You’re teaching a lesson at church, and you know questions are the best way to get the class involved. But it seems like every time you ask a question, all you get is blank stares, a few sniffs, and some uncomfortable shifting from your students. Now what? The new Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual explains that “The Savior asked questions that invited learners to think and feel deeply about the truths He taught. Our questions can similarly inspire learners to ponder gospel truths and find ways to apply them in their lives.” Here are a few tips, taken from a variety of Church resources, that might help liven up your class and generate more discussion:

How did some of our modern-day prophets propose to their wives? From the humorous to the sweet, you'll love these incredible stories that show a brief glimpse into the early lives of three prophets.

On the day that I defended my doctoral dissertation, I went to the Mesa Arizona Temple to express gratitude for the divine help I had felt throughout my academic journey. I was also interested in mapping out what would be next for my life. I had accepted a position to teach at Brigham Young University and was anticipating a move to Utah. I felt like it was a new beginning. I sensed that my life had a clean slate of sorts. Further, I had the words of the previous general conference resonating in my mind and heart. In particular, the teachings of Elder Dallin H. Oaks were profoundly penetrating my heart:

The value of preserving and sharing ancestral stories was recently verified by researchers who were trying to understand why some people, including children, are better able than others to cope with serious, even disabling stress and trauma. One study found that “the more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, [and] the higher their self-esteem.” This factor was indeed “the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.” Those with “the most self-confidence” had what one researcher called “a strong ‘intergenerational self.’ They know they belong to something bigger than themselves" (Bruce Feiler, “The Stories That Bind Us,” The New York Times, March 15, 2013).

Does your family love playing games together? Are you looking for some new family home evening activity ideas? Check out these entertaining and unique Book of Mormon-themed games, which will help your family to better understand scripture stories while also having fun together!

Sexuality and chastity are sensitive subjects, and the Book of Mormon gives very few hints about how Book of Mormon peoples understood them. You might recall Jacob’s sermon about how “many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds” due to whoredoms and wickedness (Jacob 2:35), or Alma’s talk with his son Corianton about forsaking a mission to pursue “the harlot Isabel” (Alma 39:3), or the terrible violence described in Moroni 9:9.

When President Benson tells us that we need to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon, think about the visual that conjures up. Try to remember the last time you saw a flood or a video of a flood. How much water was there, a trickle? Hardly. A flood sweeps everything it encounters away in the power of its movement. So how much exposure to the Book of Mormon do you think he wants us to give the world?

We all want to follow Heavenly Father's plan for us. But sometimes Satan takes advantage of our righteous desires to prevent us from progressing.

One of the most frequently asked doctrinal questions since the early days of the Church concerns the history and whereabouts of the Israelites sometimes called the "lost ten tribes." Yet "Where are the lost ten tribes?" is not a Latter-day Saint question at all. It was brought into the Church by early converts from other denominations, who were already speculating concerning it. It was asked more commonly in past generations, but even today the question still arises. It is unfortunate that it should be asked at all, however, because latter-day revelation gives clear teaching on the subject—as does the Bible. The expression "lost tribes" is found in only two verses of scripture—both in the Book of Mormon (see 2 Ne. 29:13; 3 Ne. 17:4). Both passages refer to members of the house of Israel outside their ancestral homeland. Nephi indicates that the word lost shows the perspective of the Israelites in Palestine: the "lost" tribes were simply "lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem" (1 Ne. 22:4). Thus those people are Israelites who were removed from Palestine and whose history was unknown to those who remained, including to the writers of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

People have been criticizing the Book of Mormon for more than a century. In fact, the first articles criticizing the Book of Mormon appeared before it was even published! It is interesting to look at criticisms people made of the Book of Mormon in the past and see how modern research has shown that those criticisms are not valid.