Sis. Michelle Craig (Oct. '19): "Spiritual Capacity"

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This talk was so powerful for me.  I see myself returning to it again and again over the next six months.  Also, I feel like this is a talk that I will be sharing and discussing with my kids-- especially my teens.  I don't always do this, but for this talk, I have created two activities.  I was thinking of my kids as I read this talk and so the second activity actually came first, but it feels almost too simple (it really isn't) so I created another one.  I hope one of these works for you.

Activity 1:

  1. Make sure everyone has a small sheet of paper and something to write with.
  2. On the board write the following words:  time, effort, trust, desire
  3. Point out the words to the class membrers.
  4. Ask them to consider how these four things can work together in our lives to "increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation" (par. 3).
  5. Then, have them consider which of the three do they feel is most important.  
  6. Ask the class members to share with a neighbor their thoughts.
  7. Now, ask the class members to write their thoughts down on their papers.  This could be something they have discovered about these four elements or it could be about which is most important and why.
  8. Have the class members store this writing someone safe.
  9. Come back together and discuss what the class members learned.
Activity 2:
  1. Ask the class members to think of someone they know who needs the information in this talk.  What would they say to this person?  How would they say it.
  2. Have them consider this for a moment.
  3. Ask the class members to get with a partner and role play explaining this information to the person they are thinking of (there is no need to share who each person is sharing with).  
Using the Activity:

The first activity to me almost feels like an opening activity (minus the writing part).  By asking class members to start thinking about these elements even before referring to the talk, we are helping prepare their minds to be open to learning about the talk.  Writing down our thoughts helps us to think through more carefully whatever it is that we are writing.  Finally, in this activity, asking them to consider the most important element will hopefully position the class members to receive promptings from the Spirit that are specific to them and their current situations.  

As I alluded to earlier, the second activity came out of my own thoughts about how I might share this with my own kids.  It is important to role play these things because it makes it easier to carry them out.  

As always, I pray that these ideas can be useful to you in your lessons-- if not as they are, as a catalyst for your own ideas.  

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