Lesson Plans Put Together by a Prayerful Human

Exceptional General Conference Quotes Plus Discussion-Promoting Questions

Elder Soares knocked his General Conference talk about temperance and spiritual foundations out of the park. This talk has profoundly affected my life…my whole soul is on fire. Wow. Great lesson material here.

Useful Links

• Tips for delivering a successful lesson are located at the end of the article.
• For other speakers, see General Conference Talks with 5 Highlights
• For printable copies of this lesson – click here.

All blue quotes are from Ulisses Soares’s October 2025 General Conference talk (unless otherwise noted).

Quote #1 (erosion)

Possible engagement tool: Write the word “Temperance” on the board. Ask your class what that word means to them. Write keywords or short phrases of what they offer. (Please note the word will be explored in depth in Quote #2, so only write up a few definitions for now.)

Optional Intro: Elder Soares brings up President Nelson’s analogy of the Salt Lake City temple’s decaying foundation compared to our own spiritual foundation. Quickly refer to it in your own words with something like:

“President Nelson noticed how erosion had worn away the temple’s foundation stones over time, creating gaps and making the walls unstable, which showed the need for major fixes to hold up against nature. Drawing a parallel, President Nelson noted we also need to take extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never before taken—to strengthen our own spiritual foundation in Jesus Christ.”

Possible engagement tool: To keep interest and engagement up, divide this thoughtful quote among three readers.

The gospel of Jesus Christ provides us with divinely inspired and effective means to prevent the spiritual erosion in our souls, powerfully reinforcing our foundation and helping us avoid gaps in our faith and instability in both our testimony and our understanding of the sacred truths of the gospel.

One particularly relevant principle for achieving this purpose is found in section 12 of the Doctrine and Covenants, “And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.” (D&C 12:8)

The Savior’s guidance, recorded in this sacred revelation, reminds us that temperance is an essential reinforcement for a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. It is one of the indispensable virtues…

indespensible: absolutely necessary, vital, required

Possible discussion questions: How necessary is temperance as a quality for a Saint? (Accept all reasonable answers, requote or reread D&C 12:8 if needed.) By show of hands, how many of you could improve your “temperance”? (Raise your own hand unless you are already translated.)

Quickly move on to Quote #2 for a great definition of temperance.

For printable copies of this lesson – click here.

Quote #2 (temperance)

Possible engagement tool: Elder Soares (pronounced like Suar-ez) gives a robust and thorough definition of just what temperance is in Jesus Christ’s language (and one of the best I’ve ever heard!) Have your class notice the terms and phrases that especially stand out to them as you read the following quote. Let them know you’ll ask for additional words to add to your list on the board after this quote.

Possible engagement tool: To keep interest and engagement up, divide this thoughtful quote between two readers.

Temperance harmonizes and strengthens other Christlike attributes mentioned in this revelation: humility, faith, hope, charity, and the pure love that flows from Him. Furthermore, cultivating temperance is a meaningful way to protect our souls against the subtle yet constant spiritual erosion caused by worldly influences that can weaken our foundation in Jesus Christ.

Among the qualities that adorn true disciples of Christ, temperance stands out as a reflection of the Savior Himself, a precious fruit of the Spirit, available to all who open themselves to divine influence. It is the virtue that brings harmony to the heart, shaping desires and emotions with wisdom and calmness. In the scriptures, temperance is presented as an essential part of the progress in our spiritual journey, leading us toward patience, godliness, and compassion while refining our feelings, our words, and our actions.

Highly recommended activity! What words really stand out to you, and what would you add to our list of temperance definitions on the board? (Accept all reasonable answers.)

Possible discussion questions: Which word, phrase, or definition is your favorite and why? How vital is temperance to our development as true Saints of the Lord? What else stands out to you from Elder Soares’s teachings? If you were to explain the quality of temperance to a friend in your own words, how would you explain it?

Quote #3 (the promise)

Possible Intro: Elder Soares explains that those who strive for temperance and work at it will gain some remarkable attributes that will bring significant strength and satisfaction.

Disciples of Christ who strive to cultivate this Christlike attribute become increasingly humble and full of love. A serene strength arises in them, and they become better capable of restraining anger, nurturing patience, and treating others with tolerance, respect, and dignity, even when the winds of adversity blow fiercely. They strive not to act impulsively but choose to act with spiritual wisdom, guided by meekness and the gentle influence of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they become less vulnerable to spiritual erosion because, as the Apostle Paul taught, they know that they can do all things through Christ, who strengthens them even in the face of trials that could shake their testimony of Him.

Possible discussion questions: What can be gained from working on our temperance? According to Elder Soares, what are some of the attributes and promises we will be blessed with as we increase our temperance? Which attribute or promise is especially meaningful to you today?

Possible activity: Have your class help you pull out some of the promises from pursuing temperance. (Note: The list does not need to be in the same order, use the exact words, or have as many items – the objective is to get your class to think about the quote!)

• increasingly humble and full of love
• serene strength
• can restrain anger
• have patience
• can treat others with tolerance, respect, and dignity
• can withstand fierce adversity
• act with spiritual wisdom
• guided by the Holy Spirit
• confidence in the face of trials and opposition

Author’s note: After pondering how I could work on my temperance, I felt strongly inspired to start keeping a “temperance journal.” In other words, every time I fail with temperance, I write about what happened and contemplate what better actions or words I could have used instead. Just the thought that I might have to write in that journal deters me from slipping. I keep the journal handy on my nightstand so I always know where to find it. More power comes to me because I’m consciously working on it and praying about it. Temperance has become my code word. It’s a fantastic project. I’m the project, really.

Update: it’s really working! I go back and read about when I slipped up. Reading about myself and reviewing those moments helps train my brain, heart, and soul to recognize where I habitually slip and come up with a better plan.

You might spend years acquiring a skill or developing a talent. You might work so hard that it becomes second nature to you. But if you think that means you can stop practicing and studying, you’ll gradually lose the knowledge and abilities you once acquired at great cost.

This applies to skills like learning a language, playing a musical instrument, and flying an airliner. It also applies to becoming a disciple of Christ.

Simply put, discipleship takes self-discipline. (Elder Uchtdorf, Do Your Part with All Your Heart – Oct 2025)

Quote #4 (striker)

Possible engagement tool: Have your class ponder what the opposite of temperance is as you read the following quote.

In his Epistle to Titus…Paul warned that they should be “not selfwilled, not soon angry, … [and] no striker.” Such characteristics are contrary to the mind of the Savior and hinder true spiritual growth. In the scriptural context, “not selfwilled” is one who refuses to act with arrogance and pride; “not soon angry” is one who avoids the natural urge to become impatient and irritated; and “no striker” refers to one who rejects contentious, aggressive, and harsh behavior verbally, physically, and emotionally. As we strive to change our behavior with faith and humility, we can be firmly anchored to the solid rock of His grace and become pure and polished instruments in His holy hands.

Possible discussion question: What kinds of behavior does Elder Soares counsel us to avoid? What is a “striker”? Will temperance bring us closer to Christ and allow us to feel His power in our life more? Why is that?

Quote #5 (the world)

What does the world know, right? But Elder Soares hits this right on the head – we are tempted to mirror the world and engage in a way the world rewards. Social media comes to mind when reading this quote.

Oftentimes, the world exalts behaviors born of aggressiveness, arrogance, impatience, and excessiveness, often justifying such attitudes by the pressures of daily life and the inclination toward validation and popularity. When we turn our gaze away from the virtue of temperance and ignore the gentle and moderating influence of the Holy Spirit in our way of acting and speaking, we easily fall into the enemy’s trap, which inevitably leads us to utter words and adopt attitudes we will deeply regret, whether in our social, family, or even ecclesiastical relationships.

Possible discussion questions: Does the world value temperance? Do we sometimes have to pick between getting closer to Christ and the praise of the world? How would you apply this quote to social media—what does social media reward? (Accept all reasonable answers – outrage, telling people off, winning arguments, indignation, victimhood, complaints)

Summary

Summarize class discussion highlights and/or share your testimony and feelings about Elder Soares’s talk. Thank your class for their excellent contributions and insights.

Final Comment

Please teach the quotes in any order that makes sense to you.

Teach with confidence, and if you would like some tips on how to feel more confident while teaching – try “9 Tips for More Class Participation.” May the Spirit bless and guide your efforts.

(You can find the full General Conference talk here.)

How to Teach Successfully and Give a Better Lesson

You have great content; now let’s ensure the lesson goes smoothly.

Unless you opt to spend a lot of time on a particular quote, try to pick around 2 questions per quote. Prayerfully select the questions that resonate the most with you and would make a meaningful discussion for your group of personalities.

The above “5 Highlights” quotes and discussion questions fit with Lesson Template 1 —OR— Lesson Template 2.

Lesson Prep

• You can arrange the quotes in any order that makes sense to you. I suggest starting with the most important ones and working your way down. Don’t EVER worry about covering all the quotes. Rushed lessons are not as effective.
• If you want the discussion to be more robust and meaningful, hand out reading assignments ahead of time and ask the reader to answer one question about them (i.e. pick one of the questions from each quote and give it to them, along with the assigned quote). The sooner you do this, the better, but if possible, at least show it to them before the Sacrament meeting. You can also send it via text or email.
• Ask various people to read and participate, especially those who are not often asked to do so.

Lesson Delivery

• Ensure every class member has the conference talk and scriptures in front of them or on their phone. Always invite the class to read along—hearing and seeing the words together increases comprehension and engagement.
• Avoid videos – they shut down discussion. Save them for personal study.
• If the discussion gets too non-spiritual, pull it back by going to the next quote or question.
• Make sure you assign others to read the quotes. You’re talking enough already, and letting others read allows more people to participate.
• Encourage discussion by accepting all reasonable answers. Validate people for participating, and be thankful they spoke up. Engage with the answer in a conversational way whenever it feels natural. Never say, “That’s not the right answer.”
• Remember, spiritual discussion is golden. We want people to talk about the gospel together.
• Never say, “We haven’t got to that part of the lesson yet.” If the discussion takes a different turn than your planned lesson, roll with it. The Spirit intends for you to be successful.