There were so many inspired and inspiring talks at the October 2025 General Conference. As someone who loves to teach and be a part of inspired discussions, I was truly excited and intrigued by Brother Chad H Webb’s talk, “That All May Be Edified.”
I’m deeply grateful for the many lessons—both taught and received—that have been guided by the principles Brother Webb shared. As I’ve prepared to attend classes and as I’ve prepared to teach them, I’ve seen how following his simple, Spirit-led suggestions has strengthened my testimony and deepened my love for the Savior. I’d like to share a few thoughts that may help each of us center both our learning and our teaching more fully on Jesus Christ, the true source of all light and understanding.
There is something sacred about the moment when a student’s heart is opened and the Holy Ghost testifies of truth. Brother Webb emphasized principles that align beautifully with that sacred moment: to invite diligent learning, teach true doctrine, and focus on Jesus Christ.
Cultivating an Environment
As teachers and learners in the Lord’s Kingdom, we can do more than exchange information. With divine help, we can cultivate environments where revelation, faith, and growth emerge. Below is a framework rooted in scripture and inspired by recent counsel—to guide how we invite the Spirit, foster diligence, teach doctrine, and point always to Christ.
Invite and Hear the Holy Ghost in Our Learning and Teaching
Inviting the Holy Ghost is not passive. It is a deliberate, reverent act of opening our hearts and minds to God’s voice. Here are three suggestions:
- Begin with sincere prayer and humility. Before class, study, or discussion, pause and ask Heavenly Father to send His Spirit. Pray that your mind be softened and your heart open. That quiet moment, an earnest plea, signals to the Spirit your willingness to learn and be taught.
- Ask thought-provoking questions and pause for reflection. Instead of rushing to fill the silence, let the Spirit speak. A brief pause after asking, “What did the Lord teach you here?” may allow revelation to come.
- Use experiences, stories, and symbols to connect doctrine with real life. When truth is tied to lived experience, the Spirit can bridge the gap between mind and heart. Share an anecdote, a metaphor, or a prompt that invites learners to see doctrine in their lives. As we do, the Spirit helps them internalize it.
Brother Webb has taught that gospel instruction is most effective when learners are prepared and teachers invite personal revelation.
Invite Diligence and Preparation — for Both Learners and Teachers
Revelation does not replace preparation—rather, it sanctifies it. To foster environments where personal revelation flourishes, both teacher and learner must come prepared. Here are three practices:
- Learners: Pre-study and ponder. Encourage class participants to read ahead, ponder in solitude, and come with a question or insight. A teacher might send ahead a short passage and invite learners to write one question or impression before class.
- Teachers: Prepare clear, doctrine-centered lessons. When teachers come with clarity of doctrine and purposeful structure, the Spirit more easily works through their efforts. Before class, identify one or two core doctrines, craft questions that invite engagement, and script brief transitions to keep the flow clear.
- Invite mutual accountability. At the start of class, you might invite learners: “Let us agree together to learn, listen, and invite the Spirit.” As a teacher, express your own preparation and ask learners to share insights. A simple invitation in class—“Let us learn together, and may the Spirit guide us”—gives both teacher and learner shared responsibility.
Brother Webb’s message noted three classic principles: “Invite diligent learning. Teach the doctrine. Focus on Jesus Christ.” This focus depends on preparation and invitation: learners come ready, teachers create space, and the Spirit does the rest.
Teach the Doctrine
One of the hallmarks of faithful instruction is grounding lessons deeply in revealed scripture and prophetic guidance. To teach the doctrine means to anchor our learning and teaching in that which God has revealed.
This matters because doctrine is foundational: without it, teaching drifts into opinion, speculation, or sensationalism. It also builds faith: when learners see divine patterns, their hearts trust the source. Plus, doctrine leads to Christ: doctrine is a map to the Savior. Here are some ways to make it easier to teach the doctrine.
- Use foundational scriptures and prophetic declarations. When Christ, prophets, or scriptural writers teach, let that be the bedrock of your lesson. If the lesson is on faith, draw from Moroni 7 or Doctrine & Covenants, and relevant modern prophets, rather than launching into speculative theology.
- Resist speculation, tangents, or personal theories. That which God has not revealed is best filed under “I will ponder”—not forced into lessons as if doctrine. If a learner asks, “Why didn’t God do X?” respond, “That is a thoughtful question; I will ponder it and invite you to pray about it too,” rather than offering unanchored conjecture.
Build doctrinal progression in teaching. Begin with the doctrine as stated, then unpack it, illustrate it, apply it, and conclude with testimony. Let learners see how doctrine connects to their lives.
Teaching doctrine fosters trust in God’s plan and discourages human speculation. In his conference address, Brother Webb invited us to teach doctrine rather than wander into speculation, so that learners may rely on revealed truth.
Focus on Christ — The Center of All Teaching and Learning
Every lesson, whether a historical account, commandment, or narrative, should be examined through the lens of Christ. Even when He is not overtly present in a passage, teachers can help learners see how He exemplifies the principle.
- Ask: “How would Christ teach or illustrate this principle?” Suppose you are teaching about service through the story of the Good Samaritan. Ask: How would Christ define neighbor? How would He serve?
- Tie every truth back to Him. Doctrines become transformative when tethered to the Savior—His Atonement, His example, His ongoing presence. For example, after teaching accountability or repentance, remind learners that Christ makes it possible to change and grow
- Bear testimony of Christ as we teach. When a teacher’s voice is anchored in personal conviction of Christ, the Spirit magnifies the message. Thus, it is vital to include experiences, scripture, or insights that testify of the Savior’s love, mercy, or grace.
As Brother Webb invited us to teach His doctrine and learn diligently, invite the Holy Ghost to deepen our faith in Jesus Christ and help us become more like Him.
Trust the Spirit
We live in a time of complexity and competing voices. As disciples of Christ, our calling is not to entertain or sow doubt but to teach, strengthen, and edify. When we invite the Holy Ghost, prepare diligently, teach doctrine (not speculation), and focus on Christ, learning becomes more than mental—it becomes spiritual. Lives can change. Hearts can open. Faith can deepen.
May each of us, as teacher and learner, offer the Lord our best preparation, our openness, and our humility—and trust that the Spirit will teach, refine, and edify. And may our classrooms, homes, and quiet hours become places where heaven meets earth and Christ becomes ever more real.
Beth Young is a convert of 47 years; served a mission in North Carolina; has been married for 38 years to her sweetheart, Bob; has five adult children and two grandchildren. She raised her family in Texas for 25 years where she served in various capacities in church and in her community. She moved to Utah seven years ago and loves writing, teaching, and inspiring others to make changes to their physical, mental, and spiritual health. Beth is the owner of 5 Pillars of Health, serves as the written content manager at Leading Saints, and is a master gardener.
