1 Corinthians 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of aChrist, and bmembers in particular.
The person giving the scripture today told of how his friend had given him a bunch of contemporary Christina music and a song was in it that was based on this scripture. The song was “If We Are the Body” by Casting Crowns.
The song speaks of us being the body of Christ and thus our hands should be reaching and our feet should be moving.
Agency
Abraham 3:25
25 And we will aprove them herewith, to see if they will bdo all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
2 Nephi 2:11
11 For it must needs be, that there is an aopposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
You cannot give any persons their exaltation unless they know what evil is, what sin, sorrow, and misery are, for no person could comprehend, appreciate and enjoy an exaltation upon any other principle (Discourses of Brigham Young, 55).
It is absolutely necessary to permit evil - find quote
Alma 14:9-11
9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of amartyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the apower of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in aglory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the bjudgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the cblood of the dinnocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
The teacher passed out this list of quotes and scriptures.
1. Jonah 1:2
2. Nahum 3:1-5
3. Jonah 1-3
4. Jonah 2:1-9
5. Matthew 12:39-41
6. Jonah 3:5-9 and footnote 9a
7. Jonah 3:10 and footnote 10c
8. Jonah 3:4
9. Jonah 4:1-3
10. Jonah 4:4-11
11. Micah 2:12-13
12. Micah 4:1-7
13. Micah 4:11-13
14. Micah 5:7
15. Micah 5:8
16. Quote: In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith declared, "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (History of the Church, 4:540).
17. Micah 6:6-8
18. Micah 7:18-20
Jonah 3:9-10
9 Who can tell if aGod will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10 ¶ And God asaw their works, that they bturned from their evil way; cand God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it dnot.
From the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
"Who can tell if we will repent, and turn unto God, but he will turn away from us his fierce anger, that we perish not?"
“And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and repented; and God turned away the evil that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did it not.
Have you ever seen one you knew would never repent and yet they did?
Have you ever known one who would never accept the gospel and yet they did?
Isaiah 2:2
2 And it shall come to pass in the alast days, that the bmountain of the Lord’s chouse shall be destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all enations shall flow unto it.
Micah 4: 2
2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the amountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will bwalk in his paths: for the claw shall go forth of dZion, and the word of the Lord from eJerusalem.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks talk, Good, Better, Best, from General Conference October 2007 was used as material and inspiration for some of the comments.
When stressful times come we often get caught up in fixing it and neglect our prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance, which are the things that could help the stress.
“Crown thy good with brotherhood.” Do good and as a bonus create strong relationships
From the Bulletin
"It is clear that for us to have God's gift of eternal life and to be given the trust of our Heavenly Father, we must be transformed through making righteous choices where that is hard to do. We are prepared for so great a trust by passing through trying and testing experiences in mortality. That education can come only as we are subject to trials while serving God and others for Him." President Henry B. Eyring, "Adversity," Ensign, May 2009, 24.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my ashepherd; I shall not bwant.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he aleadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of arighteousness for his bname’s sake.
4 Yea, though I awalk through the bvalley of the cshadow of ddeath, I will fear no eevil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they fcomfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou aanointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely agoodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The lesson was from Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Blessing of Scripture", General Conference April 2010. The quotes below, unless indicated otherwise, are from that talk.
“Tyndale, born in England about the time Columbus sailed to the new world, was educated at Oxford and Cambridge and then became a member of the Catholic clergy. He was fluent in eight languages, including Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. Tyndale was a devoted student of the Bible, and the pervasive ignorance of the scriptures that he observed in both priests and lay people troubled him deeply. In a heated exchange with a cleric who argued against putting scripture in the hands of the common man, Tyndale vowed, “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough, shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost!’”
Elder Christofferson listed some things that scriptures do for us:
- Enlarge our memory
- Standard for truth
- Bring us to Christ
"In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.”
"God uses scripture to unmask erroneous thinking, false traditions, and sin with its devastating effects."
"His commandments are the voice of reality and our protection against self-inflicted pain."
The teacher handed out the follow scriptures and quotes
1. Job 1:13-17
2. Job 1:18-19
3. Job 2:7
4. Job 7:5
5. Job 16:16
6. Job 7:4; 13-14
7. Job 2:9
8. Job 4:1, 7-8
9. Job 10:15
10. Job 16:10-11
11. Job 30:1, 8-10
12. Job 19:6-8
13. Job 1:11
14. Job 2:4-5
15. Job 1:20-22
16. Elder Richard G. Scott said: "When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How
can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 18; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17).
17. Job 13:13-16
18. Job 19:25-27
19. Job 42:10-15
20. 3 Nephi 15:9
Adversity often prepares us for great blessings to come.
The Lord many times gets blamed for things Satan has done.
Ninth Article of Faith
9 We believe all that God has arevealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet breveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
Joel 2:32
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall acall on the name of bthe Lord shall be cdelivered: for in dmount eZion and in fJerusalem shall be gdeliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the hremnant whom the Lord shall icall.
“Now if God should give no more revelations, where will we find Zion and this remnant?” (History of the Church, 2:52; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from the minutes of a Church conference held on Apr. 21, 1834, in Norton, Ohio; reported by Oliver Cowdery.)
Missionary that just returned from Peru spoke to us.
Proverbs 3:6
6 In all thy ways aacknowledge him, and he shall bdirect thy cpaths.
Surely there is no more powerful missionary message we can send to this world than the example of a loving and happy Latter-day Saint life. (Jeffery R. Holland, “Witnesses unto Me”, Liahona July 2001)
“Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 264)
Doctrine and Covenants 123:12
12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are ablinded by the subtle bcraftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to cdeceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they dknow not where to find it—
From the Bulletin
"The words "come unto Christ" are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept. From the beginning of the Restoration of the gospel in this dispensation, it has been the charge given by Jesus Christ to His representatives. Their charge has been "to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ."
Every member of the Church, upon accepting the baptismal covenant, becomes a disciple who has promised to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ at all times in any place he or she may be in. The purpose of our witness is to invite people to come unto Him.
All of us should be intensely interested in learning how to issue that invitation effectively. We know from experience that some will not respond. Only a few responded when the Savior Himself offered this invitation during His mortal ministry. But great was His joy in those who recognized His voice. And great has been our joy when those we have invited have come unto Him." President Henry B. Eyring, "Come unto Christ," Liahona, Mar 2008, 48 — 52.
“I feel impressed to speak to you about a priesthood program that has been inspired from its inception—a program that touches hearts, that changes lives, and that saves souls; a program that has the stamp of approval of our Father in Heaven; a program so vital that, if faithfully followed, it will help to spiritually renew the Church and exalt its individual members and families.
I am speaking about priesthood home teaching. With all my heart, I pray that you will understand, by the Spirit, exactly my feelings about home teaching.
“Brethren, home teaching is not just another program. It is the priesthood way of watching over the Saints and accomplishing the mission of the Church. Home teaching is not just an assignment. It is a sacred calling.
“Home teaching is not to be undertaken casually. A home teaching call is to be accepted as if extended to you personally by the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Home Teachers of the Church”, Ensign May 1987)
Doctrine and Covenants 20:51,53-55
51 And visit the house of each member, exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.
53 The ateacher’s duty is to bwatch over the cchurch always, and be with and strengthen them;
54 And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither ahardness with each other, neither lying, bbackbiting, nor cevil dspeaking;
Know well those you home teach (names, birthdays, special occasions). Know well the message you are to deliver. Truly magnify your calling as a home teacher.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the aauthor and bfinisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him cendured the cross, despising the dshame, and is set down at the right hand of the ethrone of God.
Moroni 6:4
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and acleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the bchurch of Christ; and their cnames were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually dwatchful unto prayer,erelying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
Helaman 5:9
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the awords which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the batoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to credeem the dworld.
One of the best opportunity to see miracles is through home teaching
Thessalonians 3:13
13 But ye, brethren, be not aweary in well doing.
Galatians 6:9
9 And let us not be aweary in well doing: for in due season we shall breap, if we faint not.
Doctrine and Covenants 64:33
33 Wherefore, be not aweary in bwell-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of csmall things proceedeth that which is great.
Doctrine and Covenants 107:25-26
25 The aSeventy are also called to bpreach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
26 And they form a quorum, equal in aauthority to that of the Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named.
Doctrine and Covenants 20:38,59
38 The aduty of the elders, priests, teachers, deacons, and members of the church of Christ—An bapostle is an celder, and it is his calling to dbaptize;
59 They are, however, to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ.
We are spiritual beings having a physical experience.
Showing up is eighty percent of life. (Woody Allen, http://www.famousquotesandauthors.com/authors/woody_allen_quotes.html)
If we can't expect the leadership to show up when called upon, how can we expect anyone else to show up. The leadership sets the standard for the ward. If they don't show up at activities or they are late to meetings and activities or they don't do their home teaching then the others in the ward will not either.
Do we feel that we have the capacity to decide who deserve, who doesn't need a home teaching visit?
Helaman 5:12
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Revelation is the rock the Savior built his church on.
Christ laid hands on his apostles and gave them authority and they laid their hands on others to delegate authority. Authority does not come from an educational degree or by being a bible scholar.
Some seem to think that the bible is the authority for the "Christian" churches. The bible contains instructions, not authority.
Apostasy does not come from the outside, but from the inside.
The teacher passed out this list of scriptures and quotes.
1. Proverbs 1:7, 9:9-10
2. 2 Nephi 9:28-29
3. Proverbs 2:2-6
4. Proverbs 3:13-18
5. 1 Nephi 11:8-11
6. 1 Nephi 11: 21-25
7. Proverbs 3:5-7
8. Proverbs 6:16-19
9. Proverbs 16:27-28
10. Proverbs 18:8
11. Proverbs 25:18
12. Proverbs 15:1
13. Quote: Elder Gordon B. Hinckley said: "We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 82; or Ensign, June 1971, 72).
14. Proverbs 8:13
15. Proverbs 13:10
16. Proverbs 16:18
17. Proverbs 13:20
18. Proverbs 17:17
19. Proverbs 18:24
20. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
21. D&C 88:62
22. John 15:13
23. John 15:14
24. D&C 68:25-28
25. Proverbs 19:18
26. Proverbs 29:17
27. Proverbs 15:13
28. Proverbs 17:22 (Quote: Elder Richard G. Scott said: "You must be willing to forgo personal pleasure and self-interest for family-centered activity, and not turn over to church, school, or society the principal role of fostering a child's well-rounded development. It takes time, great effort, and significant personal sacrifice to 'train up a child in the way he should go.' But where can you find greater rewards for a job well done?" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 43; or Ensign, May 1993, 34).
Proverbs 23:7
7 For as he athinketh in his bheart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
It says that as a man thinketh in his heart. Does this imply that our spirit is where thought occurs and not the brain as is the modern tradition and theory?
Have you ever known anyone who had a lot of knowledge, but not a lot of wisdom? Have you ever known anyone who had a lot of wisdom, but not a lot of knowledge?
“In due time, when shallow pleasures pass and a son or daughter is again receptive, recollections of early teachings often resurface, allowing the Spirit to gently bring peace back into troubled lives. How wise parents are who heed the counsel to teach their children the gospel while they are young! Indeed, any early effort to establish consistent scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening will pay great dividends in the long run.” ("Train Up a Child", John W. and Marjorie E. Hasler, Ensign April 1999)
John 5:39
39 ¶ aSearch the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which btestify of me.
President Thomas S. Monson, “Be Your Best Self”, Ensign May 2009
“...study diligently. Every holder of the priesthood should participate in daily scripture study. Crash courses are not nearly so effective as the day-to-day reading and application of the scriptures in our lives. Become acquainted with the lessons the scriptures teach. Learn the background and setting of the Master’s parables and the prophets’ admonitions. Study them as though they were speaking to you, for such is the truth.”
1 Nephi 19:23
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the abooks of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet bIsaiah; for I did cliken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our dprofit and learning.
The second great reason why we must make the Book of Mormon a center focus of study is that it was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization. Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, he abridged centuries of records, choosing the stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us. (President Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of Mormon — Keystone of Our Religion, Ensign November 1986)
Often members of other churches are offended at how much we reference The book of Mormon and how often we are specifically counseled to read The Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day. The bible is very important, but it was written for people for thousands of years.
Not that The Book of Mormon is important because it is some new thing, but because the Lord prepared it especially to serve the needs of people today.
John 15:16
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have achosen you, and bordained you, that ye should go and bring forth cfruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my dname, he may give it you.
From the Bulletin
"...I plead with you to make time for immersing yourselves in the scriptures. Couple scripture study with your prayers. Half an hour each morning privately studying, pondering, and communicating with your Heavenly Father can make an amazing difference in your lives. It will give increased success in your daily activities. It will bring increased alertness to your minds. It will give you comfort and rock-steady assurance when the storms of life descend upon you." Elder M. Russell Ballard,
"Be Strong in the Lord, and in the Power of His Might" (CES fireside for young adults, March 3, 2002),3-4.
