family outside temple

December 11

Am I Putting the Things of God First in My Life?

Haggai; Zechariah 1–3; 7–14

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Counsel Together

Led by a member of the quorum or class presidency; 10–20 minutes

At the beginning of the meeting, repeat together the Young Women Theme or the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme. Then lead a discussion about the work of salvation and exaltation using one or more of the questions below or questions of your own (see General Handbook, 10.2, 11.2, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Plan ways to act on what you discuss.

• Live the gospel. What has the bishopric discussed in our ward youth council meetings? What actions can we take based on that discussion?

• Care for those in need. How can we reach out to people in Christlike ways when we see a need and don’t know what to say?

• Invite all to receive the gospel. What is something we have found in the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings us joy? How can we share that joy with others?

• Unite families for eternity. What are we doing to find names of our ancestors who need temple ordinances? What can we do to help others find the names of their ancestors?

At the end of the lesson, as appropriate, do the following:

• Testify of the principles taught.

• Remind class or quorum members about the plans and invitations made during the meeting.

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Teach the Doctrine

Led by an adult leader or youth; 25–35 minutes

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

Life is full of important things to do. If we aren’t careful, the busyness of life can cause us to forget the purpose of life. We know that the Savior and His gospel should be our highest priority, but other things can easily distract us. Perhaps that’s why the scriptures counsel us to “ponder the path of thy feet” (Proverbs 4:26), “consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5), and “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The Israelites living in the prophet Haggai’s time needed this type of invitation. In their worthwhile efforts to rebuild Jerusalem, they had put off rebuilding the house of the Lord. Consider how the Lord’s warnings in Haggai 1 could apply to us today. How will you inspire those you teach to evaluate their commitment to putting the things of God first in their lives? You could review Elder Dale G. Renlund’s message “Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 22–25) or President Ezra Taft Benson’s teachings in “The Great Commandment—Love the Lord” (in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 37–45).

young women class

We can make the things of God our highest priority.

Learn Together

You could begin a discussion by writing phrases from Haggai 1:6 on the board. What can we learn from these ideas—sowing seeds but never harvesting, eating but never feeling satisfied, or earning money but putting it in a bag with holes—about spending time on things other than what the Lord wants us to do? While the Lord isn’t asking us to focus on building a temple, what is He asking us to focus on? How can we make those things a high priority in our lives? The following activities can help the youth evaluate their commitment to putting the things of God first in their lives.

• Partaking of the sacrament is an excellent weekly opportunity to evaluate our commitment to Jesus Christ. How can we use the sacrament to consider whether we are becoming more like the Savior? Perhaps the youth could share how they do this. They could also make a list of questions they might ask themselves during the sacrament. Invite them to ponder one or more of the scriptures, messages, or other resources under “Supporting Resources” as they make their lists.

• President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in his message “Of Things That Matter Most” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 19–22), shared counsel that could help the youth “consider [their] ways” (Haggai 1:5). You could invite individuals or small groups to read the last three sections of the talk (beginning with the section “The Power of Basics”), looking for what it means to focus our lives on the Savior. They could share something they feel inspired to do to strengthen their commitment to Jesus Christ.

• Many of us are busy doing good things. But they aren’t always the best things. Consider sharing a statement from the first section of President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Good, Better, Best” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 104–8) that can help the youth understand this principle. You might also invite them to each make a list of their daily activities. Ask them to personally evaluate whether each activity is “good,” “better,” or “best.” What makes an activity “best”? Encourage the youth to share with each other what they learn from this self-evaluation.

Act in Faith

Encourage class or quorum members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. If they would like, they could share their ideas. Invite them to think about how acting on their impressions will strengthen their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Supporting Resources

• Joshua 24:14–15; Matthew 6:19–34; 22:36–40; Mark 10:17–22; 1 Corinthians 11:23–28; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Colossians 3:1–2 (We should put the things of God first in our lives)

• Scott D. Whiting, “Becoming like Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 12–15

• “Things That Matter Most” (videos), ChurchofJesusChrist.org

• “As Now We Take the Sacrament,” Hymns, no. 169

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

“It is not necessary to cover everything in one class period in order to touch someone’s heart—often one or two key points are enough” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 7).