pleasant grove seminary

Student teaching experience Pleasant Grove High School Seminary

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Let’s paint the picture. I walked into a semi-crowded room. Not with people, but with desks.

Cold, hard desks awaiting warm, soft souls.

I plugged in my computer and opened my scriptures.

I neatly stacked my lesson outline and prepared my water bottle for my soon-to-be scratchy throat. It's what happens when I’m nervous and speaking in front of people.

All my preparation, all my practicing, all my praying could not have prepared me for the next 80 minutes.

One by one and sometimes two by two the squirrely and shy kids trickled into the classroom.

Some accompanied with scriptures and others with assignments.

I shook hands with a smile and eagerly engaged in conversation. I think they were as nervous for the success of my lesson as I was. They are so sweet.

Introductions went very well. One by one we snaked through the students as they shared their favorite smell.

It was my get to know you question of choice because it says so much about a person when they say their favorite smell is their dad’s homemade burgers or their grandma's 70 year old sweater. So much is wrapped into that short and often reluctant answer from a 16 year old.

It went well because it calmed my nerves and created smiles amongst all involved.

I was glad it started that way. My lesson began well, too.

I had several hands offering insights and personal stories- a relief for a scared 24 year old aspiring teacher.

When I found out that I would be teaching on 2 Nephi 28-30 I was not excited. I scraped together an outline a couple weeks in advance, but didn’t find the power in it until a couple days before my assignment.

That is when the magic happened.

Suddenly, I had stories and scriptures worth sharing. Insights and quotes worth infusing into the kids and their young spirits.

That is where I wish things would have gone better.

After all the training, and the lessons, and lines from Brother Boyle, “you can’t force your learning on the kids.” Yet, I still feel like I made that mistake. I thought what I had to share was more valuable than what they could hear. More valuable than what they could potentially feel. Worth more than what Father had to share with them through His Spirit. And, yes, I realize that the Spirit can testify of truth from things that I say and share, but I still felt like I dominated. I felt that I needed to fill the silence when in reality the Spirit is the filler of silence. He is the filler of silent souls and the filler of silent hearts.

I felt like I took that away from some with my worry of not being good enough or eloquent enough. A common mistake for most newbies.

After all the goods and bads. After a bumpy 80 minute ride through the ancient world of Nephi and Co. the ride ended.

Some were eager to get off and head to their next destination.

Others were very kind and thanked me for a “great lesson” or “good teaching.” All praise that I felt was too high for the experience that was given.

Humbly, I gathered my things as I also gathered my ego off the ground.

If God taught anyone in that classroom that day, he taught me.