Top 10 Reasons a Teacher is a Sacred Calling

Written for the Loving Teachers of the Lake Elsinore Ward Primary

1. Following the titles of ‘Savior’ and ‘Redeemer’, He was referred to as a ‘Teacher come from God’. (John 3:1-2)
2. God is not necessarily in the fixing business, He is however, in the Teaching business. (Luke 2:46-49)
3. Teachers hold a significant opportunity, a sacred responsibility to influence and even change eternal destinies – they have the capacity to change everything – by influencing one person they can change a life, a family, a community, a generation, a nation, and even the world. (Matt. 4:20)
4. No one has ever does anything great in this world without the influence of a dedicated teacher. (2 Ne. 31:10, 12-13)
5. Teachers have knowledge and truth, wisdom and vision – and students trust their teachers to help them learn. (Mos. 6:61)
6. It is much easier to build boys than it is to mend men, and to grow girls than to patch princesses. (Hel. 11:36, Alma 59:9)
7. Most everyone can be a teacher, but very few can really teach (Matt. 22:14)
8. When it comes to being a teacher, there is no more noble a calling, no more selfless a cause that can inspire more confidence, enthusiasm, motivation, and future accomplishment. (Mor. 7:13, Mos. 6:23)
9. Your students will be the Doctors and Nurses, the Scientists and Political Leaders, the Astronauts and Technological Genius’ of tomorrow. They will solve greater problems than we face today. They will discover answers to the greatest of crises. They will serve missions to the far corners of the earth and rear the families of tomorrow. They will re-teach the lessons that they’ve learned from their teachers, and in so doing will change lives. They will fill the church leadership roles of tomorrow. They will accomplish a significant work to usher in the return of our Lord. And if we’re really, really lucky, they will want to be among the noblest of the noble, and become teachers themselves. They will want to do that because their teachers will have inspired them so. (Mos. 2:22, 31)
10. Teachers can help students see their ultimate potential – to become like our Heavenly Father. (Mos. 1:39)

If the Savior were to visit the Lake Elsinore Ward, there is no doubt that He would want to be with our Primary children. As Primary Teachers, you are, by proxy, filling the role for Him as if He were here. You have the sacred responsibility to bring His Spirit to the Primary children, to teach them and love them as if He were doing it himself. Your callings have been prayed over and come through inspiration from the Lord. There are important blessings in store for you – inspiration and knowledge that are specific for you and your spiritual development – as you pray for direction and guidance in your sacred calling of ‘teacher’. Thank you for all you do for our children.

Love, Bishop Hughes

March 2009