Elder David A. Bednar (Oct. 17): "Exceeding Great and Precious Promises"

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The Activity:

1.     As a class, make a list of things that we need to do everyday-ish, e.g. eat, prepare food, drive to work, put ink in our printers, etc. 

2.     Discuss why these things are a problem (they keep us distracted from what matters most and fill up our time pushing out time to do the most important things—you might read the quote from Lorenzo Snow that Elder Bednar shares in the first paragraph of the section entitled “Remembering the Promises” (“We are too apt . . .).

3.     You might even draw a simple road with two people (stick figures) on it.  At the far end of the road, write “Eternal Life” and in between draw hills and obstacles that impede the vision of the stick figures. 

4.     In small groups, ask the class to consider the answer to these two questions:

a.      How do the Sabbath and temple worship help us avoid being distracted from what matters most?

b.     How do the lessons from those two things impact our home lives?

5.     Come back and discuss as a class.



Using the Activity:

I think this is a great talk (I always like Elder Bednar’s talks), and I don’t know if this activity measures up.  I think a lot of that is simply because I feel like there is so much in here to talk about and so many insights (at least insights for me) that I could just sit around and talk about this without having an activity.

Still, I think this is a valuable, if simply, way to structure discussion.  By starting with the whole class piece, we set the stage (prime the pump, if you will) for the small group discussions.  Then, the small group discussions allow more class members the opportunity to participate (and makes the shier class members feel more able to speak up).  This participation will open their hearts to the Spirit.  Then, by coming back together at the end, everyone can be edified by what was said in other groups.

As far as step three goes, feel no pressure at all.  My EQ president is an artist.  So, he would do something amazing.  Me on the other hand, well, you could probably tell my stick figures from the obstacles, but it might be a close call.  I think, in this case, the visual is important.  For many people, envisioning what is said in words can be difficult.  By putting up the visual then, we are making it easier for some class members to get what is being said.  You could also do the same thing with a photo.  Perhaps something like a photo of the Strip in Las Vegas.  All of the signs and lights there are designed to make you do anything other than look at them—beware of driving there.  If you use such a picture, be careful about what is in it, but it is a great example of Satan using distractions to cause us problems. 

I hope this is useful.  Please let me know.  Also, any other feedback that you have would be appreciated.

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