When God Touched Our Rock-Stacking Game

Turning a Review Lesson Into Something More

Yesterday afternoon, as I read the seminary lesson for today, I wondered how I could possibly make it engaging. The lesson was a review of what we’ve studied in Doctrine and Covenants 95–112. The outline suggested asking thoughtful questions—good ones, but the kind that I knew I couldn’t just toss at our youth and expect them to open up. Something “more” was needed, but that “more” wasn’t in the outline.

The manual did offer a metaphor: show a photo of stacked rocks (a trail marker) and explain how spiritual concepts and testimonies build on each other. Or, let the youth stack actual rocks before journaling and discussion.

That sparked an idea.

Inspiration in the Kitchen

After studying the lesson, I stepped away to make sourdough bread. That’s when the thought came: what if I turned the rock stacking into a game, with questions reviewing D&C 95–112?

It was already 7:30 p.m., and since I go to bed early to be ready for our 6 a.m. seminary, I decided to save time by asking ChatGPT for help. It suggested several structures for the game and three types of questions: recall, application, and reflection.

I pulled out my rock collection (our youth are rockhounds too!) and sorted the stones into large, medium, and small piles. ChatGPT even generated a set of questions, which I tweaked and added to. I printed them on colored paper:

Yellow – Recall Questions (Big Rocks)
Orange – Application Questions (Medium Rocks)
Green – Reflection Questions (Small Rocks)

I bagged the rocks with their questions and hoped it would all come together in the morning.

Example Questions

Recall

In D&C 95, why did the Lord command the Saints to build a temple?

What priesthood keys did Moses restore in the Kirkland temple? (D&C 110)

In D&C 95 what commandment did the Lord say they hadn’t considered when building His house?

Application

If you had been at the Kirtland temple dedication, what would be the most impressive part to you?

If a younger sibling asked why we keep building temples, what would you teach them?

According to D&C 101:1-2 why did the Lord allow the early saints to suffer the way they did?

Reflection

What principle from D&C sections 95-112 do you want to “stack” as a rock in your own spiritual foundation?

How has this unit helped you feel closer to Jesus Christ?

How has learning about priesthood keys helped you appreciate the Savior’s direction of His Church?

A Prayer for Shining Stones

Driving to seminary, my mind went to the Brother of Jared in Ether 3. He brought his polished stones to the Lord and asked Him to touch them so they would shine. Could the Lord do the same for my little rock game? Could He make it not only fun, but also spiritually meaningful?

So I prayed, asking Heavenly Father to touch these stones and make them shine.

The Miracle in the Classroom

And He did.

The six youth engaged better than I’ve ever seen. I split them into two teams, each building its own rock tower. They laughed, worked together, and let their personalities shine. As teachers, it was such a joy to see new sides of them come alive. My heart swelled with love for them as the game went on.

They eagerly answered questions and loved the trail marker analogy. Since I made the questions open-book, if they didn’t remember something, they looked it up and learned.

The reflection questions became powerful moments of testimony. The youth shared personal stories, insights about Zion’s Camp, temples, sealing power, and how God uses trials for good. They testified of Jesus Christ’s love and mercy with remarkable sincerity.

**Reflection Question:** Which section from D&C 95–112 has had the biggest impact on your testimony, and why?

By the final question, my eyes misted with tears. One young woman bore testimony of the eternal blessings of temples and families being sealed together forever. In that moment, I knew without a doubt that the Lord had touched this little game with His finger.

More Than a Game

Our students’ testimonies are growing. They love the Lord. They love each other. They are connecting more deeply—with us as teachers and with one another. And my love for them grew by leaps and bounds.

I’m so grateful the Lord planted this idea in my mind last night and then touched more than just a game—He touched our hearts as a class.

Wow. God is amazing.