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"Teach Them to Understand" Elder David A. Bednar

of the Quorum of the Seventy(Ricks College Campus Education eek Devotional! "une #! $%%&'

Brothers and sisters! it is onderful to )e here ith you today. A feground rules as e )egin* +irst! this ill not )e me talking at you asmuch as , hope it ill )e an invitation for the Spirit of the -oly host toteach all of us. Second! if you have your scriptures! the rustling of thepages is seet music to my ears. , recommend that if you have yourscriptures you put them on your lap. /ou may even ant to have a pieceof paper and a pen00not to rite don anything , ill say! )ut to payparticular attention to and note the thoughts that ill come to your mind

and the feelings that ill come to your heart. 1he 2ord indicates inSection & of the Doctrine and Covenants that revelation fre3uentlycomes as thoughts to the mind and feelings to the heart. So listening tome is not important! )ut paying attention to the promptings of the -olyhost is very important.

4lease turn ith me to Section 56 in the Doctrine and Covenants! verses$7 and $#* 8herefore! , the 2ord ask you this 3uestion00unto hat ere ye ordained9 1o preach my gospel )y the Spirit! even the Comforter

 hich as sent forth to teach the truth.8 , ould dra your attention to a very important distinction in verse $#. hen you and , are called to aposition and set apart to serve in the Church! our responsi)ility is not toteach. ,t is to preach. 1he ord preach in our contemporary voca)ularyhas some negative )aggage associated ith it. e think of people rantingand raving and pounding the pulpit: that is not it at all. 4reaching ise;plaining and articulating the doctrine of Christ )y the poer of theSpirit. ,f you and ,! as e are properly set apart! fulfill thatresponsi)ility! ho then does the teaching9 1he anser is found in verse

$#* 8Even the Comforter hich as sent forth to teach the truth.8 e aretaught )y the third mem)er of the odhead! even the -oly host. 1hatis hy it is so important hen e are assem)led in a setting such as thisto remem)er and heed the thoughts that come to our minds and thefeelings that come to our hearts. 1hey are put there )y the Spirit of the-oly host. 1hat is the teaching e should respond to. So , invite thatspirit and pray e ill have the companionship of the -oly host. , ask you to pray for me! even as , no pray for you! that e can have thatspiritual gift as e are together during this period of time.

Every -ome is a -ouse of 2earning. As , have reflected on that themefrom Elder irthlin! the 3uestion has come to my mind* 8hy is the

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home so crucial for gospel instruction98 , think e ould all agree thatthe home can and should )e the most natural and the most effectivesetting for learning the gospel. , ould simply pose this one 3uestion*8hy98 2et me suggest a fe thoughts that have come to my mind as ,have reflected on this 3uestion.

1he first reason is the home is the only place here e cannot hide from ho e really are. Brother 0 year0old son! they help me remem)er things as they really are.

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continuing individual repentance.

Brother Shirley may say! 8Elder Bednar does a particular thing very ell.8 /et my ife knos , did not do that particular thing very ell thismorning. noing that , cannot hide from ho , really am hen , am ith my ife and my children produces in me a desire to )e )etter than , ould ordinarily )e.

So hy is the home potentially the most natural and most effectivesetting for learning the gospel9 Because there e find the truth a)outourselves! and e cannot hide from it.

 e are going to spend some time in the scriptures to identify the secondreason hy the home is the )est place to learn gospel principles. 1heSavior emphatically emphasied the home as a special setting for thelearning of gospel doctrine and principles. 4lease turn to 7 =ephi!Chapter $F. As e go through this series of verses! e are going to focuson a ord. , ill highlight that ord hen e get to it. /ou ill recallthat in Chapter $F the Savior is teaching the people in the 2and ofBountiful near the temple. 1his is one of the most poerful chapters inall of holy rit. Beginning in verse $*

Behold! no it came to pass that hen "esus had spoken these ords helooked round a)out again on the multitude! and he said unto them*Behold! my time is at hand.

, perceive that ye are eak! that ye cannot understand all my ords . . .

Gnderstand is the ord , ant to dra to our attention. =otice that theSavior! even in the midst of his preaching! as aare that the peoplecould not understand all that as )eing presented.

. . . ye cannot understand all my ords hich , am commanded of the+ather to speak unto you at this time.1herefore! go ye unto your homes! and ponder upon the things hich ,

have said! and ask of the +ather! in my name! that ye may understand!and prepare your minds for the morro! and , come unto you again.(7 =ephi $F*$07! emphasis added'

 hat a marvelous formula ($' o to your home! (' ponder upon thethings that have )een said! (7' ask of the +ather in Christ?s name that you ill understand! and (#' prepare your mind for additionalinstruction.

Even though the most poerful teacher ho ever lived as in their midst

and instructing these people! yet -e! "esus Christ! recognied that trueunderstanding ould come in the home. , find it poerful and

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significant that Christ emphasied the setting of the home as the placefor understanding the doctrines of the gospel.

=o turn to Section >& in the Doctrine and Covenants. , ant to linktogether a series of verses that e all kno and are familiar ith.4erhaps e have not e;amined carefully the ord understand in these verses. Brace yourself! )ecause , am a)out to preach a hard doctrine.

 And again! inasmuch as parents have children of her stakes hich areorganied! that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance!faith in Christ the Son of the living od! and of )aptism and the gift ofthe -oly host )y the laying on of the hands! hen eight years old! thesin )e upon the heads of the parents.+or this shall )e a la unto the inha)itants of Hion! or in any of herstakes hich are organied. (DIC >&*50>!emphasis added'

-ere is the hard doctrine. ,t does not say to teach our children. 1eachingis an activity. ,t says that e should teach them to understand.Gnderstanding is an outcome: it is a result. ,t is easy for us to say! 8,teach my children in the home.8 1hat is not the @o) e have )eenassigned. 1hat is not the admonition. ,t says that e are to teach them tounderstand.

-ere is the 3uestion that follos this hard doctrine. 8Can any parent

ever ensure or guarantee that a child ill understand98 1he anser is!8=o.8 2et?s go )ack to Section 56 and continue ith hat e have reada)out the process of learning )y the Spirit. e have already read verses$7 and $#. 1his entire section descri)es the process here)y he thatpreacheth and he that receiveth! hen they do so under the influence ofthe -oly host! are edified and re@oice together. 1here is one otherimportant outcome. Can you guess hat it is9 1hey understand eachother. 2et?s go to verse $F in Section 56*

 Jerily , say unto you! he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach

the ord of truth )y the Comforter! in the Spirit of truth! doth he preachit )y the Spirit of truth or some other ay9 And if it )e )y some other ay it is not of od.1herefore! hy is it that ye cannot understand and kno! that he thatreceiveth the ord )y the Spirt of truth receiveth it as it is preached )ythe Spirit of truth9 herefore! he that preacheth and he that receiveth! understand oneanother! and )oth are edified and re@oice together. (DIC 56*$F0$&! $0! emphasis added'

, )elieve! )rothers and sisters! that Section >& verses 50> are an

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admonition for parents to create a home that is a house of learning herein the Spirit of the -oly host can reside. ,n such a home the -oly host can teach the children to understand. ,t is not the parents ho dothe teaching. 1he parents have a role: they create! invite! and facilitate.But ho ultimately is the teacher9 1he Spirit of the -oly host. And it is

teaching )y the Spirit that produces understanding.

, think each of these scriptures points to the home as a conte;t forteaching )y the Spirit of the -oly host. ithin a Christ0centered home!love! trust! and confidence invite the Spirit of the -oly host. , )elievethese scriptures highlight the importance of creating a home herein the-oly host can do the teaching. As parents e have the responsi)ility toesta)lish that type of house of learning.

, ould like to dra your attention to the second chapter of & is toteach our children to understand. Both passages highlight the samepattern of creating a Christ0centered! spirit0filled house of learning sothat the -oly host can teach and testify.

2et?s read Chapter in

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that ye may hear! and your hearts that ye may understand! and yourminds that the mysteries of od may )e unfolded to your vie. (

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Susan and , have lived in the mission field all of our adult lives! and ehave encountered marvelous people in other denominations ho domany of the right things )ut do not fully understand hy. ,t concerns meas , see young people in our Church ho kno all the correct things they should do and do not have a clue as to hy. 1hey have a check0list

mentality. 8Say my prayers morning and night. Read the scriptures.8 hy do they do these things9 8Because , am supposed to. Because theprophet said. Because my mom and dad ill @ump my case if , don?t.8

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through him and through his posterity! hich is us! all the families of theearth ould )e )lessed. -o9 By our )earing this ministry! hich is theresponsi)ility to proclaim the gospel! and this priesthood! meaning thesaving ordinances of the gospel of "esus Christ. e have promised that e ill carry this message to the nations of the earth. Brothers and

sisters! you and , ere )orn to spend our lives proclaiming the gospeland serving others. 5! retired! andthinking a)out serving a mission! you made that choice )efore you ereever )orn. ,t is through the lineage of A)raham that e came to theearth. Blessing others )y proclaiming the gospel is hat e ere )orn todo.

 As , have opportunities to visit ith young people! , like to talk a)out hat it means to )e the 8seed of A)raham.8 -oping that the Spirit of the

2ord ill touch their hearts! , highlight the story of "aco) and Esau.Esau gave up his )irthright )lessing for a )ol of red )ean soup. =o a3uestion directed to the young people* ould you really ant to forfeit your )irthright as the seed of A)raham00foreordained in the premortale;istence! living on the earth at this particular time to )less the familiesof the earth! the most glorious spiritually destiny you could ever hopefor9 Do you really ant to give up those )lessings and opportunities for afe minutes of messing around9 ,f e understand the doctrine of ho e are and hy e are here! then that understanding changes the ay

 e do things.2isten to this statement from 4resident Boyd . 4acker* 81rue doctrineunderstood changes attitudes and )ehavior. 1he study of the doctrines of the gospel ill improve )ehavior 3uicker than a study of )ehavior illimprove )ehavior8 (Boyd . 4acker! 82ittle Children!8 Ensign! =ovem)er$%&>! pg. $F'.

, do not intend to )e harsh! )ut in Relief Society! priesthood! /oung

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out of people and then they take themselves out of the slums. 1he orld ould mold men )y changing their environment. Christ changes men ho then change their environment. 1he orld ould shape human )ehavior! )ut Christ can change human nature. (1eachings of Era 1aftBenson! pg. F%'

 As parents! ho do e get inside9 1his is the challenge )ecause e havethe responsi)ility to teach our children to understand. ,f the 2ord orksfrom the inside out! can a parent get inside9 1he anser as found inSection 56. /ou and , preach. And , do not mean rant and rave andpound the pulpit. e articulate! e e;plain! e set a orthy e;ample!and e testify of the simple doctrine of Christ00particularly in ourhomes00so the Spirit of the -oly host can teach! )ringing thoughts tothe mind and feelings to the heart. 1hat is ho the 2ord gets inside. ,n

essence! you and , have the opportunity to )e the vessel or vehiclethrough hom the Spirit can come and touch the hearts of those hom e love.

+inally! this statement from 4resident

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 As , intervieed mem)ers of the Church! fre3uently , ould in3uire!81ell me a)out personal and family prayer in your home.8 8ell!4resident! e kno e should do that )ut e don?t do it as consistentlyas e ought to.8 8-o a)out family scripture study98 8,t @ust seems that ith our hectic schedules as e all go in different directions! e @ust

never seem to get that done.8 1hen! ithout trying to )e too )iting or toopointed! , ould ask! 84lease help me understand hat it is in your lifethat is so important that you cannot make time for these spirituallyessential activities.8 1hese activities invite the Spirit of the -oly host. ,tis not @ust a matter of checking them off a 8to do8 list so e do not feelguilty. ,t is a matter of inviting the spirit of revelation and the protectionof the -oly host for me! for you! and for our children.

Brothers and sisters! think of the total amount of time in a eek devoted

to doctrinally )ased! spirit0filled instruction for our young peoplethrough the programs of the Church. 2et?s assume they go to seminary.1hat might yield three or four hours of 3uality instruction during thecourse of the eek. hat ould they receive in church on Sunday91hirty minutes in sacrament meeting: thirty minutes in Sunday School:and thirty minutes in /oung