What can I learn from President Monson about following the Spirit?
President Thomas S. Monson has said: “Not a day has gone by that I have not communicated with my Father in Heaven through prayer. It is a relationship I cherish—one I would literally be lost without. If you do not now have such a relationship with your Father in Heaven, I urge you to work toward that goal. As you do so, you will be entitled to His inspiration and guidance in your life—necessities for each of us if we are to survive spiritually during our sojourn here on earth. Such inspiration and guidance are gifts He freely gives if we but seek them. What treasures they are! I am always humbled and grateful when my Heavenly Father communicates with me through His inspiration. I have learned to recognize it, to trust it, and to follow it” (“Stand in Holy Places,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 84).
Prepare yourself spiritually
How has following the promptings of the Holy Ghost blessed your life? How have you been inspired by President Monson’s example in this regard?
Do the youth you teach know how to receive and follow spiritual promptings? How will learning to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost help the youth now and in the future? How might President Monson’s example inspire them?
Prayerfully study these scriptures and resources. What will help the youth learn from the example of President Monson about acting on the promptings of the Holy Ghost?
Proverbs 3:5–6 (If we trust in the Lord, He will direct our paths)
1 Nephi 3:7 (The Lord prepares a way for us to accomplish the things He commands us to do)
2 Nephi 32:1–5 (The Holy Ghost shows us the things we should do)
D&C 8:2–3 (The Holy Ghost speaks to our minds and hearts)
Thomas S. Monson, “Consider the Blessings,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 86–89
Thomas S. Monson, “Stand in Holy Places,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 82–86 (story about conducting the dedication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple)
Thomas S. Monson, “Tabernacle Memories,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 41–42 (story about feeling prompted to address remarks in a conference talk to a girl sitting in the balcony)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “President Thomas S. Monson: In the Footsteps of the Master,” supplement to Ensign or Liahona, June 2008, 2–16 (see the section titled “Loyalty to Friends and to the Lord”)
Videos: “Following the Promptings of the Spirit,” “Always Follow the Promptings of the Spirit”
Teaching in the Savior’s way
Jesus Christ taught, “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:16–17). How does the depth of your obedience help you know the truth of the doctrine you teach?
Make connections
During the first few minutes of every class, help the youth make connections between things 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 you:
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Invite each youth to find a scripture he or she has read and marked recently and share it with the class. Ask each to share what impressed him or her about the verse.
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Share with the youth the statement from President Thomas S. Monson at the beginning of this outline. What impresses them about his statement? What stories can the youth think of in which President Monson received and acted upon promptings of the Holy Ghost?
Learn together
Each of the activities below will help the youth learn from President Monson’s example of following spiritual promptings. Following the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, select one or more that will work best for your class:
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Assign each youth a story about President Monson receiving and following promptings from the Holy Ghost (such as those suggested in this outline). Ask the youth to read and summarize their story and what they learned about acting on inspiration. Ask the youth to share experiences in which they have acted on promptings and been blessed.
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Invite the youth to read the scriptures provided in this outline and write a brief statement summarizing what each scripture teaches about following the promptings of the Spirit. Read together one or more of the stories about President Monson suggested in this outline, and ask the youth to listen for ways President Monson exemplified the scriptures they read. What can the youth do to be more receptive to spiritual promptings?
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Ask the youth to ponder the following questions as they read the stories about President Monson or watch the videos suggested in this outline: Why is it sometimes hard to act on promptings from the Holy Ghost? How can we overcome these difficulties? What are the blessings that come from following promptings? Invite them to share any insights they gain from President Monson’s example. What can they do to follow that example?
Ask the youth to share what they learned today. What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they understand why it is important to act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be worthwhile to spend more time on this topic?
Gospel study skills
Summarizing. In the first two activities in this section the youth are invited to write brief summaries of what they learn from a conference talk or a scripture passage. You can help them by encouraging them to make notes about their impressions, the doctrine that is taught, the events that took place, the people who were involved, and so on. They can ask themselves, “What is the Lord trying to emphasize and why? Is there anything in what I read that applies to me personally?”
Video: “Reviewing What They Learned”
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.