I sat through the Relief Society lesson on Sunday. It was the third hour. I often feel like the children in Primary, and wanted to ask,
“Can we go home yet? Is it over? How much longer?”
It was the third Sunday, and a lesson from the manual, Gospel Principles. The lesson was on the Word of Wisdom. This is the manual that is used for new members and our regular course of study this year. It is the lesson that I used to teach (before I got fired). I figured they wanted someone else teaching, someone who was very strict to stick only to the manual.
Yes, she read word for word, straight from the manual (bless her heart). The entire lesson. For 45 minutes. (bless her heart)
I have never been in a class where the teacher just read from the manual. She asked the questions posed in the manual, some of which are worth pondering. The class dutifully answered the questions, not too hard for Mormons that have been members for at least a year.
I pulled out my iphone,pulled up the scriptures app and read the manual for myself, in 5 minutes.
Then I tried to endure. Is this what they mean, endure to the end?
I was wishing I was a new mom and could have picked up my baby and left the room. I had compassion on those ADD kids, I felt like I could not sit still, my mind began to daydream. I did not want to stray too far, by either reading my scriptures silently or getting up for a bathroom break, as there was a new sister sitting next to me–or new in the sense she had been in the ward as long as me, one year. She leaned over and asked me when I teach. I had to inform her that I do not anymore. She said, “oh, that’s too bad, I loved your lessons.”
I smiled, thankful for a little positive feedback.
Sisters shared their thoughts and the normal, “do not drink coffee, eat wheat, alcohol is bad,” was volunteered. Two sisters came from families with alcoholic moms and/or dads. One sister shared that she ate too much chocolate. I leaned over to the sister next me, reached in my purse, pulled out my dark chocolate Lindt bar, that I carry. In fact, the hour earlier I had shared it with a brother in the family history library; we became instant friends.
Later, I sent an email to the chocoholic sister and let her know that dark chocolate in small amounts daily is good for your heart, and lowers cholesterol. That lifted her spirits.
Good teachers are those that get you excited to learn, to study, and get you pondering. I find that you can stick to the scriptures, because in reading the scriptures there is plenty of material. If you slow down and think, and become receptive to the Spirit, you will see and understand concepts that you did not know before.
My feeling is the manual is good. But I can read it for myself. In a shorter time.
My mind wanders when someone reads to me. My mind wandered, and I wondered… do I need to repent for feeling this way? I’m just sharing that yes, sometimes it is not easy to sit in class. And maybe this is her first time teaching? Or maybe this is how they think it should be done in the ward? I am fine with it.
Just bored.
She did a lovely job reading it. There, I said something nice.
But, hey, one of my favorite scenes, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
