I’m teaching Stake Relief Society tonight
I’ve been asked to teach a class tonight for a stake Relief Society activity called Rejoice! You don’t have to teach this class! The goal is to provide “Tips for teaching by the spirit”. I am one of about twelve guest speakers under assignment from the Stake Relief Society president that will teach a class. There are about four concurrent classes in three segments so I won’t be teaching the entire stake RS or anything. (Besides, who knows how many people will actually show up). Still it is a little nerve racking for me. I am one of the few male speakers and the topic is a little tough – how to teach by the spirit. Talk about pressure! If I don’t manage to get the Spirit to show up for this I’m gonna look like quite an idiot. Oh well, I look like an idiot regularly enough not to care so much about that, but I do want to be useful to God if I can.
So why did I get asked? Well I’m stake Sunday School president right now and during all of our recent ward conferences I taught Gospel Doctrine in every ward. I guess the stake RS president thought I didn’t stink at it so I got the gig. (And yes, it is a weird calling for a youngish guy like me to have. I like it even though I sort of am making it up as I go.)
Anyway, plan to improvise my lesson using the following:
• D&C 50
• A variation on my recent Ears post
• An object lesson using some walkie-talkies with my wife (about dialogue in prayer)
• A discussion on the similarities between teaching by the spirit and jazz and rock improvisation (something I’ve done a ton of in my day and feel is very similar to teaching.)
I only have 30 minutes so I am counting on God himself doing all the real teaching. Of course if things start going south I’ll just crack a bunch of jokes like I always do. If nothing else that will keep everyone awake… Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll report on the results later.
Ok, it went pretty well. I was in the chapel at the podium so it was much more of a lecture than an interactive class so that made it a little tough. My wife and a friend said they really enjoyed it and took some useful bits away from it and Kristen is honest with me about those sorts of things. I’ll write up a post right now on my post stake Women’s Conference thoughts.
Comment by Geoff Johnston — April 22, 2005 @ 12:13 am
I’m picturing all of us on the blog breathlessly waiting to hear how Geoff did on his talk and nobody posts and it’s almost a year later and we are all saying, “thank God for that.”
Geoff, do you feel like the Maytag repairman? I’m so glad I quit Wal-mart because I missed a lot of good stuff. My job was interfering with my blogging, so I had to quit.
Although working at Wal-Mart was sort of like blogging, I introduced a topic to my line of customers and we discussed things while I scanned and bagged their bananas and bread and price matched their milk. You would be amazed what people will tell the checker at the grocery store.
Comment by annegb — February 24, 2006 @ 5:45 am
And I’m just up early with a headache, spreading my little bluebird of happiness all around the world, while the dogs are giving me dirty looks because I’m interfering with their rest (their beds are in my office). Good morning, Geoff!
Comment by annegb — February 24, 2006 @ 5:47 am
Wow — that is early Anne. I appreciate the comments on this long neglected post though. Bluebirds of happiness are great!
Comment by Geoff J — February 24, 2006 @ 11:06 am