Today’s scripture references are 2 Nephi chapters 3-5. There are some amazing things to be learned about these chapters. In 2 Nephi 3, we see Lehi speaking to his son Joseph and prophesying about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Father Lehi saw Joseph Smith in vision. He knew Joseph Smith’s name, telling his own son, Joseph, that the man who would bring forth the Book of Mormon would bear the same name. He also knew that Joseph Smith’s father would also be named Joseph. Our Gospel Doctrine teacher speculated that Joseph Smith must have felt overwhelmed to … Continue reading →

Our Gospel Doctrine lesson this last Sunday was entitled “Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life,” as found in 2 Nephi 1-2. Another recommended reading source for this lesson is Moses 5:10-12. 2 Nephi chapter one contains advice from Father Lehi given to his sons shortly before his death. He makes promises to them, predicated on their righteous obedience. However, the Lord does not force us to do anything – we may choose for ourselves to accept those conditions and receive those blessings, or to disregard the conditions and see what happens instead. In chapter two, look for the words … Continue reading →

Our Gospel Doctrine lesson last week was entitled “Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It.” The scripture references are: 1 Nephi 16-22 1 Nephi 3:7 1 Nephi 17:3 Doctrine and Covenants 82:10 Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 Abraham 3:25 This lesson focuses on the importance of listening to the commandments and obeying them. To truly listen, we have to put aside our pride and be willing to accept whatever we hear. We can’t be quiet just long enough to formulate our comeback; we must truly be willing to listen. Giving heed means to do the things that have been … Continue reading →

Our Gospel Doctrine lesson for last week focused on chapters 12-14 of the Book of Mormon, which is the record of the vision Nephi had when he inquired of the Lord to know the meaning of his father’s dream. Chapter twelve specifically deals with the symbolism found in the vision of the Tree of Life, which we know is an allegory of the importance of holding on to the word of God and coming unto Christ, ignoring the pressures of the world and the temptations that swirl up to pull us off the path. In chapter thirteen, we see that … Continue reading →

When we think of genealogy, we generally envision little old ladies hunkered down over their family histories, or we think of Mormons. We might even think of little old Mormons. Why do Mormons believe so strongly in doing their genealogy? There are a couple of reasons. First, we believe that by knowing where we came from, we can learn more about ourselves. Not only are physical characteristics passed from generation to generation, but we can discover why we have such a great sense of humor (from our paternal grandfather) or are so stubborn (from our maternal grandfather). We can learn … Continue reading →

The second lesson in our Gospel Doctrine course this year is called “All Things According to His Will” and focuses on Lehi’s departure, with his family, into the wilderness. Our recommended reading is: 1 Nephi 1:4-15, 18-20, 2:1-3: What circumstances led to Lehi’s departure into the wilderness? 1 Nephi 1:19-20, 2:12-13, 16:1-2, also 1 Nephi 2:16, 19: Why were the people so reluctant to hear the words of Lehi and the other prophets who had been sent to teach repentance to them? Why are people so filled with pride that when they are called upon to repent, they become angry … Continue reading →

I apologize for being a bit behind with the lessons for this year – sickness has kept me from attending church regularly so now I’m playing a little bit of catch-up. Our area of study in Gospel Doctrine class this year is the Book of Mormon, and the first lesson for the year was entitled “The Keystone of Our Religion.” The scripture references for this lesson are: 1 Nephi 13:38—41, 19:23 2 Nephi 25:21—22, 27:22, 29:6—9 Mormon 8:26—41 Ether 5:2—4 Moroni 1:4, 10:3—5 Doctrine and Covenants 10:45—46, 20:8—12, 84:54—58 Introduction to the Book of Mormon We have been told that … Continue reading →