Gospel Doctrine - Ending the Year With a Bang

[_cinepro]

A friend of mine teaches Gospel Doctrine in our ward, but asked me to substitute last Sunday (12/31). In counsel with the Sunday School President, we decided that since there wasn't any actual lesson in the manual for that week, that I should end our year-long study of "Church History" with a lesson that fills in some of the gaps, focusing on the Gospel Topics Essays.

At the beginning of the lesson, I explained to the class that I was a substitute, there was no manual so I can't be accused of going "off manual", and I already had a calling in Scouts so I can't be punished.

And away we went. I went for a mix of interesting trivia and "meat" from the Gospel Topics Essays. I used PowerPoint slides to present visual aids.

"Gospel Doctrine - Lesson 47"

1. (Attention-Getter - Madam Pattirini) - Showed the picture and asked if anyone knew who it was. Lots of raised eyebrows when her real identity was revealed.

2. Gospel Topics Essays overview.

3. First Vision - Different Accounts. Excerpt from the 1832 account discussed.

4. Book of Mormon - Story of Alvin being "the right one", but dying. Joseph Smith sr. ad in local paper denying digging up Alvin's body.

5. Book of Mormon scribes. What happened to the original manuscript?

6. Book of Mormon translation method. Brought a hat and rock from my front yard as visual aids.

7. "Pop Quiz" - Showed the commonly used picture of Joseph and Oliver "translating." Class members easily noticed the numerous inaccuracies.

8. Then showed the picture of President Nelson touring the Harmony recreation of Joseph's cabin, including the hat on the table.

9. Trivia: Code names used in the D&C until 1981.

10. Trivia: Different names of the Church over time.

11. The Story of Vienna Jacques.

12. "The Plat of Zion"

13. Far West Temple Site - Prophecy about Apostles leaving on mission in 1839.

14. "Plural Marriage in the Church" essay. One older class member talked about how when they were growing up in the Church, "no one knew Joseph Smith practiced polygamy." One orthodox member offered her opinion that "it just doesn't matter at all to my salvation." Talked about Hyrum taking section 132 to Emma. Mentioned Joseph Smith being sealed to women with living LDS husbands (a few eyebrows went up).

15. (Planned to talk about the Council of 50, but ran out of time)

16. Ended with the story of the Steamship Saluda.

17. (Didn't have time to talk about the Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham).



The power point I used is attached. I had a lot of very positive feedback after the lesson! Lots of people saying "wow"; several asked for a copy of my notes so they could read the parts I skipped.

It was definitely a fun way to end the year. I'll be the first to admit it would be impossible and inappropriate to teach like that every week, but once every four years sounds about right.



Cinepro "Lesson 47" Powerpoint

[_Stem]

Sounds fun.

[_deacon blues]

Madame Paterini is a new one on me. I'll be dogone.

[_Jesse Pinkman]

What a cool presentation! I wish I had been in your class.

[_Dr Exiled]

A friend of mine teaches Gospel Doctrine in our ward, but asked me to substitute last Sunday (12/31). In counsel with the Sunday School President, we decided that since there wasn't any actual lesson in the manual for that week, that I should end our year-long study of "Church History" with a lesson that fills in some of the gaps, focusing on the Gospel Topics Essays.

[SNIP!]

Cinepro "Lesson 47" Powerpoint

I know this isn't your intention, but do you think this will cause some to question their way out? Or do you subscribe to the inoculation theory? As a personal note, I was inoculated early about a lot of the troubling aspects of church history and it kept me inside for a long time, until I started looking at Christianity as a whole and the problems with the biblical contradictions and the fundamental question of why the atonement was even necessary given that God could probably forgive sin all along.

[_cinepro]

I know this isn't your intention, but do you think this will cause some to question their way out? Or do you subscribe to the inoculation theory? As a personal note, I was inoculated early about a lot of the troubling aspects of church history and it kept me inside for a long time, until I started looking at Christianity as a whole and the problems with the biblical contradictions and the fundamental question of why the atonement was even necessary given that God could probably forgive sin all along.

I absolutely believe in "inoculation". Obviously there will always be some people who encounter the information and might begin to doubt. But I strongly suspect if anyone in that class was hearing about the rock-in-the-hat or Joseph's polyandry for the first time, if they ever do hear about it a second time from a different source they won't give it a second thought.

[_Dr Exiled]

I know this isn't your intention, but do you think this will cause some to question their way out? Or do you subscribe to the inoculation theory? As a personal note, I was inoculated early about a lot of the troubling aspects of church history and it kept me inside for a long time, until I started looking at Christianity as a whole and the problems with the biblical contradictions and the fundamental question of why the atonement was even necessary given that God could probably forgive sin all along.

I absolutely believe in "inoculation". Obviously there will always be some people who encounter the information and might begin to doubt. But I strongly suspect if anyone in that class was hearing about the rock-in-the-hat or Joseph's polyandry for the first time, if they ever do hear about it a second time from a different source they won't give it a second thought.

I think inoculation works as long as one doesn't think too much about it. It's like how certain families act certain ways that others maybe find distasteful. However, the family members don't know any different and who is to say what is or is not distasteful. Even so, like I said in my original post, it worked for me, until I started researching christianity and problems it poses ...

[_Craig Paxton]

A friend of mine teaches Gospel Doctrine in our ward, but asked me to substitute last Sunday (12/31). In counsel with the Sunday School President, we decided that since there wasn't any actual lesson in the manual for that week, that I should end our year-long study of "Church History" with a lesson that fills in some of the gaps, focusing on the Gospel Topics Essays.

[SNIP!]

Cinepro "Lesson 47" Powerpoint

Thanks for posting this here...I saw that it was posted on that board that shall not be named, but since I am now banned for life, I couldn't comment there.

My question is this. What point were you attempting to make for the members of your class with respect to the Steamship Saluda? Was there some prophacy made regarding the safe travel of immigrants that I am not aware of or was it some other point. Thanks

[_consiglieri]

You, my friend, are the reason why there should be one extra lesson in the manual for years that have a fifth Sunday on New Year's Eve.

Bravo!

[_moksha]

That Madam Pattirini opening was truly inspired. You must have had their rapt attention from that point onward. The Steamship Saluda was probably a bit of a bummer to end on.

I am really impressed with your daring and initiative. Sounds like it will be remembered for years to come in your ward.