Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Seminary Teacher - BEST CALLING EVER!

I was starting to prepare my seminary lesson and I started to cry.
Wow! What is this all about?


Maybe I am crying because we are starting Revelations.
Having to teach Revelations would make anyone cry!

Maybe I am crying because I am preparing my LAST TWO WEEKS of seminary lessons EVER!

Maybe I’m crying because I just read Elder Holland’s talk AGAIN.

Seminary, seminary, seminary. Where do I begin?

First let me just get this out there – I am NOT a morning person.
And NO you don’t EVER get used to getting up that early.
So don’t say that about me!

I love seminary!
While I have HATED getting up at 4:15 every day,
I have LOVED –
Every single student – they uplift me, they build my faith, they entertain me and each and every day, they made me laugh. Their enthusiasm is contagious. They give me hope. I see them like Heavenly Father sees them and he must be so thrilled with them. I love them.

The “forced” study of the scriptures – I’m not that diligent. If I wasn’t teaching seminary, I wouldn’t spend as much time in the scriptures. This has been a selfish blessing to me. I’m the one who benefits from the daily peace the scriptures have brought into my life. And let me just dispel any myth that might be out there – I don’t know ANYTHING about the scriptures. My brain is a sieve. I read, I study, I learn, I prepare, I teach and I FORGET.

Here are the other blessings of teaching seminary. I shouldn’t reveal all this. You’ll see how selfish I have been by hoarding this calling.
Starting the day with the Spirit
Learning from the students
Daily inspiration and personal revelation
Becoming more teachable by the Spirit (I’m still not that teachable by people – oops!)
Recognizing miracles in daily life
Increased testimony in the Savior
Increased testimony of the scriptures as a guide for us
Increased testimony in our modern day Prophet and other Church leaders

Okay – I can’t list all the ways my testimony has increased.
But this calling has been way more of a blessing than a sacrifice.

Many, many times, people have said, “I could NEVER teach seminary!”
Oh yes you could!

I am no one special.
I am no different than you.

All you need is a love of the Lord, a love of the scriptures and a love of teenagers.

Actually you don’t. I don’t think I have always loved the scriptures. You will gain a love of the scriptures as you study them. So don’t worry about that.
And actually, you don’t have to love, like or understand teenagers. As you serve them and as you get to know them, you will realize that teenagers ROCK! They are the best people on the planet. They will surprise you with their dedication, diligence, knowledge, openness, thoughtfulness, desire to do right and most of all their acceptance and forgiveness of your weaknesses as a teacher. NOW I know why Heavenly Father selected a young 14 year old boy to restore the gospel.

So really, all you need is a love of the Lord. That’s it!
So, it’s not that I am some great teacher…….it’s that I had good material and good students.

Seminary Teacher = BEST CALLING EVER.

8 comments:

StephieMae said...

Maybe I am crying because I am preparing my LAST TWO WEEKS of seminary lessons EVER!

The above statement I say COMO QUE LAST EVER?! I had no idea but can I just say I have always admired you for how you have defined your calling aka greatest ever!

Hope you had a wonderful Easter and spring break!

valerie said...

You know what they say about a calling...never say never. :) I think it's great how you put so much in and get so much out of your calling.

Missty said...

My MIL, taught for many years, thought she was done. Had a 3 year break and has been back teaching for about 3 years now.

H.K. said...

Okay, you sold me...seminary teaching is the best calling. So, if they ever call me to be a seminary teacher, I will hestiantly, but happily accept!

deb@virginia blue said...

What a wonderful post and tribute!

How lucky we all are that the Lord is so wise in the callings he extends to us...seems we always get out of them exactly what He knows we need!

* said...

I am reading this and almost crying. I've always had this thought, deep in my heart, that I wouldn't leave this green earth before being called as a seminary teacher. Well...it hasn't happened yet but I'm still kind of hoping.

Wow. It's big shoes to fill, but you are awesome and up to the task, of that I'm sure.

PS: found you on MM blogs, and glad I did!

Shirley said...

I understand exactly how you feel. I don't think a seminary teacher should be told they won't be teaching the next year until the current school year is over. I cried for weeks...and then at the beginning of the next year because I "knew" the new teacher wouldn't love the kids as much as I did. (I did know he would be a wonderful teacher, but that didn't help at the time.)
Have you been called to serve somewhere else yet?

Stacy said...

Thank you for posting this. This is our first year of seminary and as hard as it is to get Chris out of bed some days (not to mention myself), it has been totally worth it.