Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (Oct. '21): "The Greatest Possession"

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 For me, this talk set the tone for the rest of the conference.  I felt like it set out the primary theme of this conference and laid the groundwork for much, if not all, of what was to come.  Even if it did not strike you the same way, it was undoubtedly a powerful talk.

The Activity:

  1. Prior to the lesson, find some headlines that speak to the divisions and contentions in our country.  These should be headlines that focus on the division as opposed to prioritizing one side over the other.
  2. Share these headlines and point out the division and contention underscored in these headlines.
  3. Read IV Ne. 1:13, 15-18 with the class.
  4. Point out that our goal should always be this type of society and NEVER the contention present in the headlines you shared (see III Ne. 11:29-30).
  5. Acknowledge the difficulty of achieving this level of unity, but point out that Elder Holland provides us some vital guidance in doing so.
  6. Read par. 11 ("What is the . . .  and peace increases) and par. 13 ("It is then . . . neighbor and ourselves").
  7. Ask the class members to talk with a neighbor for just a minute about how our love of God can transfer into a love of our fellow man.
  8. After a couple of moments, come back together as a class and discuss insights shared.

Using the Activity:

I think that unity is such a challenging topic because we (me included) are always looking to transfer the responsibility to change onto others (who disagree with us about whatever point is under consideration).  Elder Holland's talk (and some others from this conference) challenge us to look inward first and insure that we are behaving in Christ-like ways.  

This activity is designed to help us focus on the root of unity (having the love of God in our hearts) and to begin to consider the process by which that love leads to an increased love for our fellow man.  There are a number of ways to approach this differently.  For example, you could divide the class in half and ask one half to talk about the first quote and the other half to discuss the second quote.  Then, come back together and share what was talked about.  

I pray that this activity helps you to teach with power and authority.  God bless.

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