Choice #2 (sections 112-114, 118):
Step 1: Read D&C 112:21-34, D&C 114:1-2, D&C 118:1

Step 2: Read the commentary for D&C Section 112 through verse 12.

1. Why do we need to continually work on being worthy to fulfill church callings and to help build Zion?
We need to be continually be working on being worthy for many reasons. One of the main reasons is for our own benefit the more we learn here on earth the more knowledge we are able to take to Heaven with us. We are never sitting still on our spiritual line of progression and digression. If we think that we are spiritually okay and we stop reading the scriptures and striving to do better than we will digression. We are constantly digressing and progressing. If we work hard to be more worthy then we are constantly progressing and becoming closer to our Heavenly Father. When we are more like our Heavenly Father we are able to help others and build Zion.

2. What happens to even the very elect if we withhold our time, talents, and resources?
We become prideful and think that we are better than others. We think time is ours and we don’t make time to help others. When really we are given time to help others become better. If we stop sharing our talents we may even loose them. Even the greatest people may fall, watching to make sure that we are willing to share what we learn and our talents are important. Just like working on being worthy can help us build Zion so can sharing our talents. An investigator is more likely to listen and want to become a member when the person teaching them is opening to sharing their talents and testimonies. I have noticed that when I share my talents is when my testimony grows the most. I feel myself become stronger and more Christ like.

"I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. Let us be a temple-attending people.” (Howard W. Hunter, Nov. '94, p. 7)

This week in our religion class we are reading Doctrine and Covenants 109 and 110. These two sections are about the temple. Section 109 a dedication prayer of Kirtland, Ohio temple and section 110 tells about the visions that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery saw while in the temple and the keys that were restored there. These are very powerful sections and one can learn a lot from reading these sections. As I was reading them I learned a lot about the temple. Some things I learned are:

• The temple and our homes are supposed to be a "house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order a house of god." 109:7.
  
• We may be able to feel the Lords power when we go into the house. Vs. 13 so it must be a house of glory and holiness for us to feel the spirit.
  
• No unclean thing can enter the temple. Vs. 20. But there is always repentance so one can make it back into the temple when they have gone astray
  
• There should be reference in His house. Vs. 21
  
• Vs. 22 "Thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that they name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angles have charge over them."
  

I really liked this last verse, I never thought about being armed with the Lords power when we went to the temple. And having angles watching over us, that is an amazing thought. This section makes the wonderful spiritual high feeling I feel after going to the temple make sense. I am going to make it a goal to go to the temple every week so I will be armed with his power and be watched over with angles. That and I want to help the others who have passed before me receive the temple ordinances they weren't able to obtain themselves while there were here. It amazes me how wonderful of a thought this is. I love helping people and that is exactly what we are doing when we go to the temple. Also at the same time I am getting blessing for doing it. Is there any kind of service that is better than that? I think not.

    

Priesthood

Choice #3 (sections 107):

The priesthood is a power that governs the Lord's church (the Relief Society is also organized under that power), and priesthood callings call one to perform specific responsibilities of service. How can having the priesthood operating on the earth today magnify your ability and works of service towards others?

I think that priesthood has a lot of effect on the service we do. Priesthood brother do service every time they bless the sacrament or give a blessing to someone in need. Having the Priesthood allows us to have the things we have and be able to do the ordinances that without the priesthood we would not be able to do.

All of the temple work occurs because of the priesthood keys that are on the earth today. We are not only able to spread the gospel to the people on the earth today but also to those who have passed without having the opportunity to learn.

When I am called to a calling I consider it a service when I get set apart. I receive promises and blessing. These I would get know about and would not know that I have the strength enough to do my calling without priesthood. I know every year before we start school we are given fathers blessings. These mean a lot to me because I know that my dad is a worthy priesthood holder and because I am able to receive comfort and blessing through the priesthood.

Having the priesthood on the earth can help strengthen people's testimonies and can also bring them the gospel. We are given the Holy Ghost through a priesthood blessing this is a huge service to everyone it helps us to stay on the right path.

Redemption of Zion

This week in our Doctrine and Covenants class we are learning about the redemption of Zion. We were reading in Doctrine and Covenants sections 101-105. The main topic in these sections is the redemption of Zion. I found this quote that was given by Dallin H. Oaks in 1985 his talked was title Spirituality.

"Elder John A. Widtsoe taught that "there is a spiritual meaning of all human acts and earthly events. … It is the business of man to find the spiritual meaning of earthly things. … No man is quite so happy … as he who backs all his labors by such a spiritual interpretation and understanding of the acts of his life." (in Conference Report, Apr. 1922, pp. 96–97.)

In another great event in Mormon history, several hundred men marched from Ohio to give military relief to the persecuted Saints in Zion—western Missouri. But when the men of Zion's Camp approached their intended destination, the Prophet Joseph Smith disbanded them. According to its ostensible purpose, the expedition was a failure. But most of the men who were to lead the Church for the next half-century, including those who would take the Saints across the plains and colonize the Intermountain West, came to know the Prophet Joseph and received their formative leadership training in the march of Zion's Camp. As Elder Orson F. Whitney said of Zion's Camp:

"The redemption of Zion is more than the purchase or recovery of lands, the building of cities, or even the founding of nations. It is the conquest of the heart, the subjugation of the soul, the sanctifying of the flesh, the purifying and ennobling of the passions." (The Life of Heber C. Kimball, 2d ed., Salt Lake City: Stevens & Wallis, 1945, p. 65.)"

I really like the first and last part of this quote. The first because it talks about knowing that everything happens for a purpose. I really liked learning out that. It is up to us to figure out why things happen because they all have a spiritual meaning behind it. The last part because building Zion should not be focused on building buildings or those things of the worldly matter but a matter of making one a better person. To look inward and focus on making ones soul better. Zion is stronger when all the members are of one heart and one mind and to become like that is to become like Jesus. Focusing on making one's life closer to Jesus will make us closer to the redemption of Zion.

I can take this and apply it to my life. So I can be part of the redemption of Zion I can prepare now and become a better person and study on becoming more Christ like. As I do the small and simple things I will see myself and my testimony grow. As I grow and become a better member of the church then I can start building Zion by helping others and sharing the Gospel. We can start building up Zion now.

Choice #3 (sections 96-100, 134):

What are the attributes of good government? Research and use all of the scriptures to answer this question. For each attribute you reference and explain them in your own words.

 

The Lord cares about his people; he did not put us on the earth and tell us to figure it out alone. He sent us here with scriptures and prophets to help show us the way. He has also shared some ways that we can have a good successful government. Some of the attributes I found in the scriptures are:

 

3 Nephi 7:2 here we learn that because the people were not untied as one the government was destroyed. A government strives on the unity of the people that live under it. Fining the balance of control and freedom and keeping people happy is a very important attribute. Without the unity of people the strongest government can be destroyed.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 134:7 state that the government should protect all the citizens to have freedom of religion. I really believe that this is a very important aspect that every government needs. If people are able to believe in their own respected religions then they tend to be happier with the government for protecting that right. Also when people have something to believe in they tend to have better morals and commit fewer crimes.

 

Doctrine and Covenants 134: 2
talks about having a justice system. Having laws and boundaries and consequences help keep people in the right. It also keeps everyone safe. If we can follow the laws we are following the commandments of God. Boundaries also help everyone behave.

 

I liked these scriptures because they outline a few main attributes a government needs to be a strong and effective government. It is interesting to try to compare these to the government we have in place today.

Temples

Choice #5 (sections 95:8-17):

I have the chance to share what I learned in my Doctrine and Covenants class again with you all. This week we read Doctrine and Covenants 91-95. In section 95 there is a lot of talk about the temple and so I have talked a little bit on temple work and the importance it plays in our lives. I hope you all enjoy reading what I learned, and what I know to be true.

What reasons did the Lord give for asking the Saints to build a Temple? How does the Temple fulfill those purposes?

    The Lord tells the Saints to build temples to see how much they are willing to sacrifice. Building temples back then was not easy at all and the saints had to have a lot of faith to build the temple. I think that the Lord also wanted a way to communicate with the saints and having a temple is one of the best ways that members can become closer to the Lord. It also gave a way to have the temple ordinances back on the earth again. Having the saints build a temple gave them the chance to be sealed and start doing temple work for themselves and the loved ones that had passed away. The saints would also be given the chance to have their endowments taken out.

How does the Temple bless your life?

    Being able to attend the temple makes my life a lot clearer. I feel like I know what I am doing is the right thing. Also when I am stressed going to the temple can help me relax and realize that everything will work out. I seem to find more time when I go. Being sealed to my parents also makes the temple more important to me; I know that through the temple ordinances all people can be blessed with being sealed to their families.

What opposition do you face in getting to the Temple; what things do you put before it?

    Being in college I tend to put my homework or other fun things before going to the temple. I say I don't have enough time or when I say I will go it seems that I always run into conflicting things. I know that this is Satan trying to get me to not go and make me think that it would just be easier if I didn't go. Lots of times I have noticed that getting someone to go with you makes going to the temple a lot easier. Having that support system helps.

How can you make the Temple more of a priority and center of your life?

    Setting aside a time every week that I know is my temple time can help me make the temple a more important part of my life. The lady I work for is paralyzed and it is hard for the workers to get her ready to go places, but every Wednesday we work hard for her to go to the temple. She is a big example of how regular temple going can help your attitude. Having MS she never complains about the situation she is in or anything. When I ask her how she can stay so positive she always says that when she doesn't make it to the temple she can feel a difference in her life. She gets more discouraged and often notices she gets frustrated with her condition. Her example helps me want to make temple going part of my life. I can see the difference it makes in her life I can only imagine the difference it can make in mine. I am going to start going weekly with my other two roommates that go. Having online classes and being in charge of my work hours I can arrange my schedule to where I know I can always have time to go. Also I will pray for help that I may be able to make it to the temple weekly.

I know that temple attendance is an important part of keeping our faith strong and becoming closer to Heavenly Father. My mom travels two hours every week to go to the temple, this makes me realize that if she can spare a whole day to go to the temple then I can spare two hours of my time and make it to the temple. I am thankful for the examples I have in my life and for the testimonies I hear about how temple attendance can put new light into one's life. I know we are given temples to help us.

 

Light of Life

Hi guys! So for my religion class we are supposed to share what we have learned with some people we know. And I feel that what I learned this week is a real eye opener. I guess it is one of those things that you always knew but you never really thought about it before. As part of our reading assignment we had to read section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. In the first part of this section mainly verses 6-13 it talks about the light and power of Jesus Christ. In verse 6 it states "He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things…" when I read this I was a little confused but I remembered we had this awesome Sunday school lesson that talked about the same thing. In Hebrews 2:9 it talks about how Jesus was higher than angles but he was also lower than angles. I wasn't sure how this could be. The teacher taught us that when Jesus came down to earth and was mortal he was made lower than the angles, but once he was back in the presence of the Lord he was higher than the angles. If I am on the right track I believe that this verse here is talking about the same thing. He was on high but he descended below all things when he came to earth to live. I thought this was a very powerful statement. I never really thought about Jesus giving up all his glory when we came down to earth, it was a big sacrifice on his part. I know that Jesus did what he did for us and because he cares for us.

    One day as I was reading this book called Breaking Point by Jennie Hansen there was this quote that really struck me. It reads:

A thought occurred to him, something he'd never once considered before. Jesus suffered pain beyond human comprehension. Might He have quit if only His own future had been all that was at stake? Was it the love He bore for His smaller, weaker brother and sisters that made His heroic sacrifice possible?

I love this quote it really makes me love Him even more and make me more grateful for what He did so that I might be able to live my life and make it back to him.

I really liked how the scriptures when and talked about how Jesus is the light of all things. It is because of him that these things have light. I would like to believe that the sun the stars and all the lights are given us as reminders to remember why we are here and who is always watching over us.

Many different people have different definitions of light and how it is interpreted. We were asked to talk about how light was though about in our major. In my major, nursing, I believe that we have two main ways we think about light. We use light to help us see things in the room when we do procedures or when we are in the operating room and the surgeon and the staff need the correct amount of light to best be able to see what we are doing. But mainly when I walk into a room that is full of light I think of it as clean. The operating room which is where I spend most of my time is so bright and full of light and the whole room has to be sterile to prevent infection. So for me I think of light as a guidance to help me see better and also as being clean.

I also think of light in the fact that everyone has a light in them. When you work around a lot of sick people you can see their lights get a little dim as they start to lose hope. As a nurse it is my job to give them hope and help me get their lights back. That is probably the most rewarding part of my major. I love helping people and seeing them happy and smiling you can see their inner lights shine brighter and get stronger. As a person who gets to help people get back their lights I need to be careful that I don't do anything that dampens my light. I need to be able to have a close relationship with my Heavenly Father to keep my light growing strong.

As I go through this religion class I am learning new things every day. I am so excited to be learning so much. My blog may take a turn and I may be sharing what I learn quite often. I hope that as I share my thoughts and feelings I can help strengthen those that read this as well. I know that Jesus Christ is my elder brother who suffered for me. I know that He made light so we might be able to remember him and come closer to him. I encourage all of you that read this to study and read your scriptures. I have a strong testimony that reading helps come closer to the Lord.