[Seminary-Notes]
====================================
FOR YOUR INFORMATION...
==================================== In a 14 July 1981 devotional at Brigham Young University, Robert J. Matthews (who was serving as the dean of Religious Instruction), shared a comment written in 1969 by Elder Hugh B. Brown, one of the Twelve Apostles:
I am impressed with the testimony of a man who can stand and say he knows the gospel is true. What I would like to ask is, "But, sir, do you know the gospel?" I say it is one thing to know the gospel is true, and it is another thing to know what the gospel is.
Mere testimony can be gained with but perfunctory knowledge of the Church and its teachings, as evidenced by the hundreds who are now coming into the Church with but bare acquaintanceship. But to retain a testimony, to be of service in building the Lord's kingdom, requires a serious study of the gospel and knowing what it is.
Our responsibility this coming year is to help our students better learn and live the gospel -- not just to know that the gospel is true. Best wishes,
[Seminary-Notes]
====================================
FOR YOUR INFORMATION...
==================================== Last week I shared some summer birthday card ideas...
Here are two additional birthday card preparation ideas that you may wish to complete during the summer months:
Prepare Seminary birthday or half-birthday cards for students who start Seminary NEXT YEAR (in the U.S. -- 8th grade students).
Prepare cards for your bishopric, stake Seminary supervisor, Seminary high councilor, CES coordinator, and anyone else you wish to recognize and thank during the year.
Add each of their birthdays and half-birthdays to your master Seminary calendar. Best wishes,
[Seminary-Notes] ==================================== FOR YOUR INFORMATION... ====================================
Summer is a great time to prepare for the coming Seminary year. Periodically over the summer I will share some ideas for ways you might prepare and "get a jump" on the coming year.
This week's suggestion involves birthdays.
After you find out who your students are for the coming year will be, ask your ward or branch clerk to print you a birthday roster from the ward membership records.
For students who have summer birthdays figure out their "half birthday" (six months after their birthday) and celebrate their birthday on that date.
Use summer time to print or create birthday cards for each of your students. Address the envelope and write a personal message in each card. I also recommend that you include a "little something" in each card -- perhaps a favorite General Authority quotation, a scripture mastery card, etc.
In the upper corner of each card, write (in light pencil) two dates -- the student's actual birthday or half-birthday and the "presentation date" (the closest Seminary day before their birthday when you will actually give them their card).
Then write the presentation dates on your Seminary master calendar.
But... what if your students change during the Seminary year? No problem! It's easier making a few cards instead of all of them!
To possibly save you some preparation time...
Please note that the following teaching resources are available in the New Testament Seminary Scripture Mastery Resource packets -- a birthday card master (Volume 2), scripture mastery first letter cards (Volume 2), hundreds of glue-in quotations from apostles and prophets (Volume 1 and Volume 2), numerous handouts and scripture-based activities (Volume 1 and Volume 2 packets).
