Elder Jorge T. Becerra (Apr. '21): "Poor Little Ones"

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 The principle that stood out to me in this talk was one that I always find challenging-- overcoming my most deep-seated tendencies towards being less Christ-like than I should be.  I know that I won't ever overcome those tendencies completely in this life, but there is more I can do in this regard.  Also, note that I begin this activity with an activity from a popular author and member of the Church, Steven Covey.  I cannot take credit for it in any way; it is simply a really useful object lesson to get at what I am addressing in this activity.

The Activity:

  1. Using the pictures and the explanation found here, show half of the class the picture of the young lady while the other half closes their eyes.  Then, have the first half shut their eyes while the other half is shown the picture of the old woman.
  2. Then, show the picture of them combined and ask who sees the old woman and who sees the young lady.  
  3. Ask the class members to discuss why they saw what they saw.
  4. Explain that in a similar way our backgrounds, personal histories, and cultures predispose us to see others in particular ways. 
  5. After summarizing the story of Peter healing the man at the temple told in par. 6-12, read par. 13 ("In reading this . . . he was seeking.").
  6. Discuss with the classmates allowed Peter to see the man "differently than others."
  7. Read par. 23 ("Brothers and sisters . . . more abundant honor.").
  8. Ask the class members to consider some factors which can make us see others as "more feeble" or "less honorable" with no real information about the individual.
  9. Ask the class members to discuss with a partner some ways that we can all overcome the blindness(es) we have and to see in a more Christ-like way.
  10. After a few minutes, come back together as a class and discuss some of the ideas that the group shared.

Using the Activity:

I am always hesitant to use somebody else's work in this blog.  Not because there isn't an abundance of great material out there, but because I am unsure of what others have access to.  So, I like to keep everything contained in this page.  On the other hand, I would like to include more object lessons like this that make some abstract concepts/principles more accessible.  That is also difficult as well for similar reasons (and because they often take a lot of time-- something I try to avoid with these activities).  This time, though, it felt like it was worth the risk.  

If you do not wish to use the picture activity, this idea could still work.  Simply begin at step #5.

What makes this an effective activity from a teaching perspective is that the activity at the beginning is something that easy to see but that illustrates a much more difficult concept.  After all, we all like to think that we are completely untouched by things that may alter our perceptions.  Instead, it is much easier to assume that our understanding is always the correct understanding.  However, the Lord has told us that His thought are not our thoughts-- and vice versa (see Isa. 55:8-9); so perhaps we need to reconsider our positions.  :)

I hope that this activity is a useful tool for you in your teaching.  May God bless you in your efforts.  


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