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Show 174 MADELYN CANNON STEWART SILVER the Gospel Doctrine Class for Adults in her ward. Here is her statement about that: ... [I]n 1945 [she wrote] the Sunday School superintend ent of our newly divided ward asked me to teach the Gospel Doctrine Class. Ignorant, I stood before a group much prej udiced against a woman teacher. But I had a wonderful man ual ... and I had a sudden great desire to teach the New Testament. A new world opened for me as the Bible became my inspir ing companion. A whole new habit of thought developed around that Sunday School class. The discussions made me acquainted with the members. Many were devout, humble people, obediently living every law of the Gospel. Some were indifferent because of years of inactivity and confusion about the Church. A few were skeptics because of a little learning. [All class members were different] But all wanted and need ed a Way of Life to bring to their minds peace and security. It became my passion to learn my lessons so well that I could transfer their meaning into the lives of those wonder ful people who deigned to come to my class. And through these years I am still trying. . . . This engrossing interest in the Bible motivated my husband plan a trip to the Holy Land; and last summer [1954] we spent a glorious month in that ancient country, now divided to in great new troubles. Our experiences there gave us a more intimate understanding of Christ's problems and the ever lasting truth of His message. Because I have been fortunate enough to be a Sunday School teacher, I have learned to love the Lord my God with all my heart, strength, and mind, and, I hope, my neighbor as myself." Madelyn's reputation as a teacher gradually filtered back to Sunday School headquarters in Salt Lake City, and she was invited to write an article explaining how she got her message across. In "Give Your Lesson Concreteness," she explained that the teacher must read the scriptures carefully, do background |
