How can I help others learn about Heavenly Father?

Many people in today’s world either have no concept of God or have a perception of Deity that is very different from His true nature. Because we have the fulness of the gospel, we can help others understand the true nature of Heavenly Father and their relationship to Him.

Prepare yourself spiritually

What experiences have you had teaching others or being taught about God the Father? Why do you think it would be helpful to understand the beliefs of those you are teaching?

What opportunities do the youth have to explain to others their beliefs about God the Father? How can you help them prepare for these opportunities?

Prayerfully study these scriptures and other resources. What do you feel will be most helpful to the youth you teach?

Alma 18:24–40; 22:4–23 (Ammon and Aaron teach Lamanite kings about God)

Alma 30:12–15, 37–53 (Korihor contends with Alma about the existence of God)

“God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father,” Preach My Gospel (2004), 31–32

“Understanding Those You Teach,” Teaching, No Greater Call (1999), 33–34

“God the Father,” True to the Faith (2004), 74–76

Make connections

During the first few minutes of every class, help the youth make connections between what they are learning in various settings (such as personal study, seminary, other Church classes, or experiences with their friends). How can you help them see the relevance of the gospel in daily living? The ideas below might help:

Ask the youth to share something they learned recently about the Godhead. What questions do they have? How can they help each other find answers to their questions?
Invite the youth to spend about a minute writing down what we believe about Heavenly Father (if necessary, refer them to “God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father,” Preach My Gospel, 31–32; or “God the Father,” True to the Faith, 74–76). Invite a few of them to share what they wrote. Ask the youth to share any experiences they have had in which they discussed their beliefs about God with someone who has different beliefs (or you could share an experience of your own). What did they learn from that experience?

Learn together

Each of the activities below will help the youth learn how to explain their beliefs about God to others. Following the inspiration of the Spirit, select one or more that will work best for your class:

As a class or in small groups, analyze Alma 30:12–15, 37–53. Ask some of the youth to identify the reasons Korihor did not believe in God, and ask the rest to look for reasons Alma did believe. Do the youth know of people who have views similar to Korihor’s? Invite the youth to consider how they might help a friend who is unsure about the existence of God. Spend some time helping the youth plan what they might do in this situation. What experiences could they share? How might they appropriately bear testimony?
Invite half of the class to read Alma 18:24–40, and invite the other half to read Alma 22:4–23. What do they learn about teaching from the examples of Ammon and Aaron? What did Ammon and Aaron do to help Lamoni and his father understand the nature of God? Why did Ammon and Aaron both begin by asking Lamoni and his father about their beliefs about God? Ask the youth to share what they learn and to discuss how they could apply it when they have opportunities to explain their beliefs about God to others.
With the permission of the bishop, invite one or more converts to come to class and share what they believed about God before joining the Church and how learning the restored gospel changed or influenced their beliefs. Invite the youth to look for scriptures that support the new understanding that the converts gained about Heavenly Father.

Ask the youth to share what they learned today. What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they understand how to help others learn about Heavenly Father? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be worthwhile to spend more time on this topic?

Teaching tip

“Respond to incorrect answers with respect and courtesy. Ensure that the individual still feels comfortable participating. You may choose to take responsibility yourself by saying something like, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t think I asked that question very clearly. Let me try again’” (Teaching, No Greater Call [1999], 69).

Invite to act

Ask the youth what they feel inspired to do because of what they learned today. Encourage them to act on these feelings. Seek the Spirit as you prayerfully consider ways you can follow up.