Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (Oct. '21): "The Greatest Possession"

-

 For me, this talk set the tone for the rest of the conference.  I felt like it set out the primary theme of this conference and laid the groundwork for much, if not all, of what was to come.  Even if it did not strike you the same way, it was undoubtedly a powerful talk.

The Activity:

  1. Prior to the lesson, find some headlines that speak to the divisions and contentions in our country.  These should be headlines that focus on the division as opposed to prioritizing one side over the other.
  2. Share these headlines and point out the division and contention underscored in these headlines.
  3. Read IV Ne. 1:13, 15-18 with the class.
  4. Point out that our goal should always be this type of society and NEVER the contention present in the headlines you shared (see III Ne. 11:29-30).
  5. Acknowledge the difficulty of achieving this level of unity, but point out that Elder Holland provides us some vital guidance in doing so.
  6. Read par. 11 ("What is the . . .  and peace increases) and par. 13 ("It is then . . . neighbor and ourselves").
  7. Ask the class members to talk with a neighbor for just a minute about how our love of God can transfer into a love of our fellow man.
  8. After a couple of moments, come back together as a class and discuss insights shared.

Using the Activity:

I think that unity is such a challenging topic because we (me included) are always looking to transfer the responsibility to change onto others (who disagree with us about whatever point is under consideration).  Elder Holland's talk (and some others from this conference) challenge us to look inward first and insure that we are behaving in Christ-like ways.  

This activity is designed to help us focus on the root of unity (having the love of God in our hearts) and to begin to consider the process by which that love leads to an increased love for our fellow man.  There are a number of ways to approach this differently.  For example, you could divide the class in half and ask one half to talk about the first quote and the other half to discuss the second quote.  Then, come back together and share what was talked about.  

I pray that this activity helps you to teach with power and authority.  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