PROVO, Utah — After extending a calling to the Sunday School general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson asked the leaders to work on two things: getting the scriptures deeper into the souls of Latter-day Saints and improving teaching at both Church and home.

“So these two things weigh on our minds,” said Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace.

President Pace talked about President Nelson’s assignment during a Monday, Aug. 21, BYU Education Week presentation titled “Transforming Our Homes Into Sanctuaries of Faith.”

He and his counselors, Brothers Milton Camargo and Jan E. Newman, shared why next year’s “Come, Follow Me” program will have one rather than four study manuals and why the Church is implementing new teacher council meetings for parents.

“It’s about learner participation and growing together,” President Pace said, adding, “I’m not saying it needs to be complicated, but it [should be] a daily experience with gospel study, with reading the scriptures, with the word of God. ... The adversary doesn’t take any days off. And neither does the Holy Ghost as we invite Him into our home.”

Beginning as Leadership Week in 1922, BYU Education Week offers presentations and classes that seek to teach, strengthen, lift, motivate and encourage.

Last year, the event celebrated its 100th anniversary with more than 16,000 participants, 900 classes and hundreds of volunteers.

This year’s BYU Education Week — themed “Belief enhances inquiry, study amplifies faith, and revelation leads to deeper understanding” — started Monday and runs through Friday, Aug. 25

‘Come, Follow Me — for Home and Church’

Brother Milton Camargo, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, speaks during a BYU Education Week presentation Aug. 21, 2023. Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace and his counselors shared why next year’s “Come, Follow Me” program will have one rather than four study manuals; and why the Church is implementing new teacher council meetings for parents.

Kaitlyn Bancroft, Church News

Brother Milton Camargo, first counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, introduced the new “Come, Follow Me — for Home and Church” manual.

Since launching in 2019, the “Come, Follow Me” manuals have existed in four formats: one each for individuals and families, for Primary teachers, for Sunday School teachers, and for Young Men and Young Women leaders.

But starting next year, the manuals will be consolidated into one: “Come, Follow Me — for Home and Church,” which is already available digitally through the Gospel Library app and will be available in print by the end of the year.

It supplements individual and family study as well as second-hour class teaching for next year’s Book of Mormon curriculum. Relief Society and elders quorum classes will continue using general conference talks during their classes.

The new manual features ideas for learning at home, at Church and with children. It also includes more links to Church magazines, music, videos, gospel topics and other resources intended to facilitate more in-depth study.

Brother Camargo said the Sunday School general presidency is making this change for three reasons.

The first is the Church has members in over 190 countries. The new, consolidated manual will allow members all over the world to better adapt lessons to local needs, Brother Camargo said.

The second “even more important” reason is the new manual will strengthen the home-centered Church approach.

“We want to have all of the parents receiving the best resources and activities to help their families learn from the scriptures,” he said.

And the third reason is the consolidated manual will simplify the Church’s teaching resources, making them easier to use, Brother Camargo said.

With a greater focus on adaptability and the home-centered approach, Sunday School lessons can be “totally transformed” as class members share what they’ve learned during the week, he continued.

“The focus of all of this is conversion,” Brother Camargo said. “... I know that as we do our best at home consistently, over time, we will deepen our conversion. And we need the help of the Holy Ghost because it’s through the Holy Ghost that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ change our hearts, our views, our actions and our very natures.”

Teacher council meetings for parents

Brother Jan E. Newman, second counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, speaks during a BYU Education Week presentation Aug. 21, 2023. Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace and his counselors shared why next year’s “Come, Follow Me” program will have one rather than four study manuals, and why the Church is implementing new teacher council meetings for parents.

Kaitlyn Bancroft, Church News

Brother Jan E. Newman, second counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, introduced the new teacher council meetings for parents.

Regular teacher council meetings offer the chance for teachers to make teaching plans, share challenges and successes and offer each other support, Brother Newman said. Teacher council meetings for parents will serve the same purpose, allowing parents to help each other as they navigate the blessings and challenges that come at different stages of their children’s lives.

Brother Newman encouraged everyone listening to go home and ask their bishops about starting teacher council meetings for parents.

He said one of the greatest responsibilities Church members have is teaching their children about Jesus Christ, “that He is their Savior and Redeemer and that it is to Him that they can run to for repentance. ... There’s nothing more powerful that you can do in your own life, as an adult, than to teach your children and grandchildren about the Savior.”