Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12: Lesson 112

Assess Your Learning 7

Job–Ecclesiastes

Reflecting on and assessing our spiritual learning can help us draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This lesson can help students reflect on the goals they have set and the growth they have experienced during their recent study of the Old Testament.

Student preparation: Invite students to come to class prepared to share an Old Testament account or teaching that has had an impact on their spiritual progress.

Possible Learning Activities

Your students’ study of Job through Ecclesiastes may have focused on different outcomes than those assessed in this lesson. If so, adapt the activities to assess the growth students have experienced from the outcomes focused on in your class.

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to assess their progress in the following areas:

1. Explain the Resurrection as part of Heavenly Father’s plan. (Note: This activity is based on teachings from Lesson 98: “Job 14, 19.”)

2. Feel an increased desire to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. (Note: This activity is based on a suggestion from Lesson 101: “Introduction to Psalms, Part 2.” Other lessons from Psalms and different books in the Old Testament may have also helped students increase their desire to worship the Lord.)

3. Study the scriptures regularly on your own. (Note: This activity is based on teachings from Lesson 107: “Psalm 119.” Even if the class did not study that specific lesson, periodically inviting students to assess their personal scripture study can help them in their spiritual progress.)

Regular checkups

To begin the lesson, consider helping students see the value of doing regular checkups on important things, rather than focusing on them only after problems arise. You may want to display a picture of an item that needs regular inspection. Or you might tell a personal story of how you were blessed by taking time to inspect something.

• Why is regularly examining the following things important? What could potentially happen if we don’t take the time to examine them?

• Vehicles

• Progress toward graduation from high school

• Physical health (for example, eyes, ears, teeth, and general health)

You could transition the class discussion to spiritual things by asking questions such as:

• Why do you think it’s important to periodically examine our spiritual progress?

• How can it be helpful to notice the progress we are making, as well as adjustments we could make?

Take time to examine how your study of the Old Testament has helped you progress spiritually this year. As you examine your progress, you might ponder or write your answers to one or more of the following questions:

• What have you learned about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that is important to you?

• Are there specific scripture accounts or teachings that have impacted you? If so, how?

• Are you happy with the progress you are making? What has led to it, or what could you do to help you get the results you seek?

After time to ponder and write, invite volunteers to share some of their thoughts and impressions.

Explain the Resurrection as part of Heavenly Father’s plan

Consider writing the following question on the board. Instead of having students answer the question, invite them to share who might ask it or in what situations someone might ask it.

• Will we live again after we die?

  Help students understand that our knowledge of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ can help us answer this question.

  The following activity can help students explain what they understand about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Lesson 98: “Job 14, 19,” students may have written a paragraph in response to Job’s question: “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). Invite students to review that paragraph in their journals and read through any scripture references they may have included in their response.

  If students did not write a response to Job’s question, consider providing the following scripture references for them to read.

• 1 Corinthians 15:20–22

• Mosiah 16:7–8

• Alma 11:42–44

• Helaman 14:17

• Moroni 7:41

After students have had a few minutes to review what they wrote or the scriptures above, invite them to each pick a number between one and four. Place students in small groups with people who chose different numbers. Invite them to share with their group how they would explain the Resurrection and Jesus Christ’s role in it in the situation below that corresponds with the number they chose.

1. A classmate at school who is curious about what our church teaches about life after death

2. A friend at work who just learned that their sibling has a terminal illness

3. Young children in a primary class

4. Speaking at the funeral of one of your grandparents

After students have had the opportunity to share with each other, you might ask a few willing students to share what they learned from this experience. This may include a new insight they learned about Jesus Christ and the Resurrection or something they learned by explaining it to others.

Feel an increased desire to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

As part of Lesson 101: “Introduction to Psalms, Part 2,” students may have started creating a video, poem, drawing, meme, or other expression of their thoughts and feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Invite students to find or remember their project. Display the following instructions and questions for students to respond to in their study journals. You might play some quiet music while students work on this activity.

Take a moment to think about the experience you had creating this work. Invite the Holy Ghost to help you recall the feelings you expressed.

• What have you learned or felt about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ since you created this expression of worship?

• What changes, if any, have you noticed in how you think or feel about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ since you created this? How do you feel today?

• Looking at your project, what would you add? What would you change?

You might give willing students who have not yet shared their project an opportunity to share what they created, what was meaningful to them about the experience, or how they felt.

Study the scriptures regularly on your own

In Lesson 107: “Psalms 119,” you may have created an object lesson by dimming the lights in the room and turning on a lamp or flashlight. If so, consider repeating this object lesson and asking students to read Psalm 119:105. Invite them to share what they remember from that lesson, including how God’s word is like a light in our lives.

Students may have been invited in that lesson to create a personal scripture study goal or to reflect on how they are doing with a goal they had already set. Invite them to assess how they have done with their study goal and how it is helping them. To do this, you might display the following instructions.

In your study journal, write how your scripture study is going. You might include answers to some of the following:

• How are you doing at consistently implementing your goal?

• Do you feel the Lord is guiding you as you study the scriptures? Why or why not?

• What obstacles are you facing, if any?

• How might you want to continue to improve your scripture study?

Invite students to share their thoughts. If they share successes, consider asking questions such as “How has it impacted your life?” or “What did you do that helped lead to this result?” If they share difficulties they are having, consider inviting the class to look for scriptures, statements from Church leaders, or share personal experiences that may help. Try to create an atmosphere in which students strive to help and support each other.

Consider sharing your scripture study goals and experiences as well.