what appeared to be a great opening, or door. I knocked and the door opened, and the man who stood there was the Prophet Joseph Smith. He looked at me a little reprovingly, and the first words he said: 'Joseph, you are late.' Yet I took confidence and [replied]:
"'Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!'
"He clasped my hand and drew me in, then closed the great door. I felt his hand just as tangible as I ever felt the hand of man. I knew him, and when I entered I saw my father, and Brigham [Young] and Heber [C. Kimball], and Willard [Richards], and other good men that I had known, standing in a row. I looked as if it were across this valley, and it seemed to be filled with a vast multitude of people, but on the stage were all the people that I had known. My mother was there, and she sat with a child in her lap; and I could name over as many as I remember of their names, who sat there, who seemed to be among the chosen, among the exalted. ...
"[When I had this dream,] I was alone on a mat, away up in the mountains of Hawaii—no one was with me. But in this vision I pressed my hand up against the Prophet, and I saw a smile cross his countenance. ...
"When I awoke that morning I was a man, although only [still] a boy. There was not anything in the world that I feared [after that]. I could meet any man or woman or child and look them in the face, feeling in my soul that I was a man every whit. That vision, that manifestation and witness that I enjoyed at that time has made me what I am, if I am anything that is good, or clean, or upright before the Lord, if there is anything good in me. That has helped me out in every trial and through every difficulty" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 542–43).
The core of that meaningful dream is found in the reproof given by Joseph Smith to young Joseph F. Said the Prophet, "Joseph, you are late."
Replied Joseph F., "Yes, but I am clean—I am clean!" ...
His declaration "I am clean" gave him self-assurance and courage in facing anyone or any situation. He received the strength that comes from a clear conscience fortified by the approbation of the Prophet Joseph."
(Source: President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2007, pp. 61-62.)
May we help our students to understand the importance of always being clean.
(If you’re curious… Here’s a link to the talk that President Bush gave after he used my office.)
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When you discuss leprosy and cleansing procedures this year, one of your students may ask "Is leprosy still a health problem in the world?"
Here's a website that contains the answer:
www.peterrussell.com/Odds/WorldClock.php
And the answer is... There are approximately 6,000 new cases of leprosy each year in the entire world. By way of comparison, there are over 15 million cardiovascular disease cases and over 7 million new cancer cases.
The World Clock website includes continually updating estimates that you might find useful. There are statistics in three general categories:
1) Population (world population, births, deaths, and population growth)
2) Death Causes (32 statistics in the following sub-categories: noncommunicable diseases, infectious diseases, other, and injuries)
3) World (military expenditures, Internet users, cars produced, forest cut, species extinction, abortions, etc.)
You can view statistics for the current year, current month, current week, today, or "beginning right now." All figures are approximations, of course, but they are based on United Nations, World Health Organization, and other international sources.
It is sobering, for example, to learn that estimates show that over one trillion dollars has already been spent worldwide this year on military expenditures.
(I have not explored the rest of the World Clock website -- so I cannot vouch for the validity or usefulness of any additional resources or articles found there.)
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It was still dark as I drove to work yesterday morning on highway I-395 in northern Virginia. As I passed the Pentagon on my left, the traffic abruptly came to a halt. The freeway bends north there in order to cross the Potomac River into the District of Columbia. There was no apparent cause for the traffic jam that I found myself in.
After a few minutes of creeping along, I could see several flashing yellow lights and orange traffic cones in the distance that were causing drivers in the left lane, like I was, to move into the next lane.
When I reached the flashing lights, I could now see that recent rains and a clogged freeway drain had created a small lake in the left lane about 30 yards long and almost two feet deep.
Without the flashing lights and traffic cones, drivers like myself would have hit the black water while traveling at full speed and lost control of our vehicles. Fortunately, someone who knew that the hazard was there had taken the time to place the flashing lights at just the right time in just the right place.
It caused me to think that President Hinckley is currently serving the same function as those flashing lights, and our local church leaders provide additional assistance like the smaller, but well-placed, traffic cones.
The Lord knows there are hazards in life that we cannot see so he positions His living prophet and local leaders to warn us of their presence. If we are wise, we will listen and obey.
The Old Testament teaches this lesson from the beginning of Genesis through the closing pages of Malachi, and we have the wonderful opportunity to share those lessons with our students.
"Today I join you in sustaining President Gordon B. Hinckley as prophet, seer, and revelator, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The prophets of old taught well the importance of listening to the voice of prophets." (Elder Robert D. Hales, Ensign, May 1995.)
"How deeply grateful I am for the inspired leadership of our dear President Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet of God in our time, and his noble counselors." (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, May 2006.)
I had an interesting experience last month...
