Teaching Relief Society & Priesthood

The Activity: 1.      Choose a number of quotes from the talk that seem especially pertinent to the members of your class/group/quorum.   I am thinking 6 or so. 2.      Arrange the seats in the room in 2 rows facing each other—close enough to be able to easily speak to the person directly across from you, but far enough apart that movement between the rows is not impeded. 3.      Have people sit in the chairs so that everyone is facing someone else.   If there is an odd number, you get to be part of the activity as well. 4.      Give instructions outlining what is going to happen (as per the directions that follow). 5.      Read one of the quotes from the talk. 6.      Give the group 2 minutes to talk about the quote.   They might discuss . . . a.       What the quote is telling us b.   ...

The Activity: 1.      Ask class members to look in their Topical Guides at the entries for “hope,” “joy,” and/or “peace.” 2.      Give them about five minutes to find a verse of scripture that seems to them to be especially pertinent to Bishop Waddell’s message and their own experiences. 3.      Ask class members to form small groups (4-5 people) 4.      Have them share their scriptures in their small groups and explain why they chose that scripture 5.      Discuss as a class, what was shared and discussed in the groups. Using the Activity: This is an activity that I think could easily and profitably be modified to use with any of the conference talks.   For me, making connections between the scriptures and conference talks is a powerful way for me to remember and better understand both scripture and general conference talks.   Science tells us that t...

The Activity: 1.      Before class, ask the class members to review their Patriarchal Blessings and spend time in prayer pondering what mission(s) Heavenly Father has for them. 2.      After discussing the talk (near the end of class), give everyone a piece of paper and something to write with.   3.      Ask the class members to answer the following questions, one at a time (assure them that they will not need to share whatever they write down): a.       What is a mission that Father has for you? b.      How will focusing on others help you fulfill this mission? c.       What spiritual gifts do you need to fulfill this mission?   How can you develop those gifts? (This is where the Patriarchal Blessing comes in). d.      How might adversity help you fulfill this mission? e.      In w...

The Activity: Prior to class 1.      Prepare a handout for each student.   The handout should be a piece of paper divided into thirds. 2.      Label the sections of the paper as follows: a.       God calls Prophets to lead and guide us b.      The knowledge of the true nature of God c.       Jesus Christ is our Savior During class 1.      Pass out the handouts 2.      Ask the class members to write in each section of the paper, specific blessings we receive because we know each of those things that are in the headings. 3.      Ask the class members, after a few moments, to write a couple of sentences that explain why knowing each of those things is important. 4.      Have class members stand and move about the room. 5.      Class member...

The Activity: 1.      Type up five or so quotes from this talk that impress you and that you feel would be meaningful and important to your class members.   Be sure to use a large font size. 2.      Tape these quotes spread out on the chalkboard.   Make sure there are multiple pieces of chalk. 3.      Invite the class members to join you at the board. 4.      Explain that this is an activity that is completely silent. 5.      Class members read and think about the quotes for a few moments.   You could do this before asking students to come to the board. 6.      Then, as impressed, class members write what the quote makes them think of.   This could be: a.       Scriptures b.      People c.       Experiences d.      Implications...

  The Activity: 1.      Have class members make a list of people that surround them every day.   These could include family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, people they see in the store, etc. 2.      After a few moments of making the list, ask class members to think about how they might serve each person on their list.   Stress that these ideas need not be “ambitious ways to change the world.”   They should, instead, be simple ideas that can be done from the heart.   3.      Ask them to jot down an idea or two for each person on their list. 4.      Ask them to take a second and look over their list for the best idea or two on their lists. 5.      Have them share their best ideas in small groups (3-4 people each). 6.      If they want to at this point, they can “steal” one of the ideas someone else shared and add it to thei...

The Activity: 1.      On the board draw a Venn diagram (2 circles that partially overlap).   Label the first circle “Earning Heavenly Father’s trust” and the second circle “Earning your family’s trust.” 2.      Create a number of strips of paper.   On each strip of paper write one of the following four questions: a.       How do we earn Heavenly Father’s trust? b.      How do we earn the trust of our family? c.       What is a blessing or earning Heavenly Father’s trust? d.      What is a blessing of earning our family’s trust? 3.      Put the slips of paper in a hat or bag. 4.      Ask each class member to choose a slip of paper. 5.      Have them write a single answer to the question on the back of strip of paper.   They can get this answer from their o...