Let's Get Started

And here is the opening post for my new Sunday School blog.

During calendar year 2013, we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants.  My hope for the class is to pursue our studies following the teachings found in Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's recent April General Conference talk titled "Lord, I believe."  Accordingly, I want class members to feel free to honestly acknowledge questions and concerns about the history, scriptures, principles, and ordinances we will study during class, while ALWAYS, "first and foremost fanning the flame of our faith."  We will not try to stuff any turkeys through their beaks (if you didn't get that, read the talk...).

Many class attendees have been members of the church longer than I have been alive (not to mention all the senior missionary couples... :), so I often worry how to present some of the most fundamental and basic principles of the gospel in a way that leads to a spiritually motivating experience where we all leave wanting to do more and be better.  As President Thomas S. Monson counseled in General Conference, the scriptures will be the primary curricula for the class.  As a part of that, I think it very important to discuss the questions and concerns on class members' minds with regards to the scriptures we study.  Again, however, we will do so with a focus on what we believe and what we know while we first fan the flames of the faith we have already obtained as we address those questions.

Recognizing that class members may be reluctant to ask some questions or express some concerns in front of the class, I would encourage them to use this blog as a forum to do so.  Please note, I will moderate comments to preserve the desired spirit of the forum.

This blog is not an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I am not an official spokesperson.  I am a volunteer Sunday School teacher for the Gospel Doctrine course in the Makati 4th Branch in the Metro Manila area of the Philippines.  I was called to teach the class a couple of months ago.  I have been managing my lesson preparation on google docs, but would like to have a more interactive format with interested class members and anyone else who wishes to join the the conversation.  This blog is not endorsed by my branch nor is it an official part of the lesson or class materials.  It is primarily intended to help me manage my lesson preparation and to engage with any class members or others who wish to discuss the scriptures, principles, and points I am preparing for the weekly class.  

With that, let's get started.