Teachers are an
essential component to understanding the gospel, says Gerald N. Lund,
and he’s determined to give them tools to assist in their great
responsibility. Hence, In Tune, his latest from Deseret
Book (2013, 182 pages including index, $21.99 in hard cover).
A companion volume to
his Hearing the Voice of the Lord,
this new book reflects his 35 years of experience in the Church
Educational System.
The prolific author,
perhaps best known for his popular LDS fiction series, draws on
examples from the classroom as well as from the scriptures and his
travels as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, 2002-2008.
His message is directed
to Sunday School teachers, Young Men and Young Women leaders,
missionaries, and stake and ward leaders. The Church and its members,
he says, have a commitment to teaching.
What to teach
has been defined for each role and meeting, he notes in Part I,
“Teaching and Learning by the Spirit.” But how to
teach — and how well we’re doing at it — isn’t
so clear. So Lund delves into the meaning of “edify” and
a definition of “teaching by the spirit” as well as a
discussion of indications when we are not.
Part II — the
bulk of the book — reviews the functions of the Holy Ghost.
Part III shows the principles in action, while Part V offers
suggestions for putting ourselves in tune and drawing closer to the
Spirit in order to teach and learn.
Like a good teacher,
Lund reminds us what we’ve learned so far before moving to the
next “lesson.” He enumerates examples from the scriptures
and includes comments from teachers, members, and missionaries to
illustrate the concepts and adds his personal experience and
testimony of each principle.
Relevant quotes from
general authorities are placed in sidebars on the page for quick
reference.
Good questions that
provoke thoughtful answers are part of the learning process. Two who
should know – John Hilton III and Brad Wilcox, both on the
faculty at Brigham Young University — offer 52
Life-Changing Questions from the Book of Mormon (Deseret Book
2013, 256 pages, $24.99 in hardcover), a resource.
In order from First
Nephi to Moroni, the authors have selected important questions asked
within the verses themselves, then added illustrations and anecdotes
to the discussion to provide further insight into application of the
“answers within the questions.”
Readers and ponderers
will find the answers to such inspired questions as:
“Why should my heart weep?”
“Why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?”
“Have we not reason to rejoice?”
“Have miracles ceased?”
The authors intended
the 52 questions to be spread out over an entire year, one per week.
But if you’re hungry for spiritual uplift and answers, go ahead
and enjoy this hearty feast whose multiple courses can be savored
again and again.
Laurie
Williams Sowby has been writing since second grade and getting paid
for it since high school. Her byline ("all three names, please")
has appeared on more than 6,000 freelance articles published in
newspapers, magazines, and online.
A
graduate of BYU and a writing instructor at Utah Valley University
for many years, she proudly claims all five children and their
spouses as college grads.
She
and husband, Steve, have served three full-time missions together,
beginning in 2005 in Chile, followed by Washington D.C. South, then
Washington D.C. North, both times as young adult Institute teachers.
They are currently serving in the New York Office of Public and
International Affairs
During
her years of missionary service, Laurie has continued to write about
significant Church events, including the rededication of the Santiago
Temple by President Hinckley and the groundbreaking for the
Philadelphia Temple by President Eyring. She also was a Church
Service Missionary, working as a news editor at Church Magazines,
between full-time missions.
Laurie
has traveled to all 50 states and at least 45 countries (so far).
While home is American Fork, Utah, Lincoln Center and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art have provided a comfortable second home.
Laurie
is currently serving a fourth full-time mission with her husband in
the New York Office of Public and International Affairs. The two
previously served with a branch presidency at the Provo Missionary
Training Center. The oldest of 18 grandchildren have been called to
serve missions in New Hampshire and Brisbane, Australia.
