January 7 Class - Faith
Bible Dictionary: Faith
Alma 22: 15 – 23: King Lamoni’s father. "I will give away all my sins to know thee."
To Know God: John 1: 1 – 3; D&C 132: 21 – 24
Lectures on Faith: Lectures Three, Four, Five. The Character of God
Alma 26: 21 – 22. How to Know God
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God”. October 2003 General Conference
Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “Mormon Doctrine”, subject: God. Pg 318
Elder Melvin J. Ballard, Classic Discourses from the General Authorities: "The Sacramental Covenant”. Last 4 paragraphs
President Brigham Young said: “When you . . . see our Father, you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and He will receive you into His arms and you will be ready to fall into His embrace and kiss Him . . . You will be so glad and joyful. . . When you are qualified and purified, . . . you can endure the glory of eternity.” [JD 4:45-55]
"A few years ago we knew our Elder Brother well, and we knew his, and our, Father in heaven. We rejoiced at the upcoming opportunity for earth life that would make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy like they had. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. And now we’re here—our memories are veiled—and we’re showing God and ourselves what we can do. And nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us. And then, President Young said, we’re going to wonder why we were so stupid in the flesh." Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, New Era, May 1975
January 14 Class – Developing Faith
Hebrews 11:1 (JST); Alma 32: 21. Definition of Faith.
“True to the Faith”, subject: Faith. pp. 54 - 56
Bible Dictionary: Faith. Principle of action and power.
Lectures on Faith: Lecture One. "The principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by which he framed the worlds, was faith."
Moroni 7: 37, 33 Faith is a Principle of Power
Alma 32: 26 – 43. Experiment upon the word. Desire. Plant the seed. Faith -> Hope -> Knowledge
Alma 5: 46; Alma 26: 22. You are the soil. How must the soil be prepared?
Elder Robert D. Hales, “Finding Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ”. October 2004 General Conference. 5 steps – Pattern.
President Henry B. Eyring, “A Living Testimony”. April 2011 General Conference
January 21 Class – Receiving Answers
Lessons from the Liahona (works by faith) — 1 Nephi 16: 28 – 29; Alma 37: 40
Lessons from the Brother of Jared — Ether 2: 14 – 25; 3: 1 – 20. Prayer, getting answers, working for answers, faith. Also see Ether 12:20.
Experience of Nephi, obtaining the brass plates, also instructive — 1 Nephi 3: 6 – 7; 4: 3, 6
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the role of prayer: “Petitioning in prayer has taught me, again and again, that the vault of heaven with all its blessings is to be opened only by a combination lock. One tumbler falls when there is faith; a second when there is personal righteousness; the third and final tumbler falls only when what is sought is, in God’s judgment—not ours—right for us. Sometimes we pound on the vault door for something we want very much and wonder why the door does not open. We would be very spoiled children if that vault door opened any more easily than it does. I can tell, looking back, that God truly loves me by inventorying the petitions He has refused to grant me. Our rejected petitions tell us much about ourselves but also much about our flawless Father.” Source: “Insights,” New Era, Apr. 1978
To get answers we need: Faith, Personal righteousness, Ask for things that are right (aligned with God’s will).
Also need Honest Heart, Real intent, to act – put forth effort
Ask for the Right Things: 3 Nephi 18:20; James 4:3; 2 Nephi 4:35; D&C 8:10; D&C 88: 64-65;
Bible Dictionary: Prayer – "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.”
