Teachers: The lessons in the manual contain more information than you will probably be able to teach in one class period. Seek the Spirit of the Lord in selecting the scripture accounts, questions, and other lesson materials that best meet the needs of class members.

Basic Resources

• Do you want to see this week's Gospel Doctrine lesson? Lesson 43

• Would you like to see the class member study guide for this week? Lesson 43

• You can read the assigned scriptures for this week online: Ezekiel 18; 34; 37.

• Do you have an MP3 player? Try downloading Ezekiel 37, which is in this week's reading. For more Old Testament audio, click here.

Recent Talks and Articles in Church Magazines

Would you like to see what a Church leader recently said about topics in this week's lesson? Click on the photograph or talk title below to read the complete talk.

Elder Mervyn B. Arnold tells a moving story about one priesthood leader who sought out a lamb who had become lost. The quotation begins with the recollections of the person who was rescued by the priesthood leader: " 'I was touched by Brother Marques's sincere love and worry for me. He truly understood the Savior's words: "I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick" (Ezekiel 34:16). Brother Marques didn't just give me a ride to church—the quorum made sure I remained active. They planned activities that made me feel needed and wanted, I received a calling, and the quorum members became my friends. . . .' "In Ezekiel chapter 34 we read the prophet's warning voice: " 'And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, . . . " '. . . Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? . . .  " 'My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. . . .  " 'As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock; . . .  " '. . . I will require my flock at their hand' (vv. 1–2, 6, 8, 10; emphasis added). "The Lord has always required that those He entrusts with His holy priesthood, including fathers, quorum leaders, and quorum members, be held accountable for His flocks. Brethren, we must search and seek out our flocks, and we must not allow our flocks to become 'meat to every beast of the field' " ("Strengthen Thy Brethren," Ensign, May 2004, 47–48).

Music

The hymn "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd" (no. 221) relates to this week's lesson. You could read the words from the hymn in class or have your class sing the hymn together.

Additional Helps

• If available, media excerpts from Elder Mervyn B. Arnold's address in the priesthood session of the April 2004 general conference might be used. His address teaches in a powerful and uplifting manner Ezekiel's emphasis on shepherding. You can view his talk on the April 2004 general conference videocassettes (item no. 24056) or DVDs (item no. 24057). You can also listen to it on audiocassettes (item no. 24055) or CDs (item no. 24054). These items may be available in your meetinghouse library, or they can be purchased at Church distribution centers or ordered online at www.ldscatalog.com.

• As Elder Arnold does in his address, you may want to consider tying Ezekiel's discussion of shepherding directly to the Savior's teachings (see Matthew 25:35–36; Luke 15:4; John 10:1–16; 1 Nephi 22:25).

Historical Context

• Ezekiel lived at a time of great turmoil and displacement. He was taken captive to Babylon in 597 B.C., along with 10,000 other Jews (see 2 Kings 24:14) to ensure that those remaining in their homeland (Judah and Jerusalem) would not rebel against Babylonian overlordship. In Babylon, Ezekiel received his call to be a prophet (Ezekiel 1:1–3). He was married (see Ezekiel 24:15–18) and lived in Babylon in his own house in relative freedom (see Ezekiel 3:24; 8:1).

• The report of Jerusalem’s fall in 586 B.C., as reported in Ezekiel 33:21, marked a turning point in Ezekiel’s prophecies. Now that the scattering of Judah had become reality, the messages from Ezekiel that followed (chapters 34–48) became messages of hope, restoration, gathering, and a glorious future. He describes the image of the valley of dry bones and the unification of two sticks (books of scripture) in chapter 37 and a new temple in chapters 40–48.