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What is the Lord’s way for providing for the poor and needy?

What is the Lord’s way for providing for the poor and needy?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

When Jesus Christ came to earth, He spent much of His ministry caring for the poor and needy. Through His Church, the Lord has provided a way for us to care for those in need. He has asked us to give generously according to what we have received from Him. “The Lord’s way of caring for the needy is different from the world’s way. The Lord has said, ‘[Caring for the poor] must needs be done in mine own way’ [Doctrine and Covenants 104:16]. He is not only interested in our immediate needs; He is also concerned about our eternal progression. For this reason, the Lord’s way has always included self-reliance and service to our neighbor in addition to caring for the poor” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Providing in the Lord’s Way,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 54).

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

How have you sought to follow the example of the Savior in providing for others? What experiences could you share with the young women?

What principles of providing in the Lord’s way do the young women need to understand? How will understanding these principles help them become better disciples of Christ?

What can the young women do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior was an example and mentor. He taught His disciples to pray by praying with them. He taught them to love and serve by the way He loved and served them. He taught them how to teach His gospel by the way He taught it. How can you follow His example?

Video: “Let Us Teach”

3:26

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

  • Our class: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?

  • Our responsibilities: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?

  • Our lives: Remind the class of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a class presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the class; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help class members understand the doctrine.

  • In his talk “Refuge from the Storm,” Elder Patrick Kearon said, “There are an estimated 60 million refugees in the world today. … It is shocking to consider the numbers involved and to reflect on what this means in each individual life.” To help the young women become aware of the refugee crisis and how they can help, show them one or more of the videos in this outline. How do they feel about the trials refugees face? You might invite class members in small groups to review Elder Kearon’s talk or Sister Linda K. Burton’s talk “I Was a Stranger,” looking for things they can do to help refugees. Help the young women make plans to act on these suggestions.

  • Divide the young women into pairs. Assign one member of each pair to read scriptures about the importance of caring for the poor and needy, and assign the other to read scriptures that give warnings to those who do not care for the poor and needy (for ideas, see the scriptures suggested in this outline). Invite the young women to study their scripture passages and then share with their partners what they learned. Ask them why caring for the poor and needy is so important to Heavenly Father. Invite the young women to discuss ways they can help those in need in their families, ward, and community.

  • Give class members copies of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk “Are We Not All Beggars?” Ask each young woman to choose one of the scripture passages Elder Holland quotes about helping the poor and needy. Invite each young woman to share the scripture passage she has chosen and what it means to her. As a class, review Elder Holland’s counsel: “I don’t know exactly how each of you should fulfill your obligation to those who do not or cannot always help themselves. But I know that God knows, and He will help you and guide you in compassionate acts of discipleship.” Give class members some time to think of ways they feel God wants them to care for the poor and needy. Invite them to share their feelings with the class.

  • Invite a member of the bishopric to share with the young women his feelings about caring for the poor and needy and opportunities the young women have to help ward or community members in need. He could also discuss how sacred Church funds are used, including fast offerings and humanitarian contributions (see Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops [2010], 14.4). Consider using class time to plan a specific service activity based on this discussion.

  • Ask the young women to list some of the temporal and spiritual needs a person might have. Write on the board, What is the Lord’s way for providing for the poor and needy? Share with the young women Doctrine and Covenants 104:15–18 and statements from some of the other scriptures about ways to care for the poor, and ask the young women to listen for answers to the question on the board. Invite them to share what they find. How can we help the poor and needy become more self-reliant?

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

  • Ask the young women to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a class to apply what they have learned?

  • Give the young women a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.

  • Remind the young women that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young women apply what they learned in this lesson.