As a new teacher in the MTC I have had the opportunity to be observed and observe others as they teach. It is amazing how much we know as teachers and how much that seems to get in the way sometimes. Our "wealth" of experience and our scincere desire can cause us (and I speak especially for myself!) to "go on and on in a monologe" (Jeffrey R Holland) that leaves our missionaires bored and creates fustration and disappointment for us as teachers.
Focus on the issue above seems to be a common thing for alot of teachers, espically new teachers. However, i just felt to share a recent experience with my most recent district concerning the subject.
The Lord never leaves the sides of his missionaires. He cares for them and knows them perfectly. As I began to teach the Fundamental revelation through church attendance, I began to feel concern for the responses the missionaires were showing. Usually it can be easy to shrug these uneasy feelings off as a teacher. we tell ourselves, "of course they are acting like this, they just have to get into what they are studying and then they will start to change". I noted and disregarded the responses of the missionaries and rather obvious prompting from the spirit until i could not stand it any more. I stopped the missionaires in the middle of practice (after it was set up and rolling along) and ask them to teach the "investigator" as themselves. I had never tried this but know it is pretty common tool to use to help the missionaires get out of their routines, and it worked! The missionaries in this district had great unity and they knew and cared for the other missionaries they were teaching about church and the importance of receiving revelation. I didn't realize this when i had the prompting but saw the evidences of their unity and its role in helping them be taught by the spirit. The spirit bore wintess of the importance of the fundamental and the love of Jesus Christ has for the not only the investigators but all the missionaires.
I know that what we all "do" will change according to teachers and missionaries. i experienced this first hand as i tried to just do this activity again with the district with very different results. The simple but powerful lesson i have learned is that the Lord is in charge of his missionaires just as he is in charge of the missionaries investigators. As we help and invite every child of God to come unto Christ we will all (DC 50:22) begin to progress and enjoy our individual paths back to our Heavenly Father.
