Keywords

one on one teaching, student, teacher, student-teacher relationships, reaching out, teaching methods, education, lds, latter-day saints, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Abstract

The most powerful teaching moments may not always occur in the classroom but rather in other contexts, as teachers directly reach out to students as individuals. Consider this experience of President Thomas S. Monson: When I served as a bishop, I noted one Sunday morning that one of our priests was missing from the priesthood meeting. I left the quorum in the care of the adviser and visited Richard’s home. His mother said he was working at the West Temple Garage. I drove to the garage in search of Richard and looked everywhere but I could not find him. Suddenly I had the inspiration to gaze down into the old-fashioned grease pit situated at the side of the station. From the darkness I could see two shining eyes. Then I heard Richard say: “You found me, Bishop! I’ll come up.” He never missed another priesthood meeting. The family moved to a nearby stake. Time passed, and I received a phone call informing me that Richard had been called to serve a mission in Mexico, and I was invited by the family to speak at his farewell testimonial. At the meeting, when Richard responded, he mentioned that the turning point in his determination to fill a mission came one Sunday morning—not in the chapel, but as he gazed up from the depths of a dark grease pit and found his quorum president’s outstretched hand.

Original Publication Citation

John Hilton III. “The Very Best Teaching.” Religious Educator. 12 (3), 129-137. (2011).