Last week as I tried to teach my lesson on the Atonement, the teens were really wild. It was challenging to try to teach this amazing topic to a mostly disinterested group of youth. A few were trying to listen, but the rude behavior made it difficult for them to hear.
I’m going to have to try to remedy this situation.
I told Paul after church that the sins of my youth were coming back to haunt me. Karma is a nasty thing. I remember when my Dad was bishop and our sunday school teacher sent my 12 year old tushie out of the class to go “talk to my Dad” because I was being so rude while he tried to teach.
Here is the lesson for this sunday:
Mortality
Note to the teacher

“With the many pressures of daily life, it is sometimes easy to lose sight of the significance of mortality. Earth life is a time to learn. We obtain our bodies, tabernacles for our spirits, and then learn to control them. Help class members understand that “this life is the time … to prepare to meet God”

(Alma 34:32).
Suggested Lesson Development
Earth Life Is a School
Chart and poster discussion
Display the chart of the plan of salvation. Also display the poster containing the quotation from President Kimball, but turn it away from class members so they cannot see the quotation. Referring to the chart, ask:
• What stage of the plan of salvation are we in right now?
Have a class member point out mortality, or earth life.
• Why are we here on earth? Why is mortality an important part of the plan of salvation?
After class members have had a few moments to respond, turn over the poster and have a class member read President Kimball’s statement (if you did not make a poster, read the quotation out of the manual). Remind class members that President Kimball was the twelfth President of the Church. Explain that as President Kimball said, two important reasons we have come to earth are to receive a body and to gain experience. As spirits in the pre-earth life we had learned much, but to continue to progress we needed to come to earth and receive bodies.
Quotation
Have a class member read the following statement by President Kimball:

“My brothers and sisters, we’re away from home. We’re off to school. Our lessons will not be easy. The way we react to them, the way we conquer and accomplish and live will determine our rewards, and they will be permanent and eternal. …

“You are sent to this world with a very serious purpose. You are sent to school, for that matter, to begin as a human infant and grow to unbelievable proportions in wisdom, judgment, knowledge, and power”

(The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 28, 31).
Jenny Hatch

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