Close Topic Options

Mormon Investigators: Sit Down & Shut Up! - Page 2

I agree with this, but I believe an experienced effective teacher will be able to redirect or learn to not call on these types of monopolizers. And I agree on the waste of time - that is why if the problem persists I find something better to do with my time.

Rather off topic, but... I want to go to your class and see you in action.

Up Shut and Sit Investigators Mormon

In my old ward, there was a woman who moved into our ward shortly before we moved out, who would hijack classes and go on and on how spiritual she was and how hard she worked serving in the church, her health problems, and how no one ever served her while she was ill, how ungrateful her children turned out to be, yada yada yada ad infinitum. I would feel my blood pressure jump when she started to talk because it would invariably be a monologue of bizarre events.

One of her gems was on single women in the church. She said "You know, these single women would *kill* to have our husbands!" It was all I could do to keep my mouth reined in, but I did mumble some reply. Another time, she kept raising her hand in Sunday school and the teacher finally just flat out told her he wanted time for all to participate and called on someone else. I heard her complaining loudly enough so everyone could hear to someone next to her (may have been her husband) "He just told me to shut up!?!" It didn't stop her, though.

Honestly, I feel sorry for her, because she has no idea how she sounds. I think it really is a call for help -- she's not getting whatever recognition she needs at home or from the church, so she's going to just take it in classes and from her visiting teachers and home teachers.

Mormon Investigators: Sit Down & Shut Up! Studies Doctrine Mormon

The ward that I go to has a person that will ramble on and on. There have been times that the teacher will "polity" cut him off and go on with the lesson. If there is a person that is asking many questions, then see if he or she needs to have a more one on one type of lesson, where he or she can ask as many questions as they want without bothering anyone. On my mission, when we went to Gospel Principles class with a new member, or an investigator, we would say that we would stop our prepared lesson if they had any questions about that subject, or any other subject that they don't know.
There are several things you can do to help the situation out.
Don't assume that everyone knows a well known scripture story, or church story. Tell as much background as possible, to this story.
Don't be embarrassed to ask a question that you should have already known.

Page 2 Up Shut and Sit Investigators Mormon

From my experience such persons (again from MY experience) are just simply attention seekers. They are in some ways selfish too because often they want to take away time from others in the class. They also want to change the subject of the lesson to focus on what they want to know. They usually do not accept ANY answer either since another question comes up or another comment that drags on a topic of interest for one.

Rather off topic, but... Sometimes you may note the same thing happens in Communities like this. Someone will enter into a Topic of Discussion and then immediately 'hijack it' and go off into their own thing.

Up Shut and Sit Investigators Mormon

I think the responsibility of this rests with the missionaries first, it can be addressed in one of their visits and secondly with the teacher to say something like we'll address that later.