Elder Gerrit W. Gong (Apr. '22): "We Each Have a Story"

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 Oftentimes, we consider family history to be the domain of the aged.  In recent years, however, our general church leaders have pushed back back on this-- strongly.  Elder Gong's talk is another example of a talk that challenges the notion that you have to reach some magical number of years before you can do this important work.  The activity below is designed to help us understand how we can all do family history work.

The Activity:

  1. Make sure that everyone has access to a copy of the talk either digitally or physically.
  2. After discussing the doctrines and principles in this talk, point out that Elder Gong also shares many concrete ways we can take action in family history (beyond the list at the end).
  3. Invite class members to take a few moments to look over the talk nd make note of all the possible activities that Elder Gong outlines.
  4. After some time, come back together as a class and ask the class members to share what they found.  
  5. Write each item on the board as it is shared and discuss them.
  6. When the list feels pretty substantial, ask class members to add any ways that they can think of to the list.
  7. A few minute later, ask the class members to silently consider the list and choose one item from the list that they can do during the next week.
  8. Challenge them to do at least the one thing they identified.

Using the Activity:

Obviously, this activity is designed to help the class members apply the doctrine from this talk in their lives.  In the process, though, it is also designed to make room for all of the class members to be able to participate (even if they choose not to).  By providing time to skim the talk and then asking for answers that come from their own lives and ideas the discussion starts from places that everyone can participate in.  This can make it easier for more people as they may not remember the talk well or may not have had the opportunity to study in the week preceding this lesson.  

As always thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope this activity is helpful, whether you use it directly, alter it, or it leads you to something else entirely.  God bless.  

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