So last Sunday I taught Elder's Quorum. Normally this isn't a bad thing. I greatly enjoy teaching and talking about the various topics and I will be honest, unless I am leading the discussion there is very little chance I will actually participate. Not because I don't want to but because I feel like there are others in class with a greater understanding of the church than I could even dream to achieve and I hate sounding stupid. I always accept when someone calls me to ask me to teach regardless of the subject (which would be why I have taught the law of Chastity 3 times in 3 years).
I should have turned down this one though.
The lesson was on apostasy and how to keep ourselves from falling away from the church and following the leaders. Unfortunately the only way I could think to conduct this discussion was to reveal far too much of myself and my life. I had to talk about the apostasy of my father, my mother, and myself.
I didn't use the manual at all. One doesn't really need one when they have so much rich personal experience to draw from.
I don't want to get into it here, mostly because if you're reading this you probably already know the story, however I am instead going to use this post to thank those of you who helped remind me why I love the gospel so much and give me the strength to continue going. Here are just some of your names in no particular order -
Dean
Mark Johnson
Kurt Kaiser
Aimee Elber
Sandra Brand
Lynette, Dick, Margaret, Anna, Jared, Ira, and Leah Young.
Liz Allen
Ian Jones
Kai Jones
Rob Schunk
Morgan Dipo
Derek Child
Nickie Hugie
Jared Rorher
Allen & Carla Bushman
Rachael Knudsen
John Farrell
Anita Farrell
Nick Andros
Brice Davis
Zach Wadsworth
If I left anyone off it's not because you don't mean anything to me, but rather because I wanted to keep it short. I want you to know that I love you all so very much and I know that without you to give me strength and leading the way as an example I know I would not be where I am today. Just knowing you and the love you have for me despite my screw ups makes me want to be a better person.
Thank you for loving me and I want you to know I love you too.
5 comments:
That was probably the most memorable lesson of the year. (except for the one I taught, which was amazing.)
I really liked this lesson....can't imagine teaching it though!! I am sure you did a great job!
I love you too, Allen. And I'm sorry that one of those Law of Chastity lessons was at my request. I promise I didn't ask you to do it because of the subject matter...I just had to be out of town that week. I'm totally comfortable talking about chastity all on my own! :)
Sidenote: Are Ian & Kai Jones from the Tri-Cities? I think I know them. Well, their mom was my Laurel advisor. John Parker (who used to be in 3rd ward) is their cousin. But I knew him as Johnny Parker, the chubby kid up the street who used to always tease me and his sister Julie when we tried to have sleepovers. :)
Your lessons i have always heard are great...plus when you teach from personal experience people tend to remember what was actually taught!
I wish I could have been there to hear you teach! You are wonderful.
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