Alma 31:5
And now,
And now, as the preaching
And now, as the preaching of the word
the word
had a great tendency to
a great tendency
to lead the people
to do that which was just—
that which was just
was just
yea, it had had more powerful
more powerful
more powerful effect
more powerful effect upon the minds
upon the minds of the people
than the sword,
the sword
or anything else,
anything
or anything else that had happened to them,
therefore
therefore Alma
Alma thought it was expedient
file
that they should try
should try the virtue
the virtue
of the word of God
should try the virtue of the word of God.
(Video Version)
? What impressions did you have as you read/listened to this verse read this way?
Everyone takes turns reading a question they wrote
Cross it off if you asked the same question, or give yourself 1 point if no one else asked it.
Winner asked the most "out of the box" questions
Look for patterns
And now,
And now, as the preaching
And now, as the preaching of the word
the word
had a great tendency to
a great tendency
to lead the people
to do that which was just—
that which was just
was just
yea, it had had more powerful
more powerful
more powerful effect
more powerful effect upon the minds
upon the minds of the people
than the sword,
the sword
or anything else,
anything
or anything else that had happened to them,
therefore
therefore Alma
Alma thought it was expedient
file
that they should try
should try the virtue
the virtue
of the word of God
should try the virtue of the word of God.
(Video Version)
? What impressions did you have as you read/listened to this verse read this way?
GAME
Read a scripture verse (1 Nephi 2:15)
Take 2 min and list as many questions as you can about the verse
Everyone takes turns reading a question they wrote
Cross it off if you asked the same question, or give yourself 1 point if no one else asked it.
Winner asked the most "out of the box" questions
Follow up with trying to find some of the answers, or pondering their implications
Ask what? Wonder why? Look for patterns, ponder the Savior, and Apply to Me.
"And My Father Dwelt In A Tent" 1 Nephi 2:15.
Ask what?
- what’s the context?
- what do the words mean?
- "dwelt"
- what did Lehi leave to "dwell" in this tent? (see 1 Nephi 4:2)
Wonder why?
- why is Lehi dwelling in a tent?
- why did the Lord command him to leave Jerusalem?
- why did Nephi write this short sentence?
- why did Mormon include it in his abridgment?
- why did Nephi start the book with telling us he had "goodly" parents?
Look for patterns
- what other stories in the scriptures have the same pattern - a man who left everything behind and began a trek in the wilderness...
- what other patterns emerge? Who's story is patterned after Lehi's experience?
- A man was pricked by the words of a prophet
- He went out apart to pray.
- He saw a vision of the Father and the Son
- He received a book
- He began to preach to the people what he read in the book
- The people mocked and sought to kill him.
Ponder the Savior
- Look for the mission of the Savior being laid out throughout the scriptures; types and figures
- How is this verse related to the mission of the Savior? "Another way to say it is that he took upon himself everything we have failed to leave behind. All of our sins and weaknesses, for example, the grudges we carry, our quickness to anger. He took upon himself everything that has become too precious to us - everything we are refusing to give up - in order to provide a way that we can be relieved of those burdens. Metaphorically speaking, he could have stayed, as Laman and Lemuel longed to stay, in Jerusalem. But he didn’t. He left everything behind by taking upon himself what we must leave behind but haven’t. That was his wilderness - the stark reality of our sins and suffering."
Apply to Me
- How is this verse about me?
- Am I willing to leave everything behind for the Lord? (temporal, weaknesses, etc)
Object Lesson: Demonstrate the meaning of the word "pour" by using a pitcher and a turkey baster to fill a glass of water. Ponder this word as you read the following summary.
Women and Gospel Learning in the Home By President Henry B. Eyring
The Lord is pouring out knowledge on His Church as He promised that He would.
You remember what He said: “How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
Part of the Lord’s current sharing of knowledge relates to accelerating His pouring out eternal truth on the heads and into the hearts of His people.
He has made clear that the daughters of Heavenly Father will play a primary role in that miraculous acceleration.
One evidence of the miracle is His leading His living prophet to put far greater emphasis on gospel instruction in the home and within the family.
You might ask, “How does that make faithful sisters a primary force to help the Lord pour out knowledge on His Saints?”
The Lord gives the answer in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”
You remember the words, but you may see new meaning and recognize that the Lord foresaw these exciting changes, which are now occurring.
In the proclamation, He gave sisters charge to be the principal gospel educators in the family in these words: “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.”2 This includes the nurture of gospel truth and knowledge.
Why, then, does a daughter of God in a united and equal relationship receive the primary responsibility to nourish with the most important nutrient all must receive, a knowledge of truth coming from heaven?
While I do not know all the Lord’s reasons for giving primary responsibility for nurturing in the family to faithful sisters, I believe it has to do with your capacity to love.
... having qualified for the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The motto of the Relief Society, which my own mother exemplified, seems to me inspired: “Charity Never Faileth.”
As daughters of God, you have an innate and great capacity to sense the needs of others and to love. That, in turn, makes you more susceptible to the whisperings of the Spirit. The Spirit can then guide what you think, what you say, and what you do to nurture peopleso the Lord may pour knowledge, truth, and courage upon them.
Yet, whatever your personal circumstance, you are part—a key part—of the family of God and of your own family, whether in the future, in this world, or in the spirit world.
Your trust from God is to nurture as many of His and your family members as you canwith your love and your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your practical challenge is to know whom to nurture, how, and when. You need the Lord’s help. He knows others’ hearts, and He knows when they are ready to accept your nurturing.
Your prayer of faith will be your key to success.
You can depend upon receiving His guidance.
He gave this encouragement: “Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient.”
In addition to prayer, serious study of the scriptures will be part of your growing power to nurture.
Here is the promise: “Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.”
So you will take more time to pray, to ponder, and to meditate on spiritual matters. You will have knowledge of truth poured out upon you and grow in your power to nurture others in your family.
There will be times when you feel that your progress in learning how better to nurture is slow. It will take faith to endure. The Savior sent you this encouragement:
“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
“Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.”
You might take courage and direction from the experiences of families in the scriptures.
For sisters in every stage of life’s journey, in every family situation, and across every culture, the Savior is your perfect example of how you will play a major part in His move to place greater emphasis on gospel learning in the home and family.
You will bring your inherent feeling of charity into changes in activities and practices in your family.
That will bring greater spiritual growth.
When you pray with and for family members, you will feel your and the Savior’s love for them. That will become more and more your spiritual gift as you seek it. Your family members will feel it as you pray with greater faith.
When the family gathers to read scriptures aloud, you will already have read them and prayed over them to prepare yourself. You will have found moments to pray for the Spirit to enlighten your mind. Then, when it is your turn to read, family members will feel your love for God and for His word.They will be nurtured by Him and by His Spirit.
The same outpouring can come in any family gathering if you pray and plan for it.
It may take effort and time, but it will bring miracles.
You will each find ways to contribute to the outpouring of truth upon your families in the Lord’s restored Church.
Each of you will pray, study, and ponder to know what your unique contribution will be.
But this I know: each of you, equally yoked with sons of God, will be a major part of a miracle of gospel learning and living that will hasten the gathering of Israel and will prepare God’s family for the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ."
Comments
Post a Comment