PROVO, Utah — In a 1998 general conference address, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught how the “good doctrine” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must be revitalized and reestablished.
“When crises come into our lives, human philosophies interspersed with scripture and poetry are not enough,” Elder Holland said. “We really need to be able to see the truth.” [students] … in a way that will sustain them when the stresses of life present themselves? Or are we giving them a kind of theological Twinkie—a spiritually empty calorie ration?” (“A Teacher from God,” April 1998 general conference).
Speaking to religious educators around the Church around the world on Tuesday, June 18, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles echoed Elder Holland’s words in warning against “spiritual malnutrition.”
He declared, “Faith-bearers and faith-teachers are vitally important in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, especially to the rising generation.”
Elder Renlund delivered the keynote address Tuesday at the Church Educational System’s first-ever religious educators conference. The event was the first to bring together religious educators from all CES organizations: Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, BYU, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, Ensign College and BYU-Pathway Worldwide. “Combined, these religious educators teach approximately 500,000 young people across CES,” Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and Commissioner of Church Education, said in his opening remarks.
The conference, which took place on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, was streamed live on CES.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and will soon be available in 41 languages in the Gospel and Media Library.
In addition to remarks by Elder Renlund and Elder Gilbert, the day-long conference included sessions by Brother Chad H. Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, who will begin serving as first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency in August, the presidents of the CES institutions, and other Church educators and program administrators.
In his speech, Elder Renlund pointed out that a person who ate only Twinkies — a snack somewhere between vanilla cake and soft-serve ice cream that lacks fiber, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C — would become constipated, osteoporosis, scurvy and blind. “That would be an ugly sight,” Elder Renlund said.
Just as people need nutritious food physically, students need to be nourished spiritually with the good word of God. “Those who are fed spiritual Twinkies are unlikely to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ,” Elder Renlund said, adding, “Rather, they are more likely to grow up spiritually stubborn, faithless, and confused.”
The Apostle then spoke of four figurative “nutritious” necessities that all students need to combat spiritual malnutrition.
Gospel Nutrition Part 1: Strong Testimony
Elder Renlund said the primary gospel nutrition students need is “a firm testimony of Heavenly Father and His plan, of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and of the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days.”
To accomplish this, educators must teach and testify of restored truths.
As an example, Elder Renlund related how many years ago he invited a family friend, Grace, who was not a member of the Church, to a Christmas sacrament meeting program. Elder Renlund, who was then a stake president, sat at the stand, and his wife and daughter sat with Grace.
Two speakers told sentimental but fictional Christmas stories, but the bishop spent five minutes bearing a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ.
During the closing hymn, Grace leaned towards Sister Renlund and noticed that something felt different when the bishop spoke.
“The speakers were well-intentioned, but they offered theological Twinkies, spiritually empty calories, and poor expressions of faith and testimony that lacked the power of God’s word and, ultimately, the power of the Spirit,” Elder Renlund said.
Elder Renlund said it can be difficult for the Spirit to testify about fictional stories, but he reminded teachers that their teaching must always return to Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Heavenly Father and His plan, and the Restoration of the gospel. “Of course, it’s good to use stories, even fictional ones, to grab students’ attention. … But once we have their attention, we need to give them the food to change their lives.”
Gospel Nutrients #2: Personal Relationships with Teachers
Personal relationships with teachers can help students draw closer to the Savior, who is their true source of spiritual nourishment, Elder Renlund said.
“Teacher-student relationships help open students to the word of the Lord. They can continue to have a positive influence on a student’s life years after their formal instruction ends. They endure because the teacher, out of deep love and concern for the student’s well-being, led the student to the Lord and His doctrine, not to himself.”
Elder Renlund spoke of one of his Primary teachers, Becky, who taught and encouraged him not only as a child, but also as a young man, a newly returned missionary, and after he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve.
“Each student needs at least one person like Becky in their life — a teacher with whom they can have a lifelong relationship, someone to guide them to the Savior, someone to influence the way they think and act, someone they don’t want to disappoint,” Elder Renlund said.
Gospel Nutrients #3: The Need to Address Questions and Concerns
“Teachers, you can help your students by showing them what it means to combine academics and faith in their learning,” Elder Renlund said. “You can teach them by modeling this skill and approach in your classes.”
Students will observe how their teachers answer difficult questions. Elder Renlund pointed out that avoiding or ignoring honest questions will only lead to more questions.
The church has put together “a fantastic, reliable resource for people looking for answers to their own questions and for those working to help them,” and “our goal is to strengthen faith in Jesus Christ while offering some suggestions on how to approach a complex and sometimes difficult topic.”
Elder Renlund then pointed to resources available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the Gospel Library app. Under “Topics and Questions,” there is a section called “Find Answers to Your Questions” and another called “Help Someone with Questions.”
The “Seek Answers to Questions” section teaches principles to guide research for individuals seeking answers to questions about faith, doctrine, Church history, and more.
The chapter encourages individuals to place Jesus Christ at the center of their lives, Elder Renlund explained. “We are reminded that God’s plan of salvation gives us perspective on our questions that helps us distinguish between core truths of the gospel and those that are less important.”
The chapter also encourages individuals to be patient and trust in the Lord’s timing, Elder Renlund continued. “As we search for answers, we should seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost and try to place things in context to understand the past.”
The “Helping Those With Questions” section shares principles for those who want to help those with questions: “No matter what, we should speak with respect, listen with empathy, and demonstrate Christlike love. So listen and respond with love. Seek understanding, acknowledge the experiences of others, and do not minimize or criticize,” Elder Renlund said.
He reminded his listeners that even knowing the fullness of the gospel doesn’t mean they have the answers to all their questions: “Some answers may have to await further revelation.”
A common trap that many teachers fall into is to offer reasons or explanations that the Lord has not given. “It is better to say you don’t know than to make up reasons or explanations. Faith is ultimately a choice, and sometimes the only answer is to rely on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Restoration of the gospel and to wait patiently as the Lord seeks to reveal the answer.”
Gospel Nutrient #4: Creating and Maintaining Soft Hearts
Elder Renlund said a soft heart is one that is receptive to the Spirit. “The opposite of a soft heart is a hard heart, which is spiritually deadly.”
Elder Renlund, a physician by profession, explained that a stiff or rigid heart can have difficulty filling with blood, which can lead to heart failure: “Just as a stiff heart has difficulty filling with blood, a spiritually stiff heart has difficulty filling with the Spirit.”
In 2 Nephi 33:1-2, Nephi explains that those who harden their hearts will not allow the Spirit to deliver the word of God to their hearts: “But behold, there are many who harden their hearts against the Holy Ghost, that He may have no place in them; therefore, they cast away many things that are written, and count them to be of no value.”
Elder Renlund summarized King Benjamin’s teaching on how to develop and maintain a meek heart, teaching, “We must always remember that redemption is available only because of Jesus Christ and that without Him our situation is hopeless. This should humble us and motivate us to pray every day and to remain steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement so that we will always rejoice, be filled with God’s love, and always receive a forgiveness of our sins.” [our] We sin, and then… we come to know the glory of our Creator. [us](Mosiah 4:12)
Finally, Elder Renlund invited teachers to self-evaluate their own teaching methods by asking the following questions:
- “Is my teaching centered on Jesus Christ?
- “Am I teaching with testimony and love?
- “Am I aiming to build lifelong relationships with my students?
- “Are you helping students answer their own questions and not leaving them with more questions?”
- “Am I an example of a kind heart that expresses gratitude to God and stands firm in the faith?
- “What are my students learning from my example and my teaching style?”
