The Savior Provided Opportunities for People to Be Taught by the Holy Ghost

It wasn’t always easy for people in Jesus’s day to understand who He really was. Everyone seemed to have an opinion—“Some say that thou art John the Baptist,” His disciples reported, “some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked a question that went far deeper: “But whom say ye that I am?”

That question invited His disciples to look beyond the noise of public opinion and listen to their own hearts. Jesus wanted them to find their answer not through “flesh and blood,” but through revelation from “my Father which is in heaven.” It was that kind of spiritual witness—personal revelation from the Holy Ghost—that gave Peter the confidence to declare, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13–17).

In the same way, your students will need their own spiritual witness of truth to stay strong in the latter days. You can’t give them that witness—but you can invite, encourage, and help them seek it. Through both your words and your example, you can show how essential the Holy Ghost is in truly learning the gospel.

Think about the environment you help create. Even simple things—how the chairs are arranged, how you greet your students, and how you interact with them—can set the spiritual tone for the whole experience. You can invite them to prepare spiritually to learn, just as you prepare spiritually to teach. Encourage them to take responsibility for the spirit they bring to class.

Most importantly, give them chances to feel the Spirit testify of Jesus Christ and His gospel. That spiritual witness will become a foundation—a rock—beneath their faith. And as the Savior promised, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against [them]” (Matthew 16:18).

Questions to Ponder

• What have you seen that helps create a spiritual environment for learning the gospel?

• What things tend to detract from it?

• What helps your students learn from the Spirit?

• Think about the setting where you usually teach. How do you feel when you’re there?

• How can you more effectively invite the Spirit to be present in that space?

From the Scriptures:Luke 24:31–32; John 14:26; 16:13–15; Moroni 10:4–5; Doctrine and Covenants 42:16–17; 50:13–24