Many teachers struggle with how to teach Genesis 42–45 and JST Genesis 50.

Joseph’s story moves from betrayal and family conflict to forgiveness—and then shifts to a lesson about the Prophet Joseph Smith.

This episode of the Teach Ye Diligently Podcast explores how teachers can help students feel the doctrine of forgiveness, see Jesus Christ in the scriptures, and strengthen their testimony of prophets.

The story of Joseph forgiving his brothers is familiar, but the spiritual power of the lesson can easily be lost if the class becomes only a summary of events.

Instead, teachers need to help students recognize the real-life problem forgiveness solves so the scriptures become meaningful when students begin reading.

In this episode, Mark and Travis discuss how teachers can help students:

• Create relevance before opening the scriptures
• Discover the doctrine of forgiveness in the story of Joseph
• See Jesus Christ as the true Deliverer
• Take responsibility for their learning by searching the scriptures
• Strengthen testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith

The conversation also addresses an important reality when teaching forgiveness: some students may be dealing with serious hurt. Teachers need to help students understand the doctrine of forgiveness without ignoring wisdom, safety, and accountability.

The second half of the episode focuses on JST Genesis 50, where students learn why prophets matter and why every generation needs its own spiritual witness that Joseph Smith was called by God.

Chapters

02:04 Genesis 42–45 — Creating Relevance Before Opening the Scriptures
05:49 Genesis 42–45 — Bridging Real Life Problems to Scripture Study
09:44 Genesis 42–45 — Helping Students Discover the Doctrine of Forgiveness
12:18 Taking Responsibility for Learning — Letting Students Find Truth in the Scriptures
14:46 Teaching in the Savior’s Way — When Students Say “I Can’t Forgive”
18:35 Teaching Wisdom — Addressing Forgiveness Without Ignoring Abuse
20:31 JST Genesis 50 — Transitioning to the Lesson on Joseph Smith
21:14 Emphasizing the Savior — Jesus Christ as the True Deliverer
23:46 JST Genesis 50 — Helping Students See Why Prophets Matter
26:02 Strengthening Testimony — Why Every Generation Needs Its Own Witness of Joseph Smith
27:19 Taking Responsibility for Learning — Scripture Study Activity on Prophecies of Joseph Smith
30:03 Teaching Strategy — Observing and Supporting Student Discussion
31:28 Teaching in the Savior’s Way — Inviting Students to Teach and Testify
36:37 Lesson Focus — Measuring Success by the Spiritual Experience

About the Podcast

The Teach Ye Diligently Podcast helps seminary and institute teachers recognize three critical moments in every lesson:

• Where the lesson becomes relevant to students’ lives
• Where students see Jesus Christ in the scriptures
• Where students take responsibility for their learning

Each episode focuses on a specific scripture block and helps teachers structure learning experiences where students can understand truth, believe truth, and act on truth.

About This Episode
Many teachers know the story of Joseph in Egypt, but teaching the story alone does not automatically lead students to faith, understanding, or personal change. The real challenge for seminary teachers is structuring a learning experience that helps students understand the truth, believe it, and choose to act. In this episode of the Teach Ye Diligently Podcast, Mark Mason and Travis Peterson walk through what a complete seminary learning experience actually looks like from beginning to end using Genesis 37–41. Rather than simply retelling the story of Joseph and his brothers, they demonstrate how teachers can guide students through the process of discovering doctrine, seeing the Savior in the scriptures, and applying gospel truth in their lives.

What This Episode Demonstrates
This episode models the full teaching process: • Identifying the doctrinal purpose of the lesson • Helping students understand the context of Joseph’s life • Helping students feel the emotional tension in the story • Seeing the Savior in the scriptures • Structuring moments where students wrestle with truth and respond. If you teach seminary, Sunday School, or any youth scripture class, this episode will help you see how to structure a lesson that moves beyond telling the story to creating a learning experience that invites faith and action.

About the Hosts
Mark Mason and Travis Peterson serve as Seminary and Institute Coordinators in the U.S. Southeast Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their work focuses on helping teachers create learning experiences that center on Jesus Christ, invite learner responsibility, and increase student conversion.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
03:10 The Challenge of Teaching Long Narrative Scripture
07:20 Understanding the Context of Joseph’s Story
12:40 Helping Students Feel the Tension in the Story
18:30 Seeing the Savior in the Story of Joseph
26:10 Structuring the Learning Experience
36:45 Helping Students Apply the Doctrine
45:30 Walking Through a Full Lesson Example
54:00 Final Teaching Takeaways

Teach Ye Diligently Podcast
Helping seminary teachers center lessons on Jesus Christ, engage learners, and strengthen student conversion through effective gospel teaching.

Seminary teachers often work hard to prepare meaningful lessons, yet students still sit quietly, wait for answers, or seem disconnected from the learning experience. Why does this happen, and how can teachers help students take responsibility for their own gospel learning? In this episode of the Teach Ye Diligently Podcast, Mark Mason and Travis Peterson explore one of the most important principles in gospel teaching: students must take responsibility for their own learning. When teachers carry the entire lesson, students often become observers instead of disciples. But when teachers learn how to invite learners to think, respond, and wrestle with the scriptures themselves, something powerful begins to change.

In this episode, Mark and Travis explain three foundational principles that shape effective gospel teaching:
• Understanding your students’ needs
• Putting Jesus Christ at the center of everything you teach
• Helping students take responsibility for their learning

These ideas come from prophetic counsel and from the principles taught in Teaching in the Savior’s Way. The episode explores why many classrooms unintentionally train students to be passive and what teachers can do differently to invite deeper engagement and spiritual discovery.

If you are a seminary teacher, Sunday School teacher, or gospel instructor who wants to see greater participation, deeper scripture study, and stronger conversion in your classroom, this conversation will give you practical insights you can apply immediately.

Because when students begin to take responsibility for their learning, the classroom changes—and so do the students.

Mark Mason and Travis Peterson serve as Seminary and Institute Coordinators in the U.S. Southeast Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and work with teachers across multiple stakes to strengthen gospel teaching and learning.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:58 The Reality of Starting Seminary Teaching
03:29 The Shift That Makes Teaching Easier
05:29 The Insight from Elder Bednar That Changed Mark’s Teaching
07:19 Why Teachers Often Misjudge Where Students Really Are
09:45 Principle 1: Understanding Students’ Needs
10:09 Principle 2: Centering Every Lesson on Jesus Christ
13:45 Principle 3: Helping Students Own Their Testimony

Teach Ye Diligently Podcast
Helping seminary teachers center lessons on Jesus Christ, engage learners, and strengthen student conversion through effective gospel teaching.