Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel Volume 11 Number 3 Article 19 9-1-2010 Vol. 11 No. 3 Religious Educator Religious Educator Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Educator, Religious. "Vol. 11 No. 3 Religious Educator." Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel 11, no. 3 (2010). https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re/vol11/iss3/19 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. VOL. 11 NO. 3 · 2010 Making a Case for Church History Return to the Smith Family Farm A House of Faith PERSPECTIVES ON THE RESTORED GOSPEL How to Communicate Effectively president thomas s. monson perspectives on the restored gospel Provo, Utah v olU me 11 NU mber 3 ISSN 1536-4720 © 2010 by Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA on acid-free paper. On the cover: Beautiful Elakala Waterfalls in the Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia. cover photo by forestwander nature photography, www.forestwander.com editor’s note “That All May Be Edified” In May 1831, the Lord revealed, “Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, under- stand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:22). Applying this revelation to publishing, the one who writes and the one who reads also under- stand each another, and both are edified. This is the last issue of theReligious Educator on which I serve as editor. After my mission call, Robert L. Millet was named publications director and editor of the Religious Educator. I look forward to future issues under his able leadership. My association with the Religious Studies Center started as it does for most people—I was a consumer reading publications produced by the Religious Studies Center (RSC). Once I came to BYU in 1993 my role changed as I became a contributor to the RSC through the submission of books and articles for publication. I remember walking from the Joseph Smith Building to the Heber J. Grant Building (HGB) to visit Kent P. Jackson, who was serving as the publications director at the time. Kent is one of the best technical editors on campus. With his amazing student staff, he produced wonderful books at the RSC. I feel fortunate to have had Kent’s hand make my projects better than they would have been otherwise. Later, Bob Millet, then dean of Religious Education, asked me to take the reins of a new RSC project, the Religious Educator. Eventually I moved to the HGB, where I worked with Richard D. Draper, then publications director. When Richard became associate dean, I took his former position. We eventually merged operations for the Religious Educator with the pub- lication of RSC books and the RSC Newsletter. It has been a wonderful ten-year journey—I have learned a lot along the way. I hope that while browsing the pages of the Religious Educator during the last decade you have been edified—learning something new or something to improve your classroom experience. We have tried to publish essays that would bless not only the lives of those who produced them (writing always seems to clarify one’s thinking on a topic) but also those who would read them. It takes effort to produce three issues each year that will edify both the writer and the reader. Fortunately, we have been blessed with a number of thoughtful and well-written contributions. As I have read them several times before they were published, their messages have influenced me not only in a classroom setting or in my own research and writing activ- ities but also in the way I think and act. Many articles have become classics—both timely and timeless. Of course, the journal would not have become what it is without the efforts of Ted D. Stoddard (associate editor), R. Devan Jensen (executive editor), Brent R. Nordgren (production manager), Joany O. Pinegar (administrative assistant), and the good people at Stephen Hales Creative. Enjoy! Richard Neitzel Holzapfel Editor iv Contents 1 How to Communicate Effectively president thomas s. monson 9 Making a Case for Church History elder marlin k. jensen 23 Doctrine and Covenants 21: History as Witness steven l. olsen 29 Return to the Joseph Smith Family Farm richard neitzel holzapfel, donald l. enders, and larry c. porter 39 Angels in the Age of Railways steven c. harper 59 On Agency d. morgan davis 79 Egypt in the Bible an interview with kerry muhlestein 95 The Seal of Melchizedek? alonzo l. gaskill 123 “This Is My Gospel”: Jesus’ Discourse in 3 Nephi andrew c. skinner 145 Suffering for the Savior’s Sake aaron snyder 157 “The Unspeakable Gift of the Holy Ghost” p. scott ferguson v Religious Educator volUme 11 NUmber 3 · 2010 173 A House of Faith margaret mcconkie pope 181 A Career in Seminaries and Institutes barbara morgan, gary moore, and lanell moore 215 Half a Century of Teaching susan easton black and richard o. cowan 225 Called to Serve for a Season: Church Callings and Releases lloyd d. newell 233 New Publications 239 Upcoming Conferences 241 Staff Spotlight © Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. © Intellectual Reserve, President Thomas S. Monson How to Communicate Effectively president thomas s. monson President Thomas S. Monson is President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ommunication between people has been a principal problem through- Cout recorded history. It is complicated further when translation is involved. Many years ago this country had some diplomatic problems which resulted in riots and general civil disturbances. Just when it appeared that agreement had been reached between Panama, the Canal Zone, and the United States, diplomatic relations came apart because the parties differed as to the meaning of a single word. In the English language text, the two parties agreed to “discuss” differences. The Spanish language text used the word negociar—“to negotiate.” Americans assumed that negotiation meant (according to Funk and Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary) “a conference or discussion designed to produce an agreement.” They felt this was synonymous with “discussion.” Panamanians thought that “to negotiate” implied a willingness to renegotiate existing trea- ties. It took months, patience, and the services of communications experts to bring about the ultimate understanding. 1 2 Religious Educator · vol. 11 no. 3 · 2010 In another instance, the realization that the question of war or peace could depend upon effective communication brought about the establishment of the hotline between the world’s nuclear capitals at the time, Washington and Moscow, to avoid an inadvertent pushing of the panic button. We have a communication problem as we wage war against the powers of the adversary and strive to help members of the Church to live by gospel prin- ciples. I suppose we can take some courage from the fact that the Master had His problems with communication, even though He possessed great under- standing of people. On one occasion Jesus was speaking from a ship to a great multitude gathered on the shore. In the course of His remarks, He related the parable of the sower.1 When He finished, the disciples asked Him, “Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”2 And then He said the ears of these particular people were dull of hearing and their eyes were closed. “But blessed are your eyes,” the Savior told His disciples, “for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”3 He then continued His sermon, relating several other parables. Perhaps the disciples were too embarrassed to interrupt again because Jesus had told them it was given to them to understand the mysteries of heaven. But when the multitude had gone, “his disciples came unto him, say- ing, Declare unto us the parable.”4 If the Master found it necessary to repeat and explain in order to have effective communication, I suppose we should not feel discouraged when we fail to communicate effectively at the first recitation. Effective communication is essential to effective motivation. The leader must first educate himself, develop enthusiasm, and perfect himself in the skill he desires to teach (communicate). He must then project his feeling on the subject until it is shared by the follower. This is the process of most effec- tive motivation. Effective communication always includes these threeC s: Clear, Concise, and Confirm. Clear One must make his presentation clear. The first rule of clarity is to have a well- defined goal or objective—to know what you wish to accomplish through How to Communicate Effectively 3 your communication. Unless you can define this goal clearly to yourself, it is not likely your audience will understand it and be motivated. Another way in which clarity can be improved is by use of illustrations. Since words have different meanings to various people, the additional defini- tion through supporting illustrations is usually helpful. There are many types of illustrations. First, words and motions. Jesus made parables a part of nearly every teaching situation. So often did He use this teaching device that Evangelists recorded at one point that “without a parable spake he not unto them.”5 Jesus said He used parables in teaching because they conveyed to the hearer reli- gious truth exactly in proportion to the hearer’s faith and intelligence.