4-17-2016
Elders Quorum
Chapter 7 Howard W Hunter
How do you teach someone about prophets and apostles?
“Down through its history, including this very day, the Church has had a prophet, seer, and revelator. At the head of the Church is Jesus Christ, who directs his prophet. … His counselors [and] the members of the Council of the Twelve … are also prophets, seers, and revelators. … Members of the Church do not have to listen to an uncertain trumpet. They can believe the voice of their leaders, knowing they are guided by the Lord.”
How do you teach children about prophets?
“A distinctive sign of the last days that will precede the eventual second coming of the Lord was seen in vision by that same Apostle who recorded the book of Revelation. He said:
“I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. 14:6.) …“
“… The confusion and frustrations from which the world is suffering are not common to faithful members of the Church. … There is a believable voice to those who have faith and the will to believe. Certainly we live in a day of famine, as described by Amos. … Nevertheless, in what appears to be a spiritual famine, there are many who have found a spiritual abundance. “
Sunday School
My lesson on How can I recognize the difference between truth and error?
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What have you been learning in your personal gospel studies?
What did you hear in general conference?
Do you have any questions about the apostasy or restoration? What have you been learning about apostasy and restoration in priesthood and young women's?
How can I recognize the difference between truth and error? We could also call this how do I receive personal revelation.
One way to understand the difference between truth and error is to know what truth sounds and feels like and what nonsense sounds and feels like. Read your scriptures and listen to general conference talks. When you come across something you already know it's true pay attention to what the spirit tells you about that in your mind and in your heart. Have you had anything when reading your scriptures or listening to Conference that just all of a sudden made sense to you?
Do the same when you go through the day at school or while watching videos or listening to music. When you see or hear something you already know is wrong or not true, pay attention to what the spirit tells you about that thing through your mind and heart. Have you ever seen or heard something left your brain and your gut feeling like, “yeah that just doesn't sound right”?
Once we understand better what truth sounds and feels like and what things that are right sounds and feels like the more quickly we can spot either of them.
Does that make sense? Have you ever had tell you nonsense that you could could feel something was messed up about what they were telling you?
Satan tries to make us doubt what the spirit is telling us. He will try to confuse us and get us to not pray attention to the spirit and makes us rely on man's wisdom.
What are some ways that Satan tries to confuse us? One of the ways I see a lot today is trying to make us feel that our beliefs are mean and that those belief are wrong because it is infringed on people’s rights.
When Alma and Amulek taught the people of Ammoniha they were angry with Alma and Amulek because they spoke plainly to them about their sins.
Often I see people be critical of current apostles when they speak directly about behaviors that are against God's law.
What are some issues that the world does not like to be told are wrong? Things they say it is mean to list as wrong. Abortion, homosexuality, marriage
The world would have us feel that we are being mean to a woman by telling her if she chooses to do the thing that causes a baby to start to grow inside her that she has to carry a baby in her body until the baby is born.
They would tell us it is mean to teach that marriage is between a man and a woman.
They would tell us out is mean to say that people shouldn't have sex when they are not married.
Even in the Church we sometimes put what we want ahead of what the truth is. Sometimes we do things on the sabbath that are not sabbath worthy, because we are spending time with our family while doing it. We often justify not keeping the sabbath holy, because we are with family and family is the most important thing.
If we humble ourselves we can see past wanting to have fun with our family to the truth that the sabbath is the most important thing.
The scriptures tell us in Matthew 10:37
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
To find truth we have to look beyond what we want in order to see what is true. We have to set aside our own wants, our own pride and be humble if we want to be able to understand that which is true.
I heard a quote last week and I don’t remember who said it, but it goes like this, “You can have what you want, or you can have something better.” Let’s pause and think on that a moment, “You can have what you want, or you can have something better.” What do you think that means?
Let’s read the hymn Be Thou Humble:
Hymns, Be Thou Humble, no. 130
1. Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee,
Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee,
Shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares.
2. Be thou humble in thy calling, and the Lord thy God shall teach thee
To serve his children gladly with a pure and gentle love.
Be thou humble in thy longing, and the Lord thy God shall take thee,
Shall take thee home at last to ever dwell with him above.
Conference Talks on pride and humility.
Joseph Smith history 1:8-20 - How did Joseph Smith try to figure out what was true?
8 During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.
9 My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
12 Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
13 At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.
14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.
15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?
Moroni 7:12-19
12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
When we are trying to decide what is true we have to decide if it is helping us to do good or if it is helping us to be selfish.
Spiritual Stability - New Era 2016
In the 1700s the king of Sweden ordered a shop to be built. He wanted lots of cannons and other things for his own gratification. Unfortunately what he wanted violated the laws of physics and wouldn't allow the ship to sail far. On its first voyage it floats a ways and then tipped over, filled with water, and sank.
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Sacrament Service
“Our most fundamental doctrine includes the knowledge that we are children of a living God….
“This doctrine is so basic, so oft stated, and so instinctively simple that it can seem to be ordinary, when in reality it is among the most extraordinary knowledge we can obtain.” (Elder Donald L Hallstrom, “I Am a Child of God”, April 2016 General Conference)
We should treat others as the children of God that they are.
“The Savior identified the sacrament as indispensable to a spiritual foundation. “ (Elder Dale G Renlund, “That I Might Draw All Men unto Me”, April 2016 General Conference)
“The sacrament truly helps us know our Savior. It also reminds us of His innocent suffering. If life were truly fair, you and I would never be resurrected; you and I would never be able to stand clean before God. In this respect, I am grateful that life is not fair.
“At the same time, I can emphatically state that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ultimately, in the eternal scheme of things, there will be no unfairness. ‘All that is unfair about life can be made right.’14 Our present circumstances may not change, but through God’s compassion, kindness, and love, we will all receive more than we deserve, more than we can ever earn, and more than we can ever hope for.“ (Elder Dale G Renlund, “That I Might Draw All Men unto Me”, April 2016 General Conference)
“All this won’t just happen in an instant. Great marriages are built brick by brick, day after day, over a lifetime.“ (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “In Praise of Those Who Save”, April 2016 General Conference)
