Lesson 5: Daughters of God

This lesson in the manual focuses on the important role that women play in the kingdom.  I have mixed feelings about these lessons.  I agree with everything said here and I believe that we should celebrate the women in our lives.  On the other hand, I worry that these lessons exist because people don't value women as they should.  Also, I worry about these lessons feeling like tokenism.  Tokenism is the feeling that women really aren't valued and so we are having a token lesson to assuage their feelings.  I hope this is not happening anywhere, either.

The Activity:

1. Give every class member a sheet of paper.
2. Ask them to make a list of the women in their lives who have made a difference in their lives.
3. Ask them to record how these women impacted their lives.
4. Have the class members find a quote from the text to go with the influence of a few of the women on their list.  For example, a few years ago I was serving in a branch presidency and we were discussing a man in the ward whose family was receiving some help from the church.  Some people felt that this man was not doing enough to find his own job and wanted to cut him off.  Then, our Primary president spoke up with some inspired counsel that changed the way we all saw the issue.  Her comments changed the direction of our conversation and left an impact on the way I view much of the work in the Church now.  So, with her I would point to the last paragraph in section 4 of this lesson as a quote that speaks to my experience.
5. After a few minutes, ask the class members to either in small groups or as a whole class to share some of what they found.

Using this activity: 

For me, one of the reasons this lesson is valuable is that it allows us to reflect on the people who made a difference in our own lives.  I recently attended the funeral of my wife's uncle.  I was touched as people spoke by his grace and goodness.  I realized as I listened that true greatness usually masquerades as everyday life.  This lesson is a chance to recognize and honor those whose impacts are felt in our lives simply because of their small moments of greatness in our lives.  I think that is invaluable.  Gratitude is a virtue that we take for granted, it seems, 11 months of the year. 

Also, this lesson has value because it asks the class members to apply the words of President Hinckley to their own lives (I Ne. 19:23 applies to the words of the latter-day prophets as much as it does to the words of the ancient prophets).  As they apply those words or even just consider how they might apply, class members are exercising their faith that there is an application.  With that exercise of faith, the Spirit is invited more wholly into their lives and your class.  Ultimately, the Spirit is what matters; what teaches and converts.