To all New Teachers: There is Help!

Here's an email that I sent to all the new teachers in our zone. It may be helpful for any new teachers that would like to read it. 

Let me tell you a story. 

I almost got fired from the MTC. 

I was hired in November of last year, and by January I was in the classroom as a lead teacher. As you know, it was really fun but I was a little terrified and overwhelmed at times. Along with my work at the MTC I was going through my first full semester of school since my mission and together the combination was a lot to handle. When I started in November, my expectation was to grow as a teacher and learn the fundamentals better than I ever had before. By February my expectation had changed. I wanted to survive. I arrived to work just on time, taught my class, and left. I appreciated training meetings but other than that I didn't think often about my teaching in the MTC. It was my job. 

Lisanne pulled me into her office when I hit my three month mark. I don't know how much of the apprenticeship I had done, but I would guess that I had probably finished 25%, and I had only had Lisanne into my classroom once. We reviewed this together, and then Lisanne told me that if things didn't change, and if I didn't finish the apprenticeship,  then I would be fired. I needed to finish 75% in four weeks or else I would be gone. This is how I managed to almost get fired from the MTC. 

Next story.

This is why I didn't end up getting fired from the MTC.

Obviously after this convo with Lisanne I was terrified so I got onto the Google doc and started signing up and figuring out how I could get everything done. (Spoiler alert) I ended up finishing the apprenticeship after working 24 hours a week during the last month of school and almost died (I'm not asking for your sympathy, I'm saying don't be an idiot and put yourself in that situation). Though that was helpful and required, it was not the reason that I didn't end up getting fired from the MTC.

The reason that I didn't get fired was that with a month left I caught the vision of what I wanted to do as a MTC teacher and I took every resource possible to try to get there. This was a three part process that luckily happened quickly for me. First, I had to understand what I wanted to be. Second, I had to understand that I wasn't there yet. Third, I had to understand that it was going to take me FOREVER to get where I wanted to be on my own, and I needed help. All semester I had been thinking about my teaching. All semester I had been trying to improve. However, only with one month left did I realize that I needed the help of the Lord, Lisanne, Krys Gardner, and my zone coordinator Shane to get me where I needed to be. Suddenly I was motivated to be observed whenever possible. I loooooved watching Shane or Krys or Lisanne teach. I studied outside of the MTC and set personal goals for improvement every week. Finishing the apprenticeship became easy when I sincerely and almost aggressively wanted the feedback and help of those assigned to help me. 

I sat down with Lisanne after four months and I didn't lose the job. I'm not telling you this so you see my as a shining example because I wasn't. My attitude at four months was the expectation all along. I didn't realize the joy in the journey until my last four weeks. I should have had that desire and sincerity and fire from the beginning. I should have realized that I couldn't get where I needed to be on my own. 

I'm sending this to every new teacher in our zone. Some are being more proactive than others. I just hope that if any of you feel like you may be remotely close to where I was at, that you try to catch the vision for where you want to be, and then you reach out to all those that want to help you on a daily basis. I love being a teacher at the MTC. I always have new questions and ideas. I find myself studying them even when I'm not getting paid. We are not just in missionary work, but we are in the work of education, of human development, of communication, of leadership, and of changing lives. We're in the Lord's work. It's pretty big. That'll keep you busy right?

Anyway, I'm really grateful for all of you and I just want you to know how much help is available to you, and its given from the Lord who loves you. Have a great week!

-Sean

VC Culture

In some of our most recent Visitors' Center Zone Meetings we've been discussing the type of culture we want to create for these sisters.  We've decided that there needs to be a culture of conversion that comes through ministering and being ministered to.  The essence of this culture is found in this photograph.

  
Like Jairus' daughter in this photo, we hope for the sisters to find "new life" as a missionary.  We see them renewing their baptismal covenants (or being reborn) in a way that helps them to recognize the Savior is lifting them.  He is lifting them so that they can understand they have a marvelous future ahead of them as missionaries and as a saints.  Their purpose now and forever is to bring others to the Savior, which is ultimately what Jairus' daughter did for her father; he had to literally go to the Savior to find healing and answers.  

As these sisters come to know their Savior in our classroom, the culture of the Visitor Center Zone will be one of healing, learning, ministering, and conversion because Jesus Christ is the Master Healer, Teacher, Minister, and Savior for us all.

Lessons Learned from the Past Zone 3

In zone meeting, we reflected on the wonderful blessings the Lord has poured out on our zone through this spring and summer. As part of this, we reviewed briefly part of Elder Perry's talk The Past Way of Facing the Future. In this talk, he recounts how Norwegian ship builders received the assignment to build the roof of the Manti temple. Having no background in roofing, they eventually designed a ship upside down on the plans and when they flipped it over had plans for a secure roof.
Here are some past lessons we have learned that will enable us to face the future, both at the MTC and in our personal lives.
We invite anyone else who wants to take this reflective moment and see the Lord's hand in their lives to add the lessons they have learned as well.

"I've Never Been So Happy to See an Ankle Monitor..."

The progressing investigator I had chosen to portray is a man named Dave. Dave was found in my last area, just a few weeks before I went home. He had a history of drug abuse and gang involvement, and even several years of time in prison. He has since cleaned up, and he let is into his home because he was impressed that we wanted to pray with him and for him. We later found out that he was always home in the evening because of a house-arrest ankle monitor that was activated every evening at 8 pm. Playing Dave has been a powerful experience both for me and for the missionaries teaching me/him. I love that I get to share this special man with such wonderful missionaries.

I recently received a letter from a sister from my most recent district. She hasn't been in the field (Kansas) for more than three weeks, but she had something urgent to say. Apparently she and her trainer came across a gentleman who was very similar to Dave--almost the exact same person! This sister said how much she felt that teaching Dave prepared her to teach this man in Kansas. The letter continued, "Brother Turner, I've never been so happy to see an ankle monitor that was activated in the evening..." She thanked me for choosing to portray one of my favorite investigators, because she felt that it had prepared her to love this particular investigator of hers even more than she thought she would.

If treated appropriately and even reverently, P.I. can be an experience that will prepare our missionaries to teach not only at a general level but at a very personal, emotional level too. It warmed my heart as I read of this sister's love for this man and his progression in the Gospel.

Our Identity: Imagining the Infinity of Immortality

Just wanted to share this quote as a supplement to this week's training.

"Think of it, brothers and sisters, even with their extensive longevity, stars are not immortal, but you are." -Neal A. Maxwell

They are Prepared

I recently had the incredible opportunity to travel back to where I served, the New York Utica mission.  Among all of the great experiences I had, one that stands alone is seeing 2 missionaries out in the field who I taught at the MTC!  Going back to my mission I looked forward to see many of the investigators and converts who I taught - but I never imagined visiting with missionaries there who I had recently taught.  I share this post because I find the last statement in the First Presidency Message of PMG to be true.  It says,  "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among [the Lord's] children."  The people we taught on our missions bring us great joy and I'm sure for some we continue to keep in contact with these people.  It was amazing to see these 2 young missionaries serving faithfully and successfully after interacting so closely here at the MTC.  One Sister was training after her first 6 weeks! 

Seeing these missionaries was a humbling experience.  It brought me great joy to know that I - and us all - aid the Lord in His eternal purposes.  Teaching here at the MTC, we continue to play an integral part of the Lord's work.

God's great and eternal purposes are moving forward and it's amazing to be so involved.  If you take anything from this, know that the Lord is very aware of the work here and is not only pleased as we do our best to help prepare His servants, but that they really are ready for His work when they leave the MTC and enter the mission field.

Keep up the good work :)

Here was Heaven.

Dear friends.
Dear zone resources.
Zone teaching has become the most powerful part of my day.
...even and ESPECIALLY when it is the last hour before dinner, after 2 long shifts with only lunch inbetween for the missionaries.

If you have a moment, in humility and gratitude, I wish to share with you an experience with zone teaching that was a gift from heaven.

The fundamental on the schedule was "Revelation through prayer."
The windows of heaven opened today, and poured down right over room 409.
We started with a simple activity.
Question: how has your relationship with Heavenly Father grown in the MTC?
We made a solid list.
Somehow, the Lord led us to this question: "can you imagine what it will be like to see Heavenly Father again?"
...then this activity: "...in fact...close your eyes...imagine that reunion...what will you feel, what look will be on Heavenly Father's face, what will He say to you...?"
We closed our eyes.
Revelation. Love. The fruits of eternal life fell into our laps.
When we opened our eyes, most were misty. After one or two comments, we knew this needed to be recorded. After they recorded their experiences, I invited any who felt prompted to share. How can i even express their experiences?

Elder Christianson said that all day he has been feeling satan tug at him and make him feel like he can't do this, and it would be so easy to go home. When he closed his eyes, he saw Heavenly Father saying: "What do you mean you can't do this? Yes you can. I believe in YOU. I will be disappointed if you go home, because I know you can do this, and I need you to." He said when he opened his eyes, he wanted to punch satan in the face. (At the end of zone teaching, he stood up, and invited the whole zone to fight for the kingdom of God. powerful.) 

When i asked what they wanted to do now, one sister said "Share it!!!" and elder myers said "talk to God! it's like we can face time with him, when we imagine him there with us!" so we did both. We took 10 minutes to write a letter to God. A recorded prayer. They prayed first, and began to write. The tears continued to flow for many of us.
          
Then they shared it: We practiced the follow-up part of "revelation through prayer." they followed-up with their companions, about the experiences with prayer and with heaven that they had just had, starting with insired questions, and ending with an invitation to act on revelation received. Powerful teaching commenced, with heartfelt testimonies resonating off the fragile sound boards in such a way I knew heaven was listening from nearby.

When we came back together, we did an "I know" circle. Each missionary shared what the Lord had confirmed for them during this zone teaching. Here are a few things I heard: "I know God loves me, personally." "I know home is in God's presence, and i will stop at nothing less." "I have been converted today." "I know I can be forgiven." "I know God loved me enough to send His son so that I could return to Him." "I know nails did not hold Christ to the cross, but his love for us did." "This has been a turning point in my mission. I feel more ready for my mission than ever before. I know God is proud of me and will help me." "I know God will run to me when i return to him (prodigal son story we had studied)." "I feel like Heavenly Father is hugging my heart." Etc. etc. and more for eternity!

We read D&C 6:32 "...where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there i will be in the midst of them-even so i am in the midst of you." This truth was sweetly confirmed.

I know this is God's work. Only He could meet all the needs of His children in this little room at the MTC through an imperfect teacher who has been at the mtc for 8.5 hours already, and has 24 missionaries who are just ready for dinner after 2 shifts with their teachers, sitting in front of her. I know God is meeting His children's needs through each of you, when you kneel in preparation, and stand in humility before His servants. I know charity never faileth. I know God loves us and wants us to come home. When we kneel to pray, and when we invite our investigators to do so, we are inviting them to go home, to talk with their father, and recognize their divine identity. THIS is something to follow up on.

Dear teachers, I invite you to seek out and expect to have converting experiences with your missionaries. Expect and be prepared to receive the blessings of heaven at every moment. Ask and ye shall receive...

P.S. We have the best job in the world. I am changed for the better, every day I come to this sacred institution. Aaah, grateful. Thank you, Heavenly Father.