Gospel Doctrine Class - Thank You

Wow!!! Your lesson plans have helped me tremendously the last 18 months. When I first received the gospel doctrine teacher calling I was so overwhelmed with feeling that everybody I was teaching knew more than I of the content of the scriptures. I was absolutely sure that their testimonies were stronger than mine............ I committed to studying 10 hours on the weekly lessons, I prayed for help to remember what I was studying and to develop a stronger testimony of each lesson plan. Well as we both know the Lord always hears and answers our prayers. He's helped me along tremendously as I've done my part in studying, searching, pondering and praying.

I have very powerful miracles, stories and insights from my personal life that I've found easy to add and relate to through your examples in the weekly lessons posted on your website.

To my amazement the members of my class often comment on how lovely the lessons are and how strong the spirit is in our classroom. Both Brethren & Sisters miss me when I'm out of town and I have a sub. The most shocking revelation is that the members of my class don't know everything in the scriptures after all! There's plenty to teach them! I had originally underestimated my own testimony and I now find that perhaps the calling is as much for my class members as it is for me. I originally felt that this calling was only for me as Heavenly Father knows that I would never study the scriptures as thoroughly as I do now had I not had the fear of teaching adults in me. I'm now very calm about teaching this class thanks to Heavenly Father blessing me with the spirit and the power of knowledge and understanding.

I know that the lessons that you provide take much of work on your part and I'm so appreciative of your efforts to publish them and make the lessons available. I read your lesson plans each week along with the manual and my scriptures to bring new light and understanding to each week's lesson. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your awesome help!!! Your efforts truly are a blessing! (Kimberlie - Oct 2006)

A Note of Thanks

Just a note of thanks for your Gospel Doctrine lesson material.

My husband and I have been serving in a Spanish Branch for 6 1/2 years. I was Relief Society secretary, teacher, then President. Upon my release a few months ago, I was called to teach the Gospel Doctrine class. (In Spanish!) I never served a mission, as I married at the age of 20, but learned Spanish from years of study in high school and college. Clear back then (30+ years ago), I had a recurring thought -- or whispering of the Spirit -- that said, "Learn this language and remember it. The Lord will use you in His service down the road, among Spanish-speaking people."

To make a long story short, when called to teach this class, I said to the Branch President, "I have never even taught Gospel Doctrine in ENGLISH! I would rather EAT WORMS than have to teach it in Spanish!" He said something like, "Oh well. Do it anyway."

So here I am. I study it in English, then study it in Spanish, read the scriptures in English, then Spanish, then read from the material on the Gospel Doctrine Helps page (where you are listed).

Anyway, I enjoy what you write and really appreciate your taking the time to make it available.

Your home page looks great, too, and has links to a lot of the same things my husband always reads! (Bonnie - Aug 2006)

Thank You for the Lessons

There is no words that can express the appreciation I have for the wonderful lessons you provide on your website. I am a new Gospel Doctrine teacher and have not studied the scriptures as much as I should of. You bring the lesson material to a level that we can understand and then I get excited about reading the scriptures and hope that I share that enthusiasm with my class. The class always enjoy the real life stories that you share with us. It makes us realize that we are all human and trying to return to our heavenly father.

My husband is on his 2nd tour in Iraq, he was at the Abu Ghraib prison in 2003-2004 and is now on his way back for a 1-2 year deployment to Camp Tahill, which is close to Abraham's Tomb. He is going to use your lessons to help keep the soldiers somewhat in touch with (as they say) us in the real world and with their heavenly father. Lyle joined the church just before he left for Operation Enduring Freedom 2001 and we had the wonderful privilege of going to the temple in Salt Lake City, this year in June. We attribute most of what we learned to prepare us to go to the temple from your lesson information. THANK YOU SO MUCH. (Marla - Aug 2006)

Just a note to say thanks....

I came across your website completely by accident - and since I am also LDS, and thought it would make for an interesting email, I thought I would let you know about the interesting way I came to find Lesson 19 on Brother Beardall's website.

Quite some time ago (10 or 11 years) I was serving a mission in Brazil. As a gift for Christmas, my mother sent me a special calendar that she had marked with inspirational phrases or quotes from General Authorities, Church authors, or just the world in general. One of these phrases in particular was "Help thy brother's boat across, and Lo! Thine own has reached the shore." Of all the quotes in the calendar, this one had the most impact on me. On a mission especially, this phrase has tremendous, heartfelt meaning. I believe I thought about that phrase and what it truly meant at least once or twice every day for the entire rest of my mission, which was well over a year. It came to become the very essence or theme of how I worked and solved problems, taught, and loved people in Brazil.

After I returned home, I tried to find its origin, and couldn't find any trace of the quote. I searched through the original lists my mother had used to create the calendar, and could never find anything that pointed to a person or reference, or any sign of when it was written. Over the the next two or three years, I asked college professors, teachers, and English Ph.D.'s if they had ever heard the phrase, or knew of its origin. No one could ever help me.

From time to time, I would check the Internet. However, 7 or 8 years ago, search engines were not what they are today. So, I never found the source of the phrase or even when it was written.

This morning, out of the blue, I thought of the phrase again, and decided to try a search through "Google." To my surprise, I had dozens and dozens of hits. I learned right away that the phrase was an old Hindu proverb. I had finally found the origin of the phrase that had made such an impact on me a decade ago through that calendar. On the first page of search hits was a link to the phrase in your Book of Mormon Lesson 19 - "None Could Deliver Them But the Lord." I thought it remarkable to read the use you had for that wonderful phrase in your Gospel Doctrine teachings, and how you associated that same phrase to gospel topics. Now, when I remember my "brother's boat," I will also remember your reference to all of us as "sheep," and Mosiah 3:19. It's so great to live in a world where technology can link two brothers in the gospel, no matter the distance, no matter the subject, and have it tie my experience with something to your experience - and then back in to the teachings of the Master. (David - Aug 2002)