Jude

Keep yourselves in the love of God

Mercy, peace and love can be multiplied when we are "sanctified of the father and preserved in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:1). In Jude 1:3 Jude counsels that we should "earnestly contend for the faith". To appropriately contend for the faith, we must share the gospel with others and strive to live our lives in accordance with gospel principles that we may be an example for good. We must stand up for what we believe in and do our part to uphold righteousness. The word contend means "to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties : struggle." When I think about the battle between good and evil, it is crucial for us to remain faithful to the gospel. This reminds me of Mormon and Moroni who contended for the faith until the very end. In Moroni 8:6 Mormon writes to his son "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God." No matter how difficult things are, we must remain faithful, keep trying and endure to the end.

In Jude 1:6 he refers to a "first estate". This refers to our pre-mortal existence. We know that those who kept their first estate and accepted God's plan were blessed to come to this earth to gain a body and be tried and tested in all things.

In Jude 1:9 he speaks of a dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil. From reading the student manual, I learned that this information came from and apocryphal book. Apocryphal means "of doubtful authenticity" . In D&C 91 which is a revelation given to Joseph Smith regarding the Apocrypha, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that the Apocrypha is mostly translated correctly, but there are many things in them that are not true due to information being changed by the hands of man. Article of Faith #8 states "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." I therefore would explain this odd disputation in this way, that we may not have accurate information regarding this because as Bruce R McConkie stated these apocryphal books were not included in the Bible, because they weren't necessarily correct in every way even though they contained some things of value. So we may not have all the information we need or even all the correct information regarding this.

In Jude 1:14, Jude states that when the Savior comes again, he will be accompanied by ten thousands of his saints.

From my reading of Jude 1:17; 20-25 I have learned that in order for us to avoid the evils that come from false teachers, we must remember the words of the apostles. I think that this is so important for us to remember, because they are men called of God to guide us and lead us back to Heavenly Father. They speak the words of God and they will not lead us astray. We also need to pray and seek our own revelation and guidance from the Lord. Verse 20 states that we build up our faith through prayer and through the Holy Ghost. When we do these things, it keeps us from being lead away by false teachers because Heavenly Father has provided ways for us to receive the truth and guidance that we need to return to Him.

Another way that Jude teaches us to avoid false teachers is for us to look to the Lord for mercy. We must stay close to him and remember that He is the way for us to gain exaltation. We must turn from sin, repent and follow the Savior's example. Our Savior is the only one who can cleanse us from sin and present us back into our Heavenly Father's presence where we can have everlasting joy.

To complete this assignment, I read, ponder and studied the designated scriptures and section from the student manual. I also cross-referenced scriptures to gain deeper understanding.

I chose this particular assignment because I liked the topic and wanted to learn more about what Jude taught on this subject.

The best thing about this assignment was learning ways that we can avoid the evils from false teachers. I think that the dangers of being lead away by false teachers are increasing and we really need to be firm in our testimonies so that we are not deceived. The scriptures teach us how we can build a firm foundation and not be lead away.

I am not sure how this could be improved. I studied and pondered what I needed to and felt like I gained a lot from this assignment. I guess that I could have taken more time to cross reference scriptures a little more and perhaps this would help me to make deeper connections, but overall I really enjoyed this assignment.

That ye may have fellowship with God.

In 1 John chapters 1-3, we learn from John's teachings that we need to gain fellowship with God and come to know Him. John teaches us several ways that we can have fellowship with God. The following verses teach us ways that we can accomplish this.

1 John 1:8-10

• recognize our sins
• confess our sins (repent)

1 John 2:3-6

• keep God's commandments
• follow the example of our Savior

1 John 2:9-11; 3:11-19

• love others
• help those in need

1 John 2:15-17

• "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world"
• keep ourselves from pride

1 John 2:20-21,27

• we must be taught by the spirit
• have a testimony of Jesus Christ

1 John 3:4-6

• we must not continue in sin

As we do the things that John admonishes, we draw closer to God and we invite his spirit to be with us. We can have fellowship with him. As I look at this list and think of how I can implement this counsel in my life to strengthen my relationship with God, I want to focus on loving others. I can implement this in my life by praying for increased love for others as well as for opportunities to serve. I can strive to be more patient with my family and others and try harder to build people up instead of finding their faults. I can also focus on heeding the promptings that come to serve others. All to often I second guess those promptings or fail to act on them and I need to respond quickly and without question when those promptings come to me. I also can be more mindful of others needs and then serve with a joyful heart and a spirit of gratitude that I can share my time and talents with others. The scriptures teach us that in order for us to truly love God, we must love his children. 1 John 4:21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

To complete this assignment, I read the required verses to make a list of John's teachings.

I chose this assignment because I really liked these verses and it really stood out to me just how important it is for us to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and have that fellowship with him.

The best thing about this assignment was being able to reflect on areas where I can improve and draw closer to God.

I am not sure how this assignment can be improved other than to set goals that will help me focus on my desire to love and serve others and note the changes that happen within myself.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Hebrews chapter 11 lists many people from the Bible who showed great faith. Here I have listed some of those mentioned as well as the way the showed their faith and the blessings that they received in return.
My table can be found here.

There are many examples of men and women who showed great faith throughout the scriptures. These are three other people or groups of people that I think could be added to this list.

1. Joseph Smith. He had great faith that God would give him direction and tell him which church he should join. After reading James 1:5 he retired to a grove of trees and offered a humble prayer for direction. His faith led to the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the earth in the latter days.
2. Nephi’s great faith in returning to Laban to retrieve the Brass Plates. He knew that God would provide a way for him to accomplish his task that seemed near impossible to accomplish. "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."(1 Nephi 4)
3. The 2,000 stripling young warriors who bravely went to battle to protect their homes, families and liberties with a great faith that God would deliver them. They were taught by their mothers. (Alma 56)

In Hebrews 12:1-2, Paul encouraged the saints to lay aside sin, and continue on with patience (endure), and look to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher (one who completes or finishes) of our faith.

Faith is different than belief. Belief in something is passive. It doesn’t require action on our part. Faith on the other hand includes a belief in something, but it is more than that, it leads us to action. We can believe in Christ, that he lived and that he exists, but faith in him requires us to trust him and follow his example. When we have faith, we believe that we can become like him and we have faith when we keep the commandments and live worthy lives to become joint heirs with Christ.

To complete this assignment, I read the required reading, created my chart and answered the additional questions listed in the assignment.

I chose this assignment, because the topic of faith was of great interest to me and in reading Hebrews 11, I was very interested in the examples of faith that Paul lists from the Bible.

The best thing about my assignment was pondering and distinguishing the difference between belief and faith. I also enjoyed learning from the examples of faith and thinking about how they could relate to me and my life. I am not sure how this assignment could have improved. I thought that it gave me lots of different ways to study faith.

Paul's affection for Timothy

Paul's counsel to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:1-7 shows the great love and concern that Paul had for Timothy. It is almost that of a father's love for his son. His counsel to Timothy is very similar to the counsel that Mormon gave to his son Moroni in Moroni 8:3; 9:6, 22, 25.

Paul's counsel to Timothy:

• First, he refers to Timothy as his son
• He prays for him without ceasing (night and day)
• Filled with joy because of Timothy's faithfulness
• Encourages him to continue serving in his calling
• Admonishes that fear is not of God, but power and love are.

Mormon's counsel to Moroni

• Prays continually for Moroni
• Prays that Moroni may continue on in faith through the grace of God.
• Encourages Moroni to labor diligently
• Counsels Moroni to not be weighed down, but be lifted up with a remembrance of Christ, his sufferings, death and resurrection that Moroni may have hope of eternal life.

Both men expressed a great love, Paul to Timothy and Mormon to Moroni. Paul thought of Timothy like a son and Moroni was actually Mormon's son. They both prayed for them, encouraged them to labor and serve in their calling and both taught that they should not fear or be weighed down, but put their trust in God and exercise faith in Christ.

In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul notes Timothy's grandmother's and mother's faith. I think Paul makes mention of these two women, because perhaps they were very influential in Timothy's life and in teaching him the gospel. This reminded me of the 2,000 stripling warriors, who had such faith, because they were taught by their mother's and they did not doubt their mother's knew it (Alma 56:48).

Paul gave the assurance that the spirit of fear is not of God, but what comes from God is power through the Holy Ghost and a spirit of love. When I think of what was going on in the lives of these men at the time that Paul wrote this, I can see why it was important for Paul to give this counsel to Timothy. The saints were being persecuted and it was a troublesome time for the church as a great apostasy was beginning. But I think that Paul's counsel is very relevant for us today, because as the prophets of our day say, we live in "perilous times" as well. But we should not live with a spirit of fear either. We need to put our faith in God and continue to serve him and have a hope in Christ that if we remain faithful to the end, we can have eternal life.

In 2 Timothy 1:15-18 Paul speaks of the house of Onesiphorus and he blesses it with the Lord's mercy. He did this because of the hospitality and kindness that he showed to Paul. When Paul was in Rome, Onesiphorus sought him out and was not ashamed of Paul. I think that this is significant, because Paul was not a popular person in Rome at that time and it may not have been a good thing for Onesiphorus to be associated with him. Paul blessed him that he would find mercy from the Lord.

In Matthew 25:35-40, we learn that when we serve and care for others, we are in the service of our God. Just as Paul blessed Onesiphorus, we can receive similar blessings when we serve and care for others. When we serve our families, our neighbors, and in our church callings, we are serving God and he will bless us also.

In 2 Timothy 1:16 Paul states that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of his chain. Matt 11:29 and Jacob 1:8 can help us to understand what Paul meant by that. I believe that it means that we should endure all things for Christ's sake. That we should be true disciples of Christ following his example and being willing to stand as a witness of him at all times even though we may be persecuted for it. I think that when he says that Onesiphorous was not ashamed of his chain, it means that he stood by Paul even though Paul was suffering afflictions because of his preaching and belief in Christ. Onesiphorous was not ashamed to support him.

I read and pondered the required verses and cross referenced scriptures to help me understand Paul's counsel to Timothy.

I chose this assignment, because I was really touched by Paul's love for Timothy and the desire that he had to help him in his calling.

My favorite thing about this assignment was the counsel that the spirit of fear is not of God. As our world becomes more and more wicked, it is easy to become fearful, but we are reminded that we should not fear, but put our faith in God and press forward with a hope that we can have his spirit with us and if we remain faithful to the end, we can gain eternal life.

My assignment could have been improved by cross referencing other scriptures regarding fear to learn how we can eliminate that from our lives by putting our trust in God.

We can find solutions to life's challenges in the scriptures

My assignment this week was to find solutions in the scriptures for some common issues that we or others may encounter.

1. People sometimes argue and complain over petty matters in church meetings or throughout the week.

Paul's counsel to the saints in Phillipians 2:1-8, 14-15 teaches us several things that can help us find solutions to this challenge.

• We should be like minded
• Compassionate
• We should be of one accord (united)
• No strife
• Humble, esteem others better than themselves
• Christlike

If we are striving to emulate Christ, we will treat others with respect, compassion and love. We will be humble and place other's concerns and needs above our own. I can see why this counsel was given, if all members of the church responded in this way, there would be unity and the petty issues would disappear. If we find ourselves in this situation, we can try to follow this counsel and respond to others who may disagree in a loving way so as not to ignite feelings of strife. This also reminds me of the scripture that states "a soft answer turneth away wrath." (Proverbs 15:1) Our response to these encounters can either fan the flames or quench them.

2. Many youth feel that their parents' testimony is sufficient for them. Since they have good parents, they rely on them for all their spiritual strength.

In philippians 2:12-15, Paul's counsel in regards to this situation is as follows:

• We must work out our own salvation. (verse 12)
• We must do all things without murmuring and disputing. (verse 14)
• Paul teaches that as we become sons and daughters of God, that we can stand in the midst of a wicked generation and "shine as lights in the world".

We must each gain our own testimony. It is part of working out our salvation to come unto Christ. Without our testimonies, we cannot stand steadfast and immovable. When we gain our own testimony it changes who we are and what we do and we can shine as lights in the world by being an example to others and sharing our testimony with those who do not have the gospel or a testimony of their own; that we may show them how to work out their own salvation as well.

3. An investigator is considering joining the Church, but his family will no longer associate with him if he does.

This is a tough situation, but Paul gives some great counsel in Philippians 3:7-16 and 4:13.

• He essentially teaches that it is worth giving up everything to "win Christ and be found in him"(phl 3:8-9)
• In Phl 4:13 He gives the encouragement with his words, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me".

This would be a very difficult decision to join the church at the loss of ones family, but the blessings that come to us through accepting the gospel and making and keeping covenants through baptism are worth whatever sacrifice we need to make, and we can have the assurance that we will receive the strength that we need when we are obedient to God's commandments.

Writing this assignment is an example of the principle found in 2 Nephi 32:3, because Nephi teaches us in this verse that "the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." As we feast upon the words as Nephi suggests, we can receive revelation from God to lead us in our lives. The scriptures were written for us. We can find solutions to our challenges as we read, study and ponder them.

I completed this assignment by pondering the different challenges, studying the scriptures listed and finding the principles that would offer a solution to those challenges.

I chose this assignment, because I felt like it was a good opportunity for me to ponder the scriptures to see how we can find direction and solutions to our problems. These may not have been my own problems, but I know that when my challenges arise, I can seek guidance and direction through the scriptures, and I know that I will find it there.

The best thing about this assignment was relating it to 2 Nephi 32:3. This made this a little more personal to me because I know that when my challenges come, as they often do, we are taught to seek answers in the scriptures.

This assignment could be improved by keeping a journal of the challenges I face or the difficulties I encounter and the answers that I receive from reading the scriptures. I think that if I will do this, I will better see how the scriptures are alive and how they teach us what we need to do to return to our Heavenly Father. We will also see his hand in our life and we can strengthen our testimony of his love for us.

Live as Saints should live

Choice 1, Romans 12-16. Live as Saints should live.

In Romans 13:11 Paul states that our salvation is nearer. There are things that we need to continue doing to work on our salvation. In Ezekiel 3:20 we learn that we must warn others and not turn from our righteousness. D&C 14:7 teaches us that must keep the commandments and endure to the end.

In Romans 12-13 Paul teaches the things that we need to do that will lead us to salvation.

• Romans 12:1, Self sacrifice. We must deny ourselves of all ungodliness and render all that we have and are to God.
• Romans 12:12, Self mastery. We must not be conformed to the world or worldly things. Put off the natural man.
• Romans 12:9. We must love sincerely (charity), abhor evil, and cleave to good.
• Romans 12:13. We must take care of others (service) and be kind.
• Romans 12:16. We must not be prideful. We need to be meek and humble, and not lift ourselves above another.
• Romans 12:21. Paul counsels us to not be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good.
• Romans 13:1. We must be submissive and obedient to God.
• Romans 13:3. We mus do good.
• Romans 13:8. We must owe no man anything, and love one another.
• Romans 13:9. Thou shalt not steal, bear false witness, or covet. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

In Romans 14:1-13 and Romans 15:1-3, Paul gives us some counsel in regards to judging others. He cautions that we should not judge others. We are all on different levels, and none of us are perfect. Only God can judge. Judging others can be a stumbling block to others.

People may have different opinions and practices and we may not always see eye to eye, but it is important to remember that Christ is the judge. We should all strive to edify one another. Christ suffered and died for us, it is through his atoning sacrifice that we can be forgiven. He is the only one that can judge us and we will stand before Him and God and give an account of ourselves. It is important for us to focus on ourselves and not waste time judging others. We can gain additional insight into this principle in D&C 38:25. We learn that we must treat everyone fairly. God loves all of his children the same and he will judge fairly. When we judge others, we may not know all the circumstances that surround their ideas and choices, which leads us to judge unfairly. God wants us to be united and not caught up in disputations that may arise from judging unfairly.

Paul refers to the members of the church in his day as Saints. I found this interesting as we are referred to Saints in our day as well. His counsel was just as relevant for the members of the church in their day as it is to us in our day.

I completed this assignment by reading the required verses, cross referencing scriptures to gain additional insight, and pondering my response to the questions.

I chose this assignment, because I felt that it would be a great resource for me to create a list of things that I need to work on for my own salvation.

The best thing about my assignment was the insight I gained into what things we should be doing for our own salvation. I really enjoyed making this list and pondering on these things.

I struggled a little bit with understanding all of Pauls words regarding judging of others. I did my best to understand, and if I had had more time, I could have spent more time pondering each verse. to gain a deeper understanding of Pauls counsel.

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation

Choice 1: Romans 1. The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation,

Jesus Christ is the Son of David in the flesh through his lineage. He is the son of God in flesh and in spirit. Because of his royal lineage through David, he could reign on earth, but through his royal lineage, being the only begotten of the Father, he is the heir to all that the Father has. He has the authority to reign in heaven and on earth through that lineage. He has the authority to act in God’s name and to do his will.

It was essential for the Savior to be mortal in that he needed to gain a body and have to ability to die. He needed a mortal body to atone for our sins and to lay down his life for us. However, he needed to be immortal to have the power to lay down his life and take it up again. Being immortal would allow him to fulfill God’s plan.

In Roman’s 1:15-20 Paul gives us some insight into his feelings about the gospel. In verse 16, Paul states that he is not ashamed of the gospel. He was not afraid to share the gospel with others. Not only was he not afraid, but he had a great desire to share the gospel with others. He had a testimony that the gospel was the power of God unto salvation. In verse 18 he testifies that the gospel is truth.

I can show that I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ through my obedience to the commandments. It isn’t always popular by the world’s standards to live in accordance with the gospel, and another way that I can show that I am not ashamed, is by standing up for what I believe. I can share the gospel with others, use my right to vote to vote for things that are in accordance with my morals and principles, I can serve faithfully in my calling and I can keep myself unspotted from the world.

In Romans 1:21-32, Paul lists some of the sins of the people

• Knew God, but did not glorify Him
• Ingratitude
• Vain (corrupt in reasoning)
• Hearts were darkened
• Professing themselves to be wise (Pride)
• Worshipping idols
• Unclean through the lusts of their hearts
• Changed truth of God to a lie
• Worshipped and served the creature more than the creator
• Homosexuality
• Did not like to retain God in their knowledge
• Filled with unrighteousness
• Fornication
• Wickedness
• Covetousness
• Maliciousness
• Full of envy
• Murder
• Debate (strife/discord)
• Deceit
• Malignity
• Whispers
• Back biters
• Haters of God
• Despiteful
• Proud
• Boasters
• Inventors of evil things
• Disobedient to parents
• Covenant breakers
• Without natural affections
• Implacable
• Unmerciful
• Knew the judgments of God, but transgressed anyway, or sympathized with others who did

My assignment was then to put a checkmark next to the sins that are still a problem today and I marked every one. The problems that Paul saw in his day are still happening today. Paul gives some reasons why people commit these sins
• They knew God, but would not glorify him as God (vs. 21)
• Follow the lusts of their hearts (vs. 24)
• They don’t retain God in their knowledge (vs. 28)
• They pull away from God through sin. They withdraw from the spirit so that it cannot work in them for good. (vs. 24,28)

In Romans 1:25, Paul states that the people “worshipped and served the creature more than the creator”. In Romans 8:19 the footnote gives some additional insight into what is meant by the creature, it says creation or material universe, so I believe that this means that they worshipped the things of the world more than God who created all things. I believe that they failed to recognize God’s hand in their lives and failed to glorify Him.

To complete this assignment, I read and pondered the required reading, I also discussed some of the principles with my husband.

I chose this assignment, because I believe that when we study the scriptures about Jesus Christ, it helps our testimonies to grow. I knew this would be a good opportunity to study the Savior and his gospel.

I really like the list of sins that Paul mentioned were evident in his day and realizing that those are still continuing. It helps me to see what areas I can improve in. This assignment could have been improved by studying other prophets who were not ashamed of the gospel and how they manifested that.

Forgiveness

In 2 Cor 2:1-11 the Corinthians were commanded to forgive those that have caused grief. They were also commanded to comfort them and confirm their love toward them. I love Paul's counsel to comfort and love those who have wronged you. This can be extremely hard to do, but great blessings come to ourselves and those who have wronged when we forgive, comfort and show love. I think this is especially true in families where offenses often take place. Forgiveness and love can bring unity back to the family.

Forgiveness brings blessings. We learn in D&C 64:10 that the Lord will forgive who he will, but of us it is required to forgive all men. Our Heavenly Father has told us that if we will forgive others, then he will forgive us of our trespasses.

If we choose not to forgive, we are denying ourselves forgiveness from God (Matt 64:14-15). We will stand condemned before God and there remaineth in us the greater sin. (D&C 64:9-10). Paul taught the Corinthians that there was danger in failing to forgive. He taught that Satan could get the advantage over us.

I've been thinking about this assignment, and I wanted to add a few connections that I've made as I have pondered these verses in the scriptures. I had the opportunity to attend my brother's wedding in the Salt Lake Temple yesterday. His temple sealer taught that God does not command us to do anything that isn't for our good or to strengthen us. Forgiveness isn't always for the person who wronged us. When we forgive and let go of hurt, we free ourselves from feelings of anger, hurt and revenge, and as Paul taught, forgiveness provides protection from the adversary. It keeps him from getting advantage over us. This commandment is meant to bless us regardless of whether the offender has apologized or not. We do not need to hold onto to hurt or pain. The Lord will help us to forgive those who have wronged us.

To complete this assignment, I studied the required verses and made a list of the blessings and dangers that are associated with forgiveness.

I chose this assignment because forgiveness is a principle that everyone has to gain a testimony of. It can be really difficult to forgive those who have wronged us, but I think that it is important to be reminded that forgiveness is a commandment and if we want the Lord to forgive us, then we need to forgive others.

The best part about my assignment was making the connection that God's commandments are meant to strengthen us. While sometimes it may seem unfair to forgive an offender who has not repented, we can be assured that if we will keep the commandment to forgive, God will bless us and our lives will be enriched.

My assignment could have been improved by studying accounts of forgiveness in the scriptures. A few that come to mind are Nephi, Stephen, Jesus Christ. I also think that studying the connection that charity has to forgiveness could improve this assignment. It takes charity to forgive.

Gifts of the spirit

Choice 7: 1 Cor. 12-14, Gifts of the Spirit.

In 1 Cor 12: 13-22 We learn that no matter what our calling in the church, we are doing important work. Each person labors in their calling whatever it may be, but we are all united in a common purpose to edify each other and build up the kingdom of God on the earth. There is not one calling or person who can do all the work alone. Our callings no matter how insignificant are important to the whole.

The apostle Paul speaks of spiritual gifts in chapters 13 and 14 of 1 Cor. We learn from Paul that charity is the "more excellent" spiritual gift. If we have charity, it helps us better use the gifts of the spirit. (1 Cor 13:1-3).

Charity is:

• long suffering
• kind
• rejoicing in truth
• beareth all things (keeps out resentment)
• believeth all things
• hopeth all things
• endureth all things
• never failing (love is not easily removed from its place)

Charity is not:

• envy
• bragging (vaunteth not itself)
• puffed up
• unseemly behavior
• selfish (seeketh not her own)
• easily provoked (irritable, exasperated, anger)
• thinking evil
• rejoicing in iniquity

In order for us to become like the Savior, we need to develop charity. To develop charity, we need to develop the attributes of it. I would like to increase my ability to not be easily provoked. It is so easy sometimes to be irritated with people for various reasons. At times it is my children or family and at other times it could be the slow checker at the grocery store or the guy who won't drive the speed limit. We know that we should be slow to anger or slow to be irritated, but it is not always easy to do. In Moroni 7:45-48 we learn that to develop charity we need to pray with all energy of heart to be filled with the love of Christ. My plan to improve in this area is to seek help from my Heavenly Father in my daily prayers, and then try to replace feelings of irritability or anger with love. Give people the benefit of the doubt and seek to be more Christ like.

Paul also taught about the Gift of Tongues in 1 Cor. 14. The gift of Tongues is for the benefit of the servants of God to preach to the unbelievers (vs. 22). Joseph Smith taught that we should not speak in the gift of tongues without and interpreter or understanding it. He also taught that things that are taught by tongues are not to be received for doctrine. The devil can speak in tongues, so this gift should not be applied to that which God does not intend. God is the author of peace, not confusion (vs. 33).

Resurrection of the Savior

Choice 2: Acts 1. Special witnesses of the Resurrected Savior

After his resurrection, Christ appeared to many people and groups of people.

John 20:14-18
The Savior appeared to Mary Magdalene. As Mary sat weeping at the empty tomb, Christ appeared to her and asked her why she was weeping. At first, she did not recognize him, but as he called her by name, Mary's eyes were opened and she knew that he was Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:13-31
Cleopas and another man were walking to Emmaus. As they were walking and discussing what had happened, Christ appeared to them. Their eyes were holden and they did not recognize him. He asked them what they were speaking about and why they were sad just as he had done to Mary. After Christ spoke with them awhile, their eyes were opened and they knew him (vs31).

3 Nephi 11:8-16
The Nephites saw a man descending out of heaven. The Savior tells them that he is Jesus Christ. He testified to them that he is the light of the world and that he glorified the father by taking upon him the sins of the world. The multitude was allowed to thrust their hands in his side and feel the prints in his hands and feet.

The way that Christ appeared to these groups and individuals is different, but the similarities are that they may not have recognized him at first, but they all gained a witness that he was Jesus Christ and that he had risen. They then bore witness and told others that they had seen the Savior

Who was the author of Acts and why was it written?
It is believed that Luke is the author of Acts. That it is the 2nd of two parts written to Theophilus the book of Luke being the first. It was written as a record of what Jesus began to do and preach(Acts 1:1) It was a record of the things that had been fulfilled (Luke 1:1) Luke wrote them as an eyewitness and a messenger of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:2)

Why do you think the doctrine of the resurrection is so central to the preaching of these witnesses of Christ?
The resurrection was so central to the preachings of the apostles and disciples of Christ, because Paul states in 1 Cor 15:13-14 that if there was no resurrection, then Christ is not risen. If Christ is not risen then their preaching and faith is in vain. The plan of salvation which is central to the gospel depends upon Christ atoning for our sins and providing a way for us to be resurrected and exalted. It is the very basis of the gospel. To be converted to the gospel, we need to accept Christ as our Savior.

In completing this assignment, I studied Acts 1:1 and Luke 1:1-3, as well as the TG entry for Jesus Christ appearances post mortal. I studied the chapters listed above and created found similarities in the appearance of Christ to those people and groups of people

I chose this assignment, because I wanted to spend some time pondering the resurrection. As we study the resurrection and the Savior, our testimonies will be strengthened.

The best thing about this assignment was finding the similarities between Christs appearance to people after his resurrection. At some point their eyes were opened and they knew who he was. We can have the same blessing if we seek him.

I could have improved this assignment by taking some extra time to learn about Luke and perhaps gaining more insight into why he wrote the book of Acts

Counsel for missionaries

Paul was a great missionary. This weeks assignment was for me to read various scriptures in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians and look for Pauls actions that complimented his teachings.

1. Thanked God for those that he served.
2. Prayed for them.
3. Recognized and gave thanks for the good things that those he taught had done.
4. He was a good example.
5. He was humble and recognized that the Holy Ghost was the true teacher and the source of testimony.
6. He was bold to speak the gospel.
7. He spoke not to please man, but to please God.
8. He was sincere.
9. He didn't use flattering words
10. He was not covetous.
11. He did not seek the glory of men.
12. He was gentle.
13. He was willing to give of himself for others.
14. He loved those he taught.
15. He worked and laboured so as not to be a burden to anyone.
16. He behaved well and justly.
17. He cared for and comforted others.

Missionaries in our day can learn a lot from Paul. I believe that even if we are not called as full time missionaries, we can still be missionaries and benefit from Paul's example. Missionaries can first and foremost pray for those they teach. They can humble themselves and pray for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is important for missionaries to remember that the Holy Ghost is the true teacher and the source of testimony. Missionaries can pray to love those that they serve. It also important for missionaries to remember that they are representatives of Jesus Christ and their behavior should reflect that. People are often times more influenced by actions than by words. Missionaries can also pray for strength to speak the gospel with boldness; to speak to please God and not man. Missionaries need to work hard, look for opportunities to serve and strive to love and care for those that they teach.

As a mother of four boys, I can take what I've learned from these scriptures and apply them in my life to help me be a better mom and to teach my boys while they are young. I plan to share what I've learned in a Family Home Evening lesson to encourage and help my boys develop some of these traits that will help them to be better missionaries someday. One action that I can work on as a parent is to recognize the good things that my children do and praise them for those good things. Sometimes as parents, we focus more on the things that need correcting. Recognizing the good in others is a great motivator for them to continue to do good. As member missionaries, these same characteristics can also help us to bring others to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Acts 6 & 7

Just prior to Stephen's death, he testified that he could see Jesus Christ on the right hand of God. His final words were a plea for God to receive his spirit and then he offered forgiveness to those who were taking his life by crying "Lord, lay not this sin at their charge." (Acts 7:60)

I am impressed by Stephens faith and testimony. To not deny what he knew to be true in the face of evil. I can't imagine being in a situation where you must give your life for your beliefs. Stephen had such great faith and near the end he pleads for God to receive him. He knew that there was something better waiting for him. The ultimate sign of Stephen's testimony and conversion to the Lord was his pleading for those who were taking his life. I was most impressed by his ability to not only forgive, but to ask God to not blame those who were in the act of taking his life. We are taught that we must forgive others and pray for our enemies. Stephen is an amazing example to me of one who was faithful to this principle.

From these verses, we learn that the Godhead is three distinct beings. We read that by the power of the Holy Ghost Stephen saw the heavens open and he saw Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of God. They are united in their mission. They were all three present at the time of Stephen's death.

In Mosiah 17:7-20 we read about Abinadai. Abinadai was also martyred for his beliefs. Their deaths were similar in a lot of ways. Both had preached the word of god with boldness. Those who heard their words were angry with them and sought to take their lives. Neither would deny his testimony to save his life. Their testimonies were rejected by wicked men. Both men bore testimony up until their last dying breath and sealed their testimonies by their deaths. Both men asked God to receive their spirit.

As I read their final testimonies, I feel a great desire and duty to learn from their words. I have been thinking a lot about Elder Halstroms talk from conference about being active vs. converted. When I think about these two men, I know that they were truly converted to the Lord. They gave up their lives for what they knew to be true. Most of us will not be asked to give up our lives for the gospel, but we need to be converted and be willing to share our testimonies with others even when it may not be popular by the world's standards.