Haggai; Zechariah

Consider beginning by displaying and asking the following question:

• If the Lord were to help you write your own prioritized to-do list for today, what might it include?

You could write students’ answers to the previous question on the board. Then consider asking:

• What can make it hard to prioritize the most important things?

Encourage students to reflect on ways they are putting the Lord first in their lives. Then ask them to consider areas where other priorities may be taking His place. Invite them as they study today to look for truths that can help them prioritize the Lord.

Explain that after the Jews returned to Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon, they began rebuilding the temple, their city, their homes, and their lives. However, because of opposition and a decline in their own motivation, they stopped working on the temple for several years (see Ezra 4:1–5, 24). The Lord was displeased and sent His prophet Haggai to exhort the people to prioritize rebuilding the Lord’s house. (For more context, see “What is the book of Haggai?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.)

Invite students to read Haggai 1:2–8, looking for what the Lord taught the Jews about their priorities. Have students share what they discovered. You could also ask:

• What do you think it means to “consider your ways”? (Haggai 1:5, 7).

Explain that the Jews and their leaders obeyed the voice of the Lord and began to rebuild the temple (see Haggai 1:12–14). Invite students to read Haggai 2:4–9, 18–19, looking for words of encouragement the Lord shared with those who were working to rebuild the temple.

• What truths did you find in this account that can help us recognize the blessings of putting the Lord first in our lives?

To help students discuss the previous question, consider writing If we put the Lord first in our lives … on the board. Students could then come to the board and write down ways they could complete the phrase. Examples of truths they might identify include these:

If we put the Lord first in our lives …

• He will be with us.

• He will give us peace.

• He will bless us spiritually and temporally.

To help students further explore these truths, consider displaying the following options and giving them time to complete one of them:

Option 1. Find an example of a person in the scriptures who put God first in their life. Examples include Mary (see Luke 1:26–38); the widow of Zarephath (see 1 Kings 17:8–16), or Daniel (see Daniel 6:1–23). Record how that person prioritized God and the blessings they received for doing so.

Option 2. Search for scripture passages or statements from Church leaders that describe how the Lord blesses those who put Him first in their lives. (Examples of scriptures you might study include Matthew 6:33; 2 Nephi 9:39; or Mosiah 2:41).

After sufficient time, invite students to share what they discovered with a partner or the class. You might also consider discussing the following question together as a class:

• How has the Lord blessed you or others you know for putting Him first?

Consider sharing the following invitation by Elder David A. Bednar:

I repeat the admonition of the Lord to His people delivered through the Old Testament prophet Haggai: “Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways” [Haggai 1:5].

Each of us should evaluate our temporal and spiritual priorities sincerely and prayerfully to identify the things in our lives that may impede the bounteous blessings that Heavenly Father and the Savior are willing to bestow upon us. And surely the Holy Ghost will help us to see ourselves as we really are. (“Put On Thy Strength, O Zion,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 94)

Invite students to ponder how they can act on the Lord’s invitation to “consider [their] ways” as they evaluate their personal priorities. Encourage them to write down anything they feel the Lord would like them to prioritize or remove from their life—and make a plan for how they will trust Heavenly Father and act on that inspiration.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could start by asking students to think of common situations young adults face that require them to rely on the Lord. List students’ responses on the board, and then ask a few questions like these:

• What can make it difficult for someone to rely on the Lord in situations like these? What can make it easy?

Invite students to think about how common it is for them to rely on the Lord in the different situations they face in their lives. Encourage them as they study today to look for truths that can help them better recognize the importance of relying on and turning to Him.

Remind students that after 70 years of Babylonian captivity, many Jews returned to Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They rebuilt the city and started rebuilding the Lord’s temple (see Ezra 5:1–2; 6:14). But although they had physically returned to Jerusalem, many people were still far from the Lord spiritually. The Lord sent the prophet Zechariah, along with Haggai, to preach to the people. (For more context, see “What is the book of Zechariah?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament).

Invite students to read Zechariah 1:3, looking for an important message the Lord shared through Zechariah. (You may want to invite students to underline the Lord’s invitation to turn to Him in this verse.)

• How would you describe what it means to turn to the Lord?

Explain that many of the Lord’s teachings to Zechariah help us understand ways we can turn to Him. Consider writing the following incomplete phrase on the board:

We turn to the Lord by …

Invite students to study one or more of the following sets of verses, looking for ways they could complete the phrase:

Zechariah 1:1–6

Zechariah 3:2–7

Zechariah 7:9–10

Zechariah 8:16–17

You could invite a few students to write the truths they found on the board.

Students may identify truths like these: We can turn to the Lord by …

• Turning away from evil (see Zechariah 1:4).

• Walking in His ways (see Zechariah 3:7).

• Treating others with mercy and compassion (see Zechariah 7:9–10).

• Acting as peacemakers (see Zechariah 8:16–17).

After sufficient time, you could invite a few volunteers to share a truth from the board they’d like to hear more about. The student who wrote the truth could share with the class why it stood out to them.

To help students deepen their understanding of one of the truths on the board, invite them to choose one to study and prepare to teach a partner or small group about that truth. Encourage students to find an example from the life of the Savior, additional scripture, or a statement from a Church leader that helps them to better understand the truth they chose. (As part of this activity, you might also consider reviewing the skill “Sharing Gospel Truths Simply and Clearly” from Scripture Study Skills.)

Invite students to teach a partner or small group about the insights they gained from their study. Students might also discuss together additional ways they could turn to the Lord.

Then, as a class, you could discuss questions like these:

• When have you felt the Lord turning to you as you turned to Him?

• What do you know about Jesus Christ that might help you or others turn to Him?

As a class, you might listen to or sing the hymn “Where Can I Turn For Peace” (Hymns, no. 129) or watch the video “Find Peace in Troubled Times by Turning to Jesus” (1:11).

Invite students to reflect on a current challenge in their lives and consider what they might do to turn to the Lord in that circumstance. Encourage them to write down any thoughts or impressions they receive. Invite them to act on their impressions.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

Consider displaying a depiction of the Savior’s Second Coming. Invite students to write words on the board that describe how individuals might feel when they think about the last days and the Second Coming. Take a moment to discuss students’ responses.

Encourage students to think about how they feel about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As they study events related to His Second Coming today, invite them to look for reasons they can be confident that the Savior will be with the faithful during these events.

Explain that the prophet Zechariah foresaw events of the last days, including a time when many nations will gather against Jerusalem in a great and final battle (often called the battle of Armageddon). His writings describe both hardship and hope for the Lord’s covenant people, including promises of deliverance and spiritual cleansing.

To help students understand what the Savior will do for His covenant people prior to the Second Coming, display the following sets of verses and the accompanying questions on the board. Invite students to read each set of verses and respond to the corresponding question on a piece of paper, in their study journal, or in notes in Gospel Library. In addition, invite students to read “Zechariah 12–14. What do we know about the great battle and the deliverance of the Jews spoken of by Zechariah?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.

1. Zechariah 10:5–9, 12; Doctrine and Covenants 45:66–71. What will the Savior do for His covenant people before His Second Coming?

2. Zechariah 12:10; 13:6; Doctrine and Covenants 45:51–52. What will the Savior do for the people in Jerusalem?

3. Zechariah 12:8–9; 14:4–5. What will the Savior do for the people under attack in Jerusalem?

After sufficient time, invite students to share with the class what they learned. You may want to write what students share on the board. (Students may share a variety of truths, including this one: Jesus Christ will return in the last days and gather, save, and protect His people.)

• How can knowing this truth about Jesus Christ help us feel confidence and optimism about His Second Coming?

• What are some ways Jesus Christ gathers, saves, and protects His people today?

Consider sharing the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson and discussing the accompanying question:

We do not know the day or the hour of His coming. But I do know that the Lord is prompting me to urge us to get ready for that “great and dreadful day” [Malachi 4:5]. (“Confidence in the Presence of God,” Liahona, May 2025, 128)

• What are some ways we can prepare ourselves and others for the Savior’s Second Coming?

Invite students to reflect on what they have learned and felt today. Encourage them to write down spiritual impressions they received in their personal notes. You could also share your testimony of the Savior and how He helps you look forward to His Second Coming with confidence.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”