Anyone looking to be inspired by people who generously donate their time & talents should show up at one of our Seminary Inservice Saturdays! Some of the volunteer instructors have been teaching for over 15 years! I taught Seminary 2 years in Boston (a zillion years ago) and I'm halfway through my 4th year in California but I would be considered small potatoes relative to some of these endurance teachers!
But, because I know what it entails, I am really amazed by these long term teachers! Twice a year, instructors from all over the Bay Area gather for enrichment classes and we met yesterday. All these men and women lead busy lives but volunteer their time to teach the youth. It's pretty admirable!
Like any church calling with teenagers; it's imperative that you love the youth! Otherwise it's hard not to feel insulted if they lay their head down in the middle of class to sleep! You quickly learn not to take their six in the morning behavior personally!
Besides loving the youth, you have to love the scriptures! You'll never convince the youth that scripture reading is worth their time if it isn't worth your time! Needless to say, my Seminary teaching years have made me a much better student of the scriptures! Initially it was necessary for learning the material well enough to teach it. But now, scripture study has become something I look forward to!
This write up isn't to sing my praises for teaching Seminary; I'm a relative rookie within the CES system! No, I'm just impressed by the tour de force of these long term teachers who return year after year! I left our inservice meeting yesterday inspired by their goodness! I, personally, have a long way to go before I feel like I'm teaching with much flair or finesse! But I've found some good role models in these perennial teachers!
