Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42

You could display the following questions for students to ponder:

• How do you typically respond when something bad happens to you?

• How might you respond if something bad happened to you that you didn’t deserve?

Encourage students as they study Job’s experiences today to ponder what they can learn about remaining faithful to God.

Explain that the book of Job is written as poetry. As Job’s story begins, the Lord and Satan are described as having two conversations. These are not actual interactions between the Lord and Satan; instead, they are poetic illustrations showing Satan’s role as our adversary or enemy. (For more, see “What is the book of Job?” and “Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6. Did God converse with Satan about Job?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.)

To help students study about Job and his experiences, consider inviting them to create a table like the following. Give them time to read each set of verses and record a few details in the right-hand column.

After sufficient time, students could share their insights by answering questions like the following:

• What words or phrases stand out to you from these verses? Why?

• What can we learn from Job’s example that could help us during trials? (Students might identify a truth like the following: As we put our trust in God, we can remain faithful in all circumstances.)

• What can help us faithfully respond to our trials the way Job did?

Consider inviting students to make a list of attributes or characteristics of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that could help students trust Them in any circumstance. They could also find scriptures that exemplify or teach about these attributes. After sufficient time, have students share their list with a partner or small group.

You could also show the video “Mountains to Climb” (5:05) and have students look for what President Henry B. Eyring shared that could increase their trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ during trials.

5:5

Encourage students to write down any impressions or insights they received from their experience today that could help them to remain faithful to the Lord no matter the circumstance. You could also share your testimony of Jesus Christ and why you strive to remain faithful to Him.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could begin by sharing the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson and discussing the accompanying questions:

If a couple in your ward gets divorced, or a young missionary returns home early, or a teenager doubts his testimony, they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in your words and actions. (“Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, May 2023, 100)

• Why is it sometimes easier for us to judge rather than love people in their circumstances?

• How can we show compassion to others without being judgmental?

Invite students to think about how likely they are to show love rather than judgment to people in need. Encourage them as they study today to reflect on ways they can show greater understanding, sensitivity, and compassion to others who are suffering.

As needed, remind students that Job was a righteous man who experienced severe trials during his life. After Job’s trials, three of his friends came to visit him. While they initially offered comfort, they eventually began to make accusations against Job.

Invite students to find someone to work with. Have one partner silently read Job 4:7–9 and 8:3–6, 20, while the other studies Job 11:4–6 and 22:5–11. (Students could also read “Job 22. Why did Job’s friends accuse him of wickedness?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.) Invite each partner to look for the accusations made against Job and then discuss the following question:

• What did Job’s friends believe was the reason for his suffering?

Consider sharing the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund and discussing the accompanying question:

As we minister to others, we do not need to ask unhelpful questions or state the obvious. Most people who are struggling know that they are struggling. We should not be judgmental; our judgment is neither helpful nor welcome, and it is most often ill-informed. …

We do need all our compassion, empathy, and love as we interact with those around us. Those who are struggling “need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in [our] words and actions” [Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, May 2023, 100]. (“The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ,” Liahona, May 2024, 82)

• How would you summarize Elder Renlund’s teachings as a statement of truth? (Students might identify a truth like this one: When those around us experience trials, we should show them Christlike love and compassion rather than judging or criticizing them.)

To help students better understand how they can minister with Christlike love, you could share one of the following instructions:

1. Find an account in the scriptures of Jesus Christ ministering to others. If applicable, you could also find a related picture.

2. Find scriptures or statements from Church leaders about ministering to others in a Christlike way. Examples of scriptures you could study include John 13:34–35; James 1:27; Mosiah 18:8–11.

Have students share what they found with a partner or small group. Then consider asking a question like the following:

• When have you seen or experienced the power of Christlike ministering? (As part of this discussion you might show the video “One-on-One (Ministering with Love)” [13:02].)

  

  13:2

Invite students to prayerfully think of someone they know who may be mourning or suffering. Encourage them to follow the Savior’s example by reaching out to that person to lend support and comfort.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could display an image of Jesus Christ’s empty tomb, such as the one above. Students could write their responses to the following question:

• How would your life be different if Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead?

Invite a few students to share what they wrote with the class. Encourage students as they study today to look for truths that can help them better understand the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As needed, remind students that Job had been afflicted with all kinds of adversity, including sickness, loss of wealth, and the death of his children. Job’s friends then came to comfort him but ultimately concluded that his trials must have occurred because he was wicked.

Invite students to read Job 19:1–3, 19–22, looking for what Job said to his friends. Consider asking:

• How would you summarize Job’s response to his friends?

Invite students to read Job 19:23–27, looking for what Job testified that he knew. You could then ask:

• What stands out to you from Job’s words in these verses?

• What truths can we learn from Job’s response? (One example of a truth students could identify is this: Our testimony of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection can give us hope during trials.)

To help students think more deeply about the significance of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, consider writing the following phrase on the board:

• Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, …

Invite students to think of different ways they could complete the sentence. Encourage them to find scriptures, statements from Church leaders, or hymns about the Savior’s Resurrection that relate to the ideas they think of. As needed, you could suggest that they study some of the following scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, 54–57; Mosiah 16:7–9; or Alma 40:23. You could also show the video “Because of Him—Easter Video” (2:36).

2:36

After sufficient time, have students share some of the ways they completed the sentence. As they share, you could write their responses on the board. You could also ask them to explain why that blessing related to the Resurrection is significant to them.

To conclude, invite students to ponder what they have learned or felt today that they want to remember. Encourage them to write down their spiritual impressions. You could also invite them to look for an opportunity to share their testimony of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection with a friend or family member or on social media.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

Consider displaying the following question on the board:

• What are common questions people might ask when they are experiencing difficult trials?

You could write students’ answers on the board. Then consider asking the students to ponder whether they have asked questions like these during trials they experienced. Encourage them as they study today to look for truths that can help them when they have these questions.

Remind students that Job endured extreme trials and lost his family, health, and wealth. During Job’s trials, he had three friends visit him. Job and his friends tried to determine the reasons for his suffering. Their limited perspective led to inaccurate assumptions. For example, Job’s friends suggested that his suffering must have been the result of sin (see Job 22:5–10), and Job argued that his suffering was undeserved because he had not sinned (see Job 19:6–11).

Explain that as Job continued struggling through his trials, God spoke to him. To help Job understand truths about God’s character, nature, and wisdom, the Lord asked Job many questions about the creation of the world, which Job could not answer (see Job 38–41). You could have students study Job 38:4–7 or other verses in Job 38–41 to find some examples of the questions the Lord asked Job.

Invite students to read Job 42:1–6, looking for how Job’s perspective changed because of what the Lord taught him. Then consider asking:

• What stands out to you from Job’s response?

• What do you learn about the Lord from His interaction with Job? (As part of this discussion, students could identify a truth like this one: The Lord can help us view our trials with an eternal perspective.)

To help students better understand this truth, you could do one or more of the following:

1. Invite students to study Elder Dale G. Renlund’s message titled “Trust God and Let Him Prevail” (Liahona, Aug. 2022, 4–7). Ask them to look for teachings that help them understand how Job’s experience with the Lord can relate to their life. Have them share their insights with a partner, a small group, or the class. (This could be a good time to introduce the skill “Using Teachings of Church Leaders to Understand the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills.)

2. Give students time to find other examples from the scriptures in which the Lord helped people view their trials with an eternal perspective. They could find their own examples or study passages such as Mosiah 24:9–15; Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–10; 122:1–9. Invite them to share what they learned.

3. Show the video “Examining Questions with an Eternal Perspective” (2:56). Have students share insights from the video that could help with trials they face.

   

   2:56

Consider inviting students to think of experiences they have had when the Lord helped them view their trials with an eternal perspective. You could have a few willing students share their experiences with the class.

You might conclude by inviting students to read Job 42:10–13, looking for what happened at the end of Job’s story. Encourage students to consider how they might seek an eternal perspective as they face their trials.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”