Elder O. Vincent Haleck (Oct. 17): "The Heart of a Widow"

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Elder Haleck speaks of the widow’s heart (from the New Testament story) and gives several characteristics of it.  Including the following:

·      “a heart that softens when the warmth and light of the truth is revealed” (Para. 14).

·      “the widow’s heart . . . [can] see with the eye of faith the great crowning blessings in store for” them (Para. 17).

·      “a heart that will give all by making sacrifices (Para. 18—this paragraph has a number of characteristics listed in it).

The Activity:

1.     Pass out a sheet of paper with three or four of these characteristics typed out.  Make sure there is plenty of white space around each quote.

2.     Ask the class members to read over the quotes and pick the one that most touches them.

3.     Have class members form group around their chosen quotes.

4.     Have the groups talk about their quotes.  You might provide them with questions such as:

a.      When have you seen/known someone with this type of heart?  How did they demonstrate the characteristic being talked about in this quote?

b.     How can we develop the trait of the widow’s heart discussed in this quote?

c.      What would this trait look like if we as mothers/fathers/siblings/ spouses/roommates/co-workers/etc. had it.?

5.     Come back together as a class and discuss what you talked about in the groups.



Using the Activity:

Like many of the activities I suggest, this one makes use of smaller groups as a way to increase participation by those in our classes and quorums.  To be truly Christ-like teachers, we need to see those in our classes as He does—as individuals with many contributions to make, as individuals who already know a whole lot about the most important things, as individuals who are striving to do what is right.  When we see others in our class in this way, then we feel more comfortable allowing them more opportunities to speak—something which is stressed in the new curriculum.

Variations on this activity could include a handout for the groups or not providing any questions and asking them more generally to simply “discuss” the quote.  You might have a designated recorder for each group who writes down the key points of discussion and then reports back to the whole group.  Do what feels right to you as you pray and ponder about it—as always.

I do hope that this activity is beneficial for you.  Please leave a comment letting me know how this worked for you.  God bless.

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