Lesson 28 Teacher Material

Feeling Hope for Building an Eternal Family

All of us can have hope that we can build an eternal family, whatever our family circumstances have been. This lesson will help students better understand that the Lord can help them succeed in building an eternal family. Students will also have the opportunity to share and determine how to further apply what they have learned and experienced in The Eternal Family course.

Suggestions for Teaching

The Lord wants to help us succeed in building eternal families.

Note: Carefully select the teaching option for the first part of the lesson that will most bless your students. Be sure you leave about 20 minutes for the final section of the lesson.

Begin the lesson by inviting students to ponder and record their thoughts about the following question:

• What hopes do you have for building an eternal family?

After sufficient time, invite a few students to share their thoughts as they feel comfortable.

Display the following truth from Elder David A. Bednar’s statement in section 2 of the preparation material: “With the help of the Lord, you can create an eternal family” (“A Welding Link” [worldwide devotional for young adults, Sept. 10, 2017], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Choose one of the following activities to help students deepen their understanding of this truth and to allow them to share what they learned while preparing for class:

Option 1

Remind students that in the “Record Your Thoughts” activity in section 1 of the preparation material they were invited to identify an example from the scriptures or their own family experience of how the Lord helps those who trust in Him and seek His help. Give students a few minutes to review their examples and responses to the questions.

Arrange students in pairs or small groups. Allow students sufficient time to share their examples and responses.

When students have finished, write the following incomplete sentence on the board: Always remember: . Provide each student with a small piece of paper and a piece of tape. Invite students to write how they would complete the sentence on the board to form a truth based on what they have learned in their group discussion that helps them feel hopeful about building an eternal family. Then ask students to put their papers up around the room. (If your class is small, you might adapt this activity by inviting students to write their responses on the board.)

Give students a few minutes to walk around the room and read each other’s statements. When students finish, encourage them to record any additional truths they want to remember or impressions they may have received.

Option 2

Explain that some of us may struggle to feel hopeful about building an eternal family because we have not experienced righteous family patterns in our own families.

• What can we learn from the experience of the prophet Abraham that can give us hope? (Encourage students to recall what they learned about Abraham in section 2 of the preparation material. Consider reading together Abraham 1:2. Then help students identify a truth like the following: We can be the turning point for our family and choose righteousness regardless of what our family circumstances have been.)

• Who, if anyone, has been instrumental in beginning (or continuing) righteous family patterns in your family? What difference have this person’s decisions made in your life?

Invite a student to read aloud the third and fifth paragraphs in Elder David A. Bednar’s statement in section 2 of the preparation material.

• How can the Lord help you “add strength to your chain and perhaps even help to restore the broken links”? (“A Welding Link”). (You may want to invite students to record their answers to this question rather than discuss them as a class.)

Invite students to reflect on the questions they were invited to ponder regarding family patterns to start, continue, or discontinue (see section 2 of the preparation material). Encourage students to record any thoughts or impressions they have.

We are blessed by reflecting on what we have learned and planning ways to apply it.

Improving Our Teaching and Learning

Give students time to reflect. Students can find deeper purpose and meaning in their learning as they take time to reflect on how gospel truths have influenced their minds, hearts, and lives. Encouraging students to think about how they will apply what they have learned and felt can help deepen their conversion.

Consider displaying a copy of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Remind students of the opportunity they have had throughout this course to study teachings on the family from an eternal perspective.

Display the lesson titles from this course, or invite students to refer to them on their devices. Allow students time to review the lesson titles to help them reflect on what they have learned, felt, and experienced throughout this course. Then invite students to share their thoughts. You may want to ask questions like the following to help further the discussion:

• How has this course influenced your understanding and testimony of the Lord’s teachings on marriage and the family?

• What has been one of your most significant takeaways from this course?

• What have you learned about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ throughout this course? How has your relationship with Them been strengthened?

To conclude this lesson, you could invite a student to read aloud the statement by President M. Russell Ballard in section 3 of the preparation material. It may be helpful to display the following questions and give students a few minutes to record their thoughts or impressions about them:

• How will your life be different as a result of what you have learned and experienced in this course? How will you be more like Jesus Christ?

Consider inviting any students who would like to share their testimony about the importance of the family in Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness to do so, as time permits. Consider sharing your own testimony, as well. And encourage students to continue enrolling in institute.