YOUTH CLASSES
October 24, 2021
Come, Follow Me
DOCTRINAL TOPICS & ACTIVITIES
Teach the Doctrine
Led by an adult leader or youth; approximately 25–35 minutes
Prepare Yourself Spiritually
Priesthood authority and power are not the same thing. A person can receive priesthood authority through the laying on of hands—men can be ordained to an office of the priesthood, and both men and women can be set apart for a calling. But priesthood power—God’s power, or “the powers of heaven”—can be used only “upon the principles of righteousness” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:36), and both men and women can use this power. If we want our service to others to be powerful and life-changing
WE NEED TO BE WORTHY TO CALL UPON THE POWERS OF HEAVEN.
ColorQuote (DOWNLOAD HERE or above) “When we choose to live according to the words of the prophets, we are on the covenant path that leads to perfection.” – Carol F. McConkie
HOW TO ACCESS THE POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD?
Do the members of your quorum or class know how to access the power of the priesthood? How might their lives and their service be different if they had that understanding? Ponder these questions as you study Doctrine and Covenants 121. It would also be good to study two messages from President Russell M. Nelson. One is addressed to priesthood holders—“The Price of Priesthood Power” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 66–69). The other is addressed to sisters—“Spiritual Treasures” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 76–79).
Spiritual Treasures – President Russell M. Nelson – As you exercise faith in the Lord and His priesthood power, your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure that the Lord has made available will increase.
ColorQuote (DOWNLOAD HERE or above) “Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. All men and all women have access to this power for help in their lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God.”— Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Men and Women in the Work of the Lord”
Learn Together
To begin a discussion about priesthood power, you could ask quorum or class members to share something they learned about this power from their reading of Doctrine and Covenants 121 this week. If it helps, you could suggest that they scan verses 34–46 to find every place the word power is used and then share what they learn. You can use the following activities to help members of your quorum or class better understand how they can access God’s priesthood power in their lives.
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It could be useful to contrast how “power” and “influence” are maintained in the world with what the Lord taught in section 121 about how priesthood power is maintained. You could make a two-column chart on the board with the headings Worldly Power and Powers of Heaven. Quorum or class members could fill in the chart with words and phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–46. How can understanding these verses affect the way we seek to influence others for good, including our friends, family members, and those we serve and minister to? According to these verses
HOW CAN THE HOLY GHOST HELP US INFLUENCE OTHERS RIGHTEOUSLY?
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To help Aaronic Priesthood holders learn how to bring power into their priesthood service, you could display various objects and ask quorum members to guess how much each object is worth. Why are some of the objects worth more than others? What things are worth the most in our lives, and what price do we have to “pay” for them? Quorum members could then search President Russell M. Nelson’s message “The Price of Priesthood Power,” looking for the price he said we must pay to receive priesthood power.
HOW ARE OUR LIVES AND OTHERS’ LIVES AFFECTED AS WE SERVE WITH MORE OF THE SAVIOR’S POWER?
The Price of Priesthood Power – President Russell M. Nelson – Are we willing to pray, fast, study, seek, worship, and serve as men of God so we can have priesthood power?
To help young women understand how they access priesthood power, you could ask them to think about times when they have felt God’s power in their lives. Explain that priesthood power is God’s power. They could search President Russell M. Nelson’s message “Spiritual Treasures” for truths about women and priesthood power. What did President Nelson ask the women of the Church to do in order to “draw liberally upon the Savior’s power”? (page 77; see especially the four paragraphs beginning with “Every woman and every man”). When have we drawn upon this power to bless our lives and the lives of others? What does Doctrine and Covenants 121:39–43 teach us about how to act with the Lord’s power in our lives?
Spiritual Treasures
President Russell M. Nelson – As you exercise faith in the Lord and His priesthood power, your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure that the Lord has made available will increase.
Act in Faith
Encourage quorum or class members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. How does today’s lesson relate to personal goals they have made? If they would like, quorum or class members could share their ideas.
Supporting Resources
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Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 39–42
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David A. Bednar, “The Powers of Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 48–51
