Helping Missionaries Catch the Vision

I hope this experience is helpful to someone!

          So we all know how difficult it can be to keep missionaries engaged during demos, and it can be even harder to help them be active learners. I've tried multiple ideas (oftentimes gimmicks unfortunately) to try to keep them engaged, with only moderate success. However, recently I was blessed to participate in a demonstration that changed the way I view the activity.
          The missionaries that were participating in the activity had a particular issue with finding and teaching to needs (sound familiar?). Consequently, the focus of the demo was finding the needs of the investigator and seeing how the doctrine could meet their needs and build their faith.
          First, we made sure that the missionary acting as investigator really wanted to receive some revelation. The elder that volunteered was really excited for that and it made all the difference in the world. Then as the teachers began teaching the investigator his first lesson, the missionaries wrote down needs that he could have. After the HTBT portion was over (about 5 minutes in), we paused and listed the needs that the missionaries identified on the board. Once that list was constructed we drew an iceberg around the list and talked about what true needs could be lying underneath the things that the investigator revealed on the surface. Then the missionaries discussed what doctrine from the lessons could meet the needs of the investigator. Then we resumed the lesson, and the teachers began to teach that doctrine that the missionaries thought was most applicable.
          As they began to teach, the Spirit flooded the room and the missionary playing the investigator was touched. Their was one particular point where the missionary was asked an inspired question and he broke down crying. As we evaluated, the missionaries were struck with the power that the doctrine had on the investigator. The missionary that played the investigator was especially impacted as he shared things about this friend that he had never known before. As a result the missionaries wanted to do a similar activity for their own investigators, and some of them had already started before we could even extend the commitment.
          I don't share this experience to present this specific outline as a silver bullet (though if you find any of it helpful feel free to try out different applications). Rather, I give this example to demonstrate the importance of helping the missionaries feel connected to the investigator. Obviously it is important for missionaries to see a great example of gospel teaching from their teachers in any demo. However, more importantly, missionaries must be anxiously looking for conversion in the investigator. Until the missionaries truly care about the person that is being taught, even if its in a role play, they are only going to be looking at the experience on an intelectual level, and that just may put them to sleep.

An Active Learning Experience

I recently had a discussion with Sister Mary Lyon about how the training model can be applied to demonstrate teaching. The pupose of this activity certainly centers around the "demonstrate" portion of the model, but other elements of "explain" and "practice" can be used. Sister Lyon was a facilitator throughout the activity while I taught one of the missionaries as their progressing investigator. She would stop the demonstration periodically to discuss what was happening. At one point of the discussion we invited the missionaries to practice the elements that we had been discussing right then and there. Afterwards we were able to evaluate their practices and then move back to the overall "demonstrate teaching" activity. Yes, this is an opportunity for a demonstation, but the full scope of the training model can be utilized for the missionaries to have an active learning experience.

See with Spiritual Eyes

Today I spent a portion of my personal study in Demonstrate Teaching and thought that I would share a few thoughts. The main questions I wanted to answer were: what is the difference between helping someone see and showing them something? why is it essential for missionaries to see rather than be shown a full lesson? what is my role as the teacher in that process? what is the missionaries' role? what are some of the principles that facilitate that experience?

A few scriptures that helped me along my way: 1 Sam 16:7, Psalms 69:23, Isaiah 53:10, John 8:56, John 9:39. One of my main thoughts was the importance of helping missionaries see with their spiritual eyes as well as with their natural eyes. This needs to be revelatory, not just a great display of great teaching! Sometimes I feel that we actually hinder the missionaries' ability to have this experience through lack of preparation - both us and them. When we fail to help them prepare we run the risk of putting them in an environment where, "they which see might be made blind," as opposed to "they which see not might see" (John 9:39).

Some principles that came to mind as I studied: the training model, practice guidelines, and the idea of creating something spiritually before it is created physically.

Love It!

Do you ever feel confused when your missionaries are happily sleeping in the middle of the most epically powerful demonstration of all time? Wish you could liven things up a bit for them so that you don't hog all of the angelic ministration? Have no fear - you've come to the right place.