A few weeks ago my husband and I spent the night at his brothers home. He and his wife invited us to join them the next morning for their early morning scripture study. I was interested to share this time with another family to see how this process worked for them.
We each took a turn reading a few verses from the assigned CFM reading, but after the reading something magical happened. His wife asked a question. The question she asked was NOT, How did the spirit speak to Oliver Cowdery, nor was it even What are the different ways the spirit can speak to us? , but instead she asked, “What experiences have you had where the Holy Ghost has spoken to you? “,.
Wow! Was that ever a power packed questions. That one question spurred a discussion that continued far longer than it should have as some of the kids had to get ready for school, but each of us shared and listened to each other’s experiences, all of us were edified.
This experience reinforced the idea that not all questions are created equal. How can we turn an average question into a powerful question? What are the principles around questions that I need to understand to help me ask better questions?
In today’s episode, Keith Johnson, this very brother in law , in whose home we stayed, shares his journey of he has learned to harness the power of the question.
"Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege". Doctrine and Covenants 88:122.
Links to items mentioned in Podcast:
Keith’s 4 Levels of Communication:
Level 1:
Definition: Acknowledgement
Typical Question(s): Hi, How are you?
Benefit: Awareness, kindness
Level 2:
Definition: Facts, Knowledge, Information, Lectures, many talks
Typical Question(s): What is….?
Benefit: Dispensing information, Education. Get stories of others
Level 3:
Definition: Feelings, Personal insight
Typical Question(s): Why….?, How do YOU feel about….?
Benefit: Get to really know someone, and learn how they think and feel. Get personal stories
Level 4:
Definition: Connect personally to what you just learned, but don’t take over or “one-up”.
Typical Question(s): Thank you for sharing, I can relate because of….
Benefit: Connect more deeply with the person with empathy and love
