Level of discourse

Have you noticed that discussions don't seem to go off the rails nearly as much as they did in the days before Come, Follow Me? 

My opinion is that using Come, Follow Me has elevated the level of discussion. We're getting a lot more meat and meaning with our lessons — which means nobody has to bring up stuff like ancient American astronauts or Adam's belly button to make the conversation interesting!
 

Sketchbook: Going back

I substituted for Sunday school last week. It was my first time teaching in-person for well over a year. I was shocked at how my teaching paradigm had shifted! I kept thinking I should share my screen or put something clever in the chat! And with everyone wearing masks, it was almost as if their microphones were turned off.

 

Sketchbook: Building a tower

It would be kind of cool if Lego made Book of Mormon kits like they have for Star Wars. There's an untapped niche market there!

School's back!

But wouldn't that make it home school?

D&C 76:34

It's already becoming a challenge to avoid spoilers for Endgame.  I sure hope Wonder Woman comes back!

Sketchbook: Just a little late

Just a few weeks ago and this one wouldn't have made much sense. Our Gospel Doctrine teacher still struggles with the concept of no opening prayer. On the other hand, our elders quorum has tried twice now to get away without having any prayers at all!

We'll get it figured out, eventually!

Who's on first? What's on second?

I have a hard enough time trying to remember which is fast Sunday, let alone knowing what's going on for the third Sunday!

Extra homework

It used to be that you could get by doing your reading for Sunday school once every four years. No more!

You think your teacher is boring...!

My guess is that this is the week that a lot of people figure out just how easy it was to sit in Gospel Doctrine and be fed a lesson every week.

Come, Follow Me will encourage a spirit of learning and of gospel study in the home. There are a ton of resources available to make it more exciting and engaging, and take our study of the Savior to a deeper level.

Shameless Plug
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Sketchbook: Shine on!

Is your Sunday school class in Isaiah too? A lot of people think it's challenging to study Isaiah, how his writings can be understood on multiple levels across multiple dispensations.

It's even more challenging when you're a cartoonist, not only trying to understand what he's saying, but fighting that niggling part of your brain that says, "Yeah, but how can I make a joke out of this?" 

What's the magic word?

I heard something very similar to this in church last week.

Only it was in my Sunday school class.

While I was teaching.

Amen.

He went on, ruthlessly

Sometimes these cartoon ideas come to me while I'm teaching my Sunday school class. It's a little awkward to pause in the middle of teaching to write down a gag!

Sketchbook: Reviewing Conference

Here are a couple of sketchbooks that I kind of like. In fact, one day they may evolve to full-fledged cartoons. Put them together, and they make up our Gospel Doctrine lesson from Sunday school yesterday: a Jeopardy-style review of conference blended with the story of Joseph being sold into Egypt. Only our "Sunday school answers" had to be in the form of a question!

Sketchbook: Second hour sorrows

There has been a marked decrease in the number of people discussing college football after sacrament meeting over the past few weeks. On the plus side, the Gospel Doctrine ranks have grown!

Teaching techniques

This could have been me last week until I came to my senses.

What is real?

You've gotta be careful with those lesson displays!

Trained up in the way

Why doesn't this ever happen in my class?

Pluses and minuses

...but generally you get called out to take care of a messy diaper, and that can be milked for a long time.

Sketchbook: Hall of Fame

I found a box of my old stuff when I was cleaning out the back of a closet, and I found a bunch of materials that I'd completely forgotten about. Included in that box were some old sketchbooks with half-baked ideas like this one. It's probably a decade old (or more) and was likely drawn when I was first called to teach — guess what — Course 12 in Sunday School.

The year in the review: Top Ten, part II

Happy New Year! Here's the rest of the Top Ten from 2015. Enjoy!

No. 5
It's nice to know that there are options for Sunday School!

No. 4
All things must be done in their proper order.

No. 3
Would you believe this is based on real-life experience? We have some interesting home teaching families...

No. 2
I actually heard from several leaders that they might consider doing this!

No. 1
Never underestimate the power of the prophet!