Akron Ohio Stake News

by Brother Edmund Priddis, 1st Counselor in the Stake Sunday School Presidency

The Stake Sunday School Presidency invites everyone in the Akron Ohio Stake to join with us in focusing on Teaching in the Savior’s Way during the month of May. We have been preparing for this month and hope you have noticed some of the things that have been happening. Each of the Sunday School presidents in the wards in the stake has been leading discussions in their respective ward councils on this topic, and in March, the members of the High Council spoke on this subject when they visited our wards. Now we are extending the invitation to every member of the stake as individuals, as part of quorums and classes, and as ward members to join with us in improving our teaching by focusing on the Savior and teaching in the Savior’s way.

Whether we are formally called as a teacher in our ward or not, all of us are teachers. The Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual tells us, “You are a disciple of Jesus Christ. This means that you are a teacher because discipleship includes teaching, blessing, and lifting others. You may, for a time, be given a formal calling to teach, but the responsibility to teach will always be with you, especially if you are a parent.” This means that we all have a challenge and a responsibility to become better teachers. Luckily we have the perfect example in our Savior Jesus Christ to look to as we learn and grow as teachers. “As you ponder His life and your own opportunities to teach, you will find that the way to become an effective teacher is to become more like the Savior… The key to teaching as the Savior taught is to live as the Savior lived.”

The church has produced a manual titled Teaching in the Savior’s Way. There are four themes in the manual that can guide our progress. 

1. Love those you teach

2. Teach by the Spirit

3. Teach the doctrine

4. Invite diligent learning. 

We encourage each of you to use this resource as you consider what you can personally do to become more like the Savior in your teaching.

We do not have any specific guidelines or special programs that we are implementing this month, but instead, we are asking each member to counsel with the Lord, as did the Brother of Jared, to be inspired to know how the Lord would have you improve as a teacher. It may be as simple as reading and studying the Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual during this month. It may involve teaching in your home, such as during Family Home Evening, or maybe the way that you interact with your ministering families. Perhaps it will involve sharing the gospel through words or examples to those that have not yet joined the church or sharing messages and experiences in classes and quorums during Sunday meetings.

No matter what you decide to do, we know that as we turn to the Lord to improve our teaching, we will be blessed individually, as wards, and as a stake and will feel the Spirit more abundantly in our lives. We look forward to joining with you and hearing your experiences as we focus on Teaching in the Savior’s Way in the month of May.