Lesson Prepration Guide for "Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions"

In his talk, Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella discusses the importance of bearing witness of Jesus Christ through our words and actions. He emphasizes the commitment made at baptism to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and how we can fulfill this promise by bearing testimony of Christ in our everyday lives. He shares personal experiences and examples to illustrate this principle, highlighting the power of living a Christ-centered life.

Ideas for Opening the Lesson

Begin the lesson by asking class members to share their thoughts on what it means to bear witness of Jesus Christ in both words and actions.
Start the lesson by reading the title of the talk and asking the class to ponder on times they have personally borne witness of Jesus Christ.
Open the lesson by asking class members to share their thoughts on the importance of bearing witness of Jesus Christ.

Topics

Taking Upon the Name of Christ

Elder Parrella emphasizes the importance of taking upon the name of Jesus Christ, a covenant we make at baptism. This is shown by bearing testimony of Christ in both word and deed, as often as we can.

My purpose today is to remind us that we can show God that we take the name of His Son upon ourselves by bearing testimony in word and deed, as often as we can, that Jesus is the Christ.

What does it mean to you to take upon the name of Jesus Christ?
How can we better bear testimony of Christ in our daily lives?
What opportunities do we have to bear testimony of Christ in word and deed?
How does taking upon the name of Christ influence our actions and decisions?
Can you share a time when you felt you were truly bearing the name of Christ?

Bearing Testimony through Church Meetings

Elder Parrella shares two examples of how Church meetings provide opportunities for members to bear testimony of Christ and show their commitment to His name.

What a blessing to see that our Church meetings are choice opportunities for us to testify of Christ and signal to God that we rejoice in taking His Son’s name upon us.

How have you been able to bear testimony of Christ in Church meetings?
How can we make our Church meetings more Christ-centered?
Can you share an experience when someone’s testimony in a Church meeting strengthened your own?
What can we do to encourage more members to bear testimony of Christ in our meetings?
Why is it important to bear testimony of Christ in our Church meetings?

Bearing Testimony through Actions

Elder Parrella highlights the importance of bearing testimony of Christ through our actions, using the example of Brother Atkinson, whose Christlike living served as a powerful testimony to his friends.

Over the years, Brother Atkinson’s Christlike living served as a powerful testimony to his friends. His example is strong evidence that he has taken upon himself the name of Christ.

How can our actions bear testimony of Christ?
Can you share an example of someone whose Christlike actions have been a testimony to you?
How can we strive to live more Christlike lives?
What challenges do we face in bearing testimony of Christ through our actions, and how can we overcome them?
How does living a Christlike life influence those around us?

Using the Correct Name of the Church

Elder Parrella discusses the importance of using the correct name of the Church, as instructed by President Nelson. By doing so, we bear testimony of Christ and take upon His name more fully.

By following the prophet, we can all learn to testify more of Jesus Christ by using the correct name of the Church, thus taking upon us more fully the name of the Lord.

Why is it important to use the correct name of the Church?
How does using the correct name of the Church help us bear testimony of Christ?
Can you share a time when using the correct name of the Church led to a conversation about Christ?
How can we better follow the prophet’s counsel to use the correct name of the Church?
What does it mean to you to take upon the name of the Lord more fully?

Additional Discussion Questions

How can we bear testimony of Christ in our interactions with those not of our faith?
In what ways can we use our daily activities to bear testimony of Christ?
How can we help others bear testimony of Christ?
What can we do to better remember Christ in all we do?
How does bearing testimony of Christ bring us closer to Him?
How does bearing testimony of Christ influence our understanding of the gospel?
How can we bear testimony of Christ in times of trials and adversity?
How does bearing testimony of Christ influence our families and homes?
In what ways can we bear testimony of Christ in our service to others?
How can we bear testimony of Christ in our professional lives?