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NOTE
Unlike last week, which only had one section for us to study, this week has seven sections for us to cover with a lot of possible material. I would love to be able to just go through it verse by verse with you, and as teachers sometimes were tempted to try that. That may work with studying but I'm afraid it just won't work with teaching. More often than not, you have to paint with broader brush strokes, or zero in on a few powerful thoughts. That's what I suggest you do as a teacher as you approach large blocks of scripture like this. In fact, you'll probably have to pick and choose from the things I have presented here as well. Especially if you are teaching Gospel doctrine or Sunday school and only have one class period to cover it. So we look for common themes and unique principles to share. And that's how I'd like to approach these sections this week.
ICEBREAKER
To begin the lesson, I like to play a little game of "Who said what?". And you could do this as a slide presentation or a handout. But what I have is a list of well-known individuals from the scriptures on the right hand here, and then I'm going to read to you some quotes from the scriptures. Your job is to pick which person said what. So here we go:
· "Who am I that . . . I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? . . .I am not eloquent . . . but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue". Moses-the man who would deliver the Israelites from the most powerful civilization of his day.
· "I was an obscure boy . . . of no consequence in the world" Joseph Smith-the man who would restore the latter-day church
· "[I] am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech". Enoch--the man who would build the city that would be taken into heaven
· "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" Peter-the man who would take the helm of the church after the Savior's death
· "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God". Paul-the man who would spread Christianity throughout the Roman empire.
· "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor . . ., and I am the least in my father's house". Gideon-the man that would deliver Israel from an innumerable army of Midianites
Do you see a pattern here? What kind of people does God often call to do extraordinary things in his kingdom? Ordinary people. People who themselves didn't feel very special or different. They felt unqualified or weak. But, ordinary people are called to do extraordinary things. That just seems to be the way the Lord usually works. And "ordinary" is just my word. The Lord used some different adjectives to describe the typical kind of person that he calls to accomplish his work. In Doctrine and Covenants 35:13-14, what words are used to describe the kinds of people God often calls to do his great and marvelous works?
13 Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thresh the nations by the power of my Spirit;
14 And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me; and their enemies shall be under their feet; and I will let fall the sword in their behalf, and by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them.
What were the words? Weak, unlearned, despised. Each of our above individuals felt like they fit at least one of those descriptions.
But, what apparently can God accomplish with those weak, unlearned, and despised servants of his?
They will thresh the nations. (Quick note: If you have an older version of the Doctrine & Covenants it may say thrash the nations, but I like that clarifying correction in the newest version of the scriptures, because I never thought that word was meant to be interpreted as retaliatory or punitive. No, it suggests work, harvesting--the separating of the wheat from the chaff--their diligence and effectiveness. And not only do they thresh, but
what else will they do according to verse 14 "And they shall fight manfully for me". Oh I love that phrase for some reason. They fight manfully for me. That suggests courage, determination, and sacrifice. And in return for that dedication, God promises that he will be with them and preserve them.
ELEVEN ORDINARY MEN, ELEVEN EXTRAORDINARY REVELATIONS
With that in mind, I would like you to meet the eleven men that God is going to speak to in this week's sections. Now I don't want this to turn into a church history lesson rather than a Doctrine & Covenants lesson, but there are some big names that we are going to be introduced to this week and I'd love to give you some brief background on each of them. But let's see if you can find the eleven names.
Section 30 is actually three different revelations directed to three different men that we have met before.
· First, David Whitmer-Who, of course, is one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon
· Peter Whitmer Jr.-One of the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon
· and
· John Whitmer-also one of the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon. All from the same family.
· In Section 31 we're introduced to Thomas B. Marsh from Boston. His conversion story is inspiring. He one day feels led by the Spirit to travel to western New York where he hears about the Book of Mormon. He decides to go to the Grandin printing office where they are publishing the Book of Mormon and he's able to obtain a small handful of pages, which he reads and immediately believes. Soon after, he moves his entire family to Palmyra. Thomas B. Marsh will eventually become the first president of the quorum of the twelve apostles.
· Section 32 introduces us to one of my favorite personalities of the entire restoration. Parley P. Pratt. Parley is converted after stumbling upon a copy of the Book of Mormon through a friend. He reads it all night and day and just can't put it down--he is deeply converted. He'll eventually become a member of the very first quorum of the twelve apostles and serve faithfully in that office for the rest of his life.
· Section 32 also mentions Ziba Peterson. Now Ziba will become one of the church's first missionaries. Unfortunately, he will not remain faithful and will be excommunicated in 1833.
· Section 33 is directed to Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet. Now we don't know as much about them, but Ezra Thayre is a resident of Palmyra and is converted by the Smith family. He remains faithful up until the expulsion from Missouri, and then he drifts away from the main body of the Church
· Northrop Sweet is also a Palmyra resident who is converted but becomes disaffected from the church soon after it's established in Kirtland.
· In 34 we meet Parley P. Pratt's younger brother Orson Pratt. He too will become a big name in church history and will also serve in the first quorum of the twelve apostles. With the exception of a short departure from the church in Nauvoo, Orson will serve as an apostle for the rest of his life. '
· In Section 35 we have Sidney Rigdon. This is a big one. Sidney's conversion is a real windfall for the early church. He's a professional minister and leads a large congregation of a break-off group of the Baptist church called the Campbellites. It's Parley P. Pratt that introduces him to the Book of Mormon and he is eventually baptized and converted, along with the majority of his congregation. Sidney is going to become a member of the first presidency and become a close friend of Joseph's and a key figure in the restoration for many years to come.
· Finally, in Section 36 we meet Edward Partridge. Edward Partridge is converted after obtaining a copy of the Book of Mormon and meeting Joseph Smith. Edward will become the first bishop of the Church and remain faithful until his death in Nauvoo.
Well those are the eleven men these sections are addressed to. The ordinary people that God called to do his work. Most of these individuals were quite young, many of them in their 20's. They were unlearned and inexperienced. But God was able to accomplish much with them. The majority of them really helped to establish the foundation of the early church. They were called to go out and preach the gospel with little training or experience. They didn't have the benefit of growing up with primary and the youth organizations and seminary and church leaders and family home evening's. They didn't even get a chance to go and spend six weeks in an MTC. The majority of them had been members of the church for mere months before they're being asked to go and serve missions. Weak, unlearned, despised. And yet, they set into motion the great threshing of the latter days.
TRUTH
So truth: God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things in his kingdom.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Now, does God still work this way today? Does he continue to call on the weak, the unlearned, or the despised to build up his church? Can you think of any evidence of this?
I can think of a few examples.
Who is it that makes up the bulk of our missionary force? Is it professional preachers? Those with years of leadership and teaching experience? An exclusive club of carefully selected ambassadors for the church? No. It's 18 to 20 year old boys and girls. Isn't that amazing? Somebody from the outside might look at that and say. You members of the Church of Jesus Christ are going to trust the future of your church to these young, naive, and unlearned youth? And what do we say. Yes, we do! And does it work? Yes. It works beautifully and has for decades. How does it succeed? Because God is with them and they are humble and willing to turn to the Spirit for help. If I were sent out into the mission field, no doubt I could do some good, but I'm afraid I would be tempted to rely more on my experience and Gospel knowledge rather than my faith. Those young missionaries can't help but rely on the spirit and God for help. They're humble enough to recognize that they don't know everything, and that they are utterly dependent on God's help and the spirit to be successful. The innocence and youthful exuberance and unintimidating nature of these young missionaries are some of the very things that allow them to succeed. They have an incredible power to open people's hearts.
Also, think of leadership in the church. Who does God call to serve in positions of authority in his kingdom? It's not professional bishops, and youth leaders, and salaried employees that do the work. These early leaders were setting the foundation of what we call a "lay" ministry. Apparently, God has a lot of confidence in ordinary people. It's your neighbors, friends, and average members of the community that serve in these various positions in the church. Somebody who has only been a member of the church for a couple of months may be called to teach a primary or a Sunday school class. On my mission in Brazil, I remember serving under a branch president that wasn't much older than I was. Maybe just by five or eight years. And we rotate in our responsibilities. One year you may be serving in a presidency, and the next you're teaching primary.
Ordinary people are called to do extraordinary things--things they haven't gone to school for and have very little experience in. Serving as Bishop at this time, I feel that sense of awe and anxiety. Who am I to run a ward? Who am I to issue callings, and determine budgets, and run a welfare program, and judge worthiness? I can promise you that I didn't feel qualified when I was called, and I continue to feel overwhelmed at times. But I can also attest to the fact that God has been with me. That he's blessed me and helped me. Sometimes I like to refer to myself as a two fish man, or a five loaves man. It's a reference to the miracle of the loaves and fishes found in the New Testament. When Jesus needed to feed the 5000, he didn't just make bread and fish miraculously appear out of thin air. Instead, he asked his disciples for what they had. And when it was placed in HIS hands it was multiplied and provided more than enough for the crowd. Jesus made what they had, enough. I think it's the same with us when we're called. We may not feel qualified, and on our own, we really aren't. But he says, "Bring what you have. Bring your desire and your faith and your gifts and place them in my hands. Then, I will multiply them. I will make them more than enough to accomplish my work.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it. Look at the people God calls. Farmers, fisherman, shepherds, tentmakers (Paul was a tentmaker), young men and young women, the new convert, the weak, the unlearned, the despised. It just doesn't matter what your background is. It doesn't matter how much experience or knowledge or training you have. It doesn't matter if you're obscure, or of no consequence, or you are the least, or you are poor, or all the people hate you, or you are slow of speech. God has something for you to accomplish in his kingdom. We're all called to build up Zion in one way or another. And I believe that if we are willing to bring what we have to the table--to bring what we have to the hands of Christ (no matter how small) he'll multiply it and make it more than enough. So let's go out and fight manfully or womanfully for him and he is sure to preserve us as well.
ICEBREAKER
Now for a quick activity to introduce our next section. What do each of these things have in common?
· Vikings, Jets, and Dolphins--They're all NFL teams
· A River, a Cave, and a Face? They all have mouths.
· A duck, a restaurant goer, and congress? They all have Bills
Well, the revelations to each of these men also have some things in common, and they all have some things that make them unique. We're going to start with what they have in common. Let's see if you can find what it is. Since section 30 has three different revelations in one, we'll see if you can find it there. Now it's not said exactly the same way to each of the Whitmer brothers, but the same principle or idea is there. What is it? He says it in :4 to David, in :5 to Peter and in :9 to John.
What do they have in common? They were each asked to share the gospel with others.
To David he tells to attend to the ministry in the church and before the world
To Peter he says "open your mouth to declare my gospel
and to John, "proclaim my gospel, as with the voice of a trump".
And now that we know the common phrase, see if you can find it in each of the other sections. If you're teaching youth, you may make it a challenge to see who can find it first. Can you find that message in section 31 to Thomas B. Marsh? And there's quite a few that they could point out in this one.
First, all of verse :3 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.
In verse :4 declare the thing which been revealed to my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., and you shall begin to preach from this time forth.
In verse :6 declare my word
32:1 To Parley P Pratt and Ziba Peterson, verse 1: declare my gospel
33:2 To Ezra and Northrop-verse 2, Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump, to declare my gospel, :8 Open your mouths, :9 open your mouths, and spare not. :10 open your mouths
34:5 To Orson-preach my gospel :6 lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, to cry repentance. :10 lift up your voice and spare not.
35:23 To Sidney-preach my gospel
36:1 To Edward-preach my gospel. Also, you may ask your class if they know who it was that first coined the phrase "Every worthy, able, young man should serve a mission". You may hear them say Spencer W. Kimball. However, it was actually the Lord in Section 36. He just worded it a little differently. He said:
7 And this commandment shall be given unto the elders of my church, that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained and sent forth, even as I have spoken.
So what apparently is a common duty of the members of the church? To preach his gospel. All are called to proclaim, declare, Attend to, preach, and open their mouths. All are sent forth. And at first, I thought this whole lesson should focus on the principle of missionary work. But I'm afraid that term has a lot of associations with it that won't serve our purpose as broadly here. Most of the time when we think of missionary work, we think of young men and young women knocking on doors or talking to the person next to us on the bus or that plane. That is a big part of this. But I don't think it's all of it. Proclaiming the gospel is more than just proselyting. I like the way the Lord said it to David Whitmer back in section 30.
"Thou shalt attend to the ministry in the church, and before the world".
I really like the word ministry for some reason. Ministry is in and out of the church. Proclaiming the gospel includes all my efforts to help others down the path of discipleship and to strengthen their faith. I am a minister. to all So yes, I do minister to strangers or the people I meet on the plane or bus, or my coworkers. But I also minister to my less active neighbor, to my active ward members, to my students, to my wife and children, to all of you on this channel. Any efforts we expend to bring others to Christ is ministering. It's missionary work. I like that expanded definition of the term. Even people with strong testimonies need to be ministered to. And really, our families should be our top ministering priority. I know that at times I've had to remind myself of that principle. As a seminary teacher, or a bishop, or doing this channel, I may be tempted to think that the good that I can do in those areas justifies placing other things on the back burner because, well, I'm teaching people the gospel. Sometimes the Lord has had to gently remind me though by whispering, "Ben, the most important people you need to bring to Christ, to minister to, are Allesha, Caleb, Braden, Avery and Seth". Hopefully we can all find the proper balance in our ministry to all these different groups of people throughout our lives.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
A question to ask yourself and ponder: In what areas do I need to minister more? Is it to our less active ward members? Is it to our coworkers that aren't members of the church? Is it to the members of our ward? Is it to our own families?
Then ask yourself: What can I do more?
I'm sure that if you ponder those questions, the Spirit can inspire you to know what to do.
THE PROMISES OF PROCLAIMING
But now. Another activity that I believe also ties these sections together. The blessings of ministry or The Promises of Proclaiming.
You could do this as a fill-in study guide. Invite your class to study the following verses and identify the promises God makes to those who are willing to minister. Or, you could simply list these verses on the board or a piece of paper and have them identify the promises together as a class.
Here they are:
31:2 I will bless you and your family. Ministering will bring blessings upon us and our families. I've seen that. I've seen the profound positive effect that full-time missionary service has on younger siblings at home. I've seen families blessed financially, physically, and spiritually as they reach out to minister to others. I've seen times where ministering has led to the conversion of new families to the church, and then those new families turn around and bless and strengthen the faith of those whose families have been members of the church for generations. When we minister, we not only bring blessings upon our own heads, but also upon the heads of our family members.
In 31:5. Ministering brings forgiveness. Now I don't want to exaggerate this too far to mean that if you do missionary work or ministering that your sins are automatically wiped away and there's no need for confession or repentance of sin. I don't think that's what that means. However, proclaiming the gospel is a cleansing act. It invites the mercy and the grace of Christ more deeply into our lives.
31:11 It shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go. Ministering invites the guidance of the Spirit. As a bishop, as a teacher, as a parent, there have been many times when I've felt prompted to say, or do, or go somewhere through the Spirit. I'm certain that if we are actively looking for opportunities to minister, that the Comforter will guide us to those opportunities.
In these next verses, a similar thought:
31:3. your tongue shall be loosed
33:8, 10 Open your mouths, and they shall be filled.
34:10 Prophesy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost
You may remember what was said to Hyrum Smith back in Section 11. "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word", and here in section 33, Ezra and Northrop are first told to open their ears. But once you have opened your ears, and you have obtained his word. Then we must graduate to the next step. We must open our mouths. This is sometimes scary because we don't always know what we're going to say. That's when faith steps in. And this is one of those promises that I don't think we need to overcomplicate. I really think that at most times, it's just that simple. Just go into the situation with faith, and start talking. I believe that you'll find that the Spirit will give you the words. I know I was terrified the first time I gave a priesthood blessing. Who am I to speak on behalf of the Lord? But I opened my mouth, and the words came. When students have asked questions, when people have come to my office seeking help, in situations with my children, in ordinations, setting aparts, and priesthood blessings, I have often felt the Spirit loosing my tongue, and filling my mouth. He'll do the same for you.
I wanted to end with this one. Probably the most common promise.
30:11. To John Whitmer, God says to not fear what man can do, for I am with you.
In 31:13. To Thomas B. Marsh, he says be faithful onto the end, and low, I am with you.
In 32:3.To Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson, the Lord promises and I myself will go with them and be in their midst.
In 34:11. To Orson Pratt, he says if you are faithful behold, I am with you until I come.
In 35:14. And to Sidney Rigdon, you may recall the Lord's promise to the weak and unlearned that their arms would be his arm and that he would be their shield.
The Lord wants us to know that we do not walk the path of discipleship alone. He is there to walk with us. We may not always see him, but he's there. I love the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus who walked with Christ but didn't realize that it was him. That he was there all along. It was only after that they realized that their hearts had burned within them as he taught them the scriptures.
I'm intrigued by the way that he worded that promise to Orson Pratt. I am with you until I come. At first glance that sentence doesn't make sense. I am with you, until I come? How is it that possible? Sounds like a paradox. But it's true. Christ will be with us in spirit, until he comes in body. Christ walks the path of life with the faithful. You're probably all familiar with the poem "Footprints in the Sand". It's the one where the person is walking down the beach that represents their life and they notice two sets of footprints in the sand. But they notice something. When their life was the hardest, when they faced the toughest challenges, only one set of footprints marked the sand. So the author protests and wonders how Christ could have left him at those times when he needed him most. That's then the Lord says, "Oh no child, you don't understand, those were the times I carried you". Now I like that thought, but one day I was reading the Old Testament and I found an even better version of that poem. I like Isaiah's take on "Footprints in the Sand" He improves on the idea. In Isaiah 46:3-4 he says:
3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
So you see, The Lord carries you from birth to death. In the Isaiah version, there is only ever one set of footprints. Christ is with us until he comes. And perhaps when he returns, we will say "Thank you, for being with me, while I waited for you." Our own paradoxical statement, that makes total sense. And you know what. It's those times when I'm ministering, or declaring, or proclaiming that I feel him nearest. If you struggle to feel the presence of Christ in your life, try declaring his word, try ministering to others. Your arm becomes his arm, your voice, his voice, and your heart, his heart.
TRUTH
The truth taught here: When I declare his gospel, the Lord promises his presence, forgiveness, guidance, inspiration, and blessings for our families.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
And a discussion question you could ask: When have you seen one of these blessings come to you or your family through proclaiming the gospel? And that's whether that proclaiming was to people within the church or out of the church--in the world, or in your family. How has your ministry blessed you in one of these ways?
CONCLUSION
Now I don't want to give you the wrong impression here. I don't believe that our major motivation for declaring God's word is so that we can get something out of it. I don't proclaim the gospel for me. Yes, there are blessings that come. Yes, the Lord will do great things for those who fully engage in his work. But the fuel that drives those efforts is not self-concern. The fuel is love for God and a love for our fellow man. Like the sons of Mosiah who "were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish". We do it because we are filled with love and concern for our fellow man and the enthusiasm, we feel for the gospel ourselves. I think that when we look back on our lives from the eternal world, with the aid of a true eternal perspective, that It will be our ministry that mattered most. All our earthly successes and the material possessions we acquired will mean nothing at that point. But the people we taught, the individuals we sought to save, the souls that we blessed through our ministering efforts will be what we treasure most.
NOTE
Well that, to me, is the message that seems to really unify these sections. The common theme that runs throughout each of them. But remember that we also believe in a personal God. A God that works with and cares about the individual. He's a "one by one" God and not only offers general instruction and counsel, but individualized guidance as well. He gives us canonized scripture, AND patriarchal blessings. So I might also consider approaching these sections looking for what is unique in each. So here's another way you could approach this.
ICEBREAKER
As an icebreaker, a simple discussion question. What's your favorite treat and why do you love it so much? For me, it's probably a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream shake from my favorite ice cream shop. And it's delicious, and creamy, and they pack it with big chunks of peanut butter cups. And oh, it's amazing. My mouth is watering right now. Those occasions when I treat myself to one, are always savored. Let your class discuss that question for a minute or so. Then with that as a backdrop, I'd like to share this brief quote from Joseph Smith. He said:
“The Lord, who well knew our infantile, and delicate situation, vouchsafed for us a supply [of strength], and granted us ‘line upon line, here a little and there a little,’ of which the following was a precious morsel” (Manuscript History of the Church, vol. A-1, p. 48, note 64, josephsmithpapers.org).
Joseph Smith
That was said in relation to the book of Moses, which Joseph had recently received when these sections were revealed. I really like the term "precious morsel". Sometimes, the Lord gives us delicious precious morsels to enjoy. One of the symbols for his word, is food. Delicious food. "Feast upon the words of Christ" he tells us in the Book of Mormon. There are verses and truths and insights from the scriptures and the words of the living prophets that are delicious to me--that go down easy. I come back to them again and again and always find enjoyment and nourishment from them.
TRANSITION
For this lesson, we are going to take a look at one unique "precious morsel" from each of these seven sections. We aren't going to do the full meal or full treatment version on each of these because you won't have time to do that as a teacher. But you may have time to give your students one "precious morsel" from each. Each one has three elements. A quick activity, an insight and a question to go with it. And you really don't need to do these sections in order because they really do stand alone. So here's a little teaching idea that works well with youth. You could have a plate with 7 different kinds of treats. Then invite a student to come up and pick one. On the underside of the treat you could have a piece of paper with the section number and title of that precious morsel. Then, do that portion of the lesson and then invite another student to come forward. Do as many as you can in the class time, but just be sure to have a treat for everybody to hand out by the end. If you're teaching adults though, you could just list the different titles, and have them vote on which they would most like to cover or select somebody to choose one. But here is a list of them all and I'll go ahead and walk you through each one.
PRECIOUS MORSELS
· 30-Fear Factor
· 31-Road to Recovery
· 32-Finding Kirtland
· 33-Scripture Power
· 34-The First Hymn
· 35-Bigger and Better
· 36-Where Can I Turn for Peace
SECTION 30:1-2 FEAR FACTOR
Activity-We'll start with this.
Do you know your phobias? What does a person with these phobias fear?
· Arachnophobia-fear of spiders
· Aerophobia-Fear of flying.
· Claustrophobia-Fear of being trapped in small, confined spaces.
· Acrophobia-Fear of heights.
· Brontophobia-Fear of thunderstorms.
· Glossophobia-fear of public speaking
What fear does David Whitmer have? Fear of man. He's afraid of what others think rather than what God thinks. The same lesson Joseph had to learn back with the lost manuscript. But that's not the only problem he has. The Lord is going to chastise David a bit here. What other problems did he have?
· He has not relied on the Lord for strength as he ought to have,
· his mind has been on the things of the earth more than the things of God.
· Not giving heed to the Spirit
· Not giving heed to our leaders
· Giving heed to those not sent by God
Insight-So what's the solution to these kinds of issues?
I think the solution lies in the title that the Lord uses for himself in this instance. The Savior has many titles, and he will often use a title that is tailored to the context of the situation that he's addressing. What does he call himself here? Your maker. Why would he use that title? Because the maker knows the product. They write the instruction manual, they put together the FAQs and assemble the customer support team. They created the product, so they know it inside and out. So he's saying David, trust your maker. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows how you're put together and what you run on. Don't be afraid of man and don't listen to his instructions and ideas. Learn to trust God's. It's like those times when I've been struggling to put something together or do a repair and it's just not working and my wife asks, "Did you read the instruction manual?" and being a man, I usually haven't, and I have to humbly go to the box and consult the manual provided by the maker. So, when things are going wrong in your life. When you are having problems. When you need help. Turn to your MAKER and trust HIS instructions!
Question-When has an instruction from your Maker helped solve one of your problems?
SECTION 31:10-Road to Recovery
Activity-Turn to a partner and share a "Scar Story". What's the story behind one of your scars? Is it a broken bone? A surgery. A bike crashes. In my case, I would probably tell the story of the time that I fell off a bunkbed as a child and hit my head on a dresser. These stories are usually quite interesting to both hear and tell. Also ask "What did the doctors have to do to help you heal and how long was the recovery?"
Now look in section 31 and find the word the Lord used to describe what Thomas B. Marsh was to be to the church. The answer is in verse 10. He was to be a physician to the church. A physician heals people. Now Thomas B. Marsh was not a medical doctor, so the healing that he was to do would have to be spiritual in nature.
Insight- I love that. Can we be physicians to the Church? Our current prophet is both. Not only has he spent his life healing people physically, but spiritually as well. He's been mending hearts for decades. We too can be spiritual physicians. We can look for those that are hurting in some way and reach out to heal them. That can be physically, spiritually, financially, or emotionally. When we see those "hurts" or "wounds", we can do all we can to be a physician to those individuals.
Question-Who is somebody that has been a "physician" to you in the church?
How could you be a better "physician" yourself?
SECTION 32:5 FINDING KIRTLAND
Activity-First have a student read verse 5 and ask. What promise did the Lord make to Parley and Ziba if they were willing to heed his word? He promised to bless them. Well here is one of those great blessings they received for doing just that.
Then have a student read the following excerpt from "Revelations in Context"
In his autobiography, Parley P. Pratt wrote that, while still in New York, the four missionaries called on “an Indian [Seneca] nation at or near Buffalo; and spent part of a day with them, instructing them in the knowledge of the record of their forefathers.” In retrospect, the greatest impact of their mission occurred partway through their travels. Pratt tells how they continued on their journey until they stopped in Mentor, Ohio, to call on Sidney Rigdon, Pratt’s “former friend and instructor, in the Reformed Baptists Society.” They presented him with a copy of the Book of Mormon, which he promised to read, and then taught the restored gospel in many homes in the area. The consequence of this was that “at length Mr. Rigdon and many others … came forward and were baptized by us and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.” Pratt tells how “the news of the discovery of the Book of Mormon and the marvellous events connected with it” created a general “interest and excitement … in Kirtland, and in all the region round about. The people thronged us night and day, insomuch that we had no time for rest and retirement. Meetings were convened in different neighborhoods, and multitudes came together soliciting our attendance. … In two or three weeks from our arrival in the neighborhood with the news, we had baptized one hundred and twenty-seven souls.” Among those they introduced to the gospel there were Isaac Morley, John Murdock, Lyman Wight, and Edward Partridge.
Insight-This "stopping by" of Parley P. Pratt to see his old friend Sidney Rigdon while en route to his Native American mission will have enormous impact on the future of the church. The church nearly doubles in size within weeks because of this. A future member of the first presidency will be found because of this. The gathering place of the church will soon be in Kirtland because of this. Some of the most influential future members of the church will find the restored gospel because of this. This decision to see Sidney "on the way" to Missouri will change everything. I believe there's a powerful truth in this. I word it this way: Sometimes on the way to Missouri, you find Kirtland. In other words, sometimes when you are on your way to fulfill a certain commandment, unexpected blessings and opportunities will present themselves. These blessings and opportunities come because we are giving heed to God's word. Some examples. While exerting efforts to fulfill my callings in the church, I have often forged friendships that have blessed my life immensely in unexpected ways. I served my mission in an effort to share the gospel with others, but I never supposed to fall so in love with the country I served in. The Brazilian people, language and culture have enriched and blessed my life in a way that I never expected. My father decided to start teaching for Education Week at BYU to bless people's lives with what he had learned. However, it was because of that, that an opportunity for him to travel arose. And our entire family has been able to travel to many parts of the world now because of that experience. When you're on the Lord's path, you just never know what serendipitous and surprising blessings await you.
Question-Have you ever found Kirtland on your way to Missouri?
SECTION 33-SCRIPTURE POWER
Activity-Something I really like about section 33 is all the allusions to other scripture. It's a cross-reference paradise in there. So here's the challenge. Can you find the verse that goes with the cross reference? And you could do this as a handout. Where do you see these other stories or people being referred to in section 33? And by the way. I realize that there are many others in this section, but to keep it simple, I narrowed it down to these 6.
· 3-Matthew 20:1-16 The parable of the laborers in the vineyard
· 4-Jacob 5-The allegory of the olive trees
· 8-2 Nephi 1:27 Nephi
· 10-Matthew 3:2 The mission of John the Baptist
· 13-Matthew 16:16-19 Peter's Declaration of "Thou art the Christ"
· 17-Matthew 25:1-13 The parable of the 10 virgins.
Question: Why do you think the Doctrine and Covenants quotes other books of scripture so often?
One personal thought on that question. Because scripture is one great whole of truth. There is one gospel, and it is contained in all the books of scripture together. So be careful not to separate any book of scripture from the others. Each has its place and importance. There is great intertextuality and support flowing in all directions from each of the standard works. I can promise that you will not understand the Book of Mormon all that well if you don't know your Bible, and you won't understand your Bible very well without the help of the Book of Mormon. The Doctrine and Covenants will not make much sense to you if you haven't studied your Bible or Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants clarifies doctrines and prophecies that the Bible and Book of Mormon only allude to. I am constantly amazed by how often the scriptures draw on each other. I know of people who proudly say that they've read the Book of Mormon X amount of times, but at the same time have never even cracked open the Old Testament or the Epistles of Paul. Now the Book of Mormon should be a consistent part of our study, but not our only study. So be careful about becoming a scripture specialist. Don't study one book of scripture at the expense of all the others. Become familiar and comfortable with all of the standard works, and then you will begin to see how they support, and comment on and enrich our understanding of each of the others. Another thought. The lord is inviting them here to put themselves in the story. In a way he's saying: "You are my laborers; you are my modern Nephi's. You are my wise virgins. You are my John the Baptists preparing the way Christ". The scriptures will always mean more to us when we put ourselves in them OR liken the scriptures.
SECTION 34:1-3 THE FIRST HYMN
Insight-This is a real short one but has a very meaningful message. It's in what God calls Orson Pratt in verses 1-3
1 My son Orson, hearken and hear and behold what I, the Lord God, shall say unto you, even Jesus Christ your Redeemer;
2 The light and the life of the world, a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;
3 Who so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as would believe might become the sons of God. Wherefore you are my son;
There is such a tenderness and closeness in these verses. This is a personal manifestation of the promise found in John 3:16. It's not just teaching us that God so loved the world that he sent his son to save us. But, that God loved you so much that he sent you his son. He's speaking directly to Orson. To an individual. You are my son. You are my child. We are all individual children of God and have individually been saved by Jesus Christ. .
And when the church translates the hymnbook into a new language, do you know which song is always translated first? Hymn 301 I am a Child of God. It contains the most basic and fundamental of truths.
Activity-Either sing I am a Child of God, have somebody perform it as a special musical number, or show a video of it. I'll provide a link to a really great one here.
Question: What experiences have you had in your life that have helped you to know that you are a Child of God and that he loves you?
SECTION 35 BIGGER AND BETTER
Activity-What word shows up in each of these verses? :3, 4, 7, 10.
The word is great. And it's used just a little differently each time.
Can you put each of those greats together into one sentence? Here's what I came up with:
God has a greater work of great things for us to do in HIS great work so that he can show us great things
Insight-Remember that great can either mean bigger or better. I think God means it in both ways. God has greater things for us to do, or more for us to do. As members of the church, we are probably quite a bit busier than your average person. We have our church callings, family scripture study, personal scripture study, sacrament and other church meetings, activities, general conference, frequent prayer, missionary work, and temple and family history work. We're also encouraged to develop ourselves physically, intellectually, spiritually, and socially. On top of that we've got careers and families to manage. We have a great work, or big work to do. But what's the flip side of that coin? We will become great or better because of this great work, and God is able to show us great things or do great things for us BECAUSE we are involved in a greater work.
Question-What is something great (better) that God has given you in your greater (bigger) work?
SECTION 36-WHERE CAN I TURN FOR PEACE?
Activity-How would you fill in the blank?
It feels ________________ to be a member of the Church. You could fill that in with the words good, joyful, challenging, hard,
Let's look at how Jesus would have filled in that blank. He said this in Matthew 11:28-30:
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
So Jesus might fill that blank in with the words "easy" and "light" and "restful". And then Section 36 will give us another word we could add from verse 2. What kinds of things does the Holy Ghost teach us? The peaceable things of the kingdom.
Insight- Would you have thought to answer with one of those words? I wonder if many of us would. Do we find commandments stifling? Do we struggle with toxic perfectionism? Do we stress and get anxious and doubt whether we are going to "make it" or not? Maybe we haven't heard or taught enough of the peaceable things of the kingdom. The gospel is meant to bring peace, and joy, and rest to our lives, and to make our burdens light, not add to those burdens. What we want to do as teachers, parents, and church leaders, is to make sure that we're teaching and emphasizing the peaceable things of the kingdom. These are the things that hold people in the gospel. The principles of love, service, joy, forgiveness, future glory, encouragement, truth, and the blessings of obedience. The peaceable, restful, easy, light things of the gospel. Let's make sure we have enough of those things in our lives.
Question-What truths or principles of the gospel bring you the most peace?
So there you have it. At least one precious morsel from each of these great sections.
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