How do women and priesthood holders work together to build the kingdom of God?

In partnership with the bearers of the priesthood of God, women are essential to helping Heavenly Father bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Under the direction of those who hold priesthood keys, priesthood holders and women counsel together to bless the lives of God’s children. This can happen in ward and stake council meetings, in families, and in many other settings.

Prepare yourself spiritually

When have you seen priesthood holders and sisters work together to build God’s kingdom? What experiences could you share with the youth?

Why would it be important for the youth to know how women and priesthood holders work together in the Lord’s Church? What opportunities do young men and young women have now to serve together? What do they need to understand as they serve others now and prepare for future service?

As you prepare, prayerfully study these scriptures and resources. What do you feel will be helpful to the youth you teach?

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129 (Husbands and wives work together as equal partners in caring for their families; see paragraphs 6 and 7)

Russell M. Nelson, “A Plea to My Sisters,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 95–98

Quentin L. Cook, “LDS Women Are Incredible!” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 18–21

“Blessings of the Priesthood for All: An Inseparable Connection with the Priesthood,” Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 125–43

Videos: “The Errand of Angels,” “Sustaining Each Other in the Home”

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Teaching in the Savior’s way

The Savior invited His followers to testify, and as they did, the Spirit touched their hearts. How can you encourage the youth you teach to testify to each other about the truthfulness of the gospel?

Make connections

During the first few minutes of every class, help the youth make connections between things they are learning in various settings (such as personal study, seminary, other Church classes, or experiences with their friends). How can you help them see the relevance of the gospel in daily living? The ideas below might help you:

Invite the youth to share an experience they had recently that reaffirmed to them the truthfulness of something they had been studying in church or on their own.
Write the title of the lesson on the board. Invite each class member to write an answer to the question. Then ask them to work in pairs and combine their answers into one sentence. Invite them to share their sentences with the class.

Learn together

Each of the activities below will help the youth understand how women and priesthood holders work together to build the kingdom of God. Following the inspiration of the Spirit, select one or more that will work best for your class:

Invite the youth to review President Russell M. Nelson’s talk, beginning with the tenth paragraph. What evidence have they seen of the fulfillment of President Kimball’s prophecy? What can the youth, both male and female, do to help fulfill this prophecy? Encourage the youth to review the remainder of President Nelson’s talk, looking for ways that women and priesthood holders work together. Consider inviting class members to share their feelings about the influence of righteous women by writing letters of gratitude to women in their lives or by making a post on social media.
Divide chapter 8 of Daughters in My Kingdom into smaller sections that the youth could read during class, and assign each class member a section. Invite the youth to look for a quotation or story that shows how priesthood holders and women work together to build the kingdom of God. Invite the youth to share their quotation or story with the class. What similar stories can the youth share from their own experiences?
With the permission of the bishop, invite a few sisters and priesthood holders who have callings in the ward to share with the class their experiences working together in the Church. How did they benefit from each other’s experiences and perspectives? Invite the youth to share any experiences they have had.
Invite the youth to read the section titled “Role of Sisters in the Church” from Elder Quentin L. Cook’s talk “LDS Women Are Incredible!” Ask them to share with each other what they learn. How can the youth use Elder Cook’s message to help others understand the importance of women in the Church?
Show one of the videos suggested in this outline, and ask the youth to share any insights they gain about how women and priesthood holders work together. Encourage the youth to share ways they have seen the women and men in their families and wards build the kingdom of God. How can the young men and young women apply what they learn from these videos as they serve together in the Church?
Invite each youth to silently read paragraphs 6 and 7 of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and identify ways men and women work together to bring about God’s eternal plan. Ask the youth to share what they find. When have they seen examples of husbands and wives following the principles in the family proclamation? What can they do now to prepare to have the kind of family relationships described in the family proclamation?

Ask the youth to share what they learned today. Do they understand how men and women work together in the Church? What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be worthwhile to spend more time on this topic?

Invite to act

Ask the youth what they feel inspired to do because of what they learned today. Encourage them to act on these feelings. Seek the Spirit as you prayerfully consider ways you can follow up.