Teachings for Our Times: Neil L. Andersen, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” Ensign, May 2010, 108–12
“We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities.
We cannot be casual in how we prepare them.
Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.
In our world today, each child, each young man and young woman needs his or her own conversion to the truth. Each needs his or her own light, his or her own “steadfast and immovable”7 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, independent of parents, youth leaders, and supportive friends.
The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”8 The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony.
Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?”
Elder Anderson poses the following questions to aid us in teaching and help us realize our own example and spiritual development and progression as we are examples to all those around us – family, friends, co-workers, strangers, children, and others.
- Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children?
- Do they think about the Savior’s life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead.
- Have our children visualized the premortal council,9 where Jesus—the greatest of all—declared, “Here am I, send me”?10
- Do they see their own willingness to serve as following His example?
- Do they think about His humble birth,11 the Savior of the world lying in a manger?12
- Do His circumstances help them better understand the proper place of material possessions?
- Do they know that Jesus often taught, “Ask, and ye shall receive”?
- Do His prayers of thankfulness14 and His pleadings to His Father15 flow through our children’s minds as they kneel in prayer with their own concerns?
- Have we told them of the love Jesus has for children, how He held them in His arms, prayed for them, and wept?16
- Do our children know that Jesus stands ready “with open arms to receive [them]”?17
- Do they take strength in the stories of Jesus fasting18—as we teach them the law of the fast?
- In their own loneliness, do our children know the loneliness the Savior felt as His friends deserted Him and as He asked His Apostles, “Will ye also go away?”19
- Have our children felt the power of the Savior’s miracles? Jesus healed the leper,20 gave sight to the blind.21 He fed the 5,000,22 calmed the sea,23 and raised Lazarus from the dead.24
- Do our children believe that “it is by faith that miracles are wrought,”25 and do they pray for miracles in their own lives?
- Have our children taken courage from the Savior’s words to the ruler of the synagogue: “Be not afraid, only believe”?26
- Do our children know about His perfect life,27 His selfless ministry, His betrayal and cruel Crucifixion?28
- Have we testified to them of the certainty of His Resurrection,29 of His visit to the Nephites in the Americas,30 of His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove?31
- Do they anticipate His majestic return, when all will be made right and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ?32
- Do our children say, “Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear”?
Do our children have these valuable teachings with them? Do we, ourselves have these with us?
“Live up to your important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. Seek to know more about Jesus; open the scriptures.”
“…speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. In His holy name is great spiritual power. “There [is] no other name given nor any other way … whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ.”34
“… I promise you that as you speak of Jesus Christ, you will feel the power of heaven blessing you.”
Helps and resources for teaching the Gospel:
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