Week 4 Teacher Material

Mortality and Remorse of Conscience

In this lesson students will discuss mortality and the natural temptations and tendencies that we experience in our fallen state. They will also discuss how repentance includes turning our whole souls back to God, meaning that we repent not only of our sins but of sinning in general. Students will be invited to record impressions they receive about repenting of both their sins of commission and their sins of omission and about turning more fully toward God.

Ideas for Teaching

Chapter 6

The Fall of Adam does not define us; it helps to refine us. It helps us yearn for a Redeemer.

• Consider inviting students to share insights they had while studying chapter 6. You might ask them what stood out to them or invite them to ask any questions they may have.

• You may want to show the video “We Have a Purpose Here” (2:55), in which Elder Andersen talks about us being far from our heavenly home. Invite students to consider why being away from our heavenly home is part of God’s plan. Give them a couple of minutes after watching the video to share their thoughts.

  We Have a Purpose Here

  (The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, Chapter 6) Elder Neil L. Andersen uses the analogy of a dog disoriented from traveling on an airplane to help us understand our mortal lives, far from our heavenly home.

• You might ask students to respond to the following question based on what they learned from reading the first section of chapter 6: What are some of the challenges and opportunities the Fall of Adam and Eve introduced to the world? You may also want to list students’ responses on the board and ask: Why do we need opposition in this life? (See the section “Opposition.”)

• You might remind students that Nephi described himself as a “wretched man” (2 Nephi 4:17) and that King Benjamin encouraged his people to remember their own “nothingness” and unworthiness (Mosiah 4:11). You could ask students to think about when they may have felt particularly imperfect or “fallen” in these or similar ways. Invite a student to read the fifth paragraph in the section “The Fall of Adam and Eve” (which begins “You are now here on earth …”). Ask students what they learn about themselves from that paragraph. You might help them identify a truth similar to the one in the section heading above. Consider inviting students to read 2 Nephi 4:31–34 and Mosiah 4:2, looking for how recognizing their fallen state led Nephi and the people of King Benjamin to rely more fully on Jesus Christ.

• You might also discuss Mosiah 3:19 in relation to this truth. Consider reviewing the sixth paragraph of the section “The Fall of Adam and Eve” (which begins “In understanding the Fall …”) and discussing why it might be important to understand that the “natural” evil spoken of in the scriptures does not mean that we are “inherently evil.” Consider discussing the following questions (in small groups or as a class):

  • What difference might it make in a person’s life if they defined themselves using their divine heritage rather than their sins? How might this affect the way they treat themselves and others?

  • How is the Savior currently helping you to overcome your fallen nature?

  • Why do you think it’s important to understand that “repentance is not our backup plan; it is the only plan”? (paragraph 1 of the section “Repentance Is Necessary for All”).

• You might read the final paragraph of the chapter (which begins “I absolutely know …”) and discuss our need for a Redeemer and the hope the Savior offers through lifelong repentance.

Chapter 7

Sin causes remorse of conscience.

• You might invite students to share what they learned in chapter 7, any of their favorite passages, or any questions they have about what they read.

• You could display the phrase “Sin has consequences” and ask students to explain why sin has consequences and what some of them are. You might invite students to read Alma 29:5, looking for how Alma describes the consequences of our choices. Display the statement from the section heading above.

• Consider discussing the following questions:

  • Why do you think sin causes remorse of conscience?

  • How is remorse of conscience a blessing to us when we sin?

• Consider reading together paragraphs 6–8 of the section “Sin and the Laws of God” (which begin “I have long appreciated …”). Or you might watch a portion of Elder David A. Bednar’s talk “We Believe in Being Chaste” (from time code 13:06 to 14:48) to further understand why remorse of conscience can be a blessing. Consider inviting students to share any insights they have after reading or watching.

  We Believe in Being Chaste

  Obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity.

• You may want to discuss this statement: “Good behavior, no matter how sincere and determined, can never erase the sins of the past” (from the second to last paragraph of the chapter, in the section “Sins of Commission and Omission”). You might also talk about how only true repentance can help us overcome guilt. You could then ask one or both of the following questions:

  • Why do you think that good behavior cannot erase our sins?

  • How does understanding this truth help us focus our repentance on the Savior?

• The last two paragraphs of the section “Guilt and Regret” (which begin “I have always taken …”) contain some prophetic statements that can provide hope to those who feel guilt and regret. You could also share the video “The Savior Wants to Forgive” (5:49). Consider inviting students to share their thoughts or feelings.

  The Savior Wants to Forgive

  A former addict and repeat convict shares his experiences with the Savior’s ability and willingness to forgive him again and again, even when he felt undeserving.

In order to repent, we must not just turn away from one sin but rather offer our whole souls to God.

• You might begin this part of the lesson by inviting students to explain the difference between sins of commission and sins of omission. (You could review the first two paragraphs of the section “Sins of Commission and Omission” and invite students to share their thoughts or feelings about those paragraphs.)

• Consider reading the first sentence of the fourth paragraph of the section “Sins of Commission and Omission” (which begins “One of the greatest …”), and ask students to discuss the difference between attempting to repent of a sin and repenting of sinning. You might read the rest of that paragraph, as well as Omni 1:26, and invite students to identify a truth similar to the one stated in the section heading above.

• Consider also reviewing the fifth and sixth paragraphs of the section “Sins of Commission and Omission” (which begin “President Spencer W. Kimball added …”), and invite students to look for how repenting of our sins of omission is necessary if we want to offer our whole souls to God. You might also invite students to suggest other ways a person might offer his or her whole soul to God.

• You could invite students to read the last two paragraphs of the chapter (which begin “While overcoming sin may …”) and ponder how the Savior will help them as they turn their whole souls to God. Then provide students a few minutes to ponder and write impressions of what they need to do to better repent and turn more fully to God.

Note: Before you end class, you may want to show the video “Building a Sure Foundation on Jesus Christ” (2:47), in which Elder Andersen talks about the process of writing chapter 8, which students will read prior to the next class.

Building a Sure Foundation on Jesus Christ

(The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, Chapter 8) Like the renovated foundation of the Salt Lake Temple, we must sure up our foundation, built on Jesus Christ and His teachings.

For Next Time

Invite students, as they study chapter 8 in preparation for the next class, to mark or list in a journal anything they find about Jesus Christ that increases their desire to repent.

Note: If you cannot show the video above at the end of class, you can send students a link to the video and invite them to watch it before the next class is held.