Discussion Ideas and Questions for "Your Great Adventure" by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
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Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf surprised us all when he started his talk with a story of a young hobbit in his October 2019 General Conference talk, “Your Great Adventure.” My children quickly perked up when they heard the name, “Bilbo Baggins.” I love how he took something many of us can relate to and helped us see the gospel clearer.
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Questions to Ponder
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Knowing that we knew what kind of obstacles we would face here on earth; do you think it was hard for us to choose this great adventure we would go on here? Why?
Other than the story Elder Uchtdorf speaks of, are there any other great adventures you feel we can adequately compare this mortal journey to?
How can we prevent mortal life from distracting us from what is our quest here in earth is?
How can we incline our hearts to God on a day to day to basis? On a weekly basis?
How can we focus on doing things intentionally versus doing things perfectly? How can we avoid the pull to do thing perfectly?
When is a time that someone served you? Do you know of someone who is an example of service to you?
What does serving someone mean to you?
What are some unique ways to share our beliefs?
Yes, we can be scared of rejection, but what else holds us back from sharing our beliefs?
How can you encourage those who have left the church to come back? How can you be a friend to them?
Who can you help on this grand adventure? Who can you invite to come with you?
Send this Hobbit style coloring page home with your class so they can easily discuss it with their family.
Discussion Ideas
Make a map of the Plan of Salvation crossed with a little bit of The Hobbit on the board. Does viewing this mortal life as this type of adventure change things for you? What new perspective about the Plan of Salvation did you gain from Elder Uchtdorf’s talk?
Read and discuss the little bit of Harry Potter in Elder Uchtdorf’s talk, “If you hesitate in this adventure because you doubt your ability, remember that discipleship is not about doing things perfectly; it’s about doing things intentionally. It is your choices that show what you truly are, far more than your abilities.” What happens when we focus on doing things intentionally instead of perfectly? How much more do you think we can get done if we don’t focus on doing things perfectly? What happens when we focus on perfection? When have you let failure stop you on your adventure? How can we overcome that?
Elder Uchtdorf stated that we can only progress on our path as we help others. Ask someone ahead of time to share an experience of how serving someone else ended up helping them solve their problem as well. Why do you think helping one another is a vital part of our journey? What can we do when we are frustrated with people and want to go it alone? Why can’t we do it alone? Point back to Jesus Christ’s life. His life was all about helping others.
Bring some artwork or decor that you have up in your home that can help point people back to Jesus Christ. Be prepared to discuss each object with a small gospel point. Then ask your class which object they would like to know more about and share your little memorized part. For example: If I were to bring a picture of a temple, I could say, “That’s what we call a temple. Temples are different from our church buildings. We believe that families can be together forever when they are sealed in the temple.” The point of this exercise being how we can naturally talk about the gospel with every day objects and conversations without being pushy or weird. We’re simply asking a question when someone asks. What are some other ways you are or can share the gospel with others? If you don’t have someone to share the gospel with, how can you make more friends outside the church?
