A lawyer once asked Jesus, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” In response, the Savior guided the questioner to the scriptures: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” This led the man not only to his answer—“Love the Lord thy God … and thy neighbour”—but also to a follow-up question: “And who is my neighbour?” The Savior answered this question with a parable about three men who saw a fellow traveler in need. Only one of the three, a Samaritan, who was hated by the Jews just because of where he came from, stopped to help. Jesus then invited the lawyer to answer his own question: “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him?” (see Luke 10:25–37).
Why do you think the Savior taught in this way—responding to questions with invitations to search, ponder, and discover? Part of the answer is that the Lord values the effort of seeking truth. “Seek, and ye shall find,” He has invited over and over again (see, for example, Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9; Doctrine and Covenants 4:7). He rewards the seeker’s acts of faith and patience.
Like the Savior, you can help those you teach recognize and understand truth. The scriptures, for example, are filled with gospel truths, but sometimes it takes conscious effort to find them. As you are learning together from the scriptures, stop and ask those you teach what gospel truths they notice. Help them see how these truths relate to Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. Sometimes eternal truths are stated in the scriptures, and sometimes they are illustrated in the stories and lives of the people we read about. It can also be helpful to explore together the historical background of the verses you are reading, as well as the meaning of the verses and how they apply to us today.
Questions to Ponder: How do you identify eternal truths in the scriptures or words of prophets? How are those truths blessing your life? What are some ways you can help learners recognize and understand truths that will be meaningful to them and bring them closer to God?
From the Scriptures: John 5:39; 1 Nephi 15:14; Doctrine and Covenants 42:12
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