What to Do with a Question
From “The Gospel of Jesus Christ Is for All,” by President Dallin H. Oaks · Sunday morning session, October 2026 General Conference
The big idea
Whatever questions or doubts we have, the way to overcome them is to get closer to Jesus Christ, hold on to what we know and keep learning.
Objective
Youth will be able to explain, in President Oaks's words, what to do when they or a friend have a question or doubt, and will choose one daily step to draw closer to Jesus Christ.
Before you teach
- Read President Oaks's talk, The Gospel of Jesus Christ Is for All.
- Bring small slips of paper, pens and a cup or bag to collect the slips.
- Ask youth to bring phones with Gospel Library, or scriptures. Have the talk open on your own device.
- Draw two columns on the board with the headings: Scientific method and Spiritual method.
Lesson plan
Thirty minutes in 7 parts. Times are a guide; let the Spirit and the learners set the pace.
Fast start: the question slip
- As youth walk in, hand each a slip of paper. Ask them to write, without their name, one question someone their age might have about God, the Church or life. Collect the slips in a cup.
- Pray. Then read two or three slips aloud without comment, choosing ones that will not point to any person.
- Say honestly: we will not answer every one of these today. President Oaks, the President of the Church, taught us what to do while we have them.
Find it: what did the prophet say?
- Form teams of two or three. Have them open the talk in Gospel Library and find the paragraphs that begin “We all have present or future concerns” and “We are all a work in progress.”
- Give three minutes. Each team lists every action President Oaks gives for overcoming a concern or doubt. An item only counts if the team can point to the sentence.
- Teams take turns naming one item until they run out. The last team with a new item wins.
- Read the first key quote (T27.05) together and ask the question below.
- He said strong faith takes more than strong desire: it means “daily trying, one step at a time.” What is the difference between wanting faith and trying daily?
Two ways to learn
- Point to the two columns. Explain that President Oaks said we are grateful for two methods of gaining knowledge. One is the scientific method and digital information, which he described as evolving and which may be inaccurate. The other is the spiritual method, which begins with faith in God and relies on scriptures, inspired teaching and personal revelation.
- Ask youth to call out things they have learned by each method and write them in the columns.
- Read the third key quote (T27.08). Ask a youth to restate it in their own words.
- Read his direct instruction: “Never let your secular learning limit your spiritual horizons.” Discuss the questions below. Do not let this turn into a debate about any one scientific topic; the point is what he taught about how we learn.
- President Oaks said God knows all truth and expects us to learn by both methods. How does that change the way you treat something you cannot yet fit together?
- He said resolving this kind of conflict can be a lengthy process. What helps you keep going when an answer is slow?
Hold on
- Challenge the class to recite Articles of Faith 1:1 together from memory. Help them if they stall.
- Read the second key quote (T27.06). Point out that this is a direct instruction from the prophet about what to hold on to when something else is uncertain.
- Give one minute of silent writing on paper or a phone: three things I do know or believe about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.
- Read Sister Runia's words from the aligned quotes. Invite one or two youth to share one thing from their list.
For all means all
- Read 2 Nephi 26:33 aloud, one phrase per person around the room. Ask youth to count how many kinds of people are named.
- Read the fourth key quote (T27.07). Tell them President Oaks said this to members whose faith in Jesus Christ is diminishing.
- Read Elder Renlund's words from the aligned quotes.
- Read 2 Nephi 26:13. President Oaks taught that God's children in every nation have this promise: He “manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
- Who at school or in our ward might think the Savior's invitation is not for them? What would help them feel that it is?
Text back
- Describe a made-up situation: late at night a friend messages you to say that something they saw online does not fit with what they have learned at church, and now they are not sure what they believe.
- In pairs, youth have two minutes to write a real reply of three sentences or fewer, using at least one thing President Oaks taught. It must sound like them, not like a talk.
- Have two or three pairs read their replies. As a check for understanding, ask the class which teaching from President Oaks each reply used.
One step this week
- Read the invitations. Note that President Oaks called upon all to act on these truths and to share them with others so that we may all draw closer to Jesus Christ.
- Read his counsel about the sacrament (T27.10) and his promise that these simple practices will protect and strengthen us.
- Each youth chooses one item from the act list and sets a daily reminder on their phone, or writes it on the back of a blank slip to keep.
- Tell them that next week you will start by asking: what was your one step, and what did you notice? Bear a brief testimony of the Savior.
Key passages from the talk
“We all have present or future concerns or struggles we are trying to overcome. Those may include questions or doubts. Whatever they are, the way to overcome them is to get closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
“Hold on to the first article of faith even if something else is uncertain. And while you wait, wait upon the Lord, which includes trusting in His timing as well as in His promises.”
“There is no ultimate conflict between knowledge obtained by these different methods because God, our omnipotent Eternal Father, knows all truth and expects us to learn by both methods.”
“We love you, young and old, men and women. So does the Lord God! He is relentless in His loving pursuit of each of you.”
The speaker’s direct invitation
“I call upon all to act on these truths and to share them with others that we may all draw closer to Jesus Christ, our Savior.”
The speaker’s direct counsel
Direct instructions in his exact words. They are not counted among the invitations.
“Focus on developing your faith in God and the mission of His Son, Jesus Christ.”
“Hold on to the first article of faith even if something else is uncertain. And while you wait, wait upon the Lord”
“Never let your secular learning limit your spiritual horizons.”
“Protect yourself with the weekly renewing of your covenants by partaking of the sacrament and with consistent efforts to live according to those sacred covenants.”
Scriptures
- Articles of Faith 1:1 Recite together from memory, then write three things you know or believe about the Godhead.
- 2 Nephi 26:33 Read one phrase per person; count how many kinds of people the Savior invites to come unto Him.
- 2 Nephi 26:13 Read after 2 Nephi 26:33; look for how the Savior promises to show Himself to those who believe in Him.
Other voices that agree
“Not understanding is not the same as not believing.”
“there is no asterisk excluding you from God’s richest blessings”
Three things to remember
- Whatever my question or doubt, the way to overcome it is to get closer to Jesus Christ.
- I can hold on to the first article of faith while I wait for other answers.
- God knows all truth and expects me to learn by both the scientific method and the spiritual method.
Ways to act this week
- For seven days, pray and read at least one verse of the Book of Mormon before opening any other app.
- Memorize Articles of Faith 1:1 and say it to yourself when something feels uncertain.
- On Sunday, take the sacrament with one covenant in mind that you want to live better this week.
- Send one friend a verse or a line from President Oaks's talk that helped you.
Suggestions written for this lesson, not the speaker’s words.
Music
- I Believe in Christ
Adapting the lesson
- At home with one or two youth: skip the teams and build the list together, then write the reply message side by side.
- No phones: read the first two key quotes aloud twice and let teams list actions from listening.
- Short on time: do the question slip, the find-it race, Hold on, and One step this week.
This lesson is an independent study aid written for this site. It is not an official lesson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quotations are word for word from the official talk; paragraph numbers count the paragraphs of the talk as published at churchofjesuschrist.org, not counting headings or picture captions. The activities, questions and ideas for acting are suggestions; follow the Spirit and adapt them to those you teach.