Pres. Russell M. Nelson (Apr. 18): "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives"

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The Activity:
  1. Read the quote from the talk:  "We must learn to receive revelation."
  2. In relation to this quote, discuss three questions:
    1. How can we prepare to receive revelation?
    2. How does revelation come?
    3. Why do we need revelation?
  3. Divide the board into three sections and as answers are provided for each question, write it in the appropriate section of the board.
  4. After a few minutes, provide copies of the talk for the class members (if you haven't already done so).
  5. Divide the class into three groups.
  6. Ask each group to look through Pres. Nelson's talk for answers to one of the questions.
  7. Have the group members work together to identify and mark these places in the talk.
  8. After some time, bring the class back together and ask each group to share the counsel Pres. Nelson gives that helps answer each question.
Using the Activity:
This activity is beneficial because it drives us back to really look for answers in Pres. Nelson's words.  Also, note that step 7 asks the group members to mark the words/phrases that teach us the specific guidelines that Pres. Nelson provides.  I have been struck in my professional life about the amount of research that is coming out showing that physically marking a piece of paper is immensely helpful to our memories.  Therefore, I added that requirement in here.  Remember, as a teacher our priorities are 1) the Spirit testifies to the class members during our lesson that these words are true and 2) our class members remember these words (to speak scripturally, the words are written in their hearts) in order to improve their lives after they leave our class. 

I also think this is a valuable activity because of the first step of drawing some initial answers from the class members themselves.  In any given class in the Church, there is a wealth of spiritual knowledge about any given topic.  So, I like the idea of starting with what the class members already know.  The idea is that as they share what they know they are remembering (important scriptural word) their own past spiritual experiences.  Remembering those is one way to prime the pump, so to speak, for current spiritual experiences. 

I hope this activity is useful to you.  Please let me know how it works or what else you did that was beneficial to you and the members of your class.  Thank you and God bless.

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