Class #3
Acts 13: 43-44
In these verses of Acts, the apostles Paul and Barnabas are teaching the Jews in the synagogue and when the congregation breaks up the Gentiles that had been listening outside ask Paul and Barnabas if they can be taught outside the synagogue. The exact verse is "many of the Jews and religious proselytes follow Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God." Paul and Barnabas then teach the Gentiles who are not Christians, but they want to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. This event was so unique to me because the night before I had read a talk by Gordon B. Hinckley about revelation and sharing the gospel with those in times of need. Gordon B. Hinckley shares a unique experience where he was at the London, England temple open house where he met a couple that was not LDS. The couple was going through the open house and the heard mention of our knowledge of families being together forever once parents are married in the temple. This couple was sitting outside the temple and they asked Gordon B. Hinckley for more information. This experience that Gordon B. Hinckley had is very similar to Paul's experience of teaching the Gentiles who did not know about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I appreciated this event being addressed in class because I feel like it taught me a lot about missionary work. People, in general, are very willing to listen to my beliefs and I enjoy answering people's questions. I just lived in Jerusalem for four months and unfortunately we were unable to talk about the gospel to the people in Israel. I am realizing just how precious of a gift I have and how I need to share it with others who don't know the same truth that I do.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
What Peter has taught me
Week 2: Acts 9
These are the verses of scripture that talks about Paul's conversion to the gospel. He is walking on the road to Damascus and the Lord comes down to rebuke him and tell him that he is not doing the Lord's work, but that he is hindering it. Paul doesn't know who he is speaking to, so he asks who are you and what do you want. Paul, after realizing who he is speaking to, has a change of heart and instantly asks what would you have me do. He uses his free agency to choose the right. Boyd K. Packer, an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says, "People only change because of the things they feel, not the things they see or hear." I 100% agree with this statement because I have had this principle enacted in my own life many times. One experience that comes to mind is when I was applying for the Jerusalem Study Abroad at BYU. I really wanted to go to Jerusalem because my dad had gone, my friends were applying, and I also thought it would be a super neat experience. It wasn't until I turned in my application and I finally stopped to take stalk of my feelings I realized that I felt peace at my decision to apply for the study abroad. I didn't have to see an angel or hear a divine being speak to me, but I felt peace at what I had chosen to do for my future and I knew that I had made the right choice for me. This experience doesn't quite relate to Paul because I didn't see Jesus Christ, but like him I did feel strongly in my heart and I was able to make the right choice for my future. I don't know if this is beneficial to anyone, but I do hope that you can take away something that might help you in your life. Pay attention to what feels right and wrong, we weren't born dumb, so we know what feels like the right choice.
These are the verses of scripture that talks about Paul's conversion to the gospel. He is walking on the road to Damascus and the Lord comes down to rebuke him and tell him that he is not doing the Lord's work, but that he is hindering it. Paul doesn't know who he is speaking to, so he asks who are you and what do you want. Paul, after realizing who he is speaking to, has a change of heart and instantly asks what would you have me do. He uses his free agency to choose the right. Boyd K. Packer, an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says, "People only change because of the things they feel, not the things they see or hear." I 100% agree with this statement because I have had this principle enacted in my own life many times. One experience that comes to mind is when I was applying for the Jerusalem Study Abroad at BYU. I really wanted to go to Jerusalem because my dad had gone, my friends were applying, and I also thought it would be a super neat experience. It wasn't until I turned in my application and I finally stopped to take stalk of my feelings I realized that I felt peace at my decision to apply for the study abroad. I didn't have to see an angel or hear a divine being speak to me, but I felt peace at what I had chosen to do for my future and I knew that I had made the right choice for me. This experience doesn't quite relate to Paul because I didn't see Jesus Christ, but like him I did feel strongly in my heart and I was able to make the right choice for my future. I don't know if this is beneficial to anyone, but I do hope that you can take away something that might help you in your life. Pay attention to what feels right and wrong, we weren't born dumb, so we know what feels like the right choice.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
My Learning from the New Testament
Acts 3:1-12
A principle of truth that I gained from these scriptures is that if you have enough faith and it is the Lord's will anything can happen. Peter, the chief apostle after Jesus Christ had been resurrected, was obedient and faithful to the Lord, so he was able to practice the priesthood and heal people who were in need. An older man who had been lame his whole life sat in front of the "Beautiful Gate" begging for alms everyday until Peter came along and healed him through the Lord's power. I feel like I can apply this principle to my life today by finding opportunities to have the priesthood more a part of my life since I do not have it. I can ask my home teachers for blessings or service that they can do for me because that is why they are supposed to be there for me. I also think I can honor the priesthood and show that I have faith in it by sustaining my priesthood leaders such as my bishop and his counselors by going to church every Sunday and choosing to uphold my calling and work hard to do my calling well. Another way that this principle can apply to my life is through exercising faith. The more I can develop my faith the more easily I can work hard to do what the Lord would have me do. I can do these things by basically living the simple answers which are reading my scriptures everyday, praying night and morning, going to the temple once a week, attending my church meetings, and making sure I look for opportunities to serve other people.
A principle of truth that I gained from these scriptures is that if you have enough faith and it is the Lord's will anything can happen. Peter, the chief apostle after Jesus Christ had been resurrected, was obedient and faithful to the Lord, so he was able to practice the priesthood and heal people who were in need. An older man who had been lame his whole life sat in front of the "Beautiful Gate" begging for alms everyday until Peter came along and healed him through the Lord's power. I feel like I can apply this principle to my life today by finding opportunities to have the priesthood more a part of my life since I do not have it. I can ask my home teachers for blessings or service that they can do for me because that is why they are supposed to be there for me. I also think I can honor the priesthood and show that I have faith in it by sustaining my priesthood leaders such as my bishop and his counselors by going to church every Sunday and choosing to uphold my calling and work hard to do my calling well. Another way that this principle can apply to my life is through exercising faith. The more I can develop my faith the more easily I can work hard to do what the Lord would have me do. I can do these things by basically living the simple answers which are reading my scriptures everyday, praying night and morning, going to the temple once a week, attending my church meetings, and making sure I look for opportunities to serve other people.
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