Dear
Family and Friends
How are
you doing this week? I do hope that this week has been a good one for each one
of you. My granddaughter – the one that lives with me, has successfully dried a
rose and she was so excited that it turned out well😊 have you accomplished a new feat
this week? Me, no, I just made it
through the week😊lately that’s about as good as it
gets, but I am working on it😊 I am not the giving up kind of person.
My middle son was born on
Valentines day in 1989. Our adopted son was on the 6th. my younger brother
on the 7th. And my oldest son’s wife was on the 9th , therefore we have a lot of family
birthdays in February.
I mean, I
am doing well, I am just tired all of the time and I am still having the muscle
cramping all over my body☹, which doesn’t allow me to get in very much sleep as
it is worse when I am sleeping
I had
thought that my sleep patterns were bad before but these even wake me up when I
have taken medicine to help me to sleep, crazy huh?
Well,
this weekend we are celebrating my youngest granddaughters first birthday😊 the actual date is March 2nd,
but we are celebrating it early, so we don’t have to worry about it during the
week.
I am
still trying to get into the physical therapist to get a new sleeve and glove
for the lymphedema and an appointment with my regular doctor for the muscle
thing😊 and I am still going every three
weeks for chemo.
I got my teeth filled and got a clearance for the oncologist
so they can start up my bone shot again. You know that they have to actually suspend that
shot for 6 weeks prior and 6 weeks post dental work and I have to take a large
dose of antibiotics prior to having anything done in my mouth even a cleaning😊
This week our lesson finishes up
2 Nephi. If you are all ready, then let us begin. Oops, I see that there is
someone down in the back that isn’t quite ready to begin, so we will give them
a few more minutes😊 Okay? I see that they are ready
now as they just gave me the signal to begin. Here we go…
Our study for
this week covers 2 Nephi Chapters 31 – 33. These chapters are the very last of
Nephi’s words that he recorded for us, for our day. Are you able to liken what
you are studying to your everyday life?
I know for some of you these lessons
may be only a review and for others these lessons are completely brand new. No matter
where you fit on the spectrum these lessons are for you😊😊😊😊
We will begin today’s lesson with the following which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
We will begin today’s lesson with the following which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Among Nephi’s last recorded words, we
find this declaration: “The Lord commanded me, and I must obey” (2 Nephi 33:15).
This seems like a fitting summary of Nephi’s life. He sought the will of the
Lord and courageously strived to obey it—whether that meant risking his life to
get the brass plates from Laban, building a boat and crossing the sea, or
faithfully teaching the doctrine of Christ with plainness and power.
15 For
what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar;
for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey.
Amen.
Are we trying
to be like Nephi? Do we feel like he did, that if the Lord has commanded you to
do or say something, we will go and do it? Do we seek the will of the Lord or
are we more prone to seek and do our own will?
Are we likening the scriptures
unto our own lives? How do you and your family and friends feel about these
questions? How will you and your family members and friends answer these questions?
Nephi could speak persuasively of the
need to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,” of following the
“strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20, 18),
because that is the path he followed. He knew by experience that this path,
though demanding at times, is also joyful, and that “there is none other way
nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 31:21).
18 And then are ye in this strait and
narrow path which
leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done
according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received
the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of
the Father and
the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye
entered in by the way ye should receive.
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is
the way; and
there is none other
way nor name given
under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of
Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God,
without end. Amen.
Are we being
steadfast in Christ as we press forward on our way to return to our heavenly
home? Do we have a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and all men?
Are we continuing to read and study our scriptures each day – feasting upon the
words of Christ? Do we realize that there is none other way nor name under
heaven whereby we can be saved in the kingdom of God? Are we doing all we can
to endure to the end?
Let’s continue
into this next section by having you and your family members and friends read
through 2 Nephi chapter 31.
You can do this as a family study group or if there
are enough of you, you could do this in pairs if you choose to do so. Okay, so
you are going to be searching through chapter 31 looking for principles you
find therein. You could get our some of your poster board now😊
And then
create a picture of sorts. You can draw a path across the poster board as the
road of life to be taken. On this path you can write down the principles that
you have found in 2 Nephi chapter 31.
This next part
you can do as a family study group or you can divide up into pairs or small groups.
What ever way works best with your specific family study group😊
You can take one of the principles you have found in 2 Nephi chapter 31 and
then you should search through chapters 31 and 32 looking for something that
Nephi has taught on each of the principles that you and your family members and
friends have found while searching through chapter 31😊😊.
You may find
it beneficial to have a discussion now, explaining how what Nephi taught helps
you or your family members and friends to better understand the principles you
have found in 2 Nephi chapter 31.
You may also want to consider asking the
following question of your family members and friends: How does living these
principles bring the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ into your
lives?
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and
there is none other
way nor name given
under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold,
this is the doctrine of
Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God,
without end. Amen.
Let’s say you
were asked to share with someone or to explain to someone in one minute what
they need to [or really must] do, in order for them to receive salvation, what
would you say?
After rereading the reference scripture verse above. How would
you begin this discussion about Nephi’s plain and simple description of “the way”
to salvation? The following statements below may be just what you need, and
most likely very helpful to you in this conversation:
The doctrine of Christ.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “The ‘doctrine of Christ’
as taught by Nephi in his grand, summational discourse focuses on faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, receiving the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It does not, in this declaration, attempt
to cover the entire plan of salvation, all the virtues of a Christian life, or
the rewards that await us in differing degrees of heavenly glory.
It does not,
in this declaration, deal with the offices of the priesthood, the ordinances of
the temple, or many other true doctrines. All these are important, but as used
in the Book of Mormon, ‘the doctrine of Christ’ is simple and direct. It
focuses on the first principles of the gospel exclusively, including an
expression of encouragement to endure, to persist, to press on. Indeed, it is
in the clarity and simplicity of ‘the doctrine of Christ’ that its impact is
found” (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of
Mormon [1997],
49–50).
Elder D. Todd Christofferson said: “I appeal to all … to
seek through prayer and study of the scriptures [a] witness of the divine
character, the Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Accept His
doctrine by repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost,
and then throughout your life following the laws and covenants of the gospel of
Jesus Christ” (“The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 89). https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ.p35?lang=eng#
As you
probably already know the gospel principles are very much interrelated, though
we often view them in a different light. We often view each gospel principle as
being separate and distinct, standing on it’s own😊 In order to help you and your family members and friends see how the principles found in 2 Nephi chapter 31 are indeed connected, it might be a good idea to reread verses 4-21.
4 Wherefore,
I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning
that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should
baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the
world.
5 And
now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then,
how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!
6 And
now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did
fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?
7 Know
ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the
children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the
Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.
8 Wherefore,
after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.
9 And
again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the
narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
10 And
he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can
we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the
commandments of the Father?
11 And
the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my
Beloved Son.
12 And
also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my
name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.
13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
14 But,
behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying:
After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are
willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the
baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea,
even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.
15 And
I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
16 And
now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
17 Wherefore,
do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your
Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye
might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should
enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And
then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in
by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the
Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise
which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
20 Wherefore,
ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness
of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press
forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye
shall have eternal life.
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
Now is the
time when you will need to get out your poster board😊
and then together you and your family members and friends can create a diagram
that shows just how faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end happen to build upon one another. They
relate to one another. They are interrelated one with another. Not interchangeable,
but interrelated😊
Make it fun
and get creative with this activity😊
If you have enough family members and friends that are old enough to create
their own reading of verses 4-21 and create their own diagram, you may want to
do it that way. If you choose to have your family members and friends work individually or in pairs, you might want to encourage them to share their diagrams with the rest of your family study group.
If you are
having them share their diagrams with the rest of your family study group, you
may find it helpful for them to share what they have learned in their study of
these verses😊 with one another. You know that
this could be very beneficial for you and your family members and friends alike😊
I believe that
it is very important for each one of us to see and make the connections between
these gospel principles. Like connecting the dots on certain stars to see that
they belong together to create a constellation.
These gospel principles go
together to help us each make the changes in our lives that are necessary for
us in order that we gain our own salvation😊
How can we make them a part of our daily lives? The following ideas for
personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals
and Families manual:
These gospel principles go
together to help us each make the changes in our lives that are necessary for
us in order that we gain our own salvation😊
How can we make them a part of our daily lives? The following ideas for
personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals
and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Jesus Christ and His doctrine are the only way
to eternal life.
If you
had to summarize the path to eternal life in just a few words, what would you
say? Nephi, with his characteristic plainness and simplicity, did it this way:
faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
enduring to the end. After you study Nephi’s teachings in 2 Nephi 31–32,
consider how you would explain them to someone in your own words. Think about
how living these teachings has blessed you. You might consider Nephi’s
teachings in 2 Nephi 31:18–20 and
evaluate your own efforts to “press forward” along the gospel path.
See
also 3 Nephi 11:32–39; 27:13–22;
D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2012, 86–90; Brian K. Ashton, “The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2016, 106–9.
“He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.”
Here we are
with a question to begin this next section: Do you and your family members and
friends understand just what it means to endure to the end? The following activity may be able to help you
and your Family members in your understanding of this principle😊
Do you have your poster board ready for this section? 😊😊😊
Okay then😊
write on your poster board at the top: How do I know if I am enduring to the
end? For this activity you and your
family and friends will need to search through 2 Nephi chapter 31 verses 15-20,
you will be looking to find possible answers to this question.
After you have completed your search of these verses you should write down on your poster board any words or phrases that you have found that are helpful for you in understanding what it means to endure to the end😊.
After you have completed your search of these verses you should write down on your poster board any words or phrases that you have found that are helpful for you in understanding what it means to endure to the end😊.
15 And
I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
16 And
now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the
end, in following the example of the
Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.
17 Wherefore,
do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your
Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that
ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye
should enter is repentance and baptism by
water; and then cometh a remission of
your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And
then are ye in this strait and
narrow path which
leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done
according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received
the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of
the Father and the
Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered
in by the way ye should receive.
19 And
now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and
narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come
thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty
to save.
After you have
written all of their words and phrases on the poster board you should ask them
the following question:
Why is i=enduring to the end an essential part of the doctrine of Christ? It may be helpful to share the following statement from Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf or the statement from page 6 of Preach My Gospel😊
Why is i=enduring to the end an essential part of the doctrine of Christ? It may be helpful to share the following statement from Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf or the statement from page 6 of Preach My Gospel😊
Enduring to the end.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained:
“When I was a young boy, ‘endure to the
end’ meant to me mainly that I had to try harder to stay awake until the end of
our Church meetings. Later as a teenager … I linked it with youthful empathy to
the efforts of our dear elderly members to hang in there until the end of their
lives. …
“… Enduring to the end is not just a
matter of passively tolerating life’s difficult circumstances or ‘hanging in
there.’ Ours is an active religion, helping God’s children along the
strait and narrow path to develop their full potential during this life and
return to Him one day. Viewed from this perspective, enduring to the end is
exalting and glorious, not grim and gloomy. This is a joyful religion, one of
hope, strength, and deliverance. …
“Enduring to the end
implies ‘patient continuance in well doing’ (Romans 2:7), striving
to keep the commandments (see 2 Nephi 31:10),
and doing the works of righteousness (see Doctrine and Covenants 59:23)”
(“Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2007, 20). https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/have-we-not-reason-to-rejoice.p30,p32,p35?lang=eng#p30
Preach
My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service
Individuals and
families begin to follow Christ as they exercise faith in Him and repent of
their sins. That faith is developed as they follow the Savior’s example
by humbling themselves, seeking God’s will, and obeying God’s commandments
(see 2 Nephi 31:6–7; 3 Nephi 27:13–14).
They receive a remission of sins through baptism and by receiving the
gift of the Holy Ghost from one who has authority from God to perform these
ordinances.
They then endure to the end, or, in other words, they continue throughout their lives in exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, and renewing the covenants they have made.
These are not just steps that they experience once in their lives; rather, when repeated throughout life these principles become an increasingly rewarding pattern of living.
In fact, it is the only way of living that will bring peace of conscience and enable Heavenly Father’s children to return to live in His presence.
They then endure to the end, or, in other words, they continue throughout their lives in exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, and renewing the covenants they have made.
These are not just steps that they experience once in their lives; rather, when repeated throughout life these principles become an increasingly rewarding pattern of living.
In fact, it is the only way of living that will bring peace of conscience and enable Heavenly Father’s children to return to live in His presence.
Now I want you
and your family members and friends think about the people that you each know. Are
any of these people that you and your family members have thought of an example
of one who is enduring to the end? What has helped this person or people “press
forward with a steadfastness in Christ” as it teaches us in verse 20?
You may now
want to have a discussion with your family members and friends and consider
sharing with one another the stories of other people that are mentioned in the
scriptures. …those people who have endured to the end. The following ideas for
personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals
and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal
Scripture Study
Jesus Christ set the perfect example of obedience when He was
baptized.
Whether your baptism happened yesterday
or 80 years ago, it was a pivotal moment—you entered a lifelong covenant to follow
Jesus Christ. Think about your baptism as you read about the Savior’s baptism
in 2 Nephi 31:4–13.
Why was the Savior baptized? How are the reasons He was baptized similar to the reasons you were baptized? What are you doing today to continue following the Savior’s example of obedience?
Why was the Savior baptized? How are the reasons He was baptized similar to the reasons you were baptized? What are you doing today to continue following the Savior’s example of obedience?
The ordinance of the sacrament is a
weekly opportunity for you to recommit to following Jesus Christ. The next time
you partake of the sacrament, consider reading 2 Nephi 31:13 and
pondering your determination to “follow the Son, with full purpose of heart”
and your willingness “to take upon you the name of Christ.”
The Holy Ghost will show us what we should do.
For this next
section we will be moving on to 2 Nephi Chapter 32. You should know as you are
studying chapter 32 that in this chapter Nephi addressed a concern that he
perceived that his people had about applying the doctrine of Christ. At this
time you may want to consider inviting your family members and friends to
search for this concern in verse 1 of 2 Nephi chapter 32😊
1 And
now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your
hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way.
But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?
2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost;
wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto
you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ
will tell you all things what ye should do.
4 Wherefore,
now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be
because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not
brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
5 For
behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and
receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.
6 Behold,
this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given
until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall
manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you
shall ye observe to do.
Then you can
find and read Nephi’s answer as it is found in 2 Nephi 32:2-6. After you have
finished reading these verses together with your family and friends you may
want to restate in your own words what Nephi taught?
Now you might want to
think about and share with your family study group any experiences that you or
they have had when the Holy Ghost or the words of Christ have shown your or your
family members and friends what you or they needed to do? The
following ideas for personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come,
Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Now you might want to
think about and share with your family study group any experiences that you or
they have had when the Holy Ghost or the words of Christ have shown your or your
family members and friends what you or they needed to do? The
following ideas for personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come,
Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
The Holy Ghost will show me what I should do.
If baptism and confirmation are “the gate
by which [we] enter” the strait and narrow path (2 Nephi 31:17),
what do we do once we’re on the path?
That’s what Nephi’s people wondered (see 2 Nephi 32:1). What answers did Nephi give in 2 Nephi 31:19–20 and chapter 32? What answers do you find for yourself?
That’s what Nephi’s people wondered (see 2 Nephi 32:1). What answers did Nephi give in 2 Nephi 31:19–20 and chapter 32? What answers do you find for yourself?
See also David A. Bednar, “Receive the Holy Ghost,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2010, 94–97; “Holy Ghost,” Gospel
Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The Book of Mormon persuades us to believe in Christ.
And now for
this section we will continue moving right along to 2 Nephi chapter 33. You will
find in verse 4 of this chapter that Nephi hoped that his words would persuade
us “to do good [and] to believe in [Christ]”. At this time, I would like to ask that you and your family members and friends to think about what we have been studying I Chapters 1 and 2 of Nephi. Now that you all have your thinking caps on here is your question for this section:
What passages in 1st and 2nd Nephi have persuaded you and your family members and friends to do good and believe in Christ?
4 And
I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people.
And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them;
for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of
their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him,
and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.
Now is a good
time for you to consider finding and sharing with your family members and friends
some hymns that you and your family members and friends could sing or at least
read the words to that will reinforce these messages. A couple of good ones could be the following hymns: “I Believe in Christ: or Have I Done Any Good?” these are Hymns, Nos. 134, 223 in the Hymns book.
You can find them here: The following ideas for personal scripture study which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
I Believe in
Christ
|
Have I Done
Any Good?
|
Fervently
1.I believe in Christ; he
is my King!
With all my heart to him I’ll sing;
I’ll raise my voice in praise and
joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God’s Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he
raised.
Good works were his; his name be
praised.
2.I believe in Christ; oh
blessed name!
As Mary’s Son he came to reign
’Mid mortal men, his earthly kin,
To save them from the woes of sin.
I believe in Christ, who marked the
path,
Who did gain all his Father hath,
Who said to men: “Come, follow me,
That ye, my friends, with God may be.”
3.I believe in Christ—my
Lord, my God!
My feet he plants on gospel sod.
I’ll worship him with all my might;
He is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan’s grasp he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.
4.I believe in Christ; he
stands supreme!
From him I’ll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and
pain,
His voice is heard: “Ye shall obtain.”
I believe in Christ; so come what may,
With him I’ll stand in that great day
When on this earth he comes again
To rule among the sons of men.
Text: Bruce R.
McConkie, 1915–1985. © 1972 IRI
Music: John
Longhurst, b. 1940. © 1985 IRI
|
Brightly
1.Have
I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone
feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on
their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then
wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond
measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
2.There are chances for
work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying,
“Sometime I’ll try,”
But go and do something today.
’Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others
to live.
To
God each good work will be known.
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond
measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
Text and music: Will
L. Thompson, 1847–1909, alt.
|
Ideas for Personal
Scripture Study
The Book of Mormon persuades all to believe in Christ.
In 2 Nephi 33,
as Nephi concluded his writings, he explained reasons why he was writing in the
first place. What reasons do you find in this chapter? Reflect on what you’ve read so far in 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi and notes you may have taken.
How have the stories and teachings accomplished Nephi’s purposes for you? For example, how have they persuaded you to “believe in [Christ], and to endure to the end”? (verse 4).
Consider recording these experiences or sharing them with a family member or friend.
Well, that is
all of the ideas for personal scripture study as listed in the manual for this
lesson.
The following ideas for family scripture study and family home evenings which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
The following ideas for family scripture study and family home evenings which comes directly from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Ideas for Family
Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read the scriptures with your
family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss
in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some ideas.
Are any family members preparing for
baptism, or have any been recently baptized? Perhaps they could share why they
decided to get baptized.
According to Nephi’s teachings, what are some reasons we should be baptized? What are some blessings we receive when we are baptized?
According to Nephi’s teachings, what are some reasons we should be baptized? What are some blessings we receive when we are baptized?
How can you help your family understand
Nephi’s analogy about the “strait and narrow path”? (2 Nephi 31:18).
For instance, you could work together to draw a picture of the path that Nephi described in 2 Nephi 31:17–21, labeling it with the things we must do to enter the path and continue forward on it. How does the Savior help us progress along the path?
For instance, you could work together to draw a picture of the path that Nephi described in 2 Nephi 31:17–21, labeling it with the things we must do to enter the path and continue forward on it. How does the Savior help us progress along the path?
If you want to help your family better
understand how we endure to the end, page 6 of Preach
My Gospel has a helpful definition; so does Elder
Dale G. Renlund’s message “Latter-day Saints Keep on
Trying” (Ensign or Liahona, May
2015, 56–58).
To help family members understand that we
can “pray always,” you could make a list of circumstances in which we could
pray (or draw pictures to represent them).
Then your family could sing a song that teaches about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140), replacing some of the words in the song with the words from their lists. How does the Lord bless us when we pray always?
Then your family could sing a song that teaches about prayer, such as “Did You Think to Pray?” (Hymns, no. 140), replacing some of the words in the song with the words from their lists. How does the Lord bless us when we pray always?
What might lead people to “harden their
hearts against the Holy Spirit”? How can we make sure the Holy Ghost has “place
in [us]”?
For next week
we will be studying Jacob chapters 1-4. In order to encourage your family
members and friends to read these chapters you may want to explain to them that
in these chapters is where they will find Jacob’s warnings about two sins that
are generally accepted or widely accepted, practiced, or favored in our day?
Here we are
again, at the end of our lesson😊 As always, I hope and pray that you have learned a lot from this lesson. I know
that I have. Somethings have been made much clearer for me through studying
this lesson with you. I am so grateful for that😊
I love to read the Book of Mormon it brings me such peace and great hope in Christ. I hope you each continually remember who you are😊 because having that knowledge is very powerful for each one of us😊
I love to read the Book of Mormon it brings me such peace and great hope in Christ. I hope you each continually remember who you are😊 because having that knowledge is very powerful for each one of us😊
I know that we all have bad days, but we need to remember that everyone has bed days.
What makes the difference is how we handle our bad days. Do we let our bad days get us down? Or do we look for the good in those days that aren’t so good😊
You need to
remember that we never need to look very hard to find someone in a worse off
condition than we find ourselves. I think
it is good to keep a journal for blessings so that we can review them when we
are feeling rather low or down for one reason or another.
I have found that when you take the time to stop and think about all of the blessings that you do have in your life, you will usually find that your blessings will outweigh the all of the bad days put together😊 I guess u will stop my rambling for today, until my next post be sure that you work to make it a great week!!!!!
I have found that when you take the time to stop and think about all of the blessings that you do have in your life, you will usually find that your blessings will outweigh the all of the bad days put together😊 I guess u will stop my rambling for today, until my next post be sure that you work to make it a great week!!!!!
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