March 6, 2008

Today we went over the book of Esther.
We started out by asking the boys to list the characteristics that would be important to them in a girl. We then made a list of some of the talents they would like their spouses to have.
The girls also mentioned what they thought would be important.
We then asked the students (guys) if they were a king - how they would go about picking a new wife. We discussed the various methods suggested by the students.

I asked each student to make a private list of some of the talents which they believe Heavenly Father has given them - specifically to them. They spent several minutes and made their lists.

We then began to read in Esther and read about Esther and Mordecai's relationship, and then (since the guys asked - what she looked like). The students were fairly familiar with this story, and so they re-told the story. We focused on a verse in Chapter 6 which is the dialog between Mordecai and Esther. We talked about if we thought that Esther had been raised with an idea that she would save the Jews... and if she really knew what was in store for her.

We then read a quote from Elder Maxwell which talks about how each of us is sent to our spot in the world for a reason.

We watched a CES video depicting part of Esther's story. The video doesn't resolve the whole story, but ends as she walks into the king's presence.

As we ended class, I asked the students to look at their list of talents, and spend some time thinking about which of those talents/blessings Heavenly Father may have given them specifically so that they could work to build His kingdom and be an instrument in His hands.

On Monday we will be focusing on Job 1-18.