JamesLedesma Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Hello! I'm James Ledesma, from the Philippines. I learned about this site because I was looking at google, to find an answer to my question. Perhaps somone here could help me. I'm a sunday school teacher. We are confused on what to do with regards to lessons schedule. Some say that we should skip lessons - meaning that if, let's say, this sunday it should be lesson 10, but it's stake conference, then next sunday it won't be lesson 10 but lesson 11 already. Others say we shouldn't skip lessons but continue with the lesson not taught the following sunday. What is the official stand of the church with regards to lessons schedule? i looked at the official sunday school website and didn't find anything on it. Can someone please help me know the church's official stand. Thanks! James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Hi, James. I believe the official stand is to consult with your Sunday School president or bishop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 The only thing in skipping lessons is you miss some of the things that would lead up to the next lesson. But Vort has a good answer. Consult with your Sunday School President or Bishop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesLedesma Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm sorry for not having mentioned that part in my message. I did consult with my leaders... even up to the stake presidency. I also did my due diligence (as far as I think I could) in searching the lds materials and website/s. And that's why I'm posting this question here, hoping I could get a concrete answer from the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesLedesma Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Furthermore... Leaders (General authorities) mention that lessons should be consistent so that a person who happens to travel would find that the lesson in his home ward and the lesson taught in another ward that he visits some place else, would be teaching the same lesson (?) What's interesting is that in the lesson manuals, it is sometimes suggested that a teacher may opt to use 2 Sundays to teach one lesson. So with this guidance, the teachers have the choice of extending the lesson to two Sundays which of course would simply make Sunday lessons no longer in sync with everybody else all over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Hi James... how are you related to Kuh? I'm from Cebu, by the way. My parents live within 10 kilometers of the new Cebu Temple. In my ward, we don't skip lessons. We follow the manual from one lesson to the next. If we're in Lesson 10 today and next Sunday is Stake Conference or General Conference, we do Lesson 11 the Sunday after that. Yes, lessons should be consistent, but, every ward holds Stake Conference, so that the lessons would just resolve with each other eventually. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesLedesma Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 anatess, Thanks for sharing your opinion. We share the same opinion by the way. The new testament manual only holds 46 lessons. I think it's already telling us something. The church already considered stake conferences, general conferences, etc. What you and I simply need is some sort of statement from church officers supporting our opinion, so that it can help not only settle my anxiety but would also help many others who wonder what the stand is. For what it's worth, I think some documented guidance would help many strive to keep the lessons close to each others schedules at least stake wide. Thank again anatess. What about the others? Would you know any official statement to this effect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volgadon Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Furthermore... Leaders (General authorities) mention that lessons should be consistent so that a person who happens to travel would find that the lesson in his home ward and the lesson taught in another ward that he visits some place else, would be teaching the same lesson (?)In theory, but never in practice. Lets say that you are traveling, but the city you have travelled to has a conference that Sunday. This means that you don't find the same lesson in that ward or branch as your home one is teaching! Why then does it matter if you give lesson 10 instead of skipping to 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) I'm sorry for not having mentioned that part in my message. I did consult with my leaders... even up to the stake presidency. I also did my due diligence (as far as I think I could) in searching the lds materials and website/s. And that's why I'm posting this question here, hoping I could get a concrete answer from the community.If you've done your part in seeking out the appropriate leaders where you are at havent gotten a definite answer, then pray to know which one will be more profitable to teach, and go with what you are inspired with between the two.You may be even inspired to teach points brought up in both.No one is going to get condemned for missing either one. at this point, if I were in your shoes and no one has given a definite answer, then my concern would be to know which out of the 2 would be most beneficial to the class for the week that you would have to teach it after something like stake conference. And that is going to have to come from the teacher's experience with the people in the class, as well as the teacher's inspiration and dilligence.Right now with the information you've given either one would be fine. Edited May 25, 2011 by Blackmarch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyQuinn Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I know of no official statement, but if you realize that the church only produces 46 lessons which should cover the 52 Sundays this year, it only makes sense that you wouldn't skip a lesson for stake or general conference. (Besides, if the Church wanted us to skip lessons for general conference, why would they bother writing lessons for the first Sunday in April and October?) Does anyone think that the Church wants us to skip lessons they prepared and then create lessons of our own to fill the 52 weeks? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveler Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 In theory, but never in practice. Lets say that you are traveling, but the city you have travelled to has a conference that Sunday. This means that you don't find the same lesson in that ward or branch as your home one is teaching! Why then does it matter if you give lesson 10 instead of skipping to 11. Because I travel a great deal I can respond that seldom are there any wards on the same lesson schedule - with the exception of wards in the same stake. There have been times I have enjoyed the same lesson 3 times in a row. The good news here is by time I experience the lesson for the 3 time I can appear to be quite the "scholastic" expert. I believe that the official guide line is exactly that the presented lessons are guide lines and supplemental to our personal study not to be considered our primary resource. The Traveler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmarklin Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 There are two Stake conferences per year, as well as two General conferences. There are 52 weeks in a year, and 48 lessons in the manual. You do the math. You shouldn't have to skip anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmarklin Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I know of no official statement, but if you realize that the church only produces 46 lessons which should cover the 52 Sundays this year, it only makes sense that you wouldn't skip a lesson for stake or general conference. (Besides, if the Church wanted us to skip lessons for general conference, why would they bother writing lessons for the first Sunday in April and October?) Does anyone think that the Church wants us to skip lessons they prepared and then create lessons of our own to fill the 52 weeks? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.There are 48 lessons in the manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 According to Instructions for Sunday Quorums and Classes:SECOND AND THIRD SUNDAYS. Melchizedek Priesthood brethren and Relief Society sisters are taught from the new Gospel Principles manual that temporarily replaces the Teachings of Presidents of the Church books. Lessons may be taught by leaders or by quorum, group, or Relief Society teachers who have been set apart. Lessons are generally taught in the order they are presented in the manual.Elders quorum, high priests group, and Relief Society leaders see that all members age 18 and older receive a copy of the new Gospel Principles manual for their personal study. Leaders encourage participants to bring their copies of the manual to class.If stake conferences or other meetings preclude the teaching of one of these lessons, stake presidents and bishops decide if it should be taught on another Sunday.Nothing there about the lessons being mere guidelines. On the contrary, absent specific instructions from the bishop or stake president to the contrary, it seems as though the expectation is that we will teach from the approved materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 There are 48 lessons in the manual.There are 52 Sundays in this year (as with most years). Two Sundays each year, the first Sunday of April and of October, are taken up by General Conferences. Each stake also generally holds two stake conferences per year. Thus, there are usually 48 Sundays in which classroom instruction is given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyQuinn Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 There are 48 lessons in the manual.Are you certain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 Are you certain?This year, there are 46 lessons. Last year there were 48 lessons.Doesn't matter. We don't skip lessons unless Stake Presidency or Sunday School leaders say otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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