ESO, that was a very clever way to get me to read the lesson.

Last Sunday I taught a similar lesson to 14-year-olds about how they are God’s children. I showed them a picture of an embryo (my son post-conception) and put up some pictures from a patent for an artillery system that I had worked on. I asked them, rhetorically, how easy it would be for an embryo to draft a patent, including drawing technical diagrams and writing the language. To make it easier to teach the principle, I asked the kids (again rhetorically) how easy it would be for my son, now a 2-year old, to draft the patent.

I told them that one day my son may be able to draft that patent (I’m a patent attorney, FYI), and asked them what I can teach him to do now to give him that ability. (reading, drawing, playing with blocks and shapes)

I then taught the principle that, even though it seems absurd to think that, as we now are, we can be like our Heavenly Father, He has given us things to do to prepare us to be like Him. They volunteered what some of those things are, and we talked about how they prepare us to be like Heavenly Father. (keeping Word of Wisdom, reading scriptures, repenting and taking the Sacrament)

I thought it was a good way to teach the young men how far we currently are from being like Heavenly Father, but how we are his children and have the potential to be like Him. A similar approach may be useful for adults with varying levels of knowledge.

I thought Julie did an admirable Job over at T&S. Have you seen it?

I like #2′s idea, but it seems like we’ve been handed so many other resources we need to use for FHE that my ward could never implement it (for instance — and this may have recently changed — but we were using the third Monday to teach lessons from Preach My Gospel, and we get other “do this on Monday night” suggestions in other classes).

Anyway, in a perfect world, I’d go with #2. Although, I’d still prefer the instructors ask more specific questions rather than opening it up to open-mic hour…

queuno–I cannot have open-mic hour in my ward unless I want to take a lesson to rebut what people have said.

“It needs a little beefing up to fill the whole time.” I disagree. I’m like #2: I think that the class members, given the right questions, will have plenty to talk about from their own experience, study, etc. Of course, hopefully you’re calling on some (many?) of them in advance, asking them particular questions and giving them most of the week to consider. These lessons are a GREAT opportunity to expand discussions beyond those willing to raise their hands and speak without advance preparation. In fact, though that isn’t listed in Elder Nelson’s fine Ensign article as a reason for using the Gospel Principles book, I’m confident that is one of the reasons we’re using it. Unfortunately most (nearly all?) MP and RS teachers don’t see that part of their calling (or assignment, since you’re a sub) is to reach out in advance of Sunday to those who don’t usually participate, much less to those who don’t usually attend.

I, like you, ESO, adore teaching and never say “no” to a request to fill-in someplace. In fact, as we begin the OT in GD, I’m slightly jealous I don’t get to teach this again since I loved teaching the OT a few years back. Anyway- on to the topic at hand!

I would ask some newer converts in your ward to prepare a few things to say about how the knowledge of HF’s true nature or developing a testimony of HF has changed them. I would, obviously, go over what they’re planning to say with them the evening before to mitigate the possibility of off-topic or doctrinally incorrect information being offered (nothing like cleaning up after a heartfelt but doctrinally wrong testimony). I would also try to foster a discussion around the foundations of faith and why this lesson was chosen as the very first in the manual.

I also echo the advice in #10… Never ever ask a question to which you don’t already know the answer! Good advice in the courtroom as well as the classroom!

I love teaching from this manual and am so glad they’re expanding its use. Here’s what I’ve found in my experience: It’s all about the questions.

I consider questions to be of two types with two distinct purposes: closed and open. Closed questions are often diminished because they don’t promote discussion and because they might put someone in the position of answering wrong (and a teacher acknowledging the error). But a well worded closed question that elicits some good answers can save you from needing to read every passage in the manual. Then you’ll have more time to take advantage of the good open questions and the discussions that follow.

I like to pause frequently to ask whether anyone has questions (especially after reading sometime or eliciting an answer to a closed question). At first, I got a fair number of blank stares. But by now people have figured out that they really can ask questions. I’m usually pleased with where these questions can lead, either because they generate discussion or because they allow me to correct something that hasn’t been clarified well so far.

For this particular lesson, I think the questions “Why is it important for us to understand the nature of God?” and “How can we come to know God?” will be most productive for discussion. If you avoid reading the ‘answers’ provided along with those questions, I think you’ll probably find a much broader and more interesting perspective.