Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (Apr. '20): "Come and Belong"

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A NOTE:
Maintaining this blog at this time might be one of the most optimistic things I have done in recent memory :), although I am sure we will eventually be meeting together again for church.  I just have no idea when that will be.  Still, I want to continue this blog even in these times as an expression of hope.  In the meantime, I have begun a separate blog that focuses on sharing ideas to explore the messages of general conference in our homes.  That blog can be found here. 

Elder Uchtdorf is always so positive and encouraging and this talk is no different. 

The Activity:
  1. Discuss why the Lord has an organized church on Earth.
  2. Read par. 4-10 ("However, being a . . . life to come").
  3. Discuss things that struck the class from this passage.
  4. On the board, write questions made up of the sentences in paragraph 9.  Do this by changing each sentence into a question that starts with something like "How does participating in the Church . . .?"  For example, "How does participating in the Church help me learn to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit?"
  5. Ask the class members to form small groups and discuss each question in turn for 90 seconds.  They can talk about their ideas, their experiences, or whatever relates, but they should talk for 90 seconds (or a similar time that fits your class members better).
  6. Come back together and discuss each of these questions in turn.
  7. Challenge the class members to identify one idea they had about how they could improve their church attendance/participation and to implement it into their lives.  
Using the Activity:

This activity is another way to ask the class members to "liken" this talk to themselves.  Turning sentences into questions and then considering the answers to those questions is a way to increase understanding and depth of knowledge-- including application.  Additionally, the last step in this activity to ask them to consider what changes they felt prompted to make during the discussion is a way of reinforcing the idea that we are to be receiving personal revelation on a regular basis.  I think that we probably receive more revelation than we recognize; I am just trying to build in a step to make that revelation more clear.  

As always, please let me know how your lesson goes or how I can better be of service to you.  

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