by EmilyCC · Published · Updated
It is always hard for me to comment in Sunday School. Even if I’ve studied the lesson beforehand, planned out a few comments I can make, I rarely will follow through and make one of those comments. But, I see others in Sunday School who seem to have the opposite problem from me. Of course, it takes all kinds to make a Sunday School class flow.
EmilyCC
EmilyCC lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her spouse and three children. She currently serves as a stake Just Serve specialists, and she recently returned to school to become a nurse. She is a former editor of Exponent II and a founding blogger at The Exponent.
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I voted I don’t attend Sunday school but then I realized that it lumps me in with those who teach Primary. I don’t attend Sunday school by my own choice.
It all depends on the teacher. I have skipped Sunday School when the teacher was boring. If the teacher is engaging and prepared, it can be a great experience. I dislike commenters who like to show off what they know (or think they know) as much as I dislike teachers who repeat the stuff we already know without delving deeper. Comments that derail where the teacher is going with the lesson are irritating as well. Currently my hubby is our GD teacher. He’s a Poli sci professor at Notre Dame and does a great job with the class and corralling comments. His experience as a teacher in “real life” helps a lot with this.
There are certain teachers I will attend for; mostly one at this point. I waver between commenting and thinking there is no point. Does muttering under my breath to my husband count as commenting? 🙂
Last time I went I ended up lecturing the teacher for 10 minutes after class. http://femininewound.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-okay-to-say-no.html So basically my commenting is pretty sporadic, as is my attendance.
I was recently released from nursery and have since been subbing in Primary, but once that’s over, I’ll be more regular. I think (if I remember correctly) that I used to comment a couple of times every 3 months or so. So I like to participate, but I have to really have a point and something good to say. What I need to do, though, is practice commenting more in RS.
I would think in a small ward or branch it would be necessary to comment, if for anything else to keep the people who were originally there at the beginning on their toes
I remember one Sunday School when I was sitting next to the one of the stake presidency and my home-teaching was commenting about how home-teachers are the mouth of God and you need to do everything that they said, I actually spoke up and said that no as a home teacher your not the mouth of god and that you don’t get to go into people’s homes and rattle off whatever you feel you have the right to. Mr Stake Presidency, didn’t say a word. I think if I had been out of line he probably would have pulled me aside and said something.
I’ve been in nursery for the last 8 months, and not having to attend SS/RS with notoriously awful doctrinal speculation and instead studying the very simple, scriptural-based nursery lessons has done wonders for my testimony.
I know how you feel; I have completely stopped attending Sunday School and generally only stay for a short time in RS in order to save my testimony.
When we go, I try to comment once or twice. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with any doctrinal speculation or weirdness in my ward, it’s just so boring that I can’t stand sitting through it.
I think it’s important that everyone comment though. I get tired of hearing from the same five people who basically all seem to echo each other. I’m over getting weird looks if I try to see something in a new light. I figure maybe someone else won’t be so afraid to look at something a little differently next time.
My current calling is to Teach Sunday School.
On the days when it is my partner’s turn to teach, I rediscover all over again that it is easier for me to teach a lesson than it is for me to comment in a lesson that someone else is teaching. Like EmilyCC, this is also true for me when I have read the scriptures and manual before hand. It is even More true, if there exists a regular stronghold of commenters, well, holding strong. I become reticent during those moments, and have trouble breaking in.
I can be the same way in school classes (so it is not only church), but have made vast improvements in the last few years of being brave enough to contribute more in the school setting, which in turn has helped me take more away from my seminars. Very, Very recently, I have tried to set similar goals for myself in church settings, but for some reason it seems harder.
Im one of the two people who clicked “4+”
I comment a lot because I am an extrovert. In fact, I comment a lot less than I want to! Because I could get way over-involved and take over the lesson, I only comment if I feel the Holy Ghost confirming that it’s okay for me to talk (that feeling people describe when they feel they need to bear their testimonies), and after I’ve self-analyzed to make sure my question or comment is sincere. I don’t want to allow myself to participate in class for a self-serving reason like showing off, or anger, etc.