Elders Quorum
The lesson was based on President Henry B Eyring’s April 2014 General Conference talk, A Priceless Heritage of Hope
"Whoever you are and wherever you may be, you hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can now imagine. Every day and every hour you can choose to make or keep a covenant with God. "
What’s our purpose here?
Abraham 3:24-26
24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
First estate = coming to earth /mortality.
Second estate = making and keeping covenants that bring eternal life.
The results of a father praying for his son.
Mosiah 27:8-15
Gospel principles don't add up by the world's standards because they take God out of the algorithm.
Sunday School
Old Testament Lesson 33
Micah 7:18
18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
God delights in being merciful, so he wants to be able to bless us. He wants to be able to forgive us.
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. Assyria was an enemy of Israel. Assyria would take the northern kingdoms captive. It was prophesied that they would do this.
How hard would it be right after world War II for American missionaries to go to Germany or Japan on a mission? Or in the 1980s for someone to be called to Russia. Or today if we were called to be missionaries in Iran or Iraq or Afghanistan or Syria? These are nations that have tried to conquer us. What if we were called to a nation that had succeeded in conquering us?
Is it hard to accept someone who has wronged us? Is it hard to accept someone that has made bad life choices? When we have witnessed their decisions, is it hard to accept that they have repented?
What a horrible thing to be swallowed by a big fish.
Jonah 2:2
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
"Belly of Hell"
Does God ever allow hard things to come upon us to teach us or to build our character? He does this because he loves us and knows that struggles are for our eternal good. It may be hard on our physical bodies or our physical things, but these are not eternal. These harms disappear when this life is over, but if we endure them we are rewarded with God like character.
You can not receive mercy if you are not giving mercy.
Matthew 5:7
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Sacrament Service
The stake theme for the month is to find and prepare or help someone else find and prepare a name to go to the temple.
Isaiah 2:2
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
The Savior's death had to happen to fulfill the plan. We should remember as we go through trials that our life experience must also happen. There are things that must happen to shape us and to shape others.
Was it cruel of God to let him go through that? It was a horrible thing and yet a wonderful thing. Could our trials be classified similarly?
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