Elder Neil L. Anderson (Oct. 18): "Wounded"

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The Activity:

  1. Make sure that everyone has access to the talk and an index/note card
  2. Divide the class into two groups.  If your class/quorum is larger, you may want to divide each half into smaller groups so that all class members have the chance to participate.
  3. Ask the first half of the class to read paragraph 17 "We each understand . . . to be ready."
  4. Then, ask these class members to examine the rest of the talk and identify ways we can "be ready" for trials.  Group members should each jot down the ideas they find.
  5. Ask the other half o the class to read paragraph 12 "We search for . . . will be wounded."
  6. Then, ask these class members to examine the rest of the talk and identify keys to how we should deal with those wounds.  These class members should note on their cards what their group found out about this.
  7. After an appropriate amount of time, ask the class members to get up and find someone from the other half of the class to talk to.
  8. Tell them that they each have one minute to share.  During that minute, they should not only read what they found but talk about how it might look, why it might be effective, etc.  That will be two minutes of talking.  Then, let them know that they will have a third minute during which they should talk about how the information they each found connects to what their partners found.
  9. After the three minutes (yes, you should time it), come back together as a class and discuss what was found.
Using the Activity:

The timing here is actually important.  A minute seems like a short amount of time until you have to fill it with talk.  Then, it can feel like an eternity, but as the class members strive to fill that time, the Spirit will teach them (you may even want to point this out) and they will find themselves saying things that are true but that they did not know beforehand.  

Also, this activity reinforces the idea that we should use the words of the prophet and apostles to answer questions and solve problems.  That their words are more than simple pleasantries; they are real guides to life that will bless us as we apply them.

I hope this activity is of use to you.  Please let me know how it goes.  Thanks.

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