Downgrading Doctrine

Hello, my name is Lauren and I feel under-taught.

{Hello, Lauren.  Welcome.}

FARMS was my gateway drug to a much deeper conviction that we Latter-day Saints under-teach our people.  Yes, it’s true that I might be spending my days reading books in the Ancient Near Eastern reading room at the library, complete with the scribbled notes of one Brother Hugh Nibley (each in its very own Semitic language!).  And yes, that does tend to skew the perspective on what is reasonable to teach in Sunday school.  I admit it.

But still. 

Recently, I was called as a teacher for Relief Society (BEST CALLING EVER).  I have done a lot of thinking about this concept and pondered how to reach each sister when I teach.  While I have a responsibility for the most basic understanding, I also feel that I have a responsibility to make the lesson complex enough so that 98% of the sisters aren't sitting there twiddling their thumbs.  I have a responsibility to make each sister think.  Each and every one.  And that takes cognizant preparation.  But I also think that it involves teaching above the manual at times.

What are your thoughts?  I have heard a lot of friends talk about how correlation was the boring-ization of lessons...but those same friends tend to be the less orthodox of my circle.