Week 3: Unit 2: Choice 1: Live as Saints Should Live

Live as Saints Should Live

Romans 12-16

1. Review Romans 13:11 and look for what is "nearer." Read Ezekiel 3:20; Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; and explain in writing what we must continue doing to work out our salvation.

In order to continue doing the things that work out our salvation is that it is a constant thing that we need to work at day in and day out to be righteous and to to not do evil. It is not only just in the daily things though, we must endure to the very end of life and not just to a few days before death or before the Savior comes but enduring, doing all that our Father in Heaven asks of us until we have been brought before the judgement bar and obtained our celestial glory.

2. In Romans 12-13 Paul gave much counsel that leads to salvation. Read each of the following verses and list what Paul taught would lead to salvation:

Romans 12:1- giving our whole selves unto God as a sacrifice
Romans 12:2- doing the perfect will of God and nothing else
Romans 12:9- Cleave unto that which is good and love all people
Romans 12:13- be hospitable to all and making sure to serve all those around you
Romans 12:16- Be of the same mind and spirit as each other, be not about the things of the world be about the things to God.
Romans 12:21- Overcome evil with the good
Romans 13:1- Let your whole self be subject to the powers and desires of God.
Romans 13:3- Do that which is good and you shall receive the praise of God
Romans 13:8- Owe no one anything except to love one another no matter what
Romans 13:9- Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witnesses, do not covet, just love thy neighbor as you would love yourself and want to be loved.

Review Romans 14:1-13; 15:1-3. Then write answers to the following questions:

1. What cautions did Paul give about judging?

He cautions and warns that if we judge others we will be judged accordingly at the last day in front of the Lord. He also warns that judging anyone in any capacity is never a good productive thing that can or should be done at any point in our lives. He also warns that we need to love our neighbor and never reproach him.

2. People may have different opinions and practices, but what is most important to remember?

It is important to remember that we all must be as one and be always willing to accept that person for who they are and not for who we think they should be.

3. What additional insight comes from reading Doctrine and Covenants 38:25-27?

This is a great example in the scriptures of how we must all be one and not just picking and choosing who we are and are not one with we must always choose to not judge others but instead be one with them and love them unconditionally.

Review Romans 15:25-36, 31; 16:2, 15. Write the term Paul frequently used to refer to the members of the Church in his day.

He frequently refers to the members of the church of his day as saints.

 I loved this activity it was really eye opening for what the Lord expects each of us to be doing when it comes to how we act ourselves and how we choose to treat other people in our lives, especially those around us and our neighbors and fellow men. I have to always remember how important it is to always treat others how I would want to be treated in this life. Even if I may have differences of opinion with them it is vital to know that they are people to and their opinions matter.

Student Choice Activity: Week 3: Unit 1: Choice 2: Baptismo

Baptism

Romans 6

Review Romans 6:1-13 and answer the following question in writing:

1. What must be done with sin before baptism can occur?

We must give up the sins that we are committing at the time so that grace may abound with us in our hearts from forsaking those sins.

2. What events from Christ's life are symbolized in baptism?

Just like how Christ was buried in death and laid down in the grave and arose a new resurrected man, it is the same with us when we are submerged we are new people clean and have taken on new covenants with the Lord.

3. Considering this symbolism, why couldn't someone be baptized by sprinkling?

The reason for this is in order for it to be paralleled with Christ death it must be that we are brought down into the water like Christ was brought down and laid in the tomb at death. This is how we get the idea and importance of being full submerged into the water.

4. What do these verses teach us about how we can maintain the "newness of life"?

We can maintain the "newness of life" by making sure that we should live towards and for the idea of being resurrected like Christ was clean and pure from his own sins since he did not commit any. To me this means that we must live a repentant life and seek to be spotless before God at the last day.

5. According to Mosiah 3:19, what part of us would ideally die at baptism?

The part of us that would ideally die at baptism is the natural man, who is an enemy to God and to our salvation if we allow it to be.

According to Romans 6:14-23. Write a paragraph that describes how we know whose servant we are. Then write a statement identifying the true source of freedom

The biggest way that I got out of that of how we can know whose servant we are is who we choose to follow in our actions on a regular basis. Whether it be the things that God asks us to do or whether we choose not to follow the things that God asks us to do and as a result are following what Satan would have us do. Another big part of it is making sure that we seek after a life that is pleasing to our father in heaven and seek for his help and guidance to make us the people that he would have us be.

The true source of freedom is to be free from sin and to become servants of our Heavenly Father and be able to obtain everlasting life.

 I really enjoyed this activity because it continues to remind me over and over again of how great baptism is and all the great things that it stands for when it comes to the covenants and promises we have made to God as a result of being baptized. I feel so blessed to be able to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and to be able to of been baptized and to of received my endowments.

Student Choice Activity: Unit 2: Choice 5: Counsel for Missionaries

Counsel for Missionaries
Choice 5: 1 Thessalonians 1-2; 2 Thessalonians 1&3

1. A missionary shares his or her message with actions as well as with words. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-6; 2:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-11; 3: 7-9; and make a list of Pauls actions that complemented his teachings.

• Spoke to the people about the gospel even though they had suffered and were treated badly at the hand of that people
• Put their own lives at risk for the work of the Lord and in order to teach the gospel.
• Kind to a group of people that were so wicked and had committed so many sins.
• They were gently among the people and also gentle unto them.
• They worked every day and night with them or for this people.
• Comforted and exhorted each one of them like a father does for his child.
• Showed patience and strength through all of their persecutions.
• Did not ever behave disorderly in front of the people.
• They never did eat any mans bread for naught, but wrought with labor and travail night and day for those people.

2. Write a paragraph explaining what missionaries  could do in our day to act and teach in a godly manner.
The missionaries of old were such great examples of amazing missionaries in their day that they would be a great example to follow for any missionary. The biggest one that stuck out to me was how much they served those people even though they did not seem to deserve it because they were such a wicked, terrible people. I think this would be amazing thing for every missionary to be better at is serving not only its members but anyone that is in need on help along the way. The other thing that really stuck out to be is that idea that no matter how they were treated they always went back and continued to teach the people. This is something that I am sure many missionaries struggle with is going back to peoples houses that do not treat them kindly and I am sure this is something every missionary could work on in order to teach and act towards those people in a more godly manner.

3. What would be one way that you could apply these principles better in your life?
The one way that I could apply these principles better in my life is the idea of serving everyone even if they may not deserve it. It is easy sometimes I believe to just be looking out for ourselves and not for others. So my new goal is to try and look for other peoples needs first instead of my own needs.

This was a really great assignment for me because there is so much about missionary work that can be very pertinent to how any person acts with others on a regular basis. I loved the example of Pauls actions that he did no matter what situation that he may be in. This was very humbling to me to realize that there are many things that  I can do in my own life in order to become a better person and a better friend to those around me.

Student Choice Activity: Choice 2: Forgiveness

Forgiveness
Choice 2: 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

Review 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; Matthew 6:14-15; Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10. Then respond to the following questions:

1. What were the people of Corinth commanded to do "if any have caused grief"?
They were commanded to do a few different things. First, they were commanded to make sure that they forgive others so that they can also be forgiven of all the things that they have done that are not good either. Second, they were commanded to love those that had hurt them and to just love their fellow men in general. Lastly, they were told to make sure that they are obedient in all things that they do.

2. What blessing do we see if we forgive?
There are many blessings that can and do come if we forgive. The first is that we will be forgiven of our own sins which to me is a huge one. Along with that we will be able to better love those that we forgive. Lastly, we will be able to be more obedient next time we go to sin again.

3. What is the danger in failing to forgive?
There is a great danger in failing to forgive others, especially when they have sought for your forgiveness. The consequence is that if you cannot forgive others of their sins then you cannot be forgiven of your own sins either and will stand blameless before God for them.

I love the power of forgiveness and the great blessings that will be poured out to us as we choose to both forgive others and seek forgiveness. This is something that I want to get better at, making sure that I seek forgiveness and am quick to forgive people of the wrongs that they commit against me. I know that as I do this I will be able to better love those around me and also learn to quickly forgive everyone which I think would be an amazing attribute to have in this life.

Student Choice Unit 1: Choice 2: The Impact Of Example

The Impact of Example

Choice 2: 1 Corinthians 4:2, 9-17, 8:9-13

1. Read the institute manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 5:1, 11 "Did Paul Use the Word Fornication As We Use It Today?" (p.288). Write a few sentences comparing the moral condition of ancient Corinth with the moral condition of our day.

Wow I had no idea that Corinth was such and evil and vial place to live or to visit. Some of the things that they mentioned about prostitutes and about the evil that went on there reminds me of the world now when it comes to those things. Our world now though when it comes to morality issues continues to get worse and worse. Back then it was not done out in the open and seen as an accepted practice in society but now it seems in our day and age that this is a normal and accepted thing to be doing on a regular basis, instead of it being a sin like it should be and is considered in our church now.

2. Read 1 Corinthians 5:7-13. Describe in writing what Paul suggested the saints do to be protected against sin. How do the Saviors teachings in Matthew 5:29-30 apply to these principles?

The writing in Paul suggests that we purge ourselves from the things or people that cause us to sin. As a result of keeping away from those bad people and bad things he believes that it will allow us to not commit the sin anymore in essence because we are not tempted to commit the sin anymore. The Saviors teachings directly apply to these principles in that it talks about getting rid of both the sin and that part of the person that sins all together and getting rid of it no matter the cost. This to me is a slightly different way of approaching the same issue of getting rid of the sin and the thing that caused the sin in the first place.

This was a really eye opening blog post for me in that I had no clue how wicked the people of Corinth truly were until I did more research and reading about them. This is so sad that even back then there was that much evil in the world that in some ways is very similar to the evil that exists in our world now. It gives me more resolve to make sure that I continue to do what is right and do the things that God asks and wants me to do so that I never have to be around or in those kinds of places such as Corinth.

Second Student Choice Assignment: Week 1 Choice 4

Study Acts 19:1-12; 20:7-12; and list five priesthood ordinances Paul performed.

1. Conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands
2. Baptism by immersion
3. Blessing of the bread in the Sacrament
4. Blessing of the water in the Sacrament
5. Priesthood blessings
6. Gift of healing

Answer the following questions in writing:

1.What did Paul do for the Corinthian saints because it hadn't been done right the first time?
The thing that Paul did for the Corinthian saints was that he baptized the and gave them the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2. How does this help answer the question many nonmembers have about the need of being baptized when they have already been baptized?
The need for this comes from that it must be done under the proper authority (the priesthood) and also done by immersion fully into the water.
3. In what way did Paul bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost?
Paul bestowed the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.
4. On what day of the week did the saints meet to break bread? What evidence is there in John 20:1, 19 for why the Sabbath day was changed?
The Saints met on Monday to break bread as far as I could tell from what the verses were saying. Then the evidence that says that they changed the day of the Sabbath Day that says that the doors were shut and then Jesus came and told them they should be at peace.

I truly enjoyed doing this assignment as it truly opened my eyes to how many amazing things that apostles can and will do on a regular basis for its members or for those around them. The other remarkable thing I was thinking about was the idea that this is the power of the priesthood in itself and the things that Paul does are the same things that worthy priesthood holders can do on a regular basis in this gay and age as well which is such an amazing thing!  I also thought it was extremely interesting to know that the church used to meet on Mondays instead of Sundays like it does now.

Student Choice Assignment Week 1: Choice 4

Choice 4: Acts 7. The Martyrdom of Stephen
 

1.    Review Acts 6:6–8 and Acts 7:51–60. Then respond to the following items:

• Write a summary of Stephen’s last words and what impressed you about them. 

In essence Stephen is yet again trying to tell these people to repent of their sins and come unto God even though I am sure he knows how wicked these people are and that they would not listen to his words. This impresses me in that no matter what he wanted to finish and do the work that he has been asked to do as an apostle of the Lord on the earth. It did not matter to him that it would cost him his own life it only mattered that he said the things that God asked him to say and do. This is truly remarkable to me that much like some other prophets in scripture he was willing to lay his life down for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

•  What do we learn about the Godhead from these verses? 

From these verses you learn about the Godhead that both Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost are all 3 separate beings and not one being because he talks about Jesus and God standing next to each other and this would not be possible if they were all one being.

2.    Compare Stephen’s death to Abinadi’s in Mosiah 17:7–20. List how they were similar. What impact do their final testimonies have upon you? 

• They both were willing to give their lives for the Gospel of Jesus Chris
• They both had a burning testimony of Jesus Christ.
• They both believed that they needed to speak their last testimony before they died.
• They both asked God to receive their souls and they spoke of the consequences that these people would face as a result of their actions and as a result of either rejecting Jesus Chris or the idea that he would come.

The impact that their final testimonies have on me is a big one! They were amazing men who spent their lives dedicating it to the gospel. It was as a result of their great teachings that changed the lives of many people even if it did not seem that way at the time of their deaths. These men showed great examples that they were will to die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I wonder if I would be willing to do the same and I really hope that I would be willing to do so if I was ever faced with that decision.