Student Choice Assignment #9: Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants

Choice #3 (section 52):

Who’s who in the Doctrine and Covenants? Look up ten names of people you are unfamiliar with that are mentioned in Section 52, and read a brief biography of them in Susan Easton Black’s Who’s Who in the Doctrine and Covenants (or a comparable resource available to you). What do you learn about their lives that helps you better appreciate the principles of the gospel as taught in the revelations? How are you like/unlike these people? What can you learn from their lives that will help you be a better disciple in your own?

1. Lyman Wight

2. John Corrill

3. Solomon Hancock

4. Thomas B. Marsh

5. Ezra Thayre

6. Isaac Morley

7. Ezra Booth

8. Harvey Whitlock

9. Simeon Carter

10. Edson Fuller

11. Jacob Scott

12. Levi W. Hancock

13. Zebedee Coltrin

14. Reynolds Cahoon

15. Wheeler Baldwin

16. William Carter

17. Selah J. Griffin

18. Newel Knight

19. Joseph Wakefield

20. Solomon Humphrey

21. Heman Basset

I went through and read all that was written on Section 52 in this link and was truly amazed at the men that were talked about in this Section. I learned so much more about the early missionary work of the church that I had never even heard of before! The things I learned from their lives that it was not an easy task that they faced in order to preach the gospel but many of them did it with happiness and a desire just to serve the Lord. This is something that I believe that all of us can do better at, is always having a desire to do the Lords will, no matter what he asks. I feel like I am alike these men in the aspect of that I have the desire to do what the Lord asks me to do no matter what it is. This is not something that I am perfect at yet but that I continue to strive for every day. I think that these people though had the kind of Faith that I want to have so badly in this life.

There were many things that I learned from this and found, as things that can help me be a better disciple of Christ. These things are:

Faith, Courage, Love of the Lord more then themselves or their wants, willingness to do whatever was necessary to feel the spirit so that they could preach it to others, willingness to do whatever the Lord asks of them, no matter what the cost.

Student Choice Assignment #8: Signs of the Times

#2 Sections 45

What are the ten most significant signs you feel the Lord is giving his Saints in this revelation? Please explain, describe, and reference these signs in section 45. ​
 
1. D&C 45:17 “restoration of the scattered Israel”

·      All those who have been scattered will be gathered together again before Jesus Christ comes again.

2.  D&C 45:18 “behold this temple which is in Jerusalem, which ye call the house of God, and your enemies say that this house shall never fall.”

·      There shall be a temple built in Jerusalem before Christ comes again and our enemies will know how important and great of a place that it is.

3. D&C 45:24-25 “ 24 And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scatter among all the nations;

25 But they shall be gathered again; but they shall reaming until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

• His children will be scattered but will then be gathered again in the last days.

4. D&C 45:26 “ and in that say shall be heard of ward and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.

·      This is full of a lot of signs. First that there will be wars are rumors of wars, much of which is already occurring today. Second, that the whole earth will be in commotion, which also is very evident in the world today. Lastly, Christ will not come until the earth is almost utterly destroyed.

5. D&C 45: 27 “And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound.”

·      This is something that I feel we see very often in the world right now where there are so many wicked people who do not seek for the well being of others and instead seek after their own well being.

6. D&C 45: 28 “And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness and it shall be the fullness of my gospel.”

·      The gospel will be spread to all people all over the world who have never had the chance to have knowledge of it such as in the Middle East.

7. D&C 45: 31 “they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall come over the land.”

·      There will be many more sicknesses and diseases that exist in the world. I think this is something that already is happening more readily every day. Every day they are finding new infections and disease that threaten to kill or do kill the people of the world; it is only going to get worse.

8. D&C 45: 33 “ And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another.”

·      This is also another one with lots of signs in it. First there shall be earthquakes in many different places in the world, which we see more and more of all the time, all over the world. Second, men hardening their hearts against Jesus Christ which happens all the time with people leaving the church and also with people not being willing to accept the gospel. Lastly, when they take up swords against each other and kill one another is also something that we see happening regularly these days with all of the wars going on in the world.

9. D&C 45: 32 “But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift their voices and curse God and die.”

·      This to me was really interesting to know that even in these hard times the disciples of the Lord will not stop preaching the word of the Lord. We though do not have reason to fear as long as we are righteous because we will be protected.

10. D&C 45: 42 “And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood and the stars fall from heaven.”

·      The sun will be darkened, the moon will turn to red and the stars will not longer be able to be seen.

What three main principles of the gospel does God emphasize and associate with these Second Coming signs that a disciple living during such turbulent times would be wise to give heed to?

1. D&C 45:35 “Be no troubled, for, when all these things ahll come to pass, ye may know the promises which have been made unto shall be fulfilled.”

·      Be not troubled because those who are righteous will receive the amazing blessings they have been promised.

2. D&C 45: 39 “And it shall come to apps that he that feareth me shall be looking forth fro the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.”

·      Look for the signs and do not fear the coming of the Lord

3. D&C 45: 32 “But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift their voices and curse God and die.”

·      Stand in Holy Places towards the Lord

Student Choice Assignment #7: Being a Disciple of Christ

Choice #2

What is the Lord’s definition of a disciple? (Section 41)

D&C 41:5 says “He that recieveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he recieveith it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you.”

Based upon the standards that the Lord gives to the Church in the “law” Section (42), create twenty “Disciple Recommend Questions” which could be asked of someone claiming to be a disciple of Christ. 

1. v. 11-14- Do you have the Spirit/have you received it?

2. v. 18-19- Do you obey the 5^th commandment of “thou shall not kill”

3. v. 20- Do you refrain from stealing?

4. v. 21- Do you refrain from lying to others?

5. v. 22-24- Do you cleave/look  unto your spouse and no one else?

6. v. 27- Do you avoid and refrain from speaking badly about others?

7. v. 29- Do you love the Lord enough to serve him and keep his commandments?

8. v. 30-34, 37-39- Do you give items that are to be consecrated to the Lord?

9. v. 40- Are you humble in all of your doings?

10. v. 41- Are you clean before God?

11. v. 42- Do you avoid being idle?

12. v. 43-44- Do you have faith in the timing of the Lord an the things he blesses you with?

13. v. 45- Do you love all of your fellow men, even those who are not righteous?

14. v. 52- Do you bear other infirmities/trials with them?

15. v. 53- Do you act within your stewardship and fulfill your callings in the church?

16. v. 54-55- Do you pay your tithes and offerings to the Lord?

17. v. 56-60- Do you apply and live the teachings of the scriptures in your daily life?

18. v. 61- Have you asked the Lord in prayer for answers and things that are righteous?

19. v. 75-87- Do you obey the ten commandments?

20 v. 88-92- Do you repent daily of the things you have done in your life so that you can come closer to the Lord?

When you have a question for each reference, conduct a personal interview asking yourself each of the questions. How well did you do? Which questions could you personally improve on? In a short paragraph, reflect on which of the “laws” in Section 42 are easiest for you to obey and which require more of an effort on your part. Why do you think those you chose are easier/harder for you?

I would say that the ones involving the 10 commandments are the easiest for me because I have been living them my entire life. It is not something that I have been taught or learned at an older age. For as long as I can remember, I can think of knowing and wanting to follow the 10 commandments that the Lord gave. I think the hardest ones for me though are repenting daily and having total and complete faith in the course of life that God has set for me. It is not that I do not repent regularly or that I don’t have a lot of faith but I know that these areas are not the easiest for me and I am not sure exactly why this is.