Lesson, Announcements & Newsletter!

If you have not signed up for this Saturday's service project in Scotch Plains, please follow the link in the post right before this one and/or contact me.

 

Family Home Evening will be held at our chapel on the 1st Monday of every month at 6:30.  Additionally, a Family Home Evening will be held at Sister Paupulaire's home this evening at 6:30.  All are invited.

 

If you are interested in coming to my house to work on your family history using our computers, please let me know as I will be setting this up soon.

Ezra Taft Benson Lesson #10, The Book of Mormon, Keystone of Our Religion:

A keystone is the center, top stone in an arch.  Without it, the arch could not stand.  President Ezra Taft Benson taught that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion.  Many prophets have had a "theme" to their presidency; the Book of Mormon was President Benson's.  He began a church-wide push to more broadly and deeply utilize the Book of Mormon.

D&C: 84: 56-57 - And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.  And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written.

According to President Benson, the church during his presidency (is it still?) was under condemnation for under-utilizing the Book of Mormon:  "The Book of Mormon has not been, nor is it yet, the center of our personal study, family teaching, preaching, and missionary work. Of this we must repent...  We have not been using the Book of Mormon as we should. Our homes are not as strong unless we are using it to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat falsehoods. … Our missionaries are not as effective unless they are [teaching] with it. Social, ethical, cultural, or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fulness of the gospel which the Book of Mormon contains. Our Church classes are not as Spirit-filled unless we hold it up as a standard".

The Lord provided the Book of Mormon for us specifically in our times so He expects us to use it instead of living life blind.  He provided us answers and guidance at our fingertips so we have no excuse when it comes to failing to live by its precepts.

We talked about why the Book of Mormon is relevant to us today.  Some of the things we came up with is that it lays out the structure of the church in clear detail, Nephi tells us specifically that the things he wrote and the things that would further be contained in the Book of Mormon were inspired of God for us and it further testifies of the correct teachings in the Bible.

Take some time to look up the scriptures in the above picture.  Each one contains Jesus Christ's own words regarding the Book of Mormon.

We discussed in class how to have more meaningful scripture study and why we should have more meaningful scripture study.  The list we came up with is also in the above picture.

How:
Scripture study should be daily to receive full benefit.
The time we take to study the scriptures should be a purposeful time that we can dedicate to our studies without distraction.
We should pray first in order to invite the spirit.
We should meditate/ponder while reading in order to listen to the spirit.
In our prayer and in our thoughts as we read, we should ask for specific knowledge that we seek or that Heavenly Father sees fit to impart.

Why:
Reading the scriptures brings peace into our daily lives.
The peace we receive helps us to get along with others and serve others.
As we familiarize ourselves with the scriptures, they are more apt to provide answers and confirmation as we live our lives because they will be readily accessible in our minds.

Mission of the Book of Mormon:
The title page of the Book of Mormon states that the mission of the book is "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations".  Nephi himself stated the mission several times in his writings.  The title of the Book of Mormon states: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  Unlike the Bible, the Book of Mormon "came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power.  But it does even more. Much of the Christian world today rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about the truth of all of those. It also provides the most complete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ." 

Think about your testimony of the Book of Mormon and how it has led to a testimony of Christ and His gospel. 

To end, here is a promise given to us for reading the Book of Mormon:

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).

These promises—increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness—are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God."