Choice 2: Revelation 2–3. “To Him That Overcometh”

Choice 2: Revelation 2–3. “To Him That Overcometh”

1. The Lord’s counsel to each of the seven branches of the Church in Asia follows a pattern:
•  

              §  He told the members of the branch what they were doing that pleased Him.

              §  He told them in what ways they needed to repent.

              §  He told them of the blessings that would come if they were faithful.

• Fill in the chart below with information you find in Revelation 2–3:

City	What They Did That Pleased the Lord	How They Needed to Repent	Promised Blessings
Ephesus (2:1-7)	Patience, and them staying away from that which are evil.	Repent quickly	They will be partakers of the blessing from the tree of life.
Smyrna (2:8-11)	Long-suffering, standing for what is true.	Hear the Spirit’s promptings	They will be given a crown of life
​Pergamos (2:12-17)	Held fast on God’s name, did not deny their faith.	Repent from idol worship, and fornication	They will be given manna to eat, a stone with their new name written on it.
Thyatira (2:18-29)	Works of charity, service, faith, patience.	Listening to a false prophet, commit fornication and adultery	Give the the morning star
Sardis (3:1-6)	People who stayed faithful, and did not defiled their garments	Repent quickly for they know not when the lord’s coming is nigh	They shall walk with God in white, or live with him forever.
Philadelphia (3:7-13)	Kept his word and denied him not.	Those who lie will be worshiping at the feet of the righteous.	God will be with the faithful in times of temptation
Laodicea (3:14-22)	Faithful and true witnesses since the beginning of the world.	they should not be lukewarm in their faith and works.	The door will be opened they shall sit with him in his father’s throne.

2. Write a paragraph about what counsel given to the seven branches of the Church in Asia applies to you today. Which of the promises the Lord gave to the seven Churches most inspires you to seek eternal life? 

I like what the Lord promised with the people of Pergamos, Philadelphia, and Lodicea.  It is because I want to live forever with God, forever being nourished by his life-giving light, free from all the cares of the world. Sometimes life gets too tiring for me, but as I look for things to look forward to, life seem to be a little easier to bear.  I love the sweet promise that as long as I am faithful and do the things that I am supposed to do, I will be protected from the many temptation of this world. As I keep doing so, again, I have the promise that I will live with god again someday.

3. How does Doctrine and Covenants 14:7, 63:20 give meaning to the phrase "to him that overcometh?"

As I endure to the end and keep his commandments, I have a sweet assurance that I will live with my creator again forever.  D&C 14:7 summarizes it all in my opinion. It would be a hard journey, but I’ve made it this far. Might as well continue on the journey until the Lord says the work is done.

2 Peter 2:1–19

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Choice 2: 2 Peter 2. Teaching

1. Read 2 Peter 2:1–19. Record the characteristics of false teachers described by Peter. Explain in writing how your list helps you recognize false teachers today.
1. Deny the Lord
2. Covetous
3. Lust in unclean things
4. Despises the government
5. Self-willed
6. Presumptuous
7. Speaks evil of dignities
8. Eyes full of adultery

It can help me avoid being in awkward or dangerous situations. It serves as a red flag, which can let me know when to stay off or when to get away from situations.

2.    Read 2 Peter 2:20–22; Doctrine and Covenants 82:3, 7. In your own words, write a few sentences describing the dangers of returning to the “pollutions of the world.”

 Since those who have been taught the higher truths, much would be required of them.  It is like when our patents tell their children “you know better.”  As members of the church, we should know better.  We have been taught and continued to be taught by living prophets and apostles to keep us from the pollutions of the world.

Student Choice 4: 1 Peter

Student Choice 4: 1 Peter 1:1-9; 2:12, 15, 20-25; 3:11-16; 4:12-19

I have met people or knew people from friends and family who had tried to end their lives.  Some of them were successful and some were not.  Regardless, they obviously had given up on life.  They have lost hope in the healing and saving power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The scriptures hit home to me because I have thought of giving up but I chose to fight and live.  I didn’t try to kill myself but I just had a feeling of giving up and didn’t know what to do. 

Out Heavenly Father wants us to remember what Jesus did for us.  He did the ultimate sacrifice to save us from our fall.  The scripture teaches us that when we’re in difficult situations, think about what Jesus did for us.  If he didn’t do what he did, our trials will be much much heavier to bear.

L05 Student Choice Three: Hebrews 13 Works of Righteousness.

L05  Student Choice Three: Hebrews 13 Works of Righteousness.

1.     How should we treat strangers?

We should “entertain” strangers, meaning we should be friendly and be open to them. Treat them kindly. Let brotherly love continue. 

2.     How is marriage looked upon?

Marriage is honorable in all. 

3.     What warnings are given about covetousness?

Be content with what we have, because God will always be there to satisfy what we maybe lacking. 

4.     What is “the same yesterday, today, and forever?”

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

5.     How are we sanctified?

We are sanctified through the blood of Christ.

6.     How do we respond to those who rule over us?

We should obey those who rule over us.  The church teaches us to obey the rules of the land.

7.     Who did Paul ask the people to pray for?

Pray for the leaders or church leaders, they he might be “restored” unto them again.

Deuteronomy 2-3, 7, 9, 20, 25. Israel Commanded to Destroy the Wicked

Choice 1: Deuteronomy 2-3, 7, 9, 20, 25. Israel Commanded to Destroy the Wicked

1. Read Deuteronomy 20:17 and make a list of the different nations the Lord identified in these verses. Then read Deuteronomy 2:15, 7:2, 12:2-3, and write a paragraph about what the Lord commanded Israel to do with these nations.
• The Lord was not pleased with the people. They are the Amorties, Canaanites, Hivites, Jebusites, and Hittites. Israel was to destroy them by completely destroying their altars, burn their groves, and break their pillars.

2. Read Deuteronomy 9:4-5 and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Deuteronomy 7:1-5, “Why Did the Lord Command the Israelites to Utterly Destroy the Canaanites?” (pg. 219). Add to your previous paragraph any other reasons why these nations were destroyed.
• I look at this as the Lord “pruning” his vineyard cutting off the “bad” separating them from the good. Destroying the Canaanites could give way for righteousness to flourish. Because they are so wicked, the Lord had to destroy them.

3. Many of the sins found among the people living in Canaan are prevalent in today’s society. Write a paragraph explaining how you think we can protect ourselves from these sins. 

• The only way that I can think of is to cling on to the gospel. The adversary will try to yank us off the gospel as hard as it could, and as many times as it could. What the gospel offer is protection as we strive to live it. The promise is as we follow God’s laws, blessings, even protection from evil’s influence will have less and less effect on us. This will only happen if we hold strong and stay true to our covenants.

Choice 3: Numbers 6. Nazarite Vows

1. Read Numbers 6:2-6, 14, 18; Judges 13:5, 24; 1 Samuel 1:11, 19-20, 28; Luke 1:13-15 as well as the Bible Dictionary entry for “Nazarite” (pg. 737) and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Numbers 6:1-21, “What Was a Nazarite?” (pg. 199). Then answer the following questions in writing:

• What were the requirements of a Nazarite?

This to me are people who follow a certain lifestyle.  They do not drink any strong drinks, grapes (moist or dry), did not cut their hair, made burnt offering to the Lord, did not come near dead people.

• Who were some famous Nazarites from scripture?

Samson would be one of them – he had long hair.

John the Baptist

2. Read Alma 5:57. Then write a paragraph about how the Lord wants Latter-day Saints to live differently from the world today.

• I was just thinking about how we are similar to the Nazarites. We as church members follow a certain lifestyle that someone from the outside might think odd. Looking deeper into it though, the Nazarites, as they did their practices, became close to God and were are able to fulfill the Lord’s will.

Choice 3: Leviticus 17-25. Holiness to the Lord

Choice 3: Leviticus 17-25. Holiness to the Lord

1. Read Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8. Write a sentence that could be used as a theme for the book of Leviticus. Read the Bible Dictionary entry for “Holiness” (pgs. 703-4) and compare it with what is said in the Guide to the Scriptures entry for “Sanctification” (available online at http://lds.org/scriptures/gs/sanctification?lang=eng.)

Be holy for our Father is holy.

Then answer the following questions in writing:

·      What does it mean to be holy and sanctified?

To be holy and sanctified means to me pure and clean, to be set apart, and to be not of the world.

·      Why could Jehovah command His followers to be holy?

He himself is holy and no unclean think shall live in his presence. He wants us to be live with him and therefore he wants us to be like unto him. Jesus was and still is a perfect example of holiness. He was perfect but yet he let himself be baptized to let us all see how to follow our father’s commandments.

·      What could we do today to avoid the same downfall?

We’ve been taught many times… we can live in the world but not be of the world. We should set ourselves apart from unrighteousness.

·      How can the principles you have studied to this point in the book of Leviticus help you become holy?

Putting my knowledge into practice would the best way to help me become holy. The Lord teaches us principles, he gave us sound minds so therefore, we ought to use our God-given talents to govern ourselves based on his teachings.  

2. Read Leviticus 18:4-5 and write a brief statement of how keeping the commandments applies to these verses. Read Leviticus 19:3-4, 11-20, 28-31; 20:10, 13 and make a list of commandments from these verses. Highlight the commandments from your list that you think the world struggles with the most today. Make note of the commandment that you want to improve in the most. Write some ideas of how you plan to improve in keeping that commandment.

The Lord is the ultimate judge. There will come a time that we will stand before the Lord and make judgments based on what we did here on earth.

• No whoredoms
• Do not judge
• Do not commit adultery
• Do not worship idols
• Do not bare false witnesses
• Do not lie
• Be just in all our dealings with others
• Keep the Sabbath day holy.

I want to keep my judgments to myself or at least hold off before I make one. I need to learn to understand other people first before acting or making final judgments.

Exodus 20:3-17. The Ten Commandments

Choice 1: Exodus 20:3-17. The Ten Commandments

1. Read Exodus 20:3-17 and make a list of the Ten Commandments. Read Matthew 22:36-40, and identify what the Lord said were the two “great” commandments. Verse 40 states that “all” other commandments are part of these two great commandments. Place each of the Ten Commandments within one of these two great commandments by writing “love God” or “love neighbor” next to each of the commandments on your list.

Love God	Love neighbor
1.     Thou shalt have ano other bgods before me.	5. aHonour thy bfather and thy cmother:
2.     Thou shalt anot make unto thee any bgraven cimage	6. Thou shalt not akill.
3.     Thou shalt not take the aname of the Lord thy God in bvain;	7.  Thou shalt not commit aadultery.
4.     Remember the asabbath day, to keep it bholy.	8.  Thou shalt not asteal.
	9.  Thou shalt not bear afalse witness against thy bneighbour.
** on a deeper sense, I think 5 should also be under “love God” because learning how to truly love our parents. Parents might seem to always be in our case because they care for us. God cares for us a lot. Learning to respect our earthly parents can help us in some degree in understanding God.	10.  Thou shalt not acovet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s bwife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

2. List three of the commandments from Exodus 20:3-17 that you feel are most commonly neglected by the world. Read the Institute Student Manual commentary for those three commandments (pgs. 127-34). Write a paragraph about what a difference it would make in the world if all of God’s children kept these commandments.
   
   

The first thing that came to my mind was the first commandment. There are many things the world requires of us in able for us to survive. In the process, there is a tendency to get too caught up trying to keep up and forget about the Lord. Although most of what we do is not unrighteous, putting anything before the Lord can become a “false god.”

The second that I thought is pretty prevalent in today’s world is committing adultery. I like what the manual said about man is to reproduce… but we are not “like the animals that are led by mere instincts.” God gave us power to have full control over this procreative power. What the world want God’s children to do is to abuse this power. If we are led to act out of instincts, how different are we from the animals which God appointed man to rule over?

Third is the tenth commandment, thou shall not covet. Coveting means to desire of something not yours. It leads the person not only to lose self-worth but it can also lead to other sins. Like what the manuals indicated, those who coveted a neighbor’s wife ended committing adultery. Those who coveted a neighbor’s treasure, led that person to steal. If a person would be content of what he have and be happy for his neighbors then coveting will not be an issue. I guess there’s a thin like between admiring and desiring what is not yours. Desiring to become better without another person’s expense is a righteous way to better ourselves in my opinion.

Murmuring in the Wilderness

Choice 5: Exodus 15:23-27; 16-17. Murmuring in the Wilderness

• What did the children of Israel murmur about? Identify all the examples you can find.

o   They murmured about the bitter water that they were not able to drink.

o   They murmured about what to eat. They reminisced the days they were in Egypt that they were eating even in captivity. They said that they were brought out to the wilderness by the lord to die of hunger. I thought that what they were trying to say here was, least in captivity, they were eating. 

• How did the Lord respond to their murmuring?

o   The Lord either provided for every need or helped them be self-sufficient by teaching them how to make things happen. He gave them food and helped them turn bitter water to potable water. 

• Why do you think people murmur against God and those He has chosen as His leaders? (See 1 Nephi 16:1-3.)

o   Truth cuts through the heart of the guilty one.

o   Prophets speaks truth and therefore, people who have hard hearts take their word very offensive.

o   People lack enough understanding or willingness to be taught to help them understand the will of the Lord.

• What does murmuring usually lead to?

o   In my opinion, murmuring leads to rebellion.

o   It stirs the hearts of men into anger.

o   It turns man’s heart into a perfect breading ground of Satan’s plans.

• Read 2 Nephi 27:35. Describe in writing what Nephi suggested as an antidote for murmuring.

o   Those who have done wrong will understand or learn the lesson the hard way. Form my experience, I sometimes learn doctrine when I failed to understand and then go through the consequences of my wrong decisions.  

• What counsel would you give to a friend or a family member who murmurs against the commandments of God?

o   I would suggest them to do as what Nephi did. They should “go and do” and trust that the Lord does not commandments to us that we’re not able to bear.

o   In many occasions when I don’t understand certain things, I push myself to do things until I find reason why I should continue or why do I need to do it.