Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 24 August 2014

Elders Quorum

The lesson was based on Elder Holland’s conference talk, The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship, April 2014 General Conference

"if you haven’t already, you will one day find yourself called upon to defend your faith or perhaps even endure some personal abuse simply because you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Such moments will require both courage and courtesy on your part."

We should not be rude as we disagree. We also should not persecute non members or inactive members when we are in the majority in our workplace or community.

"Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them."

Sunday School

Old testament lesson 31

Words in Proverbs that might confuse :

-forward  -  contrary

-she /her -  often refers to wisdom

-simple -  weak in intellect or wisdom

-vanity - falsehood or deceit; empty

-scorn - contempt or disdain

-me/my - wisdom

Proverbs 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

This speaks to that our thinking and such happens in our spirit or our heart. Heart in the sense of core.

Proverbs 13:24

24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Proverbs 14:3

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

"rod" in the context of "thy rod and thy staff comforts me”.  A rod is used to guide sheep,  not to beat them.

Isaiah 11:4
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:43

43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

Proverbs 24:13-14

13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Here he talks about the rod of his mouth smiting the earth.  That sounds like smiting the earth with words.  Compare that to chastising a child.

Psalms 2:9

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

1 Nephi 8 also talks about a rod of iron that is the word of God.  That is further evidence that rod in the scriptures means the word of God.  Likely prophets in Old Testament times were taught of the tree of life and the rod of iron that guides people to it.

Deriving Meaning

We can derive meaning in Proverbs from comparison. When the comparison shows difference then there is meaning.   When the comparison shows similarity there is a different meaning.

Wisdom

Wisdom was before the world the world was created and while the world was being created.

We often do not seek after wisdom with enough zeal.  It often comes through listening more about Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Pride/Enmity

“The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means ‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.’ It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

“Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’ As Paul said, they ‘seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’ (Philippians 2:21).

“Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled (see Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi 12:30).

“The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives (see Helaman 12:6). They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.

“Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s. …

“Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression (see Alma 12:10–11). The proud are not easily taught (see 1 Nephi 15:3, 7–11). They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong” (President Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 3–5; or Ensign, May 1989, 4, 6).

Fear God

Fear of God could mean fear of doing anything that would separate us from God.

Sacrament Service

One of the youth speakers said that we don't have time to just sit around and do what we want.

Always Remember

Alma 5:6

6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

Hope

Proximate hope means hope in things that change.  Ultimate hope means how in things that don't change.

Man’s Wisdom

“Indeed, when we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn’t it—we who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars.” (Neal A Maxwell, Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, General Conference October 1998)

The War In Heaven

The war in heaven was over whether men should have agency. Today the battle continues on as Satan tries to get us to make decisions that limit or agency.

He wants us to develop addictions that bind us and limit our agency.   He wants us to get into debt that we may be bound and have our agency limited as our resources are bound toward posing of our debts and our time is taken as we have to work more to pay them.

He wants us to make choices so that we are impacted and acted upon by others rather acting of our own free will.  Things like peer pressure that makes us want to let others make our choices.   Things like making bad choices that result in loss of spouse and/or family. Our initial choices then take away or ability to choose certain things later.

Sunday April 13, 2008 - Sunday Services Sullivan Hollow Second Ward

Ward Home Page

Priesthood Opening
Someone shared a scripture that they said they thought of as they listened to the prophet and apostles speak last weekend.

Amos 3:7 -"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his ^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets."

They announced a DI drive. Deseret Industries is an organization that collects used items and sells them. The proceeds go to pay the employees who would otherwise have trouble getting work. I knew that part, as it is like Goodwill in Indiana. What I did not know was that DI is owned by the Church and it is part of the Church welfare system. My friend told me that people that have financial hardship can get vouchers from their bishop to get a bed of something from DI. A little like getting an order of food from the store house.

They took volunteers for something they called a 40 day fast. I guess the ward is collectively fasting for 40 days. A member takes a day of the 40 days until they filled up all the days. The days were not filling up, so the bishop reemphasized the importance of what they were doing. He had the members of the priesthood remind him why they were fasting. They said for missionary work and for the extra power that fasting brings. The bishop stated that this is not The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Tourists. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are to be saints, followers of Christ, not just tourists that watch the work of Christ.

Elders' Quorum

Chapter 6: The Mission of John the Baptist p. 79–87

The instructor passed out a handout with the following images on them.

The excavated remains of the baptism site in Bethany Beyond Jordan, in modern-day Jordan. (Wikipedia)

John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (LDS.org)

John the Baptist Conferring the Aaronic Priesthood (LDS.org)

The handout had the below text.

Begin Handout

Brief Description of John the Baptist

Scripture about John the Baptist

Luke 7:28 - No greater prophet

Isaiah 40:3-5 - Prophecy

John 1:22-23 - Prophecy Fulfilled

Malachi 3:1 - Prophecy

Luke 1:17, 76, 77 - Prophecy to his Father

D&C 84:28 - Ordained of God at Eight Days of Age

Brief Description of Life:

1. Born of Zachariah and Elizabeth, Birth foretold by Gabriel.

2. Zachariah was a priest, so John had the priesthood.

3. Preached and baptized in the River Jordan (see photo).

4. Knew he was a precursor to Jesus (John 3:22-36).

5. Imprisoned and beheaded by Herod Antipas.

"Post-Life" Description

Ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood on May 15, 1829 (JSH 1:68-70).

Priesthood Timeline (Dennis Roberts)

D&C 13.........................................................................(1829) Aaronic Priesthood

D&C 128:20.................................................................(1829) Melchizedek Priesthood

D&C 20:38-50.............................................................(1830) Apostle, Elders, Priests, Teachers, Deacons

D&C 41:9-10................................................................(1831) Bishops

D&C 52..........................................................................(1831) High Priests

D&C 81:90....................................................................(1832) First Presidency

Teachings of Prophet Joseph Smith, 38-39............(1833) High Council

D&C 102.......................................................................(1834) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

D&C 107:23-24...........................................................(1835) First Quorum of the Seventy

End Handout

Zachariah was probably familiar with the prophecies about a forerunner to the messiah. This must've been a similar shock to them like the news Mary and Joseph received as well.

It is a miracle that he was not killed sooner. Based on Jewish traditions he should have been executed for blasphemy.

Joseph Smith in commented on John being the greatest prophet (Luke 7:28) stated, "He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man."

Sunday School
Book of Mormon Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees p56
We came up with a brief list of symbols and meanings used in the allegory.

Symbol	Meaning
Vineyard	World
Grafting	People
Master	Christ
Pruning	People
Fruits	Works
Branches	Groups of People
Servant	Prophets

This is only a partial list that the class came up with.

Pruning, grafting, and digging - Christ works hard for the world and the individuals int eh world. Many things need to be done to make the tree grow in the best ways for it and for the vineyard.

Wild branches grafted in to tame them. This is also done to bring variety and to strengthen the tree after it had been pruned.

Someone brought out that sometimes those who have seminary as a class in school take it for granted. She said something about those out East have to get up early in the morning for seminary and are more dedicated. I don't know if one could say that those I grew up with who had early morning seminary were more dedicated, but it bring out an interesting idea that people might be grafted from other parts of the country into Utah and that that could be another meaning of the allegory.

Someone pointed out that those that were nourish on poor ground might mean those in the middle east where it was harder for Christ's Church to grow, whereas in America it was designed to be a place where one could worship God.

Again someone contrasted Utah with other parts of the country. They said that in other parts people have to plan to go to the temple and even stay overnight in a hotel. They also said that some have to travel to get to their ward buildings.

The gathering of Israel and the restoration are the grafting back in the branches.

Other servants - Missionaries and general church membership.

The bishopric called upon certain member of the ward to share experiences that we had with listening to General Conference last week. I had never seen anyone do a testimony meeting like that. I think it was just a special thing because of general conference.

The first person called upon talked about President Monson's talk from the priesthood session. President Monson had talked about a young boy wathing him and mimicing everything he did as he sat on the stand. He ended up wiggling his ears to give the boys a challenging thing to do. The speaker today wondered how many kids have watched him and the other priests as they have blessed the sacrament. He said that he would watch the olded boys when he was a little kid.

One guy talked about the statistics about how much service the Church gave last year. He said he felt very proud and the he reflected on if he had done his part as he heard a talk on being good neighbors.

One person related how he had a relative that called President Monson Little Tommy Monson because she knew him when she was young. It reminded me of my mission president who was a cousin of his and was always referring to him as Tommy.

Sacrament Meeting
There were two letters from the first presidency read today.

The first was a reiteration to stop sending letters to the first presidency with doctrinal issues. The Lord has set up His Church in an orderly way. Much like when Moses put leaders over smaller groups of the children of Israel. Those leaders then reported to him.

The second was stating that the story that has circulating that a Church leader has stated that those who were members of the church in Gordon B. Hinckley's day would have those in the after life bow to them because of their greatness. The letter stated that this is false doctrine and that no leader of the Church had ever said this.

Post Church
They had something after church called a second Sunday social. They had little snacks and people sat around and talked. I had never heard of that, but I think I have heard of a "linger longer", although I don't recall being in a ward that ever did that.

Sunday June 3, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
Testimony Meeting
My 11 year old daughter got up and bore her testimony today.

Sunday School
Hypocrite - One who is something different than what he believes.

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem

The people were not only in the city when Jesus rode in for the passover, but also to see him since they had heard about Lazarus being raised from the dead.


Focus on what matters. People get caught up in extraneous doctrines. What matters is how we are living our lives and raising our families. The intricacies of how God does what he does and the details of everything before and after our lives don't matter to our salvation. They need to be in place, but we have no control over that, so giving our focus to those things wastes our time and distracts us from more important things that we do have control of.

Priesthood
The war in Heaven (Rev 12) continues today just on a different battle field. The war is over the souls of men. Satan presented enticing ideas there and he continues to present enticing ideas here.

One thought I had during the lesson today was, "Do our temptations witness to us that the gospel is true?" I was thinking of God telling us that if we do certain things then it has certain effects on us. Do we see those effects? Also, if we pay attention do we see Satan inches us to bigger things?


What happened with you This Week at Church?