5 Quotes Plus Discussion-Promoting Questions

See also Teaching Helps

Brightness of hope is one of our best friends in this challenging world. Some of you have lost your brightness of hope – and Elder Andersen tells us how to get it back.

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 Neil L. Andersen (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

• Avoid videos – they shut down discussion. Save them for personal study.
• 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 a lesson takes a different turn than you planned, roll with it. The Spirit intends for you to be successful.
• If the discussion gets too non-spiritual, pull it back by going to the following quote or question.

Quote #1 (hope)

Possible intro: This beautiful verse reminds us that our God is a God of Hope.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)

The Ancient Saints were intensely persecuted and led supremely difficult lives, yet full of hope and joy. Think about how we can have this same powerful safeguard as we read the following quote:

On earth, we experience joy and sorrow as we are tested and proven. Our victory comes through faith in Jesus Christ as we triumph over our sins, difficulties, temptations, unfairness, and the challenges of this mortal life.

As we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, we see beyond our struggles to the blessings and promises of eternity. Like a light whose brilliance grows, hope brightens the darkened world, and we see our glorious future.

hope: a buoyant power that helps us see beyond our current circumstances

Possible discussion question: Is life unfair and unjust? (Yes.) Have you ever triumphed and put something unfair or unjust behind you with the help of prayer and the Spirit? Have you ever noticed yourself grow and strengthen after passing through challenging experiences or trials? How does your hope of a glorious eternity help you?

Quote #2 (holy ghost)

One of the operations of the Holy Ghost is to bring us hope.

The Savior sends us a Comforter, the Holy Ghost, a companion bringing faith, hope, and peace “not as the world giveth.”

“In the world,” the Savior said, “ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer [keep a brightness of hope]; I have overcome the world.”

The Apostle Paul taught, “The God of hope [will] fill you with … joy and peace … , that ye may abound in hope,” “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;” “through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Possible discussion questions: Is being of good cheer a choice? Why is patience in tribulation necessary for strength and peace?

Note: Impatience comes from telling ourselves something shouldn’t be happening, focusing on the injustice of it all, and fighting with reality. Patience comes from our humble place when we look, instead, for the proactive efforts we can make. What strength or skill do we need to acquire? What can we learn from this?

Patience is solution-focused, while impatience is indignant-focused. Patience also allows us to partner with God through prayer and discover His power and love.

Last important question: Sometimes, we need help seeing rays of hope and tender mercies. What happens when we pray for help with hope, cheer, and patience? Who can share rays of hope and tender mercies they’ve seen in their life during tough times?

Quote #3 (evidence)

My brothers and sisters, hope is a living gift, a gift that grows as we increase our faith in Jesus Christ. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” We build this substance—the evidence blocks of our faith—through prayer, temple covenants, keeping the commandments, continually feasting on the scriptures and the words of modern-day prophets, taking the sacrament, serving others, and worshipping weekly with our fellow Saints.

Possible activity: Elder Andersen outlines the surefire to-do list for building and keeping our faith strong and effective. Have your class help you pull out the list (optional; write them on the board.)

• prayer
• temple attendance
• keeping commandments
• FEASTING on scriptures and the words of prophets
• taking the sacrament
• service to others
• keeping the Sabbath day holy

Possible activity or discussion question: This will work best if you give this quote to several people ahead of time (even if it is before Sacrament meeting) and ask them, “What are some evidence blocks of your faith?” “Would you please take a minute to share that in class?” Allow others to add theirs after your pre-assigned people are done.

Possible discussion questions: “What are some evidence blocks of your faith?” (If you don’t use the activity.) What helps you build your evidence blocks? What does the phrase “living gift” mean to you? (Accept all reasonable answers – for me, it means a heavenly gift that’s current and attainable.)

Quote #4 (temple)

Possible engagement tool: Bring a picture of your favorite temple and post it up front.

To fortify our hope in a time of increasing wickedness, the Lord has directed His prophet to dot the earth with His temples.

As we enter the Lord’s house, we feel the Spirit of God, verifying our hope.

…There is no pain, no sickness, no injustice, no suffering, nothing that can darken our hope as we believe and hold tightly to our covenants with God in the house of the Lord. It is a house of light, a house of hope.

Possible discussion questions: What is your favorite temple and why? Have you ever had a notable spiritual boost at the temple? What happens, and how does it feel? Why is it important to you personally to go regularly?

Quote #5 (moment)

For our most challenging, hardest moments (that each of us will invariably have), Elder Andersen offers these words:

“It doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an incurable illness or when you lose your job or when your spouse betrays you. Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior offers. His joy is constant, assuring us that our ‘afflictions shall be but a small moment’ and be consecrated to our gain.”

Possible Questions: Have you ever been comforted in a moment when you were unlikely to feel any comfort? What does hope do for us in moments like these? Does it help to know that tribulation brings many blessings?

Optional Story: My friend Randi shared a wonderful experience with a dream she had as an answer to her prayers during a heightened difficulty and trial phase. She dreamt she was in a temple-like place, participating in a group tour led by an angel. They stopped in a hallway in front of two doors. The angel explained to the group that the doors were entry to mortal life, and they had two choices. If they went through the first door, life would be relatively easy, and there would not be a lot of problems, but the rewards would be few. If they chose to go through the second door, life would be complicated, full of difficulties and heartaches, but the rewards on the other end would be enormous. Randi said she knew instantly, without a second thought, which door she would choose.

We chose that same door, and the rewards are beyond comprehension to those who endure and overcome.

Summary

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