Week 1 Teacher Material

The Gift of Repentance and the Joy of Becoming Clean

Welcome to The Divine Gift of Forgiveness course! As a result of this first lesson, students should be able to express why they need to repent and the joy that comes from the gift of repentance. They will also be invited to make a plan for daily repentance.

Ideas for Teaching

Introduction

The Savior’s divine gifts of repentance and forgiveness are certain for those who come unto Him with full purpose of heart.

• You might begin class by showing the video “Welcome to the Course: Introduction” (1:22), in which Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles welcomes students to the course and gives them a promise. Consider inviting students to share their thoughts about the video or what they are looking forward to in the course.

• You may want to invite students to look for teachings in the following scripture passages about why we should repent: Helaman 5:10–11 (to be redeemed); Mosiah 27:24–26 (to be changed); 3 Nephi 9:13–14 (to be healed); Alma 13:10–11 (to be cleansed). You could also set this activity up as a role play and invite students to take turns asking, “Why should I repent?”

• Consider reading paragraphs 9–10 of the introduction (which begin with “Repentance is not punishment …”), and invite students to share what impressed them about these paragraphs.

• Read paragraphs 4–5 of the introduction (which begin with “The blessing to repent …”), looking for Elder Andersen’s promise. Help students identify a truth similar to the one in the heading for this section. You may want to invite students to share their thoughts or feelings about this promise.

• You may want to review paragraph 16 of the introduction (which begins with “My prayer is …”) and then ask the following questions:

  • What do you acknowledge, admire, or adore about Jesus Christ?

  • Which of His characteristics do you most want to emulate?

Forgiveness is a gift, and the only one who can give the gift is the Redeemer and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

• Consider inviting students to read paragraph 11 of the introduction (which begins with “The divine gift …”) and to identify a truth similar to the one identified in the heading for this section. (See also Ephesians 2:8.)

• Consider discussing one or both of the following questions:

  • Why do you think it is important to understand that our “personal effort, no matter how great, pales in comparison to the cost of redemption”? (paragraph 11 of the introduction).

  • In what ways has forgiveness been a gift to you from a loving Heavenly Father and Savior? (You may want to invite students to answer this last question in pairs or small groups.)

• You might read Elder Andersen’s testimony in the final three paragraphs of the introduction. You could then invite students to share any thoughts they would like to about Elder Andersen’s testimony.

Chapter 1

Jesus Christ has the power to make us clean.

• Consider inviting students to share what they enjoyed most about chapter 1, any of their favorite passages, or any questions they have about what they read.

• You might ask students to think of a time in their lives when they became physically dirty. Ask a few students to share their experience and what it was like to become clean again. Consider inviting a student to read or summarize the first five paragraphs of chapter 1, where Elder Andersen describes an experience where he became very dirty and the relief of being clean.

• Consider watching the video “With God All Things Are Possible” (1:27) with students. Invite students to watch for the comparison Elder Andersen makes between man’s ability to cleanse things physically and God’s ability to cleanse people spiritually. You could then read together the first four paragraphs of the section “The Only Way to the Joy of Knowing Our Savior Jesus Christ” in chapter 1. You might help students identify a truth similar to the statement in the heading for this section. (See also Isaiah 1:18.)

• Consider discussing one or more of the following questions:

  • What does it mean to you to know that even if it seems impossible, the Savior can help you become spiritually clean?

  • When have you seen evidence that this miraculous change is possible with God?

The Lord will reveal, in answer to our prayers, where our repentance should be focused.

• Consider reading or reviewing paragraphs 5–10 of the section “The Only Way to the Joy of Knowing Our Savior Jesus Christ” in chapter 1 (which begin with the words “Remember Alma’s feelings as he …”). These paragraphs recount the feelings of Alma the Younger after he repented for his serious sins (see Alma 36:16–21). Invite students to share and discuss any of Elder Andersen’s teachings in those paragraphs that stood out to them. You could ask:

  • Why do you think it’s important to understand that for most of us, repentance is a “step by step, inch by inch” process? (paragraph 10).

• Read paragraphs 12–13 of the same section (which begin “We must become …”), and invite students to identify a truth similar to the statement in the section heading above. (See also Ether 12:27.) You might invite students to share examples of ways the Lord has helped them know how they could improve. (Focus on how this knowledge was communicated rather than on specific improvements students were encouraged to make.)

• Consider reviewing paragraphs 14–19 (which begin “Honesty in our prayers …”) in the same section of chapter 1 (“The Only Way to the Joy of Knowing Our Savior Jesus Christ”), and invite students to share what stood out to them about Elder Andersen’s teaching in this passage.

• Invite students to write a plan for how they will improve their efforts to repent daily. You could invite them to ponder the following questions to help them with their plans:

  • What will I do so that the Lord will reveal to me where my repentance should be focused?

  • What will I do if the Lord prompts me to make changes that I don’t want to make?

  • How will I go forward “inch by inch” as I strive to repent daily?

• If time permits, you may want to invite a few students to share something from their plans that they think might be beneficial for others in the class to hear.

For Next Time

Encourage students to study chapters 2 and 3 in preparation for the next week. In chapter 2, Elder Andersen shares several experiences of others related to repentance and forgiveness. You might encourage students to identify from these accounts truths that are meaningful to them, write them down or record them digitally, and bring them to the next class. You could encourage students to ponder as they study chapter 3 the following question: What examples have you seen of the truths Elder Andersen teaches in this chapter?

Note: You could use the “For Next Time” section at the end of each class to encourage students to prepare for the next class. Or you could use it to create a prompt that you send to students during the week to help them prepare for the next class.