A Peculiar Treasure
Open talk in Gospel LibraryIdeas for Opening the Lesson
- Invite class members to think of something they once considered valuable as a child. Ask a few to briefly share why it mattered to them. Then transition by explaining that Elder Walker used childhood treasure-seeking to teach a deeper truth: the Lord considered His covenant people to be His treasure.
- Write the phrase "peculiar treasure" on the board and ask the class what it suggested about how the Lord felt about His people. After a few responses, explain that the lesson will explore what Elder Walker taught about becoming the Lord’s special treasure through obedience and covenant keeping.
- Begin by asking class members to silently consider this question: "What changes when a person makes and keeps covenants with God?" Invite a few brief answers, then connect their thoughts to Elder Walker’s emphasis that covenant relationships brought greater closeness, power, and divine help.
- Show or describe an ordinary-looking rock with something beautiful inside, such as a geode. Explain that Elder Walker described searching through rocks for treasure and used that image to teach that becoming the Lord’s treasure was not casual or surface-level; it required patience, sacrifice, and faithful persistence.
- Start with a scripture-centered introduction by reading the line that the Lord called His people a "peculiar treasure." Ask the class why that idea might be surprising in a world that often measures worth by wealth or status. Then invite the class to study how the Lord defined true worth and acceptance.
Topics
Recognize that the Lord called His people treasure
Elder Walker taught that although scriptures often warned against setting hearts on worldly riches, they also revealed a remarkable truth: the Lord described His covenant people as His treasure. He said this teaching reframed how disciples should understand their worth and relationship with God. Rather than chasing earthly treasure, members could remember that the Lord valued His people deeply.
Yet among all those warnings about earthly treasure, there is one passage that reveals something astonishing: the Lord Himself speaks of us as His treasure.
- Why do you think Elder Walker contrasted worldly treasure with the Lord’s view of His people?
- How did it affect you to hear that the Lord spoke of His covenant people as His treasure?
- What worldly messages sometimes make it harder to remember our worth to God?
- How can remembering that we are precious to the Lord change the way we live each day?
- When have you felt that Heavenly Father or the Savior knew your value personally?
- How could this truth help someone who feels overlooked, discouraged, or spiritually weak?
Center life on the Father’s plan and Christ
Elder Walker taught that Heavenly Father’s greatest desire was for His children to return and live with Him and receive eternal life. He said the Father made this possible through the plan of salvation and by sending Jesus Christ to overcome death and atone for sin. He emphasized that the Atonement was the greatest expression of divine love and that the Savior invited all to come unto Him.
He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to break the bands of death and atone for the sins of the world. This sacrifice is the greatest expression of our Father’s infinite love for all His children.
- How did Elder Walker connect the idea of being God’s treasure to the plan of salvation?
- What did his teaching suggest about the depth of Heavenly Father’s love for His children?
- How has the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him become more meaningful in your life?
- Why is it important to remember that covenant living is rooted in love, not just duty?
- How can focusing on the Father’s plan help us face discouragement or uncertainty?
- What experiences have helped you feel the reality of the Savior’s redeeming love?
Obey the Lord’s voice and keep covenants
Elder Walker said the Lord gave a pattern for those who desired to become His treasure: obey His voice and keep His covenant. He taught that these conditions were simple but powerful and applied not only to ancient Israel but also to disciples today. Through obedience and covenant faithfulness, the Lord’s people could receive blessings, strength, and favor through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.
That pattern includes two simple but powerful conditions: to obey His voice and to keep our covenants with Him.
- Why do you think Elder Walker described these conditions as simple but powerful?
- What does it mean in daily life to obey the Lord’s voice?
- How do our covenants help us stay anchored when life becomes confusing or difficult?
- What are some ways the Lord speaks to us as we seek to follow Him?
- How have you seen blessings come from keeping covenants in ordinary, steady ways?
- What changes might the Lord be inviting us to make so we can obey more fully?
Strengthen your covenant relationship with God
Drawing on President Russell M. Nelson’s teaching, Elder Walker said that making covenants brought a person into a much closer relationship with God. He taught that covenant people were bound to Him in a sacred way and could trust that He would never tire in helping them. This covenant relationship showed that each person had a special place in God’s heart and was called to rise above the world.
Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant.
- How does covenant making deepen our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
- What does it mean to you to be bound to God through covenant?
- How can this teaching help someone who wonders whether God is still patient with them?
- In what ways have covenants helped you feel closer to the Lord?
- Why does a closer covenant relationship help us rise above the ways of the world?
- How can we teach this principle to youth, new members, or less-active loved ones?
Rise above the world through covenant faithfulness
Elder Walker taught that covenant faithfulness did more than identify disciples as God’s people; it empowered them to rise above the limitations of a fallen world. Referring to President Dallin H. Oaks, he said obedience to God’s commandments was essential for facing life’s challenges and that honoring covenants enabled disciples to soar to celestial heights. Covenant living brought divine help that lifted people beyond what they could do alone.
Covenant faithfulness does more than identify us as God’s people—it empowers us to rise above the limitations of this fallen world.
- What limitations of the fallen world did Elder Walker seem to have in mind?
- How has obedience helped you rise above a challenge, temptation, or discouragement?
- Why is covenant faithfulness more than just a label or identity?
- What does it mean to you to "soar to celestial heights" through covenant living?
- How can we rely more fully on promised covenant power in our current circumstances?
- What habits or influences in the world most threaten our ability to rise spiritually?
Offer an honest heart and willing sacrifice
Elder Walker taught from modern revelation that the Lord accepted those whose hearts were honest, broken, and contrite and who were willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice. He emphasized that the Lord did not demand immediate perfection but asked for humility, sincerity, and willingness. Becoming the Lord’s treasure required patient effort and the laying aside of lesser things that distanced the heart from Him.
The Lord does not ask for perfection all at once; rather, He asks for honest and broken hearts, humble spirits, and a willing readiness to keep our covenants—even when it requires sacrifice.
- How did this teaching about honesty, broken hearts, and contrite spirits encourage you?
- Why is it important to remember that the Lord does not ask for perfection all at once?
- What kinds of sacrifices did Elder Walker suggest may be necessary in covenant living?
- What are some "lesser things" people may need to lay aside to draw nearer to God?
- How have small daily sacrifices strengthened your discipleship?
- How can we tell whether we are offering ourselves to the Lord more fully and without reservation?
Follow prophetic counsel despite inconvenience
Elder Walker said that choosing to follow prophetic counsel, even when it stretched or inconvenienced disciples, showed love for the Lord and demonstrated that they cherished Him above worldly desires. He taught that faithful persistence in such moments was part of becoming the Lord’s treasure. Obedience in inconvenient circumstances revealed where the heart was truly set.
As we choose to follow prophetic counsel, even when it stretches us or feels inconvenient, we demonstrate our love for the Lord and show that we cherish Him above all worldly desires.
- Why do you think following prophetic counsel can sometimes feel stretching or inconvenient?
- How does obedience in inconvenient moments reveal our love for the Lord?
- What blessings have you seen from following prophetic counsel even when it was difficult?
- How can we help each other respond to prophetic invitations with faith rather than resistance?
- What current prophetic counsel do you feel impressed to follow more fully?
- How can we distinguish between worldly convenience and covenant commitment?
Receive covenant power through faithful obedience
Elder Walker taught, using President D. Todd Christofferson’s words, that faithful obedience to covenants brought a continual stream of blessings into disciples’ lives. He said this divine power helped them endure trials and even convert tribulation into triumph. The Lord not only claimed His people as His own but also strengthened, sustained, and surrounded them with covenant power.
He not only claims us as His covenant people—He strengthens us, sustains us, and surrounds us with covenant power every step of the way.
- What does the phrase "covenant power" mean to you?
- How have you experienced strength or sustaining help from the Lord through covenant faithfulness?
- What did Elder Walker teach about the relationship between obedience and divine power?
- How can covenant power help us endure trials differently than we otherwise would?
- When have you seen the Lord turn tribulation into triumph in your life or in someone else’s?
- How can we seek the Lord’s sustaining power more intentionally each day?
Hope in the Lord’s acceptance and guidance
Elder Walker concluded with testimony that as disciples obeyed the Savior’s voice and kept their covenants through small and quiet daily sacrifices, they would feel His love more deeply and receive His guidance more clearly. He said they could also have assurance that one day they would stand before Him and be accepted of Him. This hope gave purpose and endurance to daily discipleship.
And because He lives, we can have the assurance that one day we will stand before Him and hear the words that matter most: that we are accepted of Him.
- How did Elder Walker connect daily covenant faithfulness with future acceptance by the Lord?
- Why is the hope of being accepted of Him so powerful?
- How have small and quiet sacrifices helped you feel the Lord’s love more deeply?
- What helps you recognize the Lord’s guidance more clearly in your life?
- How can this promised assurance change the way we approach repentance and discipleship?
- What would you say to someone who longs to feel accepted of the Lord but feels inadequate?
Additional Discussion Questions
- What message from this talk do you feel was most needed in our ward or branch right now?
- How did Elder Walker’s childhood story about searching for treasure strengthen the main message of the talk?
- What is the difference between wanting blessings and wanting to belong fully to the Lord?
- How can we keep our hearts from becoming too attached to the fleeting things of the world?
- What daily practices help us hear the Savior’s voice more clearly?
- How do ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are and whose we are?
- What role does sacrifice play in becoming more like Jesus Christ?
- How can we better support family members or ministering brothers and sisters in keeping covenants?
- What promise from this talk gave you the most hope, and why?
- What is one specific action you feel inspired to take because of Elder Walker’s message?
