Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Welcome back to our early morning seminary teacher training series! In this video, we explore how stories can be a powerful tool to build students’ faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them learn through vicarious experiences.
Key Concepts Covered in This Training:
Making Scriptures Relatable: Discover how stories illustrate gospel principles in a modern context, helping students see how these truths relate to their daily lives and increasing their desire to apply them.
The "Perfect Pattern": We discuss Elder Bruce R. McConkie's counsel on the perfect pattern for presenting faith-promoting stories: teach the doctrine found in the scriptures first, and then "put a seal of living reality upon it" by telling a similar modern story. This proves to students that the same things happening to the faithful anciently are still happening to the Saints today.
Sourcing Powerful Stories: Learn where to find the best stories, including the lives of prophets, Church history, general conference addresses, and Church magazines. We also discuss why some of the most impactful learning occurs when teachers invite students to share stories from their own lives illustrating how living a gospel principle blessed them.
Crucial Cautions and Guardrails: We review essential warnings for classroom storytelling:
- Do not let storytelling become the dominant teaching method, as this minimizes time spent in the scriptures and overshadows the actual doctrines being taught.
- Avoid using too many personal stories, which can result in personal aggrandizement and setting yourself up as "a light unto the world" (2 Nephi 26:29).
- Never use stories for emotional manipulation or embellish the facts of a true story to make it more dramatic.
- Always clearly state at the beginning if a story you are sharing is not true, such as a humorous anecdote used to illustrate a point.
Watch now to learn how to expertly use the living power of storytelling to enrich your lessons and strengthen your students' faith!
Welcome back to our early morning seminary teacher training series! In this video, we explore how stories can be a powerful tool to build students’ faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them learn through vicarious experiences.
Key Concepts Covered in This Training:
Making Scriptures Relatable: Discover how stories illustrate gospel principles in a modern context, helping students see how these truths relate to their daily lives and increasing their desire to apply them.
The "Perfect Pattern": We discuss Elder Bruce R. McConkie's counsel on the perfect pattern for presenting faith-promoting stories: teach the doctrine found in the scriptures first, and then "put a seal of living reality upon it" by telling a similar modern story. This proves to students that the same things happening to the faithful anciently are still happening to the Saints today.
Sourcing Powerful Stories: Learn where to find the best stories, including the lives of prophets, Church history, general conference addresses, and Church magazines. We also discuss why some of the most impactful learning occurs when teachers invite students to share stories from their own lives illustrating how living a gospel principle blessed them.
Crucial Cautions and Guardrails: We review essential warnings for classroom storytelling:
- Do not let storytelling become the dominant teaching method, as this minimizes time spent in the scriptures and overshadows the actual doctrines being taught.
- Avoid using too many personal stories, which can result in personal aggrandizement and setting yourself up as "a light unto the world" (2 Nephi 26:29).
- Never use stories for emotional manipulation or embellish the facts of a true story to make it more dramatic.
- Always clearly state at the beginning if a story you are sharing is not true, such as a humorous anecdote used to illustrate a point.
Watch now to learn how to expertly use the living power of storytelling to enrich your lessons and strengthen your students' faith!
