The Lesson - Why is learning an important part of Heavenly Father's plan? - What I Did

*Before class, write on the board, "Why is learning an important part of Heavenly Father's plan?"

1.  Plan of Salvation - Review

My darling friend, Rachel, sent me this link, which has printable plan of salvation diagrams.  I printed them out, colored them, cut them out, and put together one baggie of pieces per person:

Then I had my students do something that the Redheaded Hostess does in her seminary classes - have them actually assemble a plan of salvation diagram correctly.  The kids loooved it.  And it led to some good questions and discussions about what happens when and what comes before what.   Here is a sample of what they came up with:

 

 2.  Making Connections

I gave each student a slip of paper that asked them to write down everything they knew about a certain aspect of the plan of salvation.  Each kid had a different topic.  Here are the slips I passed out: 

What do covenants have to do with the plan of salvation?

What does obedience have to do with the plan of salvation?

What does the Atonement have to do with the plan of salvation?

What do you know about life after death?

What do you know about pre-Earth life?

What does the Fall have to do with the plan of salvation?

What do you know about the resurrection?

What do you know about mortality (life on this Earth) in relation to the plan of salvation?

We had a few students missing, so I took one of the extra and filled it out.  It's good to be a model of what you want your students to be doing.  Then I had each student (and myself) share what we wrote.

I pointed to the question on the board and said that we were going to explore this question in our lesson today, that today's lesson specifically focuses on learning and what it has to do with the plan of salvation.

3.  Diagram/Picture Activity

I gave each student a half sheet of paper with a scripture on it and had them draw a diagram or a picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.  Here they are (I'm not putting the space on here for diagram drawing, but I did give them each half a sheet of paper with the following sentences on top): 

Read 2 Ne. 28:27 – 30. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read D&C 98:11-12. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read Alma 12: 9-11. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read D&C 50:40. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read D&C 88:77-80. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

D&C 88:67. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read D&C 93:36. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Read D&C 130:18. Then, draw a diagram or a simple picture that represents the principles in the scripture passage.

Then I had each student share their scripture (we all looked them up and marked them) and then share their diagram or picture showing what it means.  

One girl gave me her diagram at the end of class - some kids like to keep their stuff; others don't.  Here is hers (just double click on it to see it bigger):

Again, because we were missing a few kids, I did one.  I think mine is funny:

I'm glad that I got this one, because I had studied Elder Oaks' article, which in part addresses this scripture (D&C 88:67).  Looking back, before giving this slip to a student, I would include this quote on it to help the student understand it a little better:

"Our efforts to learn must be combined with personal worthiness for us to receive the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We must avoid sexual impurity, pornography, and addictions as well as negative feelings against others or ourselves. Sin drives out the Spirit of the Lord, and when that happens, the special illumination of the Spirit is gone and the lamp of learning flickers.

In modern revelation we have a promise that if our eye be single to the glory of God, which includes personal worthiness, our “whole [body] shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in [us]; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things” (D&C 88:67)."

And then we ran out of time, dang it!!

I really do try to figure out how much time things are going to take, but I'm rarely right.  I guess it's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared, right??

So this is what I would have done, if I had had more time.

4.  For the Strength of Youth - Education

I was going to divide the class into thirds.  Every single person, however, was going to be given the excerpt on education from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.  (And there's a reason for each student having their own, which you'll see.)  Each group gets a different job.  One group needs to list things Heavenly Father wants us to do.  The other group lists the blessings Heavenly Father has promised, and the third group lists advice about education.  Here are the excerpts and instructions that I gave to them - each one is different.  Give one group the first worksheet, one group the second worksheet, and the third group the third worksheet:

For the Strength of Youth – Education

Read the following excerpt from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet on Education with your group. Then, on the separate piece of paper provided, list things Heavenly Father wants us to do.

Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.

Education will prepare you for greater service in the world and in the Church. It will help you better provide for yourself, your family, and those in need. It will also help you be a wise counselor and companion to your future spouse and an informed and effective teacher of your future children.

Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you. Plan now to obtain an education. Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices if necessary. Share your educational goals with your family, friends, and leaders so they can support and encourage you.

Maintain an enthusiasm for learning throughout your life. Find joy in continuing to learn and in expanding your interests. Choose to actively participate in the learning opportunities available to you.
Your education should include spiritual learning. Study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets. Participate in seminary and institute. Continue throughout your life to learn about Heavenly Father’s plan. This spiritual learning will help you find answers to the challenges of life and will invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

For the Strength of Youth – Education

Read the following excerpt from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet on Education with your group. Then, on the separate piece of paper provided, list blessings Heavenly Father has promised.

Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.

Education will prepare you for greater service in the world and in the Church. It will help you better provide for yourself, your family, and those in need. It will also help you be a wise counselor and companion to your future spouse and an informed and effective teacher of your future children.

Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you. Plan now to obtain an education. Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices if necessary. Share your educational goals with your family, friends, and leaders so they can support and encourage you.

Maintain an enthusiasm for learning throughout your life. Find joy in continuing to learn and in expanding your interests. Choose to actively participate in the learning opportunities available to you.
Your education should include spiritual learning. Study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets. Participate in seminary and institute. Continue throughout your life to learn about Heavenly Father’s plan. This spiritual learning will help you find answers to the challenges of life and will invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

For the Strength of Youth – Education

Read the following excerpt from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet on Education with your group. Then, on the separate piece of paper provided, list the advice given about education.

Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.

Education will prepare you for greater service in the world and in the Church. It will help you better provide for yourself, your family, and those in need. It will also help you be a wise counselor and companion to your future spouse and an informed and effective teacher of your future children.

Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you. Plan now to obtain an education. Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices if necessary. Share your educational goals with your family, friends, and leaders so they can support and encourage you.

Maintain an enthusiasm for learning throughout your life. Find joy in continuing to learn and in expanding your interests. Choose to actively participate in the learning opportunities available to you.
Your education should include spiritual learning. Study the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets. Participate in seminary and institute. Continue throughout your life to learn about Heavenly Father’s plan. This spiritual learning will help you find answers to the challenges of life and will invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

I would have given each group a colored piece of paper to write their list on, and then I would have had them tape the papers to this poster, like so:

When I studied this excerpt, here are things I found and listed in my own notes:

1.  Things Heavenly Father wants us to do
*  become more like him
*  educate your mind
*  develop your skills and talents
*  develop responsibility
*  develop your capacity to appreciate life

2.  Blessings He has promised
*  education will prepare us for greater service in the world and in the church.
*  provide for yourself, your family, and those in need.
*  wise counselor and companion to your spouse
*  informed and effective teacher for your future children
*  open doors of opportunity
*  find answers to challenges of life
*  invite companionship of the Holy Ghost.

3.  Advice about education
*  plan to obtain an education
*  be willing to work diligently
*  be willing to make sacrifices
*  share your educational goals with others so that you have a support system
*  be a lifelong learner
*  study scriptures and words of prophets.
*  participate in seminary and institute
*  be a lifelong spiritual learner.

Have the students share their lists, and add the above things to them if the students missed one or two things.

Educational Goals

Then I was going to hand one of these handouts to each student:

This is what it says:

Take a look at the section on the poster entitled “Advice about Education.” Pick one of the things on the list (or an idea of your own) that you need to work on, and write it in the space below:

Now write how you will go about working on the thing you chose. For example, if you decided you need to be a better lifelong learner, how would you go about it?

I probably would have given them a hypothetical to help them know what to write on this.  I would say something like, "If a person's goal was to be a lifelong spiritual learner, how would they go about it?  If a person's goal was to get a bachelor's and a master's degree, how would they go about it?"  That would probably get the wheels turning.  Sometimes they need little nudges like this.  They're usually tired and really sick of thinking all week long.  So I have to give them nudges. :)  They're funny.

So that's all I have, folks!  This might be too late for you this year, but maybe it will help you next year (I know I'll be looking it up on here to refresh myself.  And to keep myself from re-inventing the wheel).  I have next week off for ward conference - the stake Sunday School dude will be coming into my class and teaching the lesson "Why is teaching the gospel an important part of Heavenly Father's plan?"  So I won't have that for ya next week.  But on the 17th, I'll be teaching "What is the role of agency in learning the gospel?"  and writing about it a few days later, probably. :)  Life is busy.