Lesson Plans Put Together by a Prayerful Human

Exceptional General Conference Quotes Plus Discussion-Promoting Questions

Lesson topics Elder Stevenson covered include: Christ’s personal message while on earth, peacemaking as an action, practical plans, open hearts, the history of peacemaking, and the courage and strength it takes to follow through.

Useful Links

• Fast lesson-planning tools—for printable class handouts and a quick teacher guide for this lesson—click here.
• Tips for delivering a successful lesson are located at the end of the article.
• For other speakers, see General Conference Talks with 5 Highlights

All blue quotes are from Gary E. Stevenson’s October 2025 General Conference talk (unless otherwise noted).

Quotes 4 & 5 will prompt the most discussion and take the longest. Please prayerfully select the most important quotes and ensure you allocate sufficient time for them. You will probably not be able to do all five quotes. We almost never get through more than three! Good luck and many blessings as you teach.

Quote #1 (opening story)

Prep Notes: This talk is unusual in that it features two highly effective stories that deserve to be shared, but you may not have time to share them. (The reality of the time left after announcements and business.) So please consider both stories and how you would like to handle them. You can assign someone to read them, or you can assign someone to paraphrase them.

If I were teaching, I’d probably read this one and paraphrase the one in #3. Quote 3 is also the one I would skip if you’re worried about having enough time for Quotes 4 & 5.

Possible engagement tool: Set the scene. Help your class picture being in Israel and hearing the Savior speak in person. A picture of Christ and the Sermon on the Mount would be ideal – or any other visual like that. Say something like, “I love how Elder Stevenson sets the stage for the whole topic, transporting us back to Jesus’s time and what it was like hearing Christ’s BRAND NEW message.”

Note: Pick someone who reads well for this particular story.

You join others walking the dusty roads of Galilee. Upon your arrival, the large crowd gathered to hear this Jesus surprises you. Some quietly whisper, “Messiah.”

You listen. His words touch your heart. On the long walk home, you choose quiet over conversation.

You ponder wondrous things—things that transcend even the law of Moses. He spoke of turning the other cheek and loving your enemies. He promised, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

In your reality, as you feel the weight of difficult days—uncertainty and fear—peace feels distant.

Your pace quickens; you arrive home breathless. Your family gathers; your father asks, “Tell us what you heard and feel.”

You share that He invited you to let your light shine before others, to seek righteousness even when persecuted. Your voice catches as you repeat, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

You ask, “Can I truly become a peacemaker when the world is in commotion, when my heart is filled with fear, and when peace seems so far away?”

Possible discussion questions: What was Jesus Christ’s new message that was so different than the law of Moses?

For printable class handouts and copies of this lesson – click here.

Quote #2 (hearts)

This is a simple concept. However, worth touching on before you proceed. Quotes 3, 4, and 5 will all take more time.

We are all born with divine inclinations toward kindness and compassion. The gospel of Jesus Christ nurtures and knits these divine traits, including peacemaking, into our hearts, blessing us in this life and the next.

Possible discussion questions: Do we sometimes lose the level of kindness and compassion we once had when we were children? What can we do to increase those divine traits? What do you do to soften your heart and give kinder responses to people? What works for you? Why is it important to greater develop kindness and peacemaking?

Quote #3 (family story)

I don’t usually recommend sharing entire stories, but this one is exceptional. You might consider assigning someone ahead of time to paraphrase it – ESPECIALLY if you use the story from quote #1. Or if you want to control the quality of the short version, paraphrase it yourself. Here’s an example:

This one family included a grumpy, condescending, and curt adult. The children felt hurt and had been tempted to respond with equal meanness.

One evening, the family openly discussed the problem and decided on an experiment. The children would counter every harshness with deliberate kindness—heartfelt words and deeds, regardless of whether they were reciprocated. They agreed to try it for a set period, then regroup to reflect.

Though hesitant, they committed with genuine intent. Remarkably, cold exchanges thawed into smiles, the adult softened, and the children were delighted with the results. The profound change forged lasting bonds of friendship.

Note: This solution/experiment is intended for grumpy individuals, not those who are abusive. If you’re in an abusive situation – get help and possibly get out.

Possible Intro: Let’s listen to Elder Stevenson’s inspiring example of peacemaking in a family.

Children in this family were struggling in their relationship with an adult whose demeanor was often grumpy, condescending, and curt. The children, hurt and frustrated, began to wonder if the only way forward was to mirror that same mean-spirited behavior.

One evening the family spoke openly together about the tension and the toll it was taking. And then an idea emerged—not just a solution but an experiment.

Instead of responding with silence or retaliation, the children would do something unexpected: they would respond with kindness. Not just polite restraint but a deliberate, heartfelt outpouring of kind words and thoughtful deeds, no matter how they were treated in return. All agreed to try it for a set time, after which they’d regroup and reflect.

Though some were hesitant at first, they committed to the plan with genuine hearts.

What happened next was nothing short of remarkable.

The cold exchanges began to thaw. Smiles replaced scowls. The adult, once distant and harsh, began to change. The children, empowered by their choice to lead with love, found joy in the transformation. The change was so profound that the planned follow-up meeting was never needed. Kindness had done its quiet work.

In time, true bonds of friendship were formed, lifting everyone. To be peacemakers, we forgive others and deliberately build others up instead of tearing them down.

Possible discussion questions: What stood out for you from this story? What is the natural reaction to someone grumpy and curt with us? What point was Elder Stevenson trying to make with this story?

Optional Scripture – Deepen the Understanding

Forgiving and loving difficult people are two of the most remarkable pinnacles of sainthood.

43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-45)

“It’s not so much what happens to us but how we deal with what happens to us.” (Apostle James E. Faust – Oct 2004)

Quote #4 (plan)

Possible Intro: Elder Stevenson reminds us that peacemaking is not a passive pursuit, but rather an intentional effort.

I offer an invitation. Peacemaking demands action—what might that be, for each of us, starting tomorrow? Would you consider a one-week, three-step peacemaker plan?

• A contention-free home zone: When contention starts, pause and reboot with kind words and deeds.
• Digital bridge building: Before posting, replying, or commenting online, ask, Will this build a bridge? If not, stop. Do not send. Instead, share goodness. Publish peace in the place of hate.
• Repair and reunite: Each family member could seek out a strained relationship in order to apologize, minister, repair, and reunite.

Possible discussion questions: What does Elder Stevenson mean by “peacemaking demands action”?

Possible activity:
1) Invite your class to pick one of the three actions that Elder Stevenson outlined – and share why that action means something to them. 2) Ask the class at large if anyone can give an example of how someone could do that? (Be prepared with simple examples of your own. In case this gets a slow start.) 3) Repeat two or more times.

Quote #5 (essential)

This paragraph is packed with principles. If you have time, try the activity; if not, feel free to use some of the discussion questions or even use it as a final closing statement before sharing your testimony.

Peacemaking is a Christlike attribute. Peacemakers are sometimes labeled naive or weak—from all sides. Yet, to be a peacemaker is not to be weak but to be strong in a way that the world may not understand. Peacemaking requires courage and compromise but does not require sacrifice of principle. Peacemaking is to lead with an open heart, not a closed mind. It is to approach one another with extended hands, not clenched fists. Peacemaking is not a new thing, hot off the press. It was taught by Jesus Christ Himself, both to those in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Peacemaking has since been taught by modern-day prophets from the earliest days of the Restoration even to this day.

Possible discussion questions: Do we need peacemaking efforts today? What’s an example of peacemaking in your own life or an event you observed? (The Saints raising money for the Michigan shooter’s family would be a great example.)

Possible activity: Here is a list of several statements from the last quote. Invite your class to skim over this list and pick one of Elder Stevenson’s statements that stands out to them. Have them share why they chose that one and/or what it means to them, or give a quick real-life example. (You will need to make your own copy of this list to hand out.)

• Peacemaking is a Christlike attribute
• Peacemakers are sometimes labeled naive or weak—from all sides.
• Peacemaking is to be strong in a way the world may not understand.
• Peacemaking requires courage and compromise but does not require sacrifice of principle.
• Peacemaking is to lead with an open heart, not a closed mind.
• It is to approach one another with extended hands, not clenched fists.
• Peacemaking is not a new thing, hot off the press. It was taught by Jesus Christ Himself, both to those in the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
• Peacemaking has since been taught by modern-day prophets from the earliest days of the Restoration even to this day.

Summary

Summarize class discussion highlights and/or share your testimony and feelings about Elder Stevenson’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.