Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (Oct. 18): "The Ministry of Reconciliation"

-
Be sensitive with this lesson.  There might be some who are currently in a state of anger and who might react negatively if they feel they are being preached at or singled out.  I think of Elder Scott here, who told abuse victims a few years back (and I'm obviously paraphrasing), "you may not be able to forgive your perpetrators at the present moment.  Don't worry about it.  Keep working on coming unto Christ and the day will come when you will be able to.  In the meantime, don't let it hold you back."  Sometimes, it is tough to forgive because there are horrible things in the world.  Like with most things, love is a greater motivator than anger and accusations. 

The Activity:

  1. Prior to the lesson:  Prepare strips of paper with scenarios such as the following on them (these are based on true stories with which I am familiar, but you can simply make them up):
    1. You operate a franchise and one year when signing the contract, you accidentally sign that you will be open a certain number of days that will ultimately require you to be open on a Sunday.  You choose to work that day as opposed to requiring others to work that day.  When you are working a member of the ward drops by and purchases something from you.  The next Sunday, when you enter the chapel, that person sees you and asks why you are there if you are going to keep your business open on Sunday.  
    2. As a young adult, you are shunned by the other youth in your group.  Then, your family prepares to move out.  On your last Sunday at church, the youth approach you with a present to make amends, they say.  When you open it up, it is a can of dog food.  They all laugh hysterically.
    3. Your non-member spouse comes with you to church almost every Sunday.  You move to a new town and no one greets you or speaks to you for five weeks.  On your sixth Sunday in church, the bishop approaches you after sacrament meeting and talks to you.  He asks you a few questions about your membership in the church and jots some notes in a small notebook.  When he asks your spouse a question, she/he responds with, "I am not a member of the Church."  The bishop then replies, "Oh," closes his notebook, and walks away without another word.  Your spouse looks at you and says, "I will be in the car when church is over," and walks out the door.
  2. Divide the class into small groups (4-5 people per group)
  3. Give each group a scenario and ask them to discuss the following questions:
    1. Why might this be difficult to forgive?
    2. How might you overcome something like this?
    3. How might you help someone offended in this situation forgive the others?
  4. After a few minutes, come back together as a class and discuss what was talked about in the small groups.  
  5. Focus on the last question and create a list of idea on the board
  6. Read paragraph 18 "My beloved brothers . . . who shed it."
  7. Discuss how the Atonement helps us in this work (the work of helping us forgive and helping us to help others).
Using the Activity:

In some ways, as a teacher, the most difficult part of this activity is coming up with scenarios.  The three I shared are all based on true experiences that I am familiar with from an Institute teacher, a talk, and my own father/mother.  This may be the best source for other scenarios, although you may be able to make them up.  

This is a valuable activity because it asks the class members to imagine themselves in the shoes of the people who are offended as well as the shoes of someone whose friend was offended.  And it asks them to imagine how they might help their friend.  Ultimately, part of this is also to help the class members feel more empathy for those who struggle with this-- sometimes, if you have not had to deal with hard things like this or if you simply don't hold grudges, it is difficult to understand why others would react differently than you do.  Also, by putting the class into small groups, you are encouraging them to all actively take part in the activity.  Again, participation in class-- in any way-- is a way of exercising faith.  Exercising faith opens our hearts to the Spirit.  So, this activity is designed to help the class members feel the Spirit.

As always, I hope this activity is of use to you either as an activity or as the jumping off point for an activity of your own.  God bless.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell (Oct. '23): "More Than a Hero"

-
 This talk is custom made for today.  All around us we can see people who choose worldly heroes to focus on and follow with little, if any, thought given to Christ and Father.  The results are perilous to us and to society.  This talk in some aspects reminds me of some of Pres. Kimball's teachings ( here , for example).   The Activity: Draw a line down the middle of the board. Read par. 23 "For us on . . . Savior and Redeemer." Ask the class members to consider what would characterize too much trust placed in "the politician, the musician, the athlete, or the vlogger" or anyone. Invite them to share their ideas.  As they do, list them on one side of the board. Invite the class members to look over the list they have created and consider how they can either safeguard against these things or walk back from perilous positions. Allow a moment to think and then discuss. Point out that if this is too much attention placed on people, in what ways could we do the same t
Read more

Elder Dale G. Renlund (Oct. '23): "Jesus Christ is the Treasure"

-
 What a great talk reminding us of the simplicity of the gospel-- Jesus  Christ.  The treasure is always Jesus Christ.  Remembering that is not easy in our modern world, though.  To help us remember, the Lord has given us many things.  Elder Renlund in this talk reviews four of these and this is what the activity below focuses on. The Activity: Make sure that every class member has access to a copy of the talk either digitally or physically. Explain that in this talk, Elder Renlund reviews four actions we can do to avoid looking beyond the mark. Divide the class into four groups. Assign each group one action along with the corresponding part of the talk.  These are: Repentance-- par. 10-11 "The Savior has . . . of our sins." The sacrament-- par. 12-13 "Just like the . . . prospered, and preserved." Temple Worship-- par. 14-15 "When we have . . . it is distant." Listening to the Prophet-- par. 16-17  "After Carter and . . . look no further." Have
Read more

Pres. Russell M. Nelson (Apr. '24): "Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys"

-
 This is a relatively short talk, but it is full of both invitations and promises from our prophet.  The blessings enumerated and promised are especially inspiring (par. 25-31).  However, for this activity I chose to focus on the invitations that Pres. Nelson extends to us as members. The Activity: Insure that every class member has access to a copy of the talk either digitally or physically. Insure that every class member has something to write with and on (a device would work fine). Write on the board (or post printed statements) of the 3 (or 5 depending on how you choose to break up the last one) invitations that Pres. Nelson gives us. Par. 8-9 "Jesus Christ then . . . for you personally." Par. 16 "Consider how your . . . to the earth." Par. 19-22 "I invite you . . . home to Him."  (the three statements here could be listed separately). Ask the class members to read these statements and spend a moment silently considering one of the invitations. (Option
Read more