5 Quotes Plus Discussion-Promoting Questions

See also Teaching Helps

President Oaks is an exceptional teacher, and this talk is a treasure. His ability to teach true religion is remarkable, making this one of my favorite General Conference talks, alongside the prophet’s. Be sure to note quote #5—Elder Oaks teaches that the parable of the 10 Virgins is about Church members, with only half being prepared for the Second Coming. (!!)

You can find his full talk here. Unless you opt to spend a lot of time on a particular quote, try to pick around 2 questions per quote. Choose the questions that resonate the most with you and make a meaningful discussion for your group of personalities. These highlights and questions fit with Lesson Template 1 or Template 2. You can also check out several other General Conference Talks with 5 Highlights.

All blue quotes by Dallin H. Oaks (unless otherwise noted).

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 worry about covering all the quotes.
• If you want the discussion to be more meaningful, hand out reading assignments ahead of time and ask the reader to answer one question about them (pick one of the questions below 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 text or email it.
• Ask various people to read and participate – especially those who aren’t asked as much.

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,” or “We haven’t got to that part of the lesson yet.”
• Remember, spiritual discussion is golden. We want people to talk about the gospel together.
• If the discussion takes a different turn than your planned lesson, roll with it. The Spirit intends for you to be successful.

Quote #1 (muscles)

This is one of the best explanations I’ve ever seen for the trials and adversity we face in life. It is succinctly taught, and this brought me great comfort. See how it affects your understanding and boosts your confidence? Isn’t it interesting that Joseph Smith, the head of this dispensation, faced enormous adversity almost nonstop and became a spiritual giant whom we revere to this day? He became an extraordinary man of God.

Possible engagement tool: Say something like, “Elder Oaks explains why we must face Satan’s opposition and the trials of life. See what comes up for you as we read this quote.”

Essential to God’s great plan for the mortal growth of His children was for them to experience “opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11). Just as our physical muscles cannot be developed or maintained without straining against the law of gravity, so mortal growth requires us to strain against Satan’s temptations and other mortal opposition. Most important for spiritual growth is the requirement to choose between good and evil. Those who choose good would progress toward their eternal destiny. Those who choose evil—as all would do in the various temptations of mortality—would need saving help, which a loving God designed to provide.

Possible discussion questions: What perspective does Elder Oaks help you to see regarding trials and afflictions? How can hard episodes in our lives strengthen our spirituality? Is it possible to see afflictions and adversity as a badge of honor? How often do we need saving help?

Quote #2 (succor)

Possible engagement tool: Ask your class to think about their impressions of the Savior Jesus Christ as we read the following quote.

By far, God’s strongest mortal help was His provision of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would suffer to pay the price and provide forgiveness for repented sins. That merciful and glorious Atonement explains why faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. His Atonement “bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead” (Alma 42:23), and it “atone[s] for the sins of the world” (Alma 34:8), erasing all of our repented sins and giving our Savior power to succor us in our mortal infirmities.

Possible activity: Hand out this list of synonyms for two essential words from this quote and have people pick one definition that stands out to them. Please note that these are acronyms, so they will naturally overlap – please choose the one that most resonates with you.

INFIRMITIES

Possible discussion question: Which acronym did you pick and why?

Weaknesses – Frequently used interchangeably with infirmities, as seen in Ether 12:27 (“I give unto men weakness that they may be humble”), emphasizing mortal limitations that invite reliance on God.

Frailties – Refers to human vulnerabilities, both physical and spiritual, that highlight the need for divine strength.

Shortcomings – Indicates areas where individuals fall short of perfection, often tied to personal or spiritual deficiencies.

Imperfections – Points to the incomplete or flawed nature of mortality, which can be refined through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Limitations – Encompasses both physical and spiritual constraints inherent in the human condition.

Afflictions – Sometimes used to describe trials or challenges, including physical ailments or spiritual struggles, that test faith.

Faults – Refers to personal flaws or errors that require repentance and divine assistance to overcome.

Vulnerabilities – Highlights susceptibility to temptation, sin, or physical suffering.

SUCCOR

Possible discussion question: Which acronym did you pick and why?

Aid – Refers to direct assistance provided to alleviate suffering or distress, often from a divine source.

Relief – Emphasizes the alleviation of pain, sorrow, or spiritual burdens through compassionate intervention.

Help – A broad term for support offered to those in need, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

Support – Indicates sustaining or uplifting someone through challenges, often tied to Christ’s enabling power.

Assistance – Suggests active help to overcome difficulties, particularly in moments of weakness or trial.

Comfort – Focuses on emotional or spiritual solace provided to those experiencing grief, pain, or affliction.

Deliverance – Implies rescue or liberation from distress, temptation, or spiritual bondage, often with divine connotations.

Strengthening – Highlights the empowerment given to endure or overcome trials, as through the grace of Christ.

Possible discussion questions: What are infirmities? What does “succor” mean? (<<< Ask these two questions if you don’t do the activity.) What does Jesus Christ’s atonement do for us? (Accept all reasonable answers – 1) makes the resurrection possible, erases our repented sins, and allows the Savior to succor us in our infirmities.) How do you feel about Jesus making an Atonement for you? What do you appreciate the most about the Atonement? How can we best take advantage of the Atonement? (Accept all reasonable answers – repent!, take the Sacrament, ask for forgiveness, make amends, pray for help.)

Lesson Organization Notes

This next section is divided into four quotes (A, B, C, and D). You can choose between traditional whole-group discussions like you did for Quotes #1 and #2, or small-group discussions.

Well-structured small-group discussions are an excellent way to effectively cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. If you have 12 or more people, please consider them. Even introverts enjoy small-group experiences when well-structured (more tips at the end of quote #3).

Quote #3 (helps)

There’s a lot of material to cover in Elder Oaks’ talk – I highly encourage one group session for the following four quotes. You’ll cover more in a shorter amount of time.

Instructions: If using a whole-group discussion, read quotes A, B, C, and D like you did with Quotes 1 and 2.

If using small groups, divide the class into several groups of 3-5 people now. Let each group direct its own discussion. Tell them they can pick any or all of the four quotes together and discuss them as a group. Don’t worry about which ones they choose – what your class needs to talk about most will rise to the top. (More detailed instructions at the end of quote #3)

No matter which discussion style you choose, ensure everyone has a copy of the four quotes (and questions if using small groups). **

Quote A

Light of Christ

First, I speak of the Light or Spirit of Christ. In his great teaching in the book of Moroni, Moroni quotes his father that “the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:16). We read this same teaching in modern revelations:

“And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:46).

Again: “For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite, and to the condemnation of the ungodly” (Doctrine and Covenants 136:33).

Question A: We’ve always known that everyone is given the Light of Christ, but can they lose it? (Yes, if they ignore it or become wicked.) Why would Elder Oaks point that out to us? What must we do to keep the Spirit of Christ? (Accept all reasonable answers – listen and follow through, and be decent and god-fearing)

Quote B

Scriptures

The second of the great assistances provided by the Lord to help us choose what is right is a cluster of divine directions in the scriptures as part of the plan of salvation (plan of happiness). These directions are commandments, ordinances, and covenants.

Question B: What do you enjoy most about the scriptures? Do you have a favorite standard work? How is your life affected when you faithfully read the scriptures everyday? Have you ever found an answer to an important life question in the scriptures?

Quote C

Commandments

Commandments define the path our Heavenly Father has marked out for us to progress toward eternal life. People who imagine commandments as the way God decides who to punish fail to understand this purpose of God’s loving plan of happiness. On that path, we can gradually achieve the needed relationship with our Savior and qualify for an increase of His power to help us on our way to the destination He desires for all of us. Our Heavenly Father desires all of His children to return to the celestial kingdom, where God and our Savior reside, and to have the kind of life of those who reside in that celestial glory.

Question C – Which phrase from this last paragraph especially stands out to you? What are some positive benefits from keeping God’s commandments? Who do the commandments benefit the most?

Quote D

Ordinances and Covenants

Ordinances and covenants are part of the law that defines the path to eternal life. Ordinances, and the sacred covenants we make with God through them, are required steps and essential guardrails along that path. I like to think of the role of covenants as demonstrating that under God’s plan, His highest blessings are given to those who promise in advance to keep certain commandments and who keep those promises.

Question D – What is your favorite ordinance and why? Why is it beneficial to review our covenants?

Whole-group

Follow the outline above. Because there is so much material, I usually give everyone a copy to read. You only need to include the actual quotes, not the questions. If you can, pass out quote assignments earlier in the week or before Sacrament meeting. This allows people to absorb them before reading them aloud and upgrades the quality of the discussion!

Small-group

**

Do not read quotes A, B, C, or D as a class together. Let the individual groups handle that part. Have people split into smaller groups (3-5). Instruct them to skim the quotes independently, share their favorite parts, and discuss the questions together as a group. The questions and quotes can be addressed in any order and do not all have to be covered.

It takes about 5-10 minutes. You will likely have to stop the conversations, and that’s okay!

Essential preparation for introvert-friendly small groups: Give each person their own copy of the quotes and questions to look at. Also, walk around and listen to each group for a bit without directing their conversation. Validate and nod. Only jump in if they are highly challenged and no one is talking.

At the close of the discussion time, have each group elect a spokesperson to summarize their group’s ideas. Allow others to add comments as you go along. Expect about 15-20 minutes total for Quote #3.

Quote #4 (holy ghost)

Possible engagement tool: While you read this quote together, have your class ponder why the gift of the Holy Ghost is important to them.

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. His function, defined in scripture, is to testify of the Father and the Son, to teach us, to bring all things to our remembrance, and to guide us into all truth.

Thus, President Joseph F. Smith taught that the Holy Ghost will “enlighten the minds of the people with regard to the things of God, to convince them at the time of their conversion of their having done the will of the Father, and to be in them an abiding testimony as a companion through life, acting as the sure and safe guide into all truth and filling them day by day with joy and gladness, with a disposition to do good to all men, to suffer wrong rather than to do wrong, to be kind and merciful, long suffering and charitable. All who possess this inestimable gift, this pearl of great price, have a continual thirst after righteousness. Without the aid of the Holy Spirit,” President Smith concluded, “no mortal can walk in the straight and narrow way.”

Possible discussion question: Why is the gift of the Holy Ghost vital to you? How have you personally experienced moments of guidance or enlightenment that you might attribute to the influence of the Holy Ghost? What does “Godhead” mean, and how does the Holy Ghost’s role as the third member differ from the Father and the Son? Can you recall a time when you felt an inner prompting to act kindly or charitably? What does a thirst for righteousness mean to you personally, and how do you nurture that desire in your daily life?

Quote #5 (five virgins)

With so many powerful helps to guide us in our mortal journeys, it is disappointing that so many remain unprepared for their appointed meeting with our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. His parable of the ten virgins, spoken of so frequently in this conference, suggests that of those invited to meet Him, only half will be prepared.

Many of such deviations occur when members fail to follow the fundamental spiritual maintenance plan of personal prayer, regular scripture study, and frequent repentance. In contrast, some neglect weekly renewal of covenants by not partaking of the sacrament. Some say the Church is not meeting their needs; those substitute what they perceive as their future needs ahead of what the Lord has provided in His many teachings and opportunities for our essential service to others.

Possible discussion questions: Who are the 10 virgins? (Church members) How many will be invited to meet the Savior when He comes again? (about half) How can we put oil in our lamp and be prepared?

Summary

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