Sis. Reyna I. Aburto (Oct. '19): "Thru Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me"

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What an important and timely talk.  This talk has something for everyone because we all know someone who is dealing with these issues, although many of us don't know it.  For those of us, who deal with these issues ourselves, the counsel in this talk is invaluable.  One note, though, simply because I and others find this talk of immense help does not mean that everyone dealing with these issues will see it the same way.  People dealing with depression, anxiety, or whatever else it may be are not some huge monolith.  We are all unique and have unique experiences.  So, be aware of that and allow each person that space.  Similarly, there will be those who may not believe that these issues are legitimate health concerns.  Be patient with these people as well.  We need to treat everyone with respect and love.  In the end, the Lord will make everything okay.

The Activity:

  1. Make sure everyone has access to a copy of the talk.
  2. Give everyone 2 slips of paper, each a different color.
  3. (optional, depending on when you use the activity), Introduce the topic of this conference talk-- depression, anxiety, and mental illnesses.  Remind, if needed, that Elder Holland spoke on this same topic during confernce in 2013.  Also, encourage people to speak respectfully, sensitively, and candidly in ways that invite the Spirit.  
  4. Explain that the class members should write down any questions they have that stem from this talk; On the other color of paper, have them write down a quote from the talk that strikes them as especially powerful.
  5. Collect the pieces of paper
  6. Ask the class members to form small groups.
  7. Give each group several slips of paper (some of each color) and ask them to discuss these questions.
  8. After a few minutes, come back together as a class and discuss what was talked about in the small groups.
Using the Activity:

The thrust of this activity is to couch the class in the thoughts, questions, and insights of the students themselves.  This is one way to support home-centered gospel learning in our classes.  Also, by remaining anonymous, this activity encourages class members to speak openly whether it is about their own struggles or about questions they don't know how to ask any other way.  

God bless you as you strive to teach with power and authority.

Comments

  1. Tom SmithFebruary 26, 2020 at 11:22 AM

    I am just re-reading the conference talks in preparation for April's conference and I was struck by a point in this talk that I had missed prior. This insight led me to consider an alternative activity to teach this talk. So, I decided to share briefly.

    The Activity:
    1. Read Para. 2-3 (Black clouds may . . . mental health professionals) and point out that this talk addresses to kinds of blindness-- the blindness brought on by mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety and the blindness caused by skepticism about these issues.
    2. Point out that throughout the talk there is counsel for those who are battling their own mental health issues and those who are supporting those who are going through these fights.
    3. Divide the class in half
    4. Ask one half of the class to read through the talk and highlight all of the counsel for those who are dealing with mental illness themselves.
    5. Ask the other half of the class to read through the talk and highlight all of the counsel for those whose friends and/or family are going through these struggles. Note: Some of the counsel in the talk applies to both groups.
    6. After a few minutes, ask class members to talk with those around them about what they found.
    7. Come back together as a class and share what everyone found.

    This activity makes room for everyone to be involved and find application in their own lives. I hope this is helpful (although it is mighty late :) ).

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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