“Lesson 196—Integrity in Our Education: ‘We Believe in Being Honest,’” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Integrity in Our Education,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 196: Succeeding in School
Integrity in Our Education
“We Believe in Being Honest”
As we strive to become capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ, it is important to have honesty and integrity in our hearts. This lesson can help students better act with honesty and integrity in their education.
Possible Learning Activities
Choosing honesty and integrity
Invite students to share scenarios or situations at school in which someone’s integrity might be tested. Share the following examples as needed.
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You have an important exam coming up. A classmate notices a copy of the answers to the exam on the teacher’s desk and takes a picture of it with his phone. He sends you and several other students a copy of the picture.
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You need to write an essay for a class but haven’t taken the time to do it. A friend suggests that you could use online software that will write your article for you. Or you could paste sections from different articles from the internet and include a few of your own sentences to make it sound like your writing. Your friend mentions that he has done these things before and the teacher never noticed.
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What might lead someone to think these actions are a good idea?
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What can help you know what to do in situations like these?
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Explain that this lesson will focus on the importance of honesty and integrity in our education. Invite the students to share what they know about integrity. The following statement by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin could be a helpful resource.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles defined integrity in the following way:
Integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant. …
The world desperately needs men and women of integrity. Nearly every day we hear of fraud, misapplication of funds, false advertising, or other dealings designed to obtain gain by cheating or deception. The Lord abhors such practices. (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Personal Integrity,” Ensign, May 1990, 30, 32)
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How have you noticed the need for integrity in today’s world?
The following suggestion can help students evaluate their own thoughts about the importance of acting with integrity in their education: Invite them to find a blank page in their study journal and label it “Why integrity in education is important to me.” Ask students to list all the reasons integrity is important to them. When they are finished, a few volunteers could share some of their reasons with the class.
Encourage students to continue to add ideas, truths, and scriptures to their list throughout the lesson.
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to act with integrity
Explain that understanding the character and teachings of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can motivate us to act with integrity. Consider inviting students to do the following study activity with a partner or in a small group.
Read the following scriptures, looking for teachings that can help us feel a greater desire to act with integrity: 3 Nephi 27:18; Ether 3:11–12; Doctrine and Covenants 3:2; 51:9; 124:15, 20; Articles of Faith 1:13.
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What truths did you learn from these verses about the importance of honesty and integrity in our lives?
Invite students to share multiple truths they learned. They could identify truths similar to the following: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are perfectly honest. When we act with honesty and integrity, we become more like Them.
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What can make it difficult to act with honesty and integrity in our education?
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the effect integrity can have on our spiritual growth:
There is enormous spiritual power in remaining true and honest when the consequences of your honesty could appear to be a disadvantage. Each of you will face such decisions. These defining moments will test your integrity. As you choose honesty and truth—whether or not the situation works out the way you hope—you will realize that these important crossroads become fundamental pillars of strength in your spiritual growth. (Neil L. Andersen, “The Divine Standard of Honesty,” Ensign, Aug. 2017, 40)
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What are the benefits and blessings of being honest and having integrity at work and school?
Invite students to share experiences they have had seeing the Lord’s blessings for demonstrating integrity in their education. You could show the video “Honesty: You Better Believe It!” (4:46), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, to help students see examples of integrity.
Apply what you learned
Remind students of their divine identity as children of loving heavenly parents. This is a part of who they are, including at school. As they follow Jesus Christ and act with honesty and integrity, these attributes will distinguish them from the rest of the world.
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
Your precious identity deserves your precious integrity! Guard it as the priceless prize that it is. (Russell M. Nelson, “Integrity of Heart” [Brigham Young University devotional, Feb. 23, 1993], 7, speeches.byu.edu)
To help students consider how they will protect or increase their honesty and integrity, ask them to respond to some or all of the following questions in their study journals.
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What have you felt today about integrity in education that you want to remember?
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What did you learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that will help you when you are tempted to act with dishonesty?
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What are one or two actions you will take to increase your honesty and integrity at school?
Consider inviting a few willing students to share their responses. Testify of the truths you have discussed, and encourage students to act on their plans.