Here is my sacrament meeting talk on "Women and the Priesthood".
SLIGHTLY OFF-TOPIC
In case any class members bring up concerns or questions about why blacks were denied priesthood blessings for a time, please refer to "Continuing Revelation" on my Gospel Doctrine blog.
HOW CAN I USE STORIES TO TEACH OTHERS ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD?
For a general discussion on the importance and function of the priesthood, including stories of two latter-day priesthood holders, please refer to "The Restoration of the Priesthood" on my Gospel Doctrine blog.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE COUNSEL GIVEN BY PRIESTHOOD LEADERS?
Apostles Matching Game:
We started this activity in my class during the month of May while discussing prophets and revelation, and are continuing it into June while discussing priesthood leadership.
- I bought two extra copies of the conference edition of the Ensign. If you don't live where you can easily do that, print off copies of the talks of all the apostles plus Elaine Dalton's talks.
- I printed up 3x5" photos of the apostles, Sister Dalton, and Sister Oscarson (YW Presidents) from the Church's website.
- I printed up 3x5" cards with their names, what mission or military service they gave as youths, what temples they were married in, and what their careers were before their calls to the ministry. I left plenty of space on the cards for writing.
- I cut apart my Ensigns and stapled together the pages of each apostles' talk and of Sister Dalton's talks (since Sister Oscarson has not yet spoken in conference). (I needed two copies of the Ensign since some apostles' talks are printed back-to-back on the same sheet.)
- In class, I showed the class each photo, and asked the class (in two teams) to identify the person. I also asked if they knew that person's military or mission service (usually they didn't, but asking got them to pay attention), their career (we got some good guesses here and few correct answers), and what temples they were married in. Points for correct answers. I filled in a few details or stories about the authorities as I went.
- I then asked who would like to study the talks of this person to share a summary with the class (noting that everyone would have to do it) and gave that person the cards.
- When we had gone through all the people and cards (students ended up with multiple cards, of course), I handed out the conference talks that each person gave. I gave the students about 10 minutes to study the talks--more time would have been better--and asked them to write something about the talk or a quote from the talk on the card with the person's name. If they had difficulty coming up with something, I just told them to write the talk overview that is printed under the title.
- I placed the pictures upside-down and backwards on a posterboard with a piece of Scotch tape at the top so that the card could be flipped up and the picture would show right-side up, in four rows of four (I did not put Sister Oscarson on the poster, but just used her picture and bio to introduce her to the kids.) I numbered the cards 1-16.
- As the students finished up the written cards, I did the same with them on another posterboard. I wrote letters on these cards A-P.
- We ran out of time at this point, and so will actually play the game at the next lesson. Having the class divided into two teams, one person will have a turn to try to match a number to a letter. As I flip up the picture card I will ask them to identify the person. As I flip up the written card, I will read what is written on the card. (It would be even better if the person who wrote the card could tell us a little more about the talk, but my class is kind of young, so I probably won't do that. If you have an older class, you might try that.) If they are a match, I'll remove the cards and give them to that team.
- Since it will take them a bunch of tries to get these matched up, it will increase their familiarity with the faces and the counsel.
- I likely will hang onto the game and use it for a review at a later time.
Here is the information I put on the cards:
President Thomas S. Monson
Served in the Naval Reserves
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Publishing (Deseret News and Deseret News Press)
President Henry B. Eyring
Served in the Air Force
Married in Logan Temple
Career: Educator (Ricks College President)
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Served in West German Air Force (fighter
pilot)
Married in Swiss Temple
Career: Pilot (Lufthansa Airlines)
President Boyd K. Packer
Served in Army Air Force (bomber pilot)
Married in Logan Temple
Career:
Seminary Teacher
L. Tom Perry
Served a mission to Northern States
Served in the Marines
Married in Logan Temple
Career: Retailer
Elder Russell M. Nelson
Served in the Army (Korean War)
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Heart Surgeon
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Served in National Guard
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Law (Utah Supreme Court)
M. Russell Ballard
Served a mission to England
Served in the Army Reserves
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Car Salesman/Dealer
Richard G. Scott
Served a mission to Uruguay
Married in Manti Temple
Career: Nuclear Engineer (Helped design the Nautilus submarine)
Robert D. Hales
Served in the Air Force (pilot)
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Corporate Executive (Papermate,
Max Factor, Hughs Television, Cheseborough-Ponds)
Jeffrey R. Holland
Served a mission to England
Married in St. George Temple
Career: Educator (BYU President)
David A. Bednar
Served a mission to Germany
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Educator (BYU-I President)
Quentin L. Cook
Served a mission to England
Married in Logan Temple
Career: Lawyer
D. Todd Christofferson
Served a mission to Argentina
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Lawyer
Neil L. Anderson
Served a mission to France
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Lawyer/Executive
President Bonnie L. Oscarson
Served as mission matron in Sweden
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Stay-at-Home Mom to 7 Children
Elaine S. Dalton
Married in Salt Lake Temple
Career: Stay-at-Home Mom to 6 Children
We did this last Sunday! Huge hit, thanks for the great idea!!
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