Sept-Dec 2020

Lesson 12: Thinking Errors

Preparation
After you read the story of the Three Sisters, write a paragraph. Which of the sisters do you
compare most to? Why? Write about how you are similar and how you are different.
What thinking errors does each sister commit?

Missionary - Welcome (5 minutes)

Opening Prayer
Opening Hymn or Spiritual Thought

Lead Student
You will lead the group in these activities. Please participate also. 95% of the time
should be students talking together.

You may use this presentation in the lesson.

Partner Sharing (5 minutes)

Discuss with a partner:
● What is one thing you learned this week?
● What is one thing you practiced this week in English?
● How were you successful this week in your English study?
● Did you achieve your goals?

Agentive Learning Discussion (15 minutes)

Press Forward
2 Nephi 31:20
“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a
perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye
shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end,
behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

Discussion:
 Sept-Dec 2020
● What has helped you press forward this semester?
● Share an experience from this semester when you pressed forward and were
blessed?
● How have you feasted on the word of Christ?
● How has this helped you in your study?

Lesson
Function: Describe/Negotiate
Scenario: Identify thinking errors and how different people can overcome their thinking
errors.

Activity 1 (25 minutes)

Work with a partner. Share the paragraph you wrote. Which of the sisters do you
compare most to? Why? Write about how you are similar and how you are different.
What thinking errors does each sister commit? Change partners 2-3 times so you can
share with more people.

Activity 2 (30 minutes)

Work in groups of 3 or 4. Review the thinking errors. Then look at each person. Discuss
the thinking errors each person commits. There may be more than one. Why do you
think that is the thinking error? Do you all agree?

Review the thinking errors:

● Victimization. You feel like you are being harmed by people that have no
intention of harming you.
● Pride. Your perceived status in the world is based on how you compare to
others.
● Entitlement. You deserve this or that because of your perceived status in the
world.
● Powerlessness. You can’t do this. You can’t do that. You can’t even try.
● Giving Up. Because you messed up, you give up and stop trying.
● Justification. You can commit this sin because it is not a big deal, or you’re
being pressured into it, or you deserve a little fun, etc.
● Scarcity Mentality. There is never enough (fun, food, money, opportunities,
etc.).
● People Pleasing. You must please or impress others to maintain your value as a
person or to keep from being devalued as a person.
● Minimize/Catastrophize. You distort issues, events, choices, etc. to make them
smaller/bigger than they really are.
● Deceit. You tell yourself something is different than the way it really is.

Answer the Questions for Each
Stress Thinking Error
It is Friday night and Upon arriving home,
João is tired from a João sees his wife
long week of work. busily working on
dinner, laundry, and
caring for the children.
“I could help, but I
think I deserve a little
rest,” he says to
himself.
Sept-Dec 2020
Thinking Error
● Which thinking error could
this be?
● What could be a possible
result from the thinking
error?
● How could this person
respond to the stress
without committing a
thinking error?
 Sept-Dec 2020

Sam comes home Sam, saying nothing ● Which thinking error could
tired and worried to his wife, angrily this be?
● What could be a possible
about his job. His wife grabs the trash bag result from the thinking
reminds him that he and storms out of the error?
promised to take out house. ● How could this person
respond to the stress
the trash tonight.
without committing a
thinking error?

Natasha has played “I can’t do this ● Which thinking error could

all day long, putting homework! It’s too this be?
● What could be a possible
off her homework until hard!” Natasha result from the thinking
late at night. Now, reasons to herself. error?
she is afraid of ● How could this person
respond to the stress
working late into the
without committing a
night. thinking error?
 Sept-Dec 2020

Winston is upset “Well, I guess I’m just ● Which thinking error could
when he receives a not cut out for this this be?
● What could be a possible
very low score on his class,” Winston result from the thinking
first test of the declares. He promptly error?
semester. lowers his ● How could this person
respond to the stress
expectations and
without committing a
devotes much less thinking error?
study time to the
class.

Tanya has made a Tanya pulls out her ● Which thinking error could
goal to not look at smartphone and views this be?
● What could be a possible
social media during a social media app for result from the thinking
class. One afternoon, a few minutes. “It’s error?
she begins to feel just a little bit,” she ● How could this person
respond to the stress
disappointed that the says to herself.
without committing a
teacher is not more thinking error?
entertaining. She
feels trapped in the
classroom with
nothing to do.
 Sept-Dec 2020

Li is afraid that if he Li decides his ● Which thinking error could

stays home to do his homework can wait. this be?
● What could be a possible
homework tonight, he “How often do parties result from the thinking
will miss what could like this come around error?
be an awesome party. anyway?” he reasons ● How could this person
respond to the stress
to himself.
without committing a
thinking error?

When Melinda was From her childhood to ● Which thinking error could
young, a classmate today, Melinda has this be?
● What could be a possible
constantly told her allowed the pain of result from the thinking
she was ugly and this experience to error?
stupid. This was remain inside of her, ● How could this person
respond to the stress
difficult for young using it as a
without committing a
Melinda to handle. motivation to prove to thinking error?
the world that she is
not ugly and stupid.
As a result, she works
hard to impress
others.
 Sept-Dec 2020

Selso, Raúl’s boss, Sensing that Selso’s ● Which thinking error could
surprises Raúl by feedback is more this be?
● What could be a possible
personally visiting him negative than positive, result from the thinking
to deliver some minor Raúl begins to worry error?
feedback about his that he is going to be ● How could this person
respond to the stress
work on an ongoing fired. He searches his
without committing a
project. Once he mind and recalls other thinking error?
delivers the feedback such instances of
to Raúl, Selso smiles, feedback. “I must be a
pats him on the back, terrible worker,” Raúl
gives him some thinks.
encouragement, and
leaves.

Raquel works the Raquel tells herself ● Which thinking error could
night shift at a that if nobody is in the this be?
● What could be a possible
restaurant. Her boss restaurant at 9:45 PM, result from the thinking
expects her to accept it’s in a “closed state” error?
customers until 10:00 anyway. She closes ● How could this person
respond to the stress
PM, no exceptions. It the restaurant at 9:45
without committing a
is 9:45 PM, the PM and goes home. thinking error?
restaurant is empty,
and Raquel is afraid
that if a customer
comes in, she won’t
be able to leave until
well after 10:00 PM.
 Sept-Dec 2020
Partner Sharing (10 minutes)
Work with a partner. Talk about your goals for this week.
What are you going to work on? How do these goals help with your vision?

Testimony (2 minutes)
Share your testimony. How is the Lord helping you in your learning?

Missionary - Closing (5 minutes)

Reminder of Daily Habits

● Read the Book of Mormon
● Write in your journal
● Act in faith to achieve your goals
● Pray for the Gift of Tongues
Closing Prayer

Resources
Vocabulary - Learn the meanings of these words. Try to use them in your writing and your
speaking.

Antidote Ineffective
Apparent Intend
Balanced Intensify
Consider Intention
Continuous Interference
Credible Likely
Decisive Mature
Direct Model
Distinct Multiple
Distort Normally
Error Perceive
Expected Prevalent
Expose Promotion
Expression Resolve
Flaw Safety
Guess Severe
Harm Sharp
Harsh Strategy
Incorporate Unfamiliar
Indicate Variety