Alma 54, 55, 56 & 57 - United We Stand

Today's scripture block was from Alma 54-57. My husband taught the lesson, as I've been battling a severe case of bronchitis. Here is the lesson plan I gave him, and from what I heard, he did very well!

At the beginning of class he passed out a notched popsicle stick to every student in the class. He did this without saying a word as to why.

Then he divided the class in half. He gave half the class Alma 54 and 55; the other half he gave responsibility for Alma 56 and 57. These were their assignments:

1. Read through the assigned chapters until a verse struck them in a strong way.
2. Think on why that verse hit them in that way. What meaningful way did it apply to them?
3. Be prepared to share it with the class.

Then the sharing began. As each student came to the front to share, they were to give their popsicle stick back to my husband. (They still didn't know what the popsicle sticks were for.) They then shared their scripture and why it was meaningful to them. Each student took a turn.

[A brief segue here: when the CES supervisor came to visit back in the fall, one of the things he shared with me was the importance of the seminary students digging deep in their hearts, touching the truths of the gospel, and then learning to verbalize those truths. They are to practice that in seminary. Thus, he shared, it is really important that they learn to "get deep" - even in front of their peers. So he encouraged me to have sharing moments such as this.]

Once each student finished, my husband had back in his hand a thick stack of popsicle sticks. He then shared the lesson/impression we wanted to leave them with.

Individually we are weak, as each popsicle stick is weak (particularly the ones we used - which have notches in them for constructing forts, etc.). My husband shared that the notches represented our individual weakness. Those weaknesses can destroy us if we are not careful. He set down the large assortment of sticks, keeping just one. He broke that one to make his point.

Then he gathered back up ALL of the sticks the students had held in their hands. He told them that what they had just done (sharing their meaningful verses and their testimonies) had just strengthened everyone in the room. And they were all stronger for it.

He shared that no-one within the walls of the church should stand alone; we all should strengthen one another, and in so doing, we are each stronger for it.

Additionally, just as the sticks also could be linked together in beautifully constructive, so, too, can we be linked together, heart to heart. That put together as a group, we can build and create many fine, spiritual moments for the world. The Lord needs us to do this.

Let us go forth and do so! We read in the Book of Mormon of example after example of righteous individuals who did the same, regardless of the travesties, the wars, the wickedness surrounding them. We can do likewise. And when we do, it will be well with us. The Lord has spoken it.

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Until tomorrow,

just another early-morning-seminary-teacher mom! :0)