So this was the easiest lesson I’ve prepared all year. I used to have easy ones like this all the time when I was teaching Seminary, but this is the first time that it’s come so easily for one of these multi-chapter weekly lessons.
I have been recording the Joseph Smith Papers documentary videos off of BYUTV for a while now, and several of them have given me good information and insights. Joseph Smith and the Law Part Two works PERFECTLY for this lesson.
The video starts out with a good explanation that briefly explains the apostasy in Kirtland and what caused the move to Missouri. The last half of the video talks about many of the revelations received at Far West. The video is only 30 minutes long, and it is really great. If you are behind due to weather, this video could literally make up a week in just one class period, and it would do so very effectively.
In my class, I paused the video every few minutes for discussion and to share some additional insights and quotes. My class is an hour and a half, so I could do a good bit of discussion. One of the last things discussed is tithing, which makes a great mini lesson at the end if you have 5-10 minutes left of class. Some of the quotes I had set up were on fast offerings and Adam-ondi-Ahman.
It was not some sort of spectacular lesson, but it was good. Students stayed after for about half an hour visiting and sharing testimony — primarily about raising children. These are fun ladies.
My nonmember has missed the last two weeks, so I think we’ve lost her, but I did have a random guy come up and ask me for a copy of the Book of Mormon. It’s been interesting for sure to hold class outside the church.
