Teaching from conference talks

[Sunday21]

Do you teach conference talks in Relief Society or Priesthood? This is my calling and I am finding it tough. We are doing Bro Uchdorf's 'He will place you on your shoulders and carry you home'. I am trying to think of a way to have an activity for this talk...and the only one I can think of is...why would the Stake assign this talk? Which is a bit of a 'beats me!' cop out. I wish I could post a link to the talk. I will try again later to do so. The only reason that I can think of to give this talk is that someone in RS may have an inactive friend or relative so thr RS sister should not give up or be discouraged about the friend/relative's eventual return. Maybe I could have the sisters think about a time when they felt discouraged and felt like giving up but did not, what brought them back? But maybe this approach is too negative? We might all give up! Any suggestions welcome! Normally, I feel discouraged when I read the talk that I need to teach. I list to the talk over and over in the car until I finally get an idea. Prayer of course helps but I usually need to ponder on my own as a first step. This talk has me really puzzled.

[Sunday21]

Further to above, the women that I teach are overwhelmed by poverty, church callings and family responsibilities. If you can walk and talk, you have a calling here. (Any of the 'I don't have a calling' crowd want to move here?). The question I am thrashing around is, 'What would one like to see change in the lives of those who hear this talk'? This is one of the general conference teaching tips from 'Teaching No Greater Call'.

[zil]

I taught this last Sunday.  I didn't keep my notes, but here are some of the questions / items of conversation (when I teach, we read quotes, then I ask questions and let discussion ensue):

• After the Dresden story, there are a couple of paragraphs about how "if man can rebuild this church, surely God can rebuild our lives".  When we hear that, we believe it, until (sometimes) we start to think about our specific problems, and then we tend to feel too depressed or overwhelmed and either don't ask, or don't think to ask.  So how do we overcome this gap between faith and our own reality?
• In the "What Must We Do?" section, we discussed ways in which we each come to Christ.  Which led to a discussion of obedience, because all the ways that the sisters said they come to Christ were forms of obedience.
• After some quotes from the talk wherein President Uchtdorf improves our understanding of "obedience", we discussed how to incorporate obedience into everyday activities (not just that scripture study is one of your every day activities, but how does scripture study (or any good principle) alter what you do or how you do it - whether it's work or the laundry (yes, I think scripture study and prayer can alter how you approach doing laundry)).
• I ended by asking the sisters if any were willing to share how Christ had come to their rescue.  I was partly hoping for smaller, more day-to-day answers (because I know from personal experience that He does that), but instead (after much silence), two sisters shared big ways.

Instead of looking for ways to save others (how the lost sheep parable is often interpreted), I was trying to help the sisters see that Christ had, and always would, come to their rescue.

[Jane_Doe]

1 hour ago, Sunday21 said:

We are doing Bro Uchdorf's 'He will place you on your shoulders and carry you home'. I am trying to think of a way to have an activity for this talk...and the only one I can think of is...why would the Stake assign this talk? Which is a bit of a 'beats me!' cop out. I wish I could post a link to the talk.

Here you go:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng

[Jane_Doe]

1 hour ago, Sunday21 said:

Do you teach conference talks in Relief Society or Priesthood? This is my calling and I am finding it tough. We are doing Bro Uchdorf's 'He will place you on your shoulders and carry you home'. I am trying to think of a way to have an activity for this talk...and the only one I can think of is...why would the Stake assign this talk? Which is a bit of a 'beats me!' cop out. I wish I could post a link to the talk. I will try again later to do so. The only reason that I can think of to give this talk is that someone in RS may have an inactive friend or relative so thr RS sister should not give up or be discouraged about the friend/relative's eventual return. Maybe I could have the sisters think about a time when they felt discouraged and felt like giving up but did not, what brought them back? But maybe this approach is too negative? We might all give up! Any suggestions welcome! Normally, I feel discouraged when I read the talk that I need to teach. I list to the talk over and over in the car until I finally get an idea. Prayer of course helps but I usually need to ponder on my own as a first step. This talk has me really puzzled.

Ok, I have LOTS of thoughts of this talk- because it's fantastic!  (It actually moves me to happy tears).  Because we so often don't realize the parable of the lost sheep from the sheep's perspective-- we spend all of our time talking about the rescuer!  Here's a basic outline on how I would go about giving this lesson... ok more than a basic outline, I got carried away....

 

After I had my baby girl, we learned she had medical issues and had flight-for-life’d to another state for treatment.  We then spent a month in the hospital.  When we finally got out of the hospital and headed home-- my baby's first time being home to this wonderful place I had spent months preparing for her-- I was so happy.  In my eagerness to get home, I neglected to stop and fill my gas tank, thinking "oh, we'll be fine, I just want to get home".  Well, the drive home was fraught with a Wyoming blizzard: 100 mph winds, no visibility, and -40 degrees outside.  At 10 30 that night, my little family of three ran out of gas and ended up pulling over an un-inhabited rest stop 30 miles out of town with no way to get home.  

Literally out of all other options, I called my visiting teacher.  She and I were not close: in fact we had only met once before, and I had blown her off the five times after that.    She didn't owe me anything at all- if fact I'm the one that owed her an apology already.  And my family was stranded because I was the stupid one who didn't stop for gas-- this wasn't her fault at all.  But on this blizzarding night, she got out her pajamas, and drove to my to my rescue. [draw on board category "deserving to be rescued: nope"]  

When my visiting teacher arrived, with a handheld tank of gas for me... honestly I didn't know what to do with it- I don't know the first thing about cars!  And I didn't know how to accept the rescue.  So she (or rather her husband) showed us how to manually pour gas into out tank.  We had to listen to his words, and do as he said, so that they could rescue us-- it could not have happened if I had told them to go away, or if I had refused to fill my tank with the gas they brought.  I had to accept their gift, and follow the necessary steps to use it [ draw on board category: "following steps to accept the rescue: check"].

Once my tank was full, my family headed home, escorted by my loving VT drove along side us the entire way.  We were home.   [ draw on board category: "destination: home"].

Then, ask the class for examples of them being rescued, filling out the 3 categories of "deserved to be rescued" (always "no'), "following steps to accept rescue (always "check"), and "destination" (variable happy things/places).  Stress love throughout. Somewhere along here point of the Christ parallels, and that all the stories here we are telling are the "Chronicles of the Lost Sheep" (write that in big letters titling the board).   Once we've got several stories, take it to the Big Story of the plan of salvation, pointing out the same 3 categories.  

 

Notes here: no where here am I reading verbatim from Utchdorf's talk.  In fact, a class member could go this entire lesson without knowing I'm totally taking this whole thing from Utchdorf, just with my own story/the class' stories instead of Dresden (we likened it unto us).  

[Sunday21]

12 hours ago, zil said:

I taught this last Sunday.  I didn't keep my notes, but here are some of the questions / items of conversation (when I teach, we read quotes, then I ask questions and let discussion ensue):

• After the Dresden story, there are a couple of paragraphs about how "if man can rebuild this church, surely God can rebuild our lives".  When we hear that, we believe it, until (sometimes) we start to think about our specific problems, and then we tend to feel too depressed or overwhelmed and either don't ask, or don't think to ask.  So how do we overcome this gap between faith and our own reality?
• In the "What Must We Do?" section, we discussed ways in which we each come to Christ.  Which led to a discussion of obedience, because all the ways that the sisters said they come to Christ were forms of obedience.
• After some quotes from the talk wherein President Uchtdorf improves our understanding of "obedience", we discussed how to incorporate obedience into everyday activities (not just that scripture study is one of your every day activities, but how does scripture study (or any good principle) alter what you do or how you do it - whether it's work or the laundry (yes, I think scripture study and prayer can alter how you approach doing laundry)).
• I ended by asking the sisters if any were willing to share how Christ had come to their rescue.  I was partly hoping for smaller, more day-to-day answers (because I know from personal experience that He does that), but instead (after much silence), two sisters shared big ways.

Instead of looking for ways to save others (how the lost sheep parable is often interpreted), I was trying to help the sisters see that Christ had, and always would, come to their rescue.

Wow! This is pure gold. Many thanks!

[Sunday21]

12 hours ago, zil said:

I taught this last Sunday.  I didn't keep my notes, but here are some of the questions / items of conversation (when I teach, we read quotes, then I ask questions and let discussion ensue):

• After the Dresden story, there are a couple of paragraphs about how "if man can rebuild this church, surely God can rebuild our lives".  When we hear that, we believe it, until (sometimes) we start to think about our specific problems, and then we tend to feel too depressed or overwhelmed and either don't ask, or don't think to ask.  So how do we overcome this gap between faith and our own reality?
• In the "What Must We Do?" section, we discussed ways in which we each come to Christ.  Which led to a discussion of obedience, because all the ways that the sisters said they come to Christ were forms of obedience.
• After some quotes from the talk wherein President Uchtdorf improves our understanding of "obedience", we discussed how to incorporate obedience into everyday activities (not just that scripture study is one of your every day activities, but how does scripture study (or any good principle) alter what you do or how you do it - whether it's work or the laundry (yes, I think scripture study and prayer can alter how you approach doing laundry)).
• I ended by asking the sisters if any were willing to share how Christ had come to their rescue.  I was partly hoping for smaller, more day-to-day answers (because I know from personal experience that He does that), but instead (after much silence), two sisters shared big ways.

Instead of looking for ways to save others (how the lost sheep parable is often interpreted), I was trying to help the sisters see that Christ had, and always would, come to their rescue.

Ummm. Okay... I MUST know. How does scripture study and prayer affect how you do the laundry. Cone on, you have to tell!

[Sunday21]

12 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

Here you go:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng

Thank you. You are awesome!

[Sunday21]

10 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

Ok, I have LOTS of thoughts of this talk- because it's fantastic!  (It actually moves me to happy tears).  Because we so often don't realize the parable of the lost sheep from the sheep's perspective-- we spend all of our time talking about the rescuer!  Here's a basic outline on how I would go about giving this lesson... ok more than a basic outline, I got carried away....

 

After I had my baby girl, we learned she had medical issues and had flight-for-life’d to another state for treatment.  We then spent a month in the hospital.  When we finally got out of the hospital and headed home-- my baby's first time being home to this wonderful place I had spent months preparing for her-- I was so happy.  In my eagerness to get home, I neglected to stop and fill my gas tank, thinking "oh, we'll be fine, I just want to get home".  Well, the drive home was fraught with a Wyoming blizzard: 100 mph winds, no visibility, and -40 degrees outside.  At 10 30 that night, my little family of three ran out of gas and ended up pulling over an un-inhabited rest stop 30 miles out of town with no way to get home.  

Literally out of all other options, I called my visiting teacher.  She and I were not close: in fact we had only met once before, and I had blown her off the five times after that.    She didn't owe me anything at all- if fact I'm the one that owed her an apology already.  And my family was stranded because I was the stupid one who didn't stop for gas-- this wasn't her fault at all.  But on this blizzarding night, she got out her pajamas, and drove to my to my rescue. [draw on board category "deserving to be rescued: nope"]  

When my visiting teacher arrived, with a handheld tank of gas for me... honestly I didn't know what to do with it- I don't know the first thing about cars!  And I didn't know how to accept the rescue.  So she (or rather her husband) showed us how to manually pour gas into out tank.  We had to listen to his words, and do as he said, so that they could rescue us-- it could not have happened if I had told them to go away, or if I had refused to fill my tank with the gas they brought.  I had to accept their gift, and follow the necessary steps to use it [ draw on board category: "following steps to accept the rescue: check"].

Once my tank was full, my family headed home, escorted by my loving VT drove along side us the entire way.  We were home.   [ draw on board category: "destination: home"].

Then, ask the class for examples of them being rescued, filling out the 3 categories of "deserved to be rescued" (always "no'), "following steps to accept rescue (always "check"), and "destination" (variable happy things/places).  Stress love throughout. Somewhere along here point of the Christ parallels, and that all the stories here we are telling are the "Chronicles of the Lost Sheep" (write that in big letters titling the board).   Once we've got several stories, take it to the Big Story of the plan of salvation, pointing out the same 3 categories.  

 

Notes here: no where here am I reading verbatim from Utchdorf's talk.  In fact, a class member could go this entire lesson without knowing I'm totally taking this whole thing from Utchdorf, just with my own story/the class' stories instead of Dresden (we likened it unto us).  

 

This is a really powerful way to teach the lesson! I am so sorry this happened to you. Must have been really scary. Thanks so much. Boy, you guys have really saved my life here. Thanks a million!

[zil]

2 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Ummm. Okay... I MUST know. How does scripture study and prayer affect how you do the laundry. Cone on, you have to tell!

Well, you can be filled with negative feelings about it: "I hate doing laundry."  "Oh those cursed children, look at these stains!"  "Why can't he be more careful with his Sunday clothes, doesn't he know how hard they are to clean?" etc.

Or you can be filled with gratitude for the people in your life, for modern conveniences, for the health and strength to do your own laundry, for more than one change of clothing, for a job which allows you to buy your own laundry detergent, for a way in which to serve others (if you're washing other people's clothes), etc.

[Sunday21]

1 minute ago, zil said:

Well, you can be filled with negative feelings about it: "I hate doing laundry."  "Oh those cursed children, look at these stains!"  "Why can't he be more careful with his Sunday clothes, doesn't he know how hard they are to clean?" etc.

Or you can be filled with gratitude for the people in your life, for modern conveniences, for the health and strength to do your own laundry, for more than one change of clothing, for a job which allows you to buy your own laundry detergent, for a way in which to serve others (if you're washing other people's clothes), etc.

Yes, I see what you mean! What a difference the gospel makes in our lives. Thank you for this insight.

[Jane_Doe]

12 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

Ummm. Okay... I MUST know. How does scripture study and prayer affect how you do the laundry. Cone on, you have to tell!

Laundry is when I listen to conference talks / scriptures, and ponder/pray things.  It's my quiet "me" time in a very busy mom schedule.

[Sunday21]

On May 27, 2016 at 10:01 AM, Jane_Doe said:

Here you go:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/he-will-place-you-on-his-shoulders-and-carry-you-home?lang=eng

Many thanks! I gave the lesson using your suggestions. You rock!

[Jane_Doe]

25 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Many thanks! I gave the lesson using your suggestions. You rock!

Wow- I'm flattered.  Did it go well?

[Sunday21]

Yes. It really did! Your suggestions were great. Gospel scholar, you!

[Sunday21]

Dup

[Sunday21]

7 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

Wow- I'm flattered.  Did it go well?

Also I used your laundry example. People loved it!