October 2011 General Conference Address by Elder Niel L. Anderson
The decision of when and how many children to have is a decision to be made between a husband and wife and the Lord.
We should not judge another based on their family size.
2.1.3 Covenants
Honoring and keeping our covenants brings great blessings in mortality and qualifies us for exaltation.
Scriptures referencing this idea:
And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
The purposes of the Lord for the children of Israel were to create a kingdom of priests or holy people. The reality of that objective is only beginning to be realized in our day. This explains why there are so many ordained Elders in the church in our day. It has always been the objectives or the purposes of the Lord to establish the church this way. (That wasn’t the purpose of this scritpure, but it also strikes me as curious.)
And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
This is a fascinating side note, the promise of grace is extended to us by covenant. On what conditions does God extend to us his grace? On the conditions that we are willing to abide his covenants. That is the missing key in understanding the argument between works verses faith.
2.1.2 Ordinances
Ordinances are are sacred physical acts with symbolic meaning which opens the door to rich spiritual blessings. One of the ordinances mentioned is the sacrament. Perhaps a study of ordinances and their purposes will bring a greater spiritual understanding of the sacrament.
If I were to prepare a sacrament meeting that called specific attention to the sacrament, perhaps I would focus on various topics such as ordinances, symbolism, or the Savior’s Atonement. Review this section of the Handbook 2 to gain a good focus on how to present.
Temple ordinances performed vicariously for deceased persons must be accepted and the related covenants honored by the deceased person in the spirit world.
First Presidency Message: Precious Promises of the Book of Mormon
Elders’ Quorum – Sunday 9 Oct 2011
Read the opening story from Pres. Monson’s remarks.
Then ask, have we ever looked at the Book of Mormon for its promises? Or as a book of promises.
I’ve never to consider the Book of Mormon for its promises. Yet it is called the New Covenant (Doctrine and Covenants 84:57). So naturally, if it is a covenant, there must be promises associated with it.
There is a discussion of promises as found in the Book of Mormon listed in this talk:
- Promise of a return to God and the reality of the resurrection (Alma 40:11-12) –
- Promise of peace, freedom and blessings (Ether 2:12) –
- Promise of “never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41) – the blessing of “never-ending happiness” is at the end of the verse. It is the state of of those who are faithful until the end of this life, and the promise that awaits them in the life hereafter. I had always bypassed this promise.
- Promise of “incomprehensible joy” (Alma 28:8; 29:9) – What kind of joy are we talking about in these verses? Is there anywhere else in all of scripture that helps us to understand what this kind of Joy is? The joy of extending salvation and repentance to others. This turns missionary work into items of joy and reasons for glorifying God.
- Promise of the gathering of scattered Israel (3 Nephi 16; 21-22) –
- Promise of blessings for our families (3 Nephi 18:21) –
- The final promise is a prophetic promise offered by President Hinckley of “an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.”
It impresses me that President Monson used the Book of Mormon as a tool in his ministering.
Teaching Activities:
Let’s read each of the scriptures referenced in the the talk and look of the promises in each.
Discuss the use of the Book of Mormon in our personal ministries. If nothing else, each of us has a ministry to our own families, our spouses and children.
Additional Promises that I have found in my own study and thought:
- 2 Nephi 31:19-20 – The promise of Eternal Life.
Judgment, The Final Judgment Day, Jesus Christ Judge
TG: Judgment: Rev 16:7 – “I hear another… say… Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are they judgments.”
-This establishes the standard for judgment. This statement also recognizes from where all truth flows. It is only appropriate that the final judge of our labors be He who has all truth.
¿? – Will we be held accountable for all our works? 1 Nephi 10:20 – “Therefore, remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment.”
¿? -What will become of us after the death of our bodies? 2 Nephi 9:15, “And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel (Christ); and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.”
Vs. 16 goes one to explain that our state at the Judgment and afterwards will be that as it was before hand. Those that were righteous and prepared will know what to expect and will be righteous still.
This provokes other ideas but I’d like to see them supported by scripture first.
2 Nephi 9:46 – This scripture tells much.
At the last day judgment, justice will be administered to the righteous. We are commanded to be prepared so we don’t shrink with fear because of our guilt.
This verse suggest teaches that at that day we will be perfect, I believe that means immortal, and in being in such a state we will know clearly all our guilt. For if we arrive at the day, still with that burden of guilt, we will be forced to proclaim: “Holy, holy, are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty – but I know my guilt; I transgressed the law, and my transgressions are mine (not Adam’s); and the devil hath obtained me that I am a prey to his awful misery. ”
Let the myth that when we become immortal we also become sinless be dismissed. For it is not so and we will then understand our guilt for our bodies, minds, hearts will be perfect.
Conclusion for the day: Even in briefly studying these verses, my understanding of the judgment is clearer and I am drawn [to] appreciate more so the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ, to prepare us for that great and final day. BL