Mormon Life - Jesus Christ tag

Defending the Faith: 'Parallels' of prophets not parallel

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:30:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

From time to time, some triumphant atheist or other challenges me with a list of supposed parallels between the biblical depiction of Jesus and the stories of other important religious figures (mythical or historical), such as Krishna, Tammuz, the Buddha, Muhammad, Mithra, Cadmus, Osiris and Baal.

The biographies of these characters are said to resemble each other right down to minute details: They commonly if not always came into the world via a virgin's immaculate conception; were born on Dec. 25; were adored as infants by angels, shepherds and visiting sages; performed miracles; taught New Testament doctrines; were regarded as divine; were crucified; atoned for human sin; descended into hell; rose again from the dead; and ascended into heaven.

The point of the list, of course, is to suggest that the story of Jesus is merely fictional, probably derived from myths about the death of vegetation in the winter and its miraculous rebirth in the spring.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:49:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Life says: One last tribute to Mother's Day (even if it's a day late).

Casting LDS New Testament film project

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:13:00 -0600

source: ldsmediatalk.com

Mormon Life says: What an opportunity! If you live close to Utah, you may be interested in the following message from the Church’s media department:

Currently casting background actors for additional New Testament stories to be filmed during July & August of 2012.

Book of Mormon Lesson 18: "God Himself . . . Shall Redeem His People"

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Abinadi had "beautiful feet," as described by Isaiah, and he took his mission from the Lord very seriously. He was even willing to die for it.

Quote of the week:

It is not sufficient that we should treasure the book of Mormon, nor that we testify that it is of God. We must know its truths, incorporate them into our lives, and share them with others. I [feel] an overwhelming love for the people and an urgent desire that all would comprehend the value of the Book of Mormon. (Elder Richard G. Scott, C.R., Oct. 1988, pp. 89,90)

INTRODUCTION:

In Isaiah 6 (or 2 Nephi 16), Isaiah responds to the question of the Lord, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" with the familiar offering, “Here am I; send me." Knowing the difficulty and danger of the work, and understanding something of the disinterest of his people, he nevertheless offered himself for a most dangerous assignment: “Here am I; send me."

We know that the Savior said similar words when the Father asked for someone to undertake the awful burden of the atonement (see Moses 4:1; Abr. 3:27). I believe that there were a great many others who in the pre-mortal life or in mortality must have responded in a similar way.

To the question, Who will take a final message of repentance to the world before the great flood? Noah must have said, Here am I; send me!
When the Lord sent forth a pre-mortal call for someone to preach repentance to the Jews and prepare the way for the Savior, John the Baptist no doubt offered himself with this same sentiment: Here am I; send me!
To the question, Who will warn Jerusalem of its danger before the Babylonian destruction? Lehi and Jeremiah and others must have said, Here am I; send me!
When the survival of the Jews was at stake, and someone was needed to visit the king and plead for relief, Esther in essence said to her cousin Mordecai, Here am I; send me!
And when the time came for someone to warn the court and people of King Noah, Abinadi stepped forth: Here am I; send me!

What is it about this message—this warning—that impels otherwise normal disciples to lay their life on the line, and to come forth from obscurity and safety to hazard everything? The story of Abinadi before Noah will offer at least some answers to this question. As you read this lesson and study and ponder the associated scriptures, watch for indications about Abinadi's reasons for risking his life to preach truth to a truly despotic king and his wicked followers.

1. ABINADI CALLS NOAH AND HIS PRIESTS TO REPENTANCE, EXHORTS THEM TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS, AND TEACHES OF THE ATONEMENT (Mosiah 12, 13)

Abinadi came twice to the court of Noah. The context makes it seem that he must have gone into hiding after his first visit. The “Lord delivered him out of their hands" (Mos. 11:26) when they first sought to take away his life, but “they sought from that time forth to take him." (Mos. 11:29) When he came back with a second warning because they had ignored the first, he “came among them in disguise," hoping to have time to deliver his message before they learned his identity, I suppose. But he was apprehended and taken before the king and then the priests for a Nephite inquisition. In fact, Abinadi indicated, “I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands" (Mosiah 17:9), which suggests that there was an element of volunteering in his capture

The priests asked him a number of questions, to which he responded in a way that astonished them (see Mos. 12:19). Finally one of them asked this question, and it is this question from among many questions that was engraved in the plates which would later be abridges and become part of the Book of Mormon. Clearly there is something here we are supposed to learn. Here is the question:

What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth; Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion; Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem; The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God? (Mos. 12:20-24)

Perhaps the purpose of the question was to point out that Abinadi's message did not the fit the pattern described by Isaiah. His second message contained nothing of beauty, good tidings, peace, or good tidings of good. Abinadi had very little to say about lifting up the voice, about singing, about joy, comfort, redemption, or salvation. His message was about judgment.

Abinadi answered this question at some length in Mosiah 15:13-18. But before we discuss that answer, let us consider the nature of the imagery Isaiah is using. In the day in which Isaiah wrote this passage, messages were often carried by runners, men who sprinted from place to place with documents of importance. Carrying a message of victory—a message of good tidings—was a great honor. Consider the following example:

In 490 BC the Athenians had miraculously defeated a much stronger force of invading Persians on the Plains of Marathon. Pheidippidies was selected to carry the good news back to Athens. The fleet runner ran the grueling 25 miles as fast as he could. Upon reaching the walls of the Acropolis, Pheidippidies cried out, “Rejoice, we conquer!" and promptly fell dead. (Webster's Word Histories, Mirriam-Webster, Inc., 1989, p. 291; for an additional example, see 2 Sam. 18: 19-28)

The allusion in Isaiah's description is to the beautiful feet of messengers who would run with the most important message ever carried in the history of the world. This also would be a message worth dying for, as Abinadi shows us.

As Abinadi answered this question, he made reference to “those who have published peace" (Mos. 15:14,15), “those that are still publishing peace" (Mos. 15:16), “those who shall hereafter publish peace" (Mos. 15:17), and to the Savior himself.

And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished. (Mos. 15:18,19)

All those who have carried this message of peace and hope and joy and salvation have beautiful feet. Perhaps one of the great compliments you could pay to any missionary would be to make the observation that he or she has beautiful feet!

All this was lost on the priests of Noah, of course. No matter what they said to Abinadi, they did not know the commandments and they did not keep them. No doubt they possessed written copies of them, but that was not enough. The commandments can never have the ability to purify and exalt us, and we can never know them, until they are written in the right place.

And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives. (Mos. 13:12, emphasis added)

So Abinadi taught them the commandments. He quoted the first 2 of the 10 Commandments and challenged the priests with them.

Have ye done all this? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not. And have ye taught this people that they should do all these things? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not. (Mos. 12:37)

Noah at this point had had all the fun he could stand. He was not inclined to tolerate this kind of disrespect from anyone. “Away with this fellow," he said, “and slay him; for what have we do with him, for he is mad." (Mos. 13:1)

On at least four occasions in the scriptures it appears that the Lord has protected his messengers (with the beautiful feet) so that they could deliver his message.

1. When the Sanhedrin caught Stephen and accused him of blasphemy, they “saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." (Acts 6:15)

2. When Laman and Lemuel attempted to kill Nephi by throwing him into the sea, he said, “Touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him. (1 Nephi 17:48)

3. When Lehi and Nephi were in the Lamanite prison, and enemies came to slay them, “they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels." (Hel. 5:36)

4. And it also happened to Abinadi. “Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time. . . . Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster . . . (Mos. 13:3,5)

Abinadi then quoted the remainder of the 10 commandments to them and taught them of the purpose of the Law of Moses (see Mosiah 13:11-24, 27-35). Abinadi explained that no one could be saved by the Law of Moses.

And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God. (Mos. 13:32)

2. ABINADI QUOTES ISAIAH, TESTIFIES OF THE ATONEMENT, AND EXHORTS NOAH'S PRIESTS TO TEACH THE PEOPLE THAT REDEMPTION COMES THROUGH CHRIST (Mosiah 14-16)

Notice whom Abinadi quoted in Mosiah 14. His intent was to show that even the prophets who lived the Law of Moses spoke of the atonement. Nephi must have referred to such passages as these when he wrote this:

. . . but that I might more fully persuade [Laman and Lemuel] to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. (1 Nephi 19:23)

Review Mosiah 14:2-12 and note (Mark? Highlight?) the things that Isaiah knew about the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. I have recorded some below, along with a suggestion or two about what some of them might mean.

(14:2) He will grow up as a tender plant (He will need care and protection like any child)

(14:2) He will not be of a form or beauty to attract us (like a root out of dry ground, Isaiah says. Have you ever pulled a carrot from an unwatered garden plot?)

(14:3) He will be despised and rejected

(14:3) He will be a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief

(14:3) We hid our faces from him (most of the multitudes turned away)

(14:3) We did not understand what he could do for us

(14:4) He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows

(14:5) He was wounded for our transgressions

(14:5) With his stripes we are healed

(14:7) He was oppressed and afflicted but he did not cry out

(14:8) He was cut off from the living (the crucifixion)

(14:9)He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich (he was crucified between to thieves and was laid in the tomb of a rich man)

(14:10) After he shall have performed the atonement, he shall see his seed (in the Spirit World he saw a multitude of those who had believed in him)

(14:10) He shall prolong his day (he will be resurrected)

(14:11) God shall see the suffering of this Son and the demands of justice will be satisfied

(14:11,12) He will bear the iniquities of many (all) people

What are the results of the Savior's willingness to atone for us? Abinadi speaks of them in Mosiah 15:7-9, 19-25.

(15:8) He breaks the bands of death and brings about the resurrection

(15:8) He has power to make intercession for the sons of men

(15:9) He is filled with compassion and mercy

(15:9) He stands between us and the demands of justice

(15:9 He has satisfied the demands of justice

(15:19) He saves all mankind from perishing

(15:23) The righteous are raised to dwell with God and have eternal life

(15:25) Little children have eternal life

For the time being, there is a probation granted in which men can repent or not according to the knowledge they have and the desires of their hearts. But a time will come it will be too late to choose.

The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just. And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them not. (Mosiah 16:1,2)

How much better it will be for us if we learn to kneel from love and gratitude rather than fear and condemnation!

The issue that will determine our final state is not what we were or what we intend one day to be, but what we are. Thus, if we are repentant and obedient, no matter what may have transpired previously in our lives, the Lord promises to turn scarlet sins to white and crimson colored sins to wool (see Isaiah 1:18); to never mention our sins to us again (see Ezek. 18:21,22); to subdue our sins and throw them into the depths of the sea (see Micah 7:19); to blot out like a thick cloud our transgressions (Isaiah 44:22); and to not remember our sins (see Isaiah 43:25). This, he has promised, he will do as often as we truly repent (see Mosiah 26:30). But if we are encompassed in sin, and if we do not repent, we have no promises at all.

But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God. (Mosiah 16:5)

3. ABINADI SEALS HIS TESTIMONY OF THE SAVIOR WITH HIS LIFE (Mosiah 17)

A careful reading of Mosiah 17:1,2 makes it clear that Abinadi hears the impassioned plea of Alma to spare him (Abinadi). It was only after Alma had been cast out and men sent to slay him (Mosiah 17:3) that guards surrounded Abinadi and took him away to his martyrdom. We have often commented that Abinadi may have died without the awareness of a single convert. But he must have had some hope. Hearing the words of Alma and seeing his ejection from this order of wicked priests, Abinadi may have believed that some good would come of his mission. And indeed it did.

My colleague, President Andrew Horton, has made a careful study of this matter and concluded that as a direct result of the ministry of Abinadi which was carried on by Alma the Elder and his descendants, 23,707 people united with the Church, and, in addition to this, thirteen other large groups of people (whose numbers are not specified) were converted. As you might have guessed, neither Noah nor any of his priests is included in this number.

Their charge against Abinadi was false doctrine. The king and his priests must have been feverish to find something—anything—to give a semblance of legality to their judgment.

And after three days [it took three days to come up with this?], having counseled with his priests, he caused that he should again be brought before him. And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people. (Mosiah 17:6-8)

Notice the deliverance they offered Abinadi. He would be put to death for teaching what they determined to be false doctrine, unless he would take back “all the words which [he had] spoken evil concerning" Noah and his people. (Mosiah 17:8)

CONCLUSION:

Abinadi had beautiful feet; he was running with the most important message in the world. In reality it was a message of beauty, good tidings, peace, lifting up the voice, singing, joy, comfort, redemption, and salvation. The words he had spoken were a package, the warnings and the promises, and he could not recall any of them. I can see him in my mind's eye, standing before the king and his court, erect, defiant, powerful, fearless, attended no doubt by a multitude of unseen beings cheering and rejoicing as he spoke:

I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. (Mosiah 17:9,10)

Book of Mormon Lesson 16: "Ye Shall Be Called the Children of Christ"

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Every organization requires certain standards of its members, and in the conclusion of King Benjamin's sermon, he teaches us the requirements for becoming part of the family of Christ.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Suppose that in this community there are ten beggars who beg from door to door for something to eat, and that nine of them are impostors who beg to escape work, and with an evil heart practice imposition upon the generous and sympathetic, and that only one of the ten who visit your doors is worthy of your bounty; which is best, to give food to the ten, to make sure of helping the truly needy one, or to repulse the ten because you do not know which is the worthy one? You will all say, Administer charitable gifts to the ten, rather than turn away the only truly worthy and truly needy person among them. If you do this, it will make no difference in your blessings, whether you administer to worthy or unworthy persons, inasmuch as you give alms with a single eye to assist the truly needy. (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol.8, p.12, March 5, 1860)

INTRODUCTION:

Consider the word qualifications. There seem to be qualifications or requirements for membership in every organization. In order to belong to the Kiwanis, I must meet certain standards. To be a student at any school, I must meet the admission requirements and abide by the established rules. To be a doctor or a lawyer or a real estate agent, I must demonstrate a proficiency and knowledge about the profession in order to obtain a license to practice.

Gaining membership to some organizations is much simpler than others, of course. Joining the student body at Harvard requires a level of expertise and preparation different from the admission requirements at Canyon View Junior High. Brain surgeons and rocket scientists must abide by more rigorous standards of preparation and performance than lumberjacks and street vendors. Even membership in a family requires admittance by birth or adoption. I cannot pick the loveliest home in Orem, walk in off the street with a suitcase, pick a bedroom as my own, and expect to be invited to dinner and to help dispose of the family fortune.

The conclusion of King Benjamin's sermon teaches us that there are qualifications for membership in the family of Christ. That sermon, and the events and explanations which follow it, teach us how to become “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters . . .” (Mosiah 5:7)

1. KING BENJAMIN'S PEOPLE SEEK AND RECEIVE A REMISSION OF THEIR SINS (Mosiah 4:1-12)

When Benjamin finished delivering the words he received from an angel, “he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth" (Mosiah 4:1). Think back over the most powerful moments of your church experience. You have heard sermons that have moved you deeply. You have felt the burning power of the Spirit bearing witness to you of the truthfulness of things you are hearing and feeling. But have you ever reacted to a sermon like these people reacted? Has the recognition of your “own carnal state" and the realization that you are “even less than the dust of the earth" caused you to lose the ability to stand or sit upright.

I remember a similar moment at the Missionary Home in Salt Lake City. In ancient times (1965), all missionaries spent a week in Salt Lake City at the Missionary Home, in a spot more recently occupied by Deseret Gym, and most recently by the new Conference Center. A parade of general authorities came to speak to us. Day after incredible day they taught us and bore witness to us. In between these moments we sang and prayed and studied and attended the temple. I experienced wonderful moments with the Holy Spirit, but I also remember still the agony I felt from time to time as I confronted my own weaknesses and my lack of preparation for missionary service. I was overwhelmed by the recognition of a mountain of tiny transgressions that had distanced me from the Spirit and added to the suffering of the Savior. Some moments I felt weak and unworthy and even, at times, hopeless. I frequently felt inclined to fall on my face before Him and beg for His forgiveness. The heaviness of my weaknesses seemed of such a magnitude that I could hardly remain upright under the burden. And generally speaking I had been good. I was not guilty of great or malignant sins. Rather, I was rendered almost powerless by a hoard of tiny, suffocating iniquities, and the scope of my procrastination.

I think the people of Zarahemla must have felt like that. They fell to the earth and cried,

O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. (Mosiah 4:2)

The imagery here is taken from the story of the first Passover, when Israel, aware of the impending arrival of the angel of death, literally applied the blood of a lamb, that they might be saved from death. These wonderful, repentant people of Zarahemla, transformed by the Spirit and by the power of Benjamin's sermon, asked that the Blood of the Lamb might be applied to the door posts and lintels of their own lives. Perhaps you will excuse the repetition here of a quote I think I used earlier in this course of study.

The Passover is a type of deliverance . . . It is a deliverance from the doom we deserve for our sins; from the spiritual death that awaits the wicked; from the outer darkness of Egypt and Sodom and Sheol––because the blood of Christ has been applied to us by faith. By sprinkling our Lord's blood upon the doorposts of our hearts and upon the lintels of our souls, we set our dwellings apart from the world: we make open and visible confession of our allegiance to Him whose blood has eternal saving power; we set ourselves apart from the Egyptians, the Sodomites, and the seekers after Sheol; and we place ourselves with the believing portion of mankind. (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Vol.1, p.165 p.166)

And it happened. The 'atoning blood" was applied and they were cleansed and lifted.

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. (Mosiah 4:3).

Most members are familiar with these verses. But there are some elements of this experience that we often miss. For example, Benjamin explains that what caused them to see themselves as they really were. “was the knowledge of the goodness of God [which has] at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state . . ." (Mosiah 4:5) Benjamin spent some time in Mosiah 2 (see lesson #15) explaining all that God has done for his children, and how little he requires of them in return. This message has penetrated the hearts of the those who have heard or read the words of their King. Benjamin continues:

I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his longsuffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal bodyI say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world. (Mosiah 4:6,7)

This is the beginning and end of the reality of salvation. For

this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you. (Mosiah 4:8)

Those conditions are precisely the qualifications that will make it possible to become a member of the family of Christ. They involve believing and doing.

Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them. (Mosiah 4:9,10)

You will have noticed that these people received a remission of their sins (see 4:3). I used to spend my summers working on a pig farm in Arizona. I spent long, sweaty days in an environment saturated by the smell of tens of thousands of pigs. How I loved to go home and shower at the end of a work-day. It felt so good to be clean! These people, cleansed and filled with joy must have had an experience a hundred times more grand. But my experience with filth had not ended with a single shower. I had to go back to the pigs day after day. And Benjamin knew that his listeners would again confront temptation and sin in an infinite variety of costumes. Having been cleansed once was not sufficient to guarantee a permanent place in the family of Christ. Benjamin wanted them to understand that certain things would be required of them if they wanted to stay clean.

I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and longsuffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (Mosiah 4:11,12, emphasis added)

2. KING BENJAMIN TEACHES HIS PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE CHRISTLIKE LIVES (Mosiah 4:13-30)

Benjamin continues to give the prescription for admission into the family of Christ. Here is a list of additional requirements:

-“Ye will not have a mind to injure one another" (4:13)

-You will “live peaceably" (4:13)

-You will “render to every man according to that which is his due" (4:13)

-“Ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked" (4:14)

-“Neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil" (4:14)

-“Ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness" (4:15)

-“Ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (4:15)

-“Ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor" (4:16)

This matter of helping those in need of our succor occupies most of the remainder of the chapter. What is it that Benjamin is saying a member of Christ's family will do when confronted with someone who is naked or hungry? Benjamin seems to be saying that there is only one acceptable excuse for not imparting of our substance to another in need. That excuse is that we do not have any to give (see 4:24). Any other rationalization constitutes sin.

Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. (Mosiah 4:17)

In this context, re-read the Quote of the Week at the beginning of this lesson. We have all had this experience, or we will have. Someone will stop us and ask us to give a little or a lot to assist in a temporary or continuous time of need and want.

When I was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, I lived in the small farming community of Pomerene. Much of the labor in the fields was performed by young and middle-aged men who had crossed the border from Mexico and come north looking for work. By the time they reached the farmlands of Pomerene, they had generally been walking in the desert for at least 30 miles. They arrived hungry and thirsty. Pomerene was located astride Interstate 10, about 40-50 miles east of Tucson. Actually, only two houses were located on the south of the freeway. The others were all on the north.

One day in a Sunday School class we discussed these chapters from Mosiah and Benjamin's counsel about dealing with the poor. After a few moments a lady raised her hand. She and her husband lived in one of the houses south of the highway. She spoke of the plight of these illegal aliens, of their poverty and of their hunger. “But," she concluded, “I don't feed any of them. If I do they will mark my house in some way, and then they will all stop. If I feed one, I will have to feed them all."

The discussion continued for a few moments, and then the wife of the bishop raised her hand. She and her family lived in the other house south of I-10. She seemed almost reluctant to speak, but finally she said something like this. “I do not mean to find fault, and I am not being critical, but I want you to know how my husband and I feel about this matter. No one leaves our house hungry. And if my husband and I are not home, the children know. Anyone who comes to our door hungry will be fed."

Like the bishop's wife, I do not intend to judge or be critical. It may be that the first lady who spoke refused these visitors because she did not have enough for them and for her own family. Benjamin spoke to people like that:

And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received. (Mosiah 4:24,25)

But I also know what I felt as I listened to the bishop's wife. I understood quite clearly what is expected of the members of the family of Christ. I have a wife who understands also. She could no more ignore someone in such desperate circumstances than she could ignore the need to breathe. It is a part of her being to serve and succor.

Benjamin explains how inconsistent it would be for someone in his audience at Zarahemla or reading the pages of the Book of Mormon to turn away a beggar.

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy. (Mosiah 4:19,20)

This is wonderful doctrine.

And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another. (Mosiah 4:21)

If we, who are always unprofitable servants, receive such undeserved bounty from the Father, we ought to impart to our brothers and sisters in need with that same liberality.

And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. (Mosiah 4:22)

Remember the purpose behind these teachings of Benjamin.

And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto youthat is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before GodI would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. (Mosiah 4:26, emphasis added)

KING BENJAMIN'S PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A AMIGHTY CHANGE" OF HEART AND COVENANT TO DO GOD'S WILL IN ALL THINGS (Mosiah 5,6)

One day about three years ago I was teaching a lesson in Family Home Evening about the experience of the people of Zarahemla. I read the first two verses of Mosiah 5, emphasizing the fact that these people had no more disposition to do evil. They just wanted to do good. I expressed the conviction I felt that this was a description of spiritual rebirth––of being born again. My son, who will be home exactly one month from today from a wonderful mission experience in California, asked, “Is that what that means, Dad?"

“I think so," I told him.

“That's just how I feel," he replied. We shared a quiet moment of wonder and joy. We knew it was true. He was a member of our family, be he belonged to another family as well. In Moses 6:59, we are taught this:

. . . inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;

Birth and spiritual rebirth both involve at least four steps, three of which are outlined here. We are born into the world “by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul." One of the first signs of the arrival of a baby is the breaking of the water. Following the birth there is a cleansing of the blood––that protective substance that surrounds and insulates the baby in the womb. And sometime between conception and birth, a spirit enters that body, which thereby becomes a living soul. Our rebirth follows that same process.

. . . even so [we] must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten.

There is one other thing that happens following the birth process. The one born is given a name––a family name. In my case it was Gibbons, a name to give some indication of belonging. This baby is ours, the name proclaimed. He belongs to this family. The same thing happens to those who are born again. Benjamin explains it in this way:

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters. (Mosiah 5:7)

Benjamin instructed his son Mosiah to call the conference at which he announced that Mosiah would take his place. Note that Benjamin lived three additional years after leaving government service (see Mosiah 6:5). During that time––during the final three years of his life––Benjamin, like his father before him, worked the land, Athat thereby he might not become burdensome to his people" (Mosiah 6:7)

At that conference, Benjamin had promised to give unto the people a name (see Mosiah 1:11). We have seen here that he did precisely that. Mosiah 5 gives us some interesting insights into the significance of taking the name of Christ. Read the chapter and answer these questions:

-How do you get the name? (5:7)

-Why is the name important? (5:9,10)

-Where is the name written? (5:12)

-How do we lose the name? (5:11)

-What must we know besides the name? (5:12)

-How do we come to know about the man whose name we have taken? (5:13)

-What is the name? (5:9,10)

Those who have taken the name of Christ are called by that name––they are called Christians. But as these questions and Benjamin's teachings show, it is much more than a title, more than a family name, more than a badge or stamp of approval. It is a way of life. Those who belong to this family must follow the head of the family. “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold upthat which ye have seen me do" (3 Nephi 18:24).

CONCLUSION:

While I was suffocating under the weight of my sins at the Missionary Home, I prayed constantly for forgiveness. I wanted to be clean and to feel free. During a meeting late in the week, our Mission President spoke to us. An assigned speaker had encountered a conflict and our President had chosen to fill in at a moment's notice. He spoke by the Spirit. The words were not of his creation nor choosing. My heart burned and I wept and wept as I was taught from on high. Then a miracle happened. Somewhere in his talk he paused for a moment and made this comment: “I know that many of you have been pleading with the Lord for a remission of you sins, and I want you to know that the Lord has forgiven each and every one of you in the spirit of your repentance."

I do not know what happened to anyone else at that moment, but I know what happened to me. I was clean. Suddenly, undeniably, utterly clean. If I had been standing when that revelation came, the weakness of my physical frame would have forced into a seat or onto the floor. As Enos said, “My guilt was swept away." (Enos 1:6) I wish I could say that I have retained that remission. I wish I could feel always as I felt then. But the memory has remained with me. I have remembered how good it feels to belong to his family, and to be clean.

April 2012 Home Teaching Message: "He Is Risen" - a Prophet's Testimony

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:01:00 -0600

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: This aid comes with links to the First Presidency message for April, as well as supplemental ideas for discussing the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

April First Presidency Message for home teaching:

“He Is Risen”

“The clarion call of Christendom,” President Thomas S. Monson has declared, is that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead. “The reality of the Resurrection provides to one and all the peace that surpasses understanding” (see Philippians 4:7).1

In the following excerpts, President Monson shares his testimony of and gratitude for the Savior’s Resurrection and declares that because the Son conquered death, all of the Father’s children who come to earth will live again.

Life beyond Mortality

“I believe that none of us can conceive the full import of what Christ did for us in Gethsemane, but I am grateful every day of my life for His atoning sacrifice in our behalf."

Click here to see the rest of the lesson.

Supplemental ideas:

Share the video "He Is Risen" from the Church's new Bible videos:

Share the following image from the home teaching message with any children in the family you teach. (Click here for a larger version.)

FHE: Church Membership

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: When we join Christ's church, we become His sons and daughters and are strengthened by our devotion to Him.

Conference Talk:

For more information on this topic read “The Importance of a Name,” by M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, Nov 2011, 79.

Thoughts:

We must be willing to let others know whom we follow and to whose Church we belong: the Church of Jesus Christ.

(M. Russell Ballard, “The Importance of a Name,” Ensign, Nov 2011, 79.)

Song:

“The Church of Jesus Christ,” Children’s Songbook, p. 77.

Scripture:

I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. . . . And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.

(Mosiah 5:8,11)

Lesson:

Invite the strongest and smallest members of your family to stand. Ask the person to imagine that the strongest family member represents Christ while the smallest represents each of us. Using a rope, handcuffs, or other material, tie the hands of these two people together. Ask them how the weaker person would be helped by uniting with the strongest. How is a covenant with Christ similar to being tied to or bound to Him?

Show your family this picture of a yoke and ask someone to read Matthew 11:29. Discuss the following questions:

• What is a yoke used for? (A yoke harnesses two animals together so that they can pull a heavier load than either could carry alone.)

• How is the covenant that binds us to the Savior more like a yoke than ropes or handcuffs?

• What would be the value of being bound to or yoked to Jesus Christ?

• What kinds of burdens does Christ help us carry that are too much for us to bear alone?

• What advantages might this covenant relationship bring, if we began to stray away from Christ?

• According to Mosiah 5:15, what is the ultimate blessing to those who choose to be bound to Jesus Christ?

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003], p. 121.)

Story:

The morning I left for Ha’apai [Tonga] the [mission] president said, “We have one hundred membership cards of lost and unknown people from Ha’apai that have been in the office for a long time, so we are going to send them to Salt Lake City.”

I asked, “What do you mean lost and unknown? There isn’t anyone lost and unknown in Ha’apai.”

He replied, “Well, here are one hundred membership cards that no one seems to know about. Do you know any of them?”

I looked and could identify no one. I asked if, before sending them to Salt Lake City, he could give me a couple of months to see if I could find them. He agreed.

I returned to Ha’apai. Even though my back was still hurting some, I was feeling much better, especially knowing there wasn’t anything seriously wrong.

Over the next few months we asked everyone we could about the people whose names were on the “lost and unknown” cards. One of the problems at that time with records in Tonga was that people often changed their names. I used to get after them for changing their names, and they would always come back to me and say, “Do you palangis die with the same name you are born with?”

“Yes,” I said. Then I explained how for the records of the Church that is the best thing. They looked at me in disbelief and said, “Then you don’t progress at all through life?”

At first I did not understand, but they explained that in their culture, when they changed their attitude or position or proved themselves in life, they changed their name as a sign of their new situation. They would quote from the Old Testament and show how Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, Sariah to Sarah, and Jacob to Israel. They used many examples in the Old Testament and explained that when you do something, proving yourself in a certain way, then you change your name accordingly. They seemed to feel that was the pattern God followed.

They pointed out that our wives take on them the family name of their husbands and that all the faithful will take on them the name of Christ. I couldn’t answer much. They continued explaining that according to their custom, if you die with the same name you were given at birth, it is a sign of failure in life. Their arguments reinforced my feeling that to understand Tonga, you must understand the Old Testament.

Most of their examples came from the Old Testament, but they also used examples from the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, such as Saul becoming Paul, the Lamanites becoming Anti- Nephi-Lehis, and King Benjamin giving his people a new name when they changed their hearts.

They used other more obscure references that I had never heard of before, but that to them were significant. This may be one of the reasons Tongans take to temple work so naturally. Their kings are given new names when they become king (as is often done with English and other kings). There is so much similarity between the Old Testament, the temple, and the Tongan culture that I am convinced they are of the blood of Israel, their forefathers had the truth and had temples, and at one time they understood correct gospel principles. An outsider may not think so, but I have no question.

We continued searching and asking questions about the “lost and unknown people” everywhere we went. Even though there were more than fifteen thousand people in Ha’apai, everyone knew everyone or at least could make a connection very quickly. When there are not a lot of material things to take your time and attention, you tend to concentrate more on what you do have, such as families, friends, and relationships. All we had to do was talk to enough people and before long we found, or accounted for, ninety-nine out of those one hundred. Most of them were still in Ha’apai. Several had died or had moved, and many had changed names, but they were all real people and they were there. It was one of the most fascinating detective adventures I had ever had.

We found many people to teach as we contacted them asking about these cards. We finally got down to the last membership card, which seemed to be the biggest puzzle of all. We thought ninety- nine out of one hundred was pretty good, but still felt like trying to make it a perfect job and find all one hundred.

One day we were on a boat that we seldom used to go to another island. Most of the time we used our own sailboat, but often it was in such bad shape that we could not use it and had to take passage on other boats. As we traveled, we talked about the person on that last card. The membership cards at that time gave a lot of information, such as who baptized them, who their father and mother were, and the like. When I mentioned the name of the Elder who had baptized this “missing” person, I noticed out of the corner of my eye the captain sort of ducking his head. I went back by the rudder and talked to him- sure enough, he was the man. He had been baptized long ago, which was the last he had to do with the Church. But when the Elder’s name who baptized him was mentioned, it brought back a distant memory of that baptism and he responded. The captain had changed his name since then, and no one had any idea he was a member.

Things are gradually changing in Tonga now, as they realize the need to consistently use the same name in issuing birth certificates and passports for international travel, among other reasons. I’m sure this is more convenient, but I’m not sure that it indicates progress.

Most of the people we located came back into activity, but some did not. I was convinced then, and still am now, that there is no such thing as a lost and unknown person in the Church, especially in Tonga. There are only “unidentified people,” and with effort they can all be found.

(John H. Groberg, The Other Side of Heaven, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1993].)

Activity:

Fold a paper into thirds, with the folds running horizontally across the paper. The first player draws a head and neck in the first section without permitting the others to see what he has drawn.

He then folds the paper and passes it to the next person. They draw the body and trunk. The paper is again folded and passed for the next player to draw the legs and feet. After the “work of art” has been completed, the paper is unfolded and the creation is put on display.

Explain that when the church is not organized properly it might “go all to pieces.”

(Alma Heaton, The LDS Game Book, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1968], p.52.)

Refreshment

Popcorn Nut Crunch

Makes 12 servings

3 quarts popped corn

1 1⁄3 cups pecan halves

2⁄3 cup whole almonds (blanched or raw)

1⁄2 cup light corn syrup

1 1⁄3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups miniature marshmallows, frozen

Butter 2 cookie sheets.

Mix popcorn, pecans, and almonds in a large bowl or pan; set aside. Combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, and cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and maintain a steady boil for 10 minutes, until mixture reaches hard-ball stage, 260 degrees F (when dropped in cold water, mixture forms a hard ball that is difficult to mold when removed from water); remove from heat.

Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn and nuts, stirring to coat evenly. Add frozen marshmallows and continue stirring until mixture is evenly coated with syrup. Spread on buttered cookie sheets to cool. Break into chunks and store in an airtight container.

(Lion House Cookies and Sweets, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011], p. 122.)

To acces the PDF version of this lesson, click here.

Sharing the gospel: 'He is Risen' Bible video

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:24:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Mormon Life says: Members of the Church have been invited to be involved with the campaign. A three-day advertising campaign by the Church over the Easter weekend will take place on YouTube and Facebook. The purpose of the ad campaign is to help people understand the LDS faith and beliefs. Members of the Church are encouraged to share a new Bible video based on the final days, Atonement, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He Is Risen

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:25:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Life says: The final video of the Church's Bible Videos collection.

Ideas for a Fun and Christ-centered Easter

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:10:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Here are a few ideas for a more Christ-centered Easter, along with a few of our staff's family traditions.

Easter is a fun holiday, filled with celebration of spring renewal, color, and sweet things. But, more importantly, it is a celebration of the resurrection of the Savior.

We talk a lot about Christmas and traditions, but what about Easter? President Gordon B. Hinckley says, "There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection."

After discussing it on our Facebook page and hearing some of your ideas (join us on Facebook), we decided to put together a list. Here are a few ideas for incorporating more of a celebration of Christ in your Easter this year:

Read the First Presidency Easter Message with your family or close friends. Click here to get it.

Watch some of the Church's new Bible videos. The Church has produced some beautiful new videos depicting events of the Bible. Watching the resurrection video, in particular, would be perfect for an Easter activity. Click here to see it.

Read through some of the resources in our article "Preparing for Easter: Ideas for Celebrating." The article contains an advent calendar for the weeks leading up to Easter; while it's too late to use it exactly as outlined, it has a great outline for a discussion of the final days of the Savior's life. To find out more about Eric Huntsman's book God So Loved the World: The Final Days of the Savior's Life, click here.

In addition, here are some of our own staff traditions – both fun and Christ-centered:

Alexa Justesen, Intern

In my family we did the standard Easter egg hunt, but my mom would do neat spiritual things with them. Most of the plastic eggs held candy or coins, but some would hold symbolic items such as thorns to represent the crown of thorns the Savior wore or nails to represent him being nailed to the cross, or white cloth to represent his resurrection. After we found all of the eggs we’d get together and talk about each of the symbols. I remember it being really neat.

Mandy Slack, Intern

When I was a kid, my parents hid the Easter baskets. I remember my dad used to make the baskets out of our plastic cereal bowls, which could seem pathetic but is actually a fun memory for me. I remember finding the bowls of candy in the microwave or weird places like that. Also, my grandparents hid little chocolate eggs in their yard and we would go look for as many as we could.

Kate Ensign-Lewis, Online Editor
My favorite thing growing up was the huge Easter egg hunt my grandma would have. Each of us had a big See's chocolate egg deviously hidden somewhere, like inside the peanut butter jar or the air conditioning vent. But since starting my own family, one of my favorite things is reading through the story of the resurrection with my husband. It's a small thing, but I think it's a perfect companion tradition to re-enacting the nativity, which we always do at Christmas.

Brad Hayes, Designer

One of our traditions takes place when we all dye Easter eggs. There is always a contest for the ugliest egg. We do this because in order to create beautiful eggs you need to not be afraid to mess one up.

Ruthann Cunningham, Circulation Director

When I was growing up, we always got church CDs and Mormon Ad posters in our Easter baskets instead of candy.

Kaela Worthen, Associate Editor

My family always does an Easter egg hunt in the morning with all the fun candies and goodies and such, but in the evening, we have a special Easter basket filled with numbered plastic eggs. Each one has a scripture and a small item that represents a part of the Easter story. The last egg is empty, with only the scripture “He is not here: for he is risen” (Matthew 28:6). It’s a great way to connect all the fun of the morning and the secular Easter traditions to the true meaning of what we’re celebrating—Christ’s Atonement for all of us.

Ashley Evanson, Online Editor

Growing up we didn't have many spiritual Easter traditions, but now that I'm grown, I've thought of a few I'd like to incorporate into my own family. One is baking Resurrection Rolls - an idea I got from a cousin. Here's how it works:

Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients

can crescent roll dough

8 large marshmallows

melted butter

cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and read John 19 while it's heating.

2. Roll out the dough and explain how it is like the cloth they wrapped Jesus' body in.

3. Explain how a marshmallow is like Jesus, pure and white without sin, and it represents his body.

4. Roll the marshmallow in the melted butter and then cinnamon sugar, representing the oils and spices they placed on Jesus' body before burying him.

5. Roll the marshmallow in the dough, pinching the edges shut. Explain how this is like wrapping Jesus' body in the cloth.

6. Put the rolls in the oven, or the tomb, for 12 min.

7. While they bake, read John 20:1-18.

8. When baked, open up the rolls to discover the marshmallow is gone, just like Jesus' body was gone from the tomb because he was resurrected.

Your turn: What are some of your favorite Easter traditions? Let us know in the comments below.

LDS Church to blitz YouTube, Facebook with messages of Jesus Christ on Easter weekend

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:52:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: I love that the Church is doing this. Wouldn't it be awesome if all members shared the videos this weekend on their own social media? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is planning to blitz the world of social media this weekend with a new media campaign aimed at helping "those not of our faith understand that we believe in and follow Jesus Christ."

In an email sent from the LDS Church Missionary Department to those who have created profiles on the church's Mormon.org website, officials said the campaign will take place Friday through Sunday on YouTube and Facebook, and will feature "members of the church sharing their beliefs about the Savior."

The campaign will consist of paid advertising on YouTube during the weekend, which they expect to be viewed "a minimum of 15 million times."

Jesus Tried by Caiaphas, Peter Denies Knowing Christ

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:59:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Parenting: Teaching children about Christ, part 4

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:38:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

In the previous three columns, we have written about the importance of teaching our children about Christ. We have also commented on the common Christian misconceptions about Jesus and about the Godhead that the Restoration corrected and clarified.

Today, in this final part of the series, we want to touch on some other misconceptions — but in this case, they exist within rather than outside the culture of the LDS Church. As you read, keep in mind that these thoughts are ours personally and that we do not pretend or intend to speak for the church.

Mormon Apostles’ Most Important Duty: Testify of Jesus Christ

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:15:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

Anyone with a smattering of knowledge about the New Testament knows that the English word apostle is derived from a Greek word meaning "messenger," specifically a special messenger or envoy. In the early Church the word was used in several ways. Indeed, the use of the word after Paul appears to have been more ambiguous than it was in the early Church (Anchor Bible Dictionary, s.v. apostle).

Mormon usage of the term is in line with one of the common New Testament meanings. According to 2 Peter 3:2, the work of the apostles was to convey the teachings of the prophets and of Jesus to the Church. Jude understands the apostles themselves also to be prophets, those who speak the words of Jesus Christ. But perhaps the definition in Acts 1:21-22, as someone who was with Christ throughout his ministry, is the most relevant for Latter-day Saints.

Mormon Parenting: Teaching children about Christ, Part 3

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:16:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

As a child and as a teenager, I (Linda) don’t remember much being said about Jesus at church. I’m sure it was there. I guess I just wasn’t listening for it, and even though I faithfully attended sacrament meeting, Mutual and seminary, I just didn’t get the significance of the Savior in my life. What I heard in those years was to be chaste and virtuous and a lot about not smoking or drinking — and I had a testimony of all that.

The summer after my sophomore year in college, I had the opportunity to be a part of the Hill Cumorah Pageant in New York with my 63-year-old mother. We traveled there on a sweltering bus that broke down at the top of Parleys Canyon before we even got out of Utah.

April 2012 Sharing Time: Drawing the Stories of Jesus

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:06:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: This sharing time will engage the children in an activity to help them learn about Jesus Christ’s life and teachings.

Preparation: Obtain a number of pictures of events during Jesus’ life. Post these around the Primary room. Gather crayons, markers, and/or pencils and a sheet of paper for each child.

  Presentation: Give each child paper and crayons and have them create a picture of an event from Jesus’ life. Point out the pictures of Jesus posted around the room. If needed, have their teachers help explain the posted pictures to the children, as they work. Give the children a set amount of time to work on their picture.

Ask a number of children to show their pictures and briefly tell the story the pictures depict. After each picture, discuss what Jesus did. Ask the children what they can learn from that story and how they can be more like Jesus.

Bear your testimony of Jesus Christ. Sing songs about Jesus Christ, such as:

“When Jesus Christ Was Baptized” (Children’s Songbook, p. 102)

“Jesus Loved the Little Children” (Children’s Songbook, p. 59)

“Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, p. 55)

“He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, p. 34)

Jesus Warns Peter and Offers the Intercessory Prayer

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:52:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Parenting: Teaching children about Christ, Part 2

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:46:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

You may have heard the story about the father who saw his daughter trying to put together a very complex jigsaw puzzle of a detailed and complicated painting. Not wanting the child to become discouraged, he said, “Honey, that is a very, very hard puzzle. You might want to start with an easier one.”

The dad went about his business for a while and then came back into the room where the child was playing and, to his amazement, saw that the puzzle was completely assembled.

“I must really have a prodigy here,” he thought to himself. “This girl is more brilliant than I had realized!”

Book of Mormon Lesson 13: The Allegory of the Olive Trees

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Jacob's recital of the allegory of the olive tree is by far the longest and probably most complex chapter in the Book of Mormon. Explore the chapter and symbols with me in this lesson aid, as well as Jacob's experience with the first major anti-Christ among the Nephites.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

There is not that being that ever had the privilege of hearing the way of life and salvation set before him as it is written in the New Testament, and in the Book of Mormon, and in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, by a Latter-day Saint, that can say that Jesus lives, that his Gospel is true, and at the same time say that Joseph Smith was not a Prophet of God. That is strong testimony, but it is true. No man can say that this book (laying his hand on the Bible) is true, is the word of the Lord, is the way, is the guide-board in the path, and a charter by which we may learn the will of God; and at the same time say, that the Book of Mormon is untrue; if he has had the privilege of reading it, or of hearing it read, and learning its doctrines. There is not that person on the face of the earth who has had the privilege of learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ from these two books, that can say that one is true, and the other is false. No Latter-day Saint, no man or woman, can say the Book of Mormon is true, and at the same time say that the Bible is untrue. If one be true, both are; and if one be false, both are false. If Jesus lives, and is the Savior of the world, Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, and lives in the bosom of his father Abraham. Though they have killed his body, yet he lives and beholds the face of his Father in Heaven; and his garments are pure as the angels that surround the throne of God; and no man on the earth can say that Jesus lives, and deny, at the same time, my assertion about the Prophet Joseph. This is my testimony, and it is strong. (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.459)

INTRODUCTION:

Jacob's recital of the allegory of the olive tree is by far the longest, and probably the most complex chapter in the Book of Mormon. But it is a marvelous exposition of a point Jacob wants desperately to make.

Jacob told us at the end of Jacob 4 that the

Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble. (Jacob 4:14)

He also told us that they would reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation. (4:15)

But even so, he assures us, that stone – the Savior Jesus Christ would become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build. (4:15)

After having a careful look at this sequence of conclusions, one is bound to ask, How can a people be stiffnecked, kill the prophets, despise words of plainness, look beyond the mark, desire things they cannot understand, reject the Savior, and yet still build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ? Jacob asks the question for us:

And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that it may become the head of their corner? (4:17)

The allegory of the olive tree is Jacob's attempt to explain this paradox to us. In the final verse of chapter 4 he tells us,

Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you. (4:18)

1. JACOB QUOTES ZENOS'S ALLEGORY OF THE OLIVE TREES

(Jacob 5)

There are many ways to examine Zenos allegory. By the identification of a few consistent symbols most verses can be rendered in a form that makes interpretation a simple matter. For example:

Tame olive tree = House of Israel

Lord of the Vineyard = Savior

Servant = prophets, missionaries

Root = Covenant people or blood of Israel

Wild olive tree = Gentiles

Decay (bad fruit, bitter fruit) = breaking covenants

Good fruit = keeping covenants

Grafting = Gospel opportunities

Vineyard = World

Plucking (burning) = judgement (justice)

Pruning (digging) = mercy, patience, long-suffering

Dunging = Nourishing

Branches = groups of people

Practice interpreting the following verses using the explanations above:

And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last. Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others. (5:25)

And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted, that they bring forth no good fruit; and these I had hoped to preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season, unto mine own self. But, behold, they have become like unto the wild olive tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and cast into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them. (5:46)

Wherefore, let us take of the branches of these which I have planted in the nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft them into the tree from whence they came; and let us pluck from the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter, and graft in the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof. (5:52)

It may even be possible, though perhaps not necessary, to assign specific verses to particular historical events. The long time that passes away in verse 15 is probably the inter-testamental period from 400 BC to the birth of the Savior. Verse 46 may be an allusion to the great apostasy. Verse 25 seems to refer to the Nephites and Lamanites in the land of promise.

However, in my studying of this chapter, I have finally determined to study it in the frame of mind in which Jacob wrote it. That it, I have focused on the willingness of the master to help us when we make mistakes.

The Jews, in their stiff-neckedness and their hard-heartedness and their rejection of the Savior, made terrible mistakes. Jacob engraved this allegory on the plates (a herculean task!) in order to show us what the master of the vineyard did for them, and will do for us when we make mistakes. Try reading Jacob 5 with just this question in mind: What can I learn here about what the Savior will do for those he loves when they stray from the strait and narrow path?

The following list is my list – a collection of insights into the Love of the Savior – a list not quite like any other list from any other place in the scriptures.

• PRUNE – This word and the next two (dig, nourish) appear often together in this narrative. But the idea of pruning suggests a more drastic intervention that loosening the soil and applying fertilizer. Hebrews tells us that even the Savior learned . . . obedience by the things which he suffered. (Heb. 5:8) Job was pruned. Paul had his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). My son has diabetes. These afflictions speak to me more of pruning than of digging or nourishing.

• DIG – Alma speaks of being harrowed up by his sins. That would be digging in its most dramatic form. But in a milder form, this word makes me think of the loosening of soil around a plant to increase its ability to receive nutrients. Thus, as God digs about us, he may be trying to loosen the hardness of the soil of our hearts and the stiffness of our necks, to make us more responsive to the whisperings of the Spirit and the words of the Prophets

• NOURISH – Some form of this word shows up 20 times in Jacob 5. Moroni 6:4 speaks of our need to be nourished by the good word of God . . . We may be nourished in our spiritual weakness by the scriptures or the prophets or the words of loving friends and leaders and family members.

• GRAFT – In its literal use in this allegory, the word graft refers to the transplanting of groups of people to increase the chance that they will respond to the opportunities and blessings of the gospel. But in a more general sense, the action of grafting refers to the efforts of the Lord to change the environment of groups, families, or individuals to increase the likelihood of their responding to the blessings and opportunities of the gospel. My wife picked up a woman on the street in front of our house during a blizzard. She and her family had moved to Orem from an eastern state for no better reason than that they felt it was the right thing to do. My wife shared a ride and, before long, the gospel with her and her family. I think she had been grafted.

• GRIEVE – The grief of the Savior over the prospect of losing the trees and fruit of his vineyard is a constant theme in this allegory of Zenos. In eight different places Zenos speaks of the grief of the master over the lack of good fruit in the vineyard. Reading these verses again has reminded me of the experience of Enoch in Moses 7:28And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? I think the Savior grieves, not because our sins have caused him to suffer, but because they will cause us to suffer.

• PRESERVE – Eleven times the Lord speaks of trying to preserve the trees and the fruit of the vineyard. In the face of decay and in the absence of acceptable fruit, and at a time when less devoted husbandmen might have turned the vineyard into firewood and started over, the Savior tries to preserve his people in righteousness. The pruning, digging, nourishing, and grafting, along with many of his actions in the following paragraphs are examples of his efforts to preserve his people until the time of the harvest.

• LABOR – Over and over again the Savior goes down to labor in the vineyard. He is not like the householder, which planted a vineyard . . . and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country (Matt. 21:33). He himself labors in the vineyard. In fact, we are told that at the time of his final visit, when laborers are sent in the vineyard for the last time, "that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them" (emphasis added)

• WENT DOWN; WENT FORTH; WATCHED; BEHELD – A number of phrases in Jacob 5 remind us that the Master of the Vineyard is watching us closely. He is keenly aware of all we say, think, and do: BEHOLD and hearken, O ye elders of my church . . . whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me. Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give (D&C 67:1,2). His purpose, I suppose, is be ready to render assistance at the first sign of wandering.

• SELECT LOCATIONS – After the Lord had hid[den] the natural branches of the tame tree in various places in the vineyard (Jacob 5:14), his servant asked, How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit (5:21,22). The Lord selects the locations for his people that will maximize the potential for good fruit. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said of this matter, Our Eternal Father knows all of his spirit children, and in his infinite wisdom, he chooses the very time that each comes to earth to gain a mortal body and undergo a probationary experience. Everything the Lord does is for the benefit and blessing of his children. And each of those children is subjected to the very trials and experiences that Omniscient Wisdom knows he should have (Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah, p.660).

We must not miss this important truth. We can produce much fruit regardless of where they Lord puts us. If we are willing, he will nourish us and bless us and make us fruitful.

• DUNG – This word, as mentioned above, might be included with nourishing and digging, but using it separately gives me the chance to include (again) this favorite quote about dunging:

On my way to visit the Jameses the other evening, I saw a wheat field that appeared to be greener and taller than the others. Thinking about it for awhile, I concluded that occasionally some loving farmer drives over the field with his tractor and pumps manure all over it. I thought, My, its just like life. Here we are minding our own business, growing our little hearts out. Were really quite green somewhat productive and very sincere. When out of the blue, life deals us a dirty one, and were up to our eyebrows in manure. We, of course, conclude that life as we have known it has just ended and will never be the same again. But one day, when the smell and the shock are gone, we find ourselves greener and more productive than we have been. Unfortunately, no matter how often we go through these growing experiences, we are never able to appreciate the sound of the tractor of the smell of the manure. [Harold W. Wood]

• NOTWITHSTANDING ALL THE CARE WHICH WE HAVE TAKEN (5:46) WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE MORE? (5:41,47,49); HAVE I SLACKENED MY HAND? (5:47); I HAVE STRETCHED FORTH MINE HAND (5:47; 6:4) – These four phrases speak of the continuous concern for the Savior for the welfare of his children in the vineyard. His only concern is the welfare of his people, and that his suffering and his teaching and his example should be meaningful in helping them to have a fullness of joy: He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world . . . (2 Nephi 26:24).

• SPARE IT A LITTLE LONGER – At a time when all the trees of the vineyard were corrupted and brought forth no good fruit (5:46) both the servant and the master agreed to spare the vineyard a little longer (5:50,51). It was ripe for burning. It deserved burning. This willingness to wait for judgement in hopes of repentance is in other scriptural locations called patience or longsuffering. It was this willingness that Ammon spoke of when he said, Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state? (Alma 26:17)

• REJOICE EXCEEDINGLY – This is the response of the Savior when he anticipates success in preserving both roots and branches of the tame tree (5:60). We are promised that our joy will be great if we bring souls, but we are reminded that he has great joy too: And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! (D&C 18:13)

• LABOR DILIGENTLY WITH OUR MIGHTAt the beginning of the allegory, we saw the Master and his servants laboring, but as the end draws near, the nature of the labor seems to change (5:61,62,71). The language is similar to the instructions given in D&C 4: 2: Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. The salvation of a soul worth any righteous effort.

• RECOVER – In Jacob 6, Jacob gives a brief review of the significance of the allegory. In verse 2 he repeats a promise often given in the scriptures that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people. He will do the same for all of his children, if they are willing to be recovered. Thus he promises in Mosiah 26:30 to forgive as often and repentance occurs. In Luke 5:4-6, he gives instruction to Peter and others, in spite of a night without success, to let down the nets again.

• REMEMBERETH – He remembers the House of Israel (6:4). For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. (1 Nephi 21:15)

• HE CLEAVETH UNTO YOU – We are invited by Jacob to have as much affection for the Lord as he has for us (6:5). He will not abandon us for some minor infraction of the rules. Pres. J Reuben Clark said, I believe that his juridical concept of his dealings with his children could be expressed in this way: I believe that in his justice and mercy he will give us the maximum reward for our acts, give us all that he can give, and in the reverse, I believe that he will impose upon us the minimum penalty which it is possible for him to impose. (J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, October 1953, p.84)

• HIS ARM OF MERCY IS EXTENDED – This is a wonderful conclusion to our analysis of this allegory. The words and phrases above offer powerful evidence of his mercy. In the same way that he invited the woman taken in adultery (see John 8:1-11) to repent and return, he has invited us to find security in the everlasting arms of his mercy.

2. JACOB EXHORTS HIS LISTENERS TO REPENT AND FOLLOW CHRIST (Jacob 6)

The purpose of the allegory, once again is to tell us how it is possible to make mistakeseven huge mistakes – and still receive the blessings of the atonement. In chapter 6, Jacob makes this point eloquently:

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts. Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die? For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire? Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you? (Jacob 6:5-8)

And finally, this note:

O be wise; what can I say more? (Jacob 6:12)

It seems fairly clear from the ending verses of Jacob 6 that Jacob thought he was finished with his work on the plates.

Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen. (Jacob 6:13)

3. SHEREM'S FALSE TEACHINGS (Jacob 7)

Jacob's experiences with Sherem were so significant that he wrote on the plates again. He must have known that there was a message for our day in his experience with the first of the major anti-Christs in the Book of Mormon.

I think that a most important part of this chapter is a description of the ways in which we can become strong in the faith – so strong that we cannot be shaken.

Jacob said of himself and others

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea. (Jacob 4:6)

The result of these many witnesses is a great hope and an unshaken faith in the Savior. Jacob tells us of his encounter with Sherem that he had hope to shake [Jacob] from the faith (7:5)

. . . notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken. (Jacob 7:5, emphasis added)

The sequence seems to work something like this: We search the prophets and the scriptures, we have many revelations and spiritual experiences, and our faith becomes unshaken and unshakeable. How many times as you have searched the scriptures have you been tutored and enlightened by the Spirit. This is the thing that ought to happen as we search the word of God:

Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness? (D&C 19:39)

Sherem demands a sign (7:13). Jacob obliges. Sherem is discredited and Jacob is thereafter successful in reclaiming the people.

And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again among the people . . .

The key to that restoration and to the protection of the people was that they searched the scriptures . . . (7:23)

CONCLUSION:

The experience of Sherem in demanding and receiving a sign reminds me of an experience of the Prophet Joseph Smith related by Elder George A. Smith of the Twelve on June 24, 1855)

When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first founded, you could see persons rise up and ask, "What sign will you show us that we may be made to believe?" I recollect a Campbellite preacher who came to Joseph Smith, I think his name was Hayden. He came in and made himself known to Joseph, and said that he had come a considerable distance to be convinced of the truth. "Why," said he, "Mr. Smith, I want to know the truth, and when I am convinced, I will spend all my talents and time in defending and spreading the doctrines of your religion, and I will give you to understand that to convince me is equivalent to convincing all my society, amounting to several hundreds." Well, Joseph commenced laying before him the coming forth of the work, and the first principles of the Gospel, when Mr. Hayden exclaimed, "O this is not the evidence I want, the evidence that I wish to have is a notable miracle; I want to see some powerful manifestation of the power of God, I want to see a notable miracle performed; and if you perform such a one, then I will believe with all my heart and soul, and will exert all my power and all my extensive influence to convince others; and if you will not perform a miracle of this kind, then I am your worst and bitterest enemy." "Well," said Joseph, "what will you have done? Will you be struck blind, or dumb? Will you be paralyzed, or will you have one hand withered? Take your choice, choose which you please, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it shall be done." "That is not the kind of miracle I want," said the preacher. "Then, sir," replied Joseph, "I can perform none, I am not going to bring any trouble upon any body else, sir, to convince you. ( George Albert Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.326 p.327)

Teachings of George Albert Smith Lesson 7: The Immortality of the Soul

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:04:00 -0600

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "Anything that befalls us here in mortality is but for a small moment, and if we are true and faithful God will eventually exalt us on high." -Bruce R. McConkie Note: As the Church has said, the manual has been prepared as the primary source of lesson material. This supplement, from a general conference address, is only meant as a complement to your study on this lesson's topic.

Excerpt from "The Dead Who Die in the Lord" by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, October 1976 General Conference:

If we are to place death in its proper perspective in the eternal scheme of things, we must first learn the purposes of life. We must know whence we came, Whose we are, and why He placed us here. Only then can we envision whither we shall yet go in the providences of Him who made us.

We know, because the Lord has revealed it in this our day, that we are the spirit children of an exalted, glorified Being, a Holy Man who has a body of flesh and bones and who is our Father in heaven.

We know that the name of the kind of life He lives is eternal life and that it consists of living in the family unit and of possessing all power, all might, and all dominion.

We know that He ordained and established the plan of salvation to enable us to advance and progress from our spirit state, to the same state of glory, honor, and exaltation which He Himself possesses.

We know that the Father’s plan called for the creation of this earth, where we could dwell as mortals, receive bodies made of the dust of the earth, and undergo the tests and trials which now face us.

We know that this plan of salvation included provisions for the fall of man, with its consequent temporal and spiritual death; for a redemption from death through the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God; and for an inheritance of eternal life for all the obedient.

To read the full talk, click here.