Lesson 1: “That Ye Might Believe That Jesus Is the Christ”

• •What do you learn about Jesus Christ from John 1:1–3, 14? (Note that “the Word” in John 1:1, 14 refers to the Savior. Use the Joseph Smith Translation of these verses if it is available.)
• •The Apostle John said that “in [Jesus] was life” (John 1:4). He also testified that Jesus is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). How has the Savior given you life and light?
• •What accounts or teachings in the New Testament have particularly inspired or helped you? How might studying the New Testament this year help strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read John 1:1–3 or Joseph Smith Translation, John 1:1–3. Explain that Jesus (“the Word” in John 1:1–3) created the earth under Heavenly Father’s direction. Take a walk as a family, giving close attention to the many beauties of creation.

Scripture Chain: Jesus Christ’s Foreordained Mission

• John 1:1–5
  
• John 1:9–17
  
• Abraham 3:22–27
  
• Mosiah 3:5–10
  
• Isaiah 61:1–2
  
• Luke 4:16–21
  

Lesson 48: “The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord” – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 48: “The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord” 

Reading 1 – Malachi 3:1

Reading 2 - President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:  "Malachi speaks of the Lord sending his messenger to prepare the way before him, and while that does have reference to the coming of John the Baptist, it is one of those prophecies in the scriptures that has a double fulfilment. It has reference also to the coming of the Prophet Joseph Smith, because that messenger which was to come and prepare the way before him, was to come in this day." (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:193)

Malachi 3:2 – 2

Luke 18:8

Reading 2 - Malachi 4:5-6

Reading 3 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: "No tradition was more firmly planted in the hearts of Jewish Israel in Jesus' day than the firm belief that Elijah the prophet would come again to prepare the way before the expected Messiah. Both John and Jesus were assumed by some to be this ancient prophet come again. To this day devout Jews set a vacant chair at their table for Elijah when they celebrate the feast of the Passover. In part, at least, this universal belief grew out of Jehovah's promise given by the mouth of Malachi" (The Millennial Messiah, p265).

Doctrine and Covenants 110:13-16

Luke 1:17

Reading 4: Joseph Smith taught: "The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelation, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth; and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven....

     "Now comes the point. What is this office and work of Elijah? It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has revealed. He should send Elijah to seal the children to the fathers, and the fathers to the children....

     "I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important; and if you will receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection; and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the kingdom of Jehovah....

     "We cannot be perfect without the fathers, &c. We must have revelation from them, and we can see that the doctrine of revelation far transcends the doctrine of no revelation; for one truth revealed from heaven is worth all the sectarian notions in existence." (HC, 6:251-252)

Reading 5: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has taught: [S]ometime not long after 9/11, a missionary asked me in all honesty and full of faith, "Elder Holland, are these the last days?" I saw the earnestness in his face and some of the fear in his eyes. I said, "Yes, Elder, we are in the last days, but there is really nothing new about that. The promised Second Coming of the Savior began with the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820. We can be certain that we are in the last days-years and years of them." (CES Fireside, Sep. 12, 2004)

Zechariah 10:6-8

Reading 6 - Zechariah 12:2-3, 8-9

Zechariah 14:8

Ezekiel 47:8-9

Reading 7: Zechariah 14:3-4

Reading 8: Zechariah 12:10, 13:6

Zechariah 14:5

Doctrine and Covenants 88:96-98

Reading 9 - President Ezra Taft Benson said: "As we live the commandments of God, we can look forward with joyful anticipation to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and know that through our efforts we are worthy, with our loved ones, to dwell in His presence for all eternity. Surely nothing is too hard to gain this great goal. We cannot let down for a moment. We must prove, every day of our lives, that we are willing to do the will of the Lord-to spread the restored gospel, to bear testimony to the world, to share the gospel with others" (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 341).

Malachi 3:8-12

Malachi 3:17-18

Lesson 47: “Let Us Rise Up and Build”

Prayerfully study the following scriptures:

1. a. Ezra 1–6. King Cyrus frees the Jews who have been captive in Babylon and invites them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1). Zerubbabel and Jeshua lead approximately 50,000 people back to Jerusalem, and they begin to rebuild the temple (Ezra 2–3). The Samaritans offer to help work on the temple, are turned down, and attempt to stop the work; the rebuilding ceases (Ezra 4). Several years later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah exhort the Jews to finish the temple; the Samaritans continue to oppose it (Ezra 5; see also Haggai 1). King Darius renews the decree of Cyrus to rebuild the temple, and it is finished and dedicated in about 515 B.C. (Ezra 6).
   
2. b. Ezra 7–8. Ezra receives permission from King Artaxerxes of Persia to lead another group of Jews back to Jerusalem. Ezra and his people fast and pray, and the Lord protects them.
   
3. c. Nehemiah 1–2; 4; 6. Learning that the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem are “in great affliction and reproach,” Nehemiah receives permission from King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls (Nehemiah 1–2). The enemies of the Jews seek to prevent them from rebuilding the walls. Nehemiah keeps the work going forward until the walls are finished (Nehemiah 4; 6).
   
4. d. Nehemiah 8. After the walls are rebuilt around Jerusalem, Ezra reads the scriptures to the people. The people weep and desire to obey the words of the law.
   

After Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., Babylonia declined rapidly in power. In 539 B.C. Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians, who were united under the leadership of Cyrus (see Daniel 5). Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus was a benevolent ruler who treated conquered peoples kindly and respected their religions.

Shortly after taking over Babylon, Cyrus invited the Jews (Israelites) in his empire to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

In 458 B.C. Ezra, a Jewish priest and scribe, brought another group of Jews back to Jerusalem from Babylon. Nehemiah, a Jew who held the important office of cupbearer (butler) in the court of the Babylonian king, obtained a royal commission authorizing him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah and Ezra worked together to help the Jews accomplish this task.

• •What did Nehemiah do when Sanballat asked him to stop working and meet with him? (See Nehemiah 6:1–4.) How do some people try to distract Church members from the Lord’s work today? How should we respond to such distractions?
• •How long did Ezra read the scriptures to the people? (See Nehemiah 8:3, 17–18.) How did the people respond? (See Nehemiah 8:3, 6, 9, 12.) How can we be more attentive as we read the scriptures? How can we develop the kind of excitement for the scriptures that these people had?

Additional reading: Haggai 1; “Ezra,” Bible Dictionary, page 669; “Nehemiah,” Bible Dictionary, page 738.

Lessons 45 & 46 - Scriptures and Quotes

Earlier this week, I mistakenly thought that there would be no Sunday School tomorrow because of a special two-hour Relief Society program.

Instead, the sisters will be in the Relief Society program and the brothers will have their usual schedule, so I'll be teaching Gospel Doctrine class to the brothers. I am not certain, but I expect the second Gospel Doctrine class will do the same thing.

We will cover two lessons, 45 and 46, tomorrow.

Lesson 45: “If I Perish, I Perish” and

Lesson 46: “A Kingdom, Which Shall Never Be Destroyed” 

Reading 1 – Daniel 1:1-8

Reading 2 – Daniel 1:10-15,17,20

Reading 3 - Elder Boyd K. Packer taught: “I have come to know … that a fundamental purpose of the Word of Wisdom has to do with revelation. From the time you are very little we teach you to avoid tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco, narcotics, and anything else that disturbs your health. … If someone ‘under the influence’ can hardly listen to plain talk, how can they respond to spiritual promptings that touch their most delicate feelings? As valuable as the Word of Wisdom is as a law of health, it may be much more valuable to you spiritually than it is physically” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 28–29; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 20).

Reading 4 – Daniel 2:1-5

Reading 5 – Daniel 2:16-19

Daniel 2:20-23

Reading 6 – Daniel 2:31-35, 44-45

President Kimball said:

And it was in the days of these kings that power would not be given to men, but the God of heaven would set up a kingdom—the kingdom of God upon the earth, which should never be destroyed nor left to other people.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored in 1830 after numerous revelations from the divine source; and this is the kingdom, set up by the God of heaven, that would never be destroyed nor superseded, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth.

History unfolded and the world powers came and went after ruling the world for a little season, but in the early nineteenth century the day had come. The new world of America had been discovered and colonized and was being settled. Independence had been gained and a constitution approved and freedom given to men, and people were now enlightened to permit truth to be established and to reign.

No king or set of rulers could divine this history; but a young, pure, and worthy prophet could receive a revelation from God.

. . . .

[after describing the events in the Sacred Grove and the appearance of additional heavenly messengers to Joseph Smith, Pres. Kimball continues:]

These were the beginnings of accomplishment; and the gospel was revealed, line upon line and precept upon precept, and truths were restored, and power was given and authority was revealed, and gradually enough light and enough people were there for the organization of this kingdom of God which Daniel saw two and a half millennia ago.

The Church was organized. Small it was, with only six members, compared to the stone cut out of the mountain without hands which would break in pieces other nations and which would roll forth and fill the whole earth.

Reading 7 – Esther 3:2-5

Reading 8 – Elder Neal A. Maxwell has said: Premortality is not a relaxing doctrine. For each of us, there are choices to be made, incessant and difficult chores to be done, ironies and adversities to be experienced, time to be well spent, talents and gifts to be well employed. Just because we were chosen “there and then,” surely does not mean we can be indifferent “here and now.” Whether foreordination for men, or foredesignation for women, those called and prepared must also prove “chosen, and faithful.” (See Rev. 17:14; D&C 121:34-36). In fact, adequacy in the first estate may merely have ensured a stern, second estate with more duties and no immunities! Additional tutoring and suffering appears to be the pattern for the Lord’s most apt pupils. (See Mosiah 3:19; 1 Pet. 4:19). Our existence, therefore, is a continuum matched by God’s stretching curriculum (“Premortality, a Glorious Reality,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 16).

Esther 4:16

Reading 9: Esther 7:3-6

Lessons 45 and 46 - Daniel and Esther

This coming Sunday, December 14, we will be covering two lessons in Gospel Doctrine class, Lesson 45 and 46.

Following are the chapters from the Class Member Study Guide for each of these lessons.

Lesson 45: “If I Perish, I Perish”

Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, (2001), 28–29

Study the following scriptures:

a. Daniel 1. Daniel and his friends refuse to eat King Nebuchadnezzar’s food (1:1–16). The Lord blesses Daniel and his friends with good health and wisdom (1:17–21).

b. Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol (3:1–12). King Nebuchadnezzar casts them into a fiery furnace, and the Lord saves them from death (3:13–30).

c. Daniel 6. King Darius’s men persuade the king to sign a decree that for 30 days all petitions must be directed to him rather than to any other man or to God (6:1–9). In spite of the king’s decree, Daniel prays to God (6:10–13). As punishment for disobeying the decree, Daniel is thrown into a den of lions (6:14–17). The Lord sends an angel to protect Daniel (6:18–23).

d. Esther 3–5; 7–8. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, refuses to bow to Haman (3:1–4). Haman persuades King Ahasuerus to prepare a decree calling for the death of all Jews in the kingdom (3:5–14). Esther learns of Haman’s plan to kill her people and risks her life by going to ask King Ahasuerus for help (4:1–17). The king grants Esther’s request to come with Haman to a banquet (5:1–8). At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plot to kill the Jews (7:1–6). The king hangs Haman (7:7–10). The king honors Mordecai and grants Esther’s request to reverse Haman’s decree (8:1–17).

As a young boy, Daniel was carried captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. He and other promising Hebrew youths—including his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—were trained in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Esther was a Jewish woman who lived shortly after the time of Daniel. After her parents died, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai. Esther was very beautiful, and Ahasuerus, the king of Persia and Media, was so pleased with her beauty that he made her his queen. 

• What did Daniel and his friends propose when they were given the king’s meat and wine? (See Daniel 1:8–14.) How are the blessings they received similar to the Lord’s promises to us if we obey the Word of Wisdom? (See Daniel 1:15, 17, 20; D&C 89:18–20.) 

• What happened when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into the furnace? (See Daniel 3:21–27.) Who was in the furnace with them? (See Daniel 3:25.) How does the Savior help us when we turn to him during our trials? 

• What challenges do we face today that require courage like Esther’s? What blessings will we receive as we strive to do what is right even when we are faced with difficult consequences?

Additional reading: Esther 1–2; 6; 9–10.

Lesson 46: “A Kingdom, Which Shall Never Be Destroyed”

Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, (2001), 29

Study the following scriptures:

a. Daniel 2:1–23. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and commands his advisers to describe and interpret it (2:1–13). Daniel prays with his friends, and God reveals to him the dream and its interpretation (2:14–23).

b. Daniel 2:24–49. Daniel reveals that King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream foretells the rise and fall of the great kingdoms of the earth and the latter-day triumph of the kingdom of God over all other kingdoms.

• How did Daniel describe the great image that the king had seen in his dream? (See Daniel 2:31–33.) What did the different parts of the image represent? (See Daniel 2:36–43.)

• What did the “stone … cut out without hands” represent? (See Daniel 2:44–45; D&C 65:2.) What did Daniel prophesy concerning the Church in the latter days? (See Daniel 2:34–35, 44.) How is Daniel’s prophecy that the Church will “fill the whole earth” and “never be destroyed” being fulfilled today?

Additional reading: Doctrine and Covenants 65.

Lesson 44: “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”

Study the following scriptures:

1. a. Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.
   
2. b. Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.
   
3. c. Ezekiel 47:2–5. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth and discovers that the water gets deeper each time he wades into it.
   

• •What do you learn about the temple from Ezekiel 43:1–12 and 44:6–9, 23?
• •According to Ezekiel’s vision, what changes will take place in the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea, which are east of Jerusalem, because of the river flowing from the temple? (See Ezekiel 47:6–12.) How does the water of life available in the temple heal and give life to marriages? families? our ancestors? the Church?

As you study the account in Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12, you may also want to study Revelation 22:1–3 and 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25. Notice the similar images in these passages.

Lesson 43: The Shepherds of Israel

Study the following scriptures:

1. a. Ezekiel 34. The Lord reproves those shepherds who do not feed the flock. He will seek all the lost sheep and be their Shepherd.
   
2. b. Ezekiel 18:21–32. Ezekiel teaches that the wicked who repent will be saved and that the righteous who turn to wickedness will be cast out.
   
3. c. Ezekiel 37:1–14. Ezekiel sees a vision in which many dry bones are given life.
   
4. d. Ezekiel 37:15–28. Ezekiel prophesies that the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph will become one in the Lord’s hand.
   

In 597 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carried into captivity many people from the kingdom of Judah. Among these captives was Ezekiel, whom the Lord called as a prophet five years later. Ezekiel ministered to his exiled people until 570 B.C.

Ezekiel’s writings include rebukes and promises that apply not only to the ancient kingdom of Judah but to all Israel, including Church members today. Although Jerusalem had been destroyed, Ezekiel foresaw a day when Israel would be gathered and restored.

• •Who are the “shepherds of Israel” spoken of in Ezekiel 34? In what ways can each of us be considered a shepherd of Israel?
• •How is the Savior like a shepherd to us? (See Ezekiel 34:11–16; Psalm 23.)
• •What does it mean to “make … a new heart and a new spirit”? (Ezekiel 18:31). How can we experience this change of heart? (See Alma 5:7–14.)
• •In the prophecy recorded in Ezekiel 37:15–28, one of the things the stick of Judah represents is the Bible. One of the things the stick of Joseph represents is the Book of Mormon. What blessings have come from having the Book of Mormon in addition to the Bible?

Additional reading: Ezekiel 2.

Lesson 42: “I Will Write It in Their Hearts” – Scriptures and Quotes

Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 4:32–35

Reading 2 - Jeremiah 16:14–16

Reading 3 – Jeremiah 23:1–8

Reading 4 - President John Taylor said:  "There is no man that believes in the literal fulfilment of the revelations of God through the prophets who does not believe that the Lord will in the latter days gather a people together out of every nation under heaven, and that he will also gather the dispersed of Judah—the Jews—that have been trodden under the feet of the Gentiles for the last 1,800 years." (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p113)

2 Nephi 30:7

Reading 5 - Elder Orson F. Whitney said:  "The God of Israel has set his hand to gather his elect and prepare the world for the sanctifying reign of righteousness. He will accomplish what he has undertaken, using for that purpose every means consistent and available. Christ died to save the souls of men, and save them he will—by mild measures whenever these will avail; but by stern methods if necessary, after the mild have proved ineffectual. First, the 'fishers,' with gentle, kind persuasion. Then the 'hunters'—war, commotion and destruction. Such is the divine program." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p184)

Reading 6 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie:  "In due course the Lost Tribes of Israel will return and come to the children of Ephraim to receive their blessings. This great gathering will take place under the direction of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for he holds the keys of 'the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.'  (D&C 110:11) Keys are the right of presidency the power to direct; and by this power the Lost Tribes will return, with 'their prophets' and their scriptures to 'be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim.'" (Mormon Doctrine, p458)

Numbers 11:29

Reading 7 – Jeremiah 31:31-34

Reading 8 – Ezekiel 11:17-20

2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Mosiah 4:2-3

Reading 9 - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said: “And one day, we will fully see through the darkness into the light. We will understand His eternal plan, His mercy, and His love. (quoting Luke 18:8) When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?’

Perhaps as members of the Church trust with all their hearts, transform their hopes and beliefs into action, and seek to align themselves with the will of the Lord, the answer to the question the Savior asked 2,000 years ago will be a resounding ‘Yes, He will find faith. He will find faith among those who take upon themselves His name. He will find it among those who are living His divine principles’” (“Shall He Find Faith on the Earth?”; Sunday Afternoon, October 6, 2002).

Lesson 41: I Have Made Thee This Day … an Iron Pillar

Lesson 41: “I Have Made Thee This Day … an Iron Pillar” – Scriptures and Quotes

Isaiah 65:17

1 Nephi 7:14

Reading 1 – Jeremiah 1:4–10

Reading 2 - The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was” (History of the Church, 6:364).

Reading 3 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said:  "A prophet's name, place of birth, and the character of his everyday calling, are matters of little moment compared with other things pertaining to him. What of his state and standing before he came on earth? This is a far more important consideration. God's prophets are chosen before they are born, and are sent into the world as He needs them. Their aims are high and holy. They desire the welfare and happiness of the race. Yet almost invariably their motives are misunderstood, and they and their followers are opposed and persecuted." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p14)

Jeremiah 1:17-19

Reading 4 – Jeremiah 20:1-6

Reading 5 – Jeremiah 26:7-15

Reading 6: Jeremiah 36:1-6, 20-23, 27-29

Jeremiah 20:14-18

Reading 7 – Jeremiah 2:13

Reading 8 - Elder Marion D. Hanks said: “Material objectives consume too much of our attention. The struggle for what we need or for more than we need exhausts our time and energy. We pursue pleasure or entertainment, or become overinvolved in associations or civic matters. Of course, people need recreation, need to be achieving, need to contribute; but if these come at the cost of friendship with Christ, the price is much too high.

“ ‘For my people have committed two evils,’ said the Lord to Israel; ‘they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’ (Jer. 2:13.)

“The substitutions we fashion to take the place of God in our lives truly hold no water. To the measure we thus refuse the ‘living water,’ we miss the joy we could have” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1972, 127; or Ensign, July 1972, 105).

Jeremiah 5:1

Jeremiah 1:9

Reading 9 – Jeremiah 15:16

Reading 10 – 2 Nephi 2:3

Jeremiah 20:9

Lesson 37: “Thou Hast Done Wonderful Things” – Scriptures and Quotes

As a source of knowledge, the scriptures are not the ultimate but the penultimate. The ultimate knowledge comes by revelation…. A study of the scriptures enables men and women to receive revelations…. because scripture reading put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Scripture Reading and Revelation,” to BYU Studies Academy, 29 January 1993, 3-4, also at "Mormonism 101" lecture at Harvard University Law School, spring, 2010

It just may be that my salvation (and yours also!) does in fact depend upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah as fully and truly as Nephi understood them. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign, Oct 1973

Reading 1 – Isaiah 22:22

John 14:6

Reading 2 – Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:  "In ancient Israel, David was a man of blood and battle whose word was law and whose very name was also a symbol of power and authority. Accordingly, when Isaiah sought to convey a realization of the supreme, directive control and power resident in our Lord, the Son of David, he spoke these words in the Lord's name: 'And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.' (Isa. 22:22.) Centuries later, speaking of himself, our Lord said to John: 'These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.' (Rev. 3:7.) Thus, the key of David is the absolute power resident in Christ whereby his will is expressed in all things both temporal and spiritual." (Mormon Doctrine, p409)

Reading 3 – 2 Nephi 9:41

Reading 4 – Isaiah 24:21-22

Reading 5 - President Ezra Taft Benson said:  "There were two grand divisions in the world of spirits. Spirits of the righteous (the just) had gone to paradise, a state of happiness, peace, and restful work. The spirits of the wicked (the unjust) had gone to prison, a state of darkness and misery." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p37)

Isaiah 42:5-7

Reading 6 – Doctrine and Covenants 138:29-31

Isaiah 49:9-10

Reading 7 - Isaiah 25:1–4; 32:1–2

Reading 8 - President Harold B. Lee said, “the Master was telling us that those same storms [having quoted Matthew 7:24-27] are going to fall upon the house of every one of us, rich or poor, good or bad. The only ones who will not fall will be those who have founded their lives upon the Rock—meaning divine testimony of the mission of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (“Message to Students,” Ninety-sixth Annual Commencement Address and Message, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1971, 18-19)

Isaiah 28:16

Reading 9 – Helaman 5:12

Isaiah 30:19-21

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 35: God Reveals His Secrets to His Prophets – Scriptures and Quotes

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “As the prophet reveals the truth, it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words, but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the worldly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn’t exist, rather than repent of their sins.

Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming, you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in Speeches of the Year, 1980. [Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1981], p.29)

Reading 1 – Amos 7:7-8

Reading 2 – Psalms 15:1-2

Reading 3 – 1 Nephi 16:3

Mosiah 2:32-33

Reading 4 – Amos 3:6-7

Reading 5 – Elder Orson F. Whitney said:  "The need for prophecy must be evident to any pious and reflective mind. Prophets are as watchmen on the tower, noting the time of night, telling of the approaching dawn. 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' This means, as I interpret it, that the allwise Dispenser of human affairs will neither cause nor permit any event to take place, concerning which the world need to have fore-knowledge, until he has communicated with his chosen servants, his oracles among men, and has given them due notice of its approach." (Saturday Night Thoughts, p15)

Reading 6 - Elder Matthias F. Cowley said :  "From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets." (Cowley's Talks on Doctrine, p23)

Reading 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

Reading 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-5

Doctrine and Covenants 21:6

Reading 9 – Amos 7:10-13

Wikipedia definition - Cultural Mormon is a term used for Mormons who no longer believe some, or many, of the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), but who self-identify as Mormon. Usually this is a result of having been raised in the LDS faith, or as having converted and spent a large portion of one's life as an active member of the LDS Church. Cultural Mormons may or may not be actively involved with the church, and in some cases may not even be officially members of the church.

Amos 6:1, 3-4, 7-8

Reading 10 - President Ezra Taft Benson said:  "It is not going to be enough just to accept the teachings, standards, and ideals of the Church passively. It will require real activity, real dedication to the principles of righteousness if we are to face the future unafraid. But if we have the courage, sound judgment, and the faith so to do, then no matter what happens we will be able to face any situation with courage and with faith and with the assurance that God will sustain us. I know that now is the time probably more than any other time in our lives to live the gospel. We should not be lulled away into false security as Nephi said many would be in the last days. We should not be pacified and feel in our hearts that we can sin a little, that we can attend to our meetings part of the time, that we can pay a token tithing, that we can live the gospel when it is convenient, and all will be well. We must not be 'at ease in Zion' and say 'Zion prospers, all is well' (2 Nephi 28:21, 24). But we must live the gospel plan in its fulness every day of our lives. Therein is safety. Therein will come a satisfaction which comes from righteous living which will enter our hearts, give us the courage and the strength that we need. There is no security in unrighteousness. The sinful always live in despair (see Moroni 10:22)." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp337-338)

Reading 11– Amos 8:11-13

Joseph Smith 1:41

Joel 2:28-32

Joel 2:12-27

Joel 3:16-17

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World – Scriptures and Quotes

Reading 1 – Matthew 12:38-40

Reading 2 – Jonah 1:1-2

Reading 3 – Nahum 3:1-5

Reading 4 – Jonah 1:3

Reading 4A - Sidney Sperry wrote: "A call on a mission - and direct from the Lord! But it was no surprise to the prophet to be called, for he had probably carried out many missions for the Lord in Israel before. His surprise lay not in the fact of the call but in the kind of call, and rebellion arose in his heart. It was a call to go to Nineveh, 'the great city' of Assyria, and preach to its heathen inhabitants, for their wickedness had come up before the Lord. . . .

"Jonah was torn between his loyalty to God and the whip of his emotions. The latter were at a fever pitch and in the end determined his actions. Because he couldn't face the mission call, he determined to flee the country and get away from the unpleasant responsibility. He did not intend to lay down his prophetic office; he merely wanted to absent himself without leave for a time until an unpleasant situation adjusted itself."

Reading 5 – Jonah 1:10-17

Reading 6 – Jonah 2:1-9

Reading 7 – Jonah 3:3-8

Reading 8 - Jonah 4:1-3

Reading 9 – Micah 5:2

Reading 10 – Micah 2:12-13

Reading 11 – Micah 4:1-7

Reading 12 – Micah 5:7-9

President Hinckly said:

Ever since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah, repeated again in Micah (see Micah 4:1–2), as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from across the world have said in effect, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in His paths.”

I believe and testify that it is the mission of this Church to stand as an ensign to the nations and a light to the world. We have had placed upon us a great, all-encompassing mandate from which we cannot shrink nor turn aside. We accept that mandate and are determined to fulfill it, and with the help of God we shall do it.

There are forces all around us that would deter us from that effort. The world is constantly crowding in on us. From all sides we feel the pressure to soften our stance, to give in here a little and there a little.

We must never lose sight of our objective. We must ever keep before us the goal which the Lord has set for us. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,” Liahona, Nov 2003, 82–85)

In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith declared, “No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World - Class Member Study Guide

Lesson 33: Sharing the Gospel with the World - Class Member Study Guide

Study the following scriptures:

1. Jonah 1–2. The Lord calls Jonah to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah tries to flee from the Lord on a ship, is swallowed by a great fish, prays, and is delivered from the belly of the fish.
Jonah 3–4. Jonah prophesies the downfall of Nineveh and is angry when the people of Nineveh repent and the Lord spares the city (theJoseph Smith Translation of Jonah 3:9–10 explains that the people, not God, repented). The Lord teaches Jonah to love all people.

Micah 2:12–13; 4:1–7, 11–13; 5:2–4, 7–8; 6:6–8; 7:18–20. Micah prophesies of the mission of Israel in the last days.

Why did the Lord want Jonah to go to Nineveh? (See Jonah 1:2.) Why did Jonah go to Tarshish instead? (See Jonah 1:3.) What are some reasons why we choose not to share the gospel? What can we learn from the story of Jonah that can help us be more valiant in obeying the Lord and sharing the gospel?

What did Micah prophesy about the latter-day temple? (See Micah 4:1–2.)

How can Micah 6:6–8 help us when we feel overwhelmed by all that is expected of us?

The Rest of the Story: More about Hezekiah and his great grandson, Josiah

More about Hezekiah

We discussed in Sunday's class Hezekiah's priorities and how the first thing he did when he became king was to cleanse the temple, sanctify the priests and restore temple worship.
His trust and faith in the Lord and in the Lord's prophet, Isaiah,  enabled him to be a great king and leader to the people of Judah. He was inspired, directed and miracles occured because of his faithfulness.  He extended an invitation to all of Israel to join with him and the Kingdom of Judah in temple worship, but the northern kingdom of Israel, "laughed him to scorn" and refused to join with them.  Consequently, Israel was overcome by Assyria and the ten tribes are lost and dispersed.
Interestingly, Hezekiah's son and grandson reverted to idolatry and wickedness and the people of Judah were again led away from worshiping the only true God.  Consequently, they were oppressed and invaded by Egypt.

Hezekiah's Great-Grandson, Josiah

Hezekiah's great-grandson, Josiah began his reign when he was only eight years old and his reign is chronicled in 2 Chronicles 34-35.  He destroyed idolatry in Judah and again restored and repaired the temple.  During the restoration, a copy of the law was discovered and in reading the scriptures, Josiah realized how far Judah had strayed from true worship. He immediately rent his clothes in repentance and consulted the prophets. He and his people again covenanted to serve the Lord and even though it was prophesied that Judah would suffer the consequences of their idolatry and wickedness, Josiah would not have to see the fulfillment of the prophecy because of his righteousness.  Josiah was the last righteous king of Judah and after his death (609 BC) his kingdom fell into decline and eventually was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon in 587 BC. (Lehi and his family left Jerusalem approximately 600 BC, before the Babylonian conquest)

Lesson 32: "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth"

Read and study the following material for next week's September 7th Gospel Doctrine class

Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, (2001), 22

---

Study the following scriptures:

1. a. Job 1–2. Job experiences severe trials. He remains faithful to the Lord despite losing his possessions, children, and health.
   
2. b. Job 13:13–16; 19:23–27. Job finds strength in trusting the Lord and in his testimony of the Savior.
   
3. c. Job 27:2–6. Job finds strength in his personal righteousness and integrity.
   
4. d. Job 42:10–17. After Job has faithfully endured his trials, the Lord blesses him.
   

• •What kind of man was Job? What trials did Job experience?
• •How did Job’s testimony of the Savior help him endure his trials? (See Job 19:25–27.) How can a testimony of the Savior give us strength during adversity?
• •Job’s integrity was another source of spiritual strength during his afflictions (Job 27:2–6). What is integrity? How did personal integrity strengthen Job during his trials? How can personal integrity help us during times of trial?
• •After Job had faithfully endured his trials, how did the Lord bless him? (See Job 42:10–15; James 5:11.) How does the Lord bless us as we faithfully endure trials? (See Job 23:10; 3 Nephi 15:9.)

Additional reading: Other chapters in Job; Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–10.

Lesson 31: “Happy Is the Man That Findeth Wisdom” – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 31: “Happy Is the Man That Findeth Wisdom” – Scriptures and Quotes

Reading 1 – Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of – page 754

Reading 2 – Bible Dictionary – Ecclesiastes – Page 659

Reading 3 – Bible Dictionary – Fear – page 672

Reading 4 – Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:9-10

Reading 5 – Proverbs 2:2-6

Reading 6 – 2 Nephi 9:28-29

Ecclesiastes 7:11-12

Reading 7 – Proverbs 3:5-7

Doctrine and Covenants 59:21

Reading 8 – Proverbs 6:16-19

Reading 9 – Matthew 12:36-37

Proverbs 15:1

Reading 10 - Elder Gordon B. Hinckley said: “We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 82; or Ensign, June 1971, 72).

Reading 11 – Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 13:10, 16:18-19

Reading 12 - President Ezra Taft Benson said:  “The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means ‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.’ It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

 “Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’ As Paul said, they ‘seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’ (Philippians 2:21).

 “Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled (see Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi 12:30).

 “The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives (see Helaman 12:6). They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.

 “Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s. … 

 “Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression (see Alma 12:10–11). The proud are not easily taught (see 1 Nephi 15:3, 7–11). They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 3–5; or Ensign, May 1989, 4, 6).

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride.

“Contention in our families drives the Spirit of the Lord away. It also drives many of our family members away. … 

 “Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 5; or Ensign, May 1989, 6).

Lesson 31: “Happy Is the Man That Findeth Wisdom” Old Testament Class Member Study Guide

Study the scriptures discussed here and as much of the books of Proverbsand Ecclesiastes as you can.

Proverbs are generally short sayings that give counsel about living righteously. The Old Testament records that Solomon “spake three thousand proverbs” (1 Kings 4:32). Some of these wise sayings are included in the book of Proverbs. Although Solomon and the other authors of this book were not prophets, much of what they wrote was inspired by the Lord. The book of Ecclesiastes also contains wise sayings, and some believe Solomon to be its author.

• The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes emphasize the importance of wisdom. What differences are there between being learned and being wise? (See Proverbs 1:7; 9:9–10; 2 Nephi 9:28–29.)
• What counsel is given in Proverbs 3:5–7? What experiences have taught you to trust the Lord?
• Why is the Lord concerned with the words we speak? (See Proverbs 16:27–28; 18:8; 25:18; Matthew 12:36–37.) How can we overcome the problems of lying, gossiping, or speaking negatively about others?
• Proverbs 13:10 and 16:18 teach that pride leads to contention and destruction. How can pride do this? How does pride affect our families?
• Proverbs 22:6 says to “train up a child in the way he should go.” What should parents do to follow this counsel? (See D&C 68:25–28.) How can parents more effectively teach children the principles of the gospel?
• Why is it important to develop a happy attitude and a good sense of humor? (See Proverbs 15:13; 17:22.) What can we do to encourage uplifting humor in our families?

Lesson 30 Come to the House of the Lord

To prepare for next week's Gospel Doctrine Class:

Study the following scriptures:

1. a.2 Chronicles 29–30. Hezekiah, king of Judah, opens the doors of the temple and instructs the priests and Levites to cleanse and sanctify it for worship (29:1–19). When the temple is cleansed, Hezekiah and his people worship together and praise the Lord (29:20–36). Hezekiah invites all Israel to come to the temple in Jerusalem (30:1–9). Some laugh at the invitation, but the faithful of Israel worship the Lord in Jerusalem (30:10–27).
   
2. b. 2 Chronicles 32:1–23. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invades Judah and speaks against the Lord (32:1–19). Isaiah and Hezekiah pray for help, and an angel of the Lord destroys much of the Assyrian army (32:20–23).
   
3. c. 2 Chronicles 34. After Hezekiah’s son and grandson rule in wickedness, Hezekiah’s great-grandson Josiah becomes king of Judah. Josiah destroys the idols in the kingdom and repairs the temple (34:1–13). The book of the law is found in the temple and read to Josiah, who weeps when he learns how far the people have strayed from the law (34:14–21). Huldah the prophetess tells of the forthcoming desolation of Judah but prophesies that Josiah will not have to witness it (34:22–28). Josiah and his people covenant to serve the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:29–33).
   
   Consider and ponder the following questions:
   
   • What can we learn from Hezekiah about the proper relationship between trusting in our own efforts and trusting in the Lord? (See 2 Chronicles 32:7–8.
     *While Josiah and his people were at the temple, what did they covenant to do? (See 2 Chronicles 34:31–33.) How can we prepare to make the sacred temple covenants? Once we have made these covenants, why is it important that we return to the temple as often as possible?
     
     Additional reading: 2 Kings 18–19; 22–23; Isaiah 37:10–20, 33–38.
     
   
   
    

Lesson 29: “He Took Up … the Mantle of Elijah” – scriptures and quotes

Lesson 29: “He Took Up … the Mantle of Elijah” –  scriptures and quotes

Reading 1 – 1 Kings 19:15-16

1 Kings 19:19

Reading 2 – 2 Kings 2:1-8

2 Kings 2:9-13

Reading 3 – 2 Kings 2:14-15

Reading 4 - President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “There is no mystery about the choosing of the successor to the President of the Church. The Lord settled this a long time ago, and the senior apostle automatically becomes the presiding officer of the Church, and he is so sustained by the Council of the Twelve which becomes the presiding body of the Church when there is no First Presidency. The president is not elected, but he has to be sustained both by his brethren of the Council and by the members of the Church” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:156).

Reading 5 - President Gordon B. Hinckley explained how this procedure was followed when he was ordained and set apart as the prophet and President of the Church following the death of President Howard W. Hunter:

“With President Hunter’s passing, the First Presidency was dissolved. Brother Monson and I, who had served as his counselors, took our places in the Quorum of the Twelve, which became the presiding authority of the Church.

“[A few days later] all of the living ordained Apostles gathered in a spirit of fasting and prayer in the upper room of the temple. Here we sang a sacred hymn and prayed together. We partook of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, renewing in that sacred, symbolic testament our covenants and our relationship with Him who is our divine Redeemer. The Presidency was then reorganized, following a precedent well established through generations of the past [this precedent is explained in the preceding statement by President Joseph Fielding Smith]. There was no campaigning, no contest, no ambition for office. It was quiet, peaceful, simple, and sacred. It was done after the pattern which the Lord Himself had put in place” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 92; or Ensign, May 1995, 69).

Reading 6 – 2 Kings 5:1-5,8-9

Reading 7 – 2 Kings 5:10-14

Elder Rex D. Pinegar asked, “Are we not sometimes like Naaman, looking for big or important things to do and bypassing simple things which could change our lives and heal us of our afflictions?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 106; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 80)

Reading 8 - After recounting the story of Naaman, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley said: “The way of the gospel is a simple way. Some of the requirements may appear to you as elementary and unnecessary. Do not spurn them. Humble yourselves and walk in obedience. I promise that the results that follow will be marvelous to behold and satisfying to experience” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 143; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 96).

Reading 9 - Elder Boyd K. Packer has written: “Others among us are willing to sustain part of the leadership of the Church and question and criticize others of us.

Some of us suppose that if we were called to a high office in the Church immediately, we would be loyal and would show the dedication necessary. We would step forward and valiantly commit ourselves to this service.

But (you can put it down in your little black book) if you will not be loyal in the small things, you will not be loyal in the large things. If you will not respond to the so-called insignificant or menial tasks which need to be performed in the Church and kingdom, there will be no opportunity for service in the so-called greater challenges.

A man who says he will sustain the President of the Church or the General Authorities, but cannot sustain his own bishop is deceiving himself. The man who will not sustain the bishop of his ward and the president of his stake will not sustain the President of the Church.” (That All May Be Edified , p.238-239)

President Thomas S. Monson said: “My brothers and sisters, may we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. We should not need to experience difficulties for us to remember Him, and we should not be driven to humility before giving Him our faith and trust.” (Ensign, November 2013).

2 Kings 6:12

Reading 10 – 2 Kings 6:15-17

Reading 11 – Jeffrey R. Holland, then President of BYU, said: "In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed."

Lesson 25: Psalms

Some of you might be interested in further study in the Messianic prophecies in the the book of Psalms. Here is a copy of the handout:

1. Prophecies of the life and mission of Jesus Christ Found in Psalms

Many psalms prophesy of Christ’s mission as the Messiah. The resurrected Savior declared, “All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). Discuss the fulfillment of a few of the following prophecies about Christ that are written in the book of Psalms:

Prophecy	Fulfillment
Psalm 107:23–30	Matthew 8:23–27. Jesus calmed the winds and the waves.
Psalm 69:8	John 1:11; 7:5. Jesus was not received by his own people.
Psalm 41:9; 55:12–14	John 13:18, 21. Jesus was betrayed by a friend.
Psalm 69:20	Mark 14:32–41. Jesus suffered alone in Gethsemane.
Psalm 22:7–8	Matthew 27:39–43. Jesus was mocked.
Psalm 22:16	Mark 15:25. Jesus was crucified.
Psalm 22:18	Matthew 27:35. The soldiers cast lots for Christ’s clothes.
Psalm 22:1	Matthew 27:46. Jesus asked the Father why he had forsaken him.
Psalm 69:21	John 19:28–30. Jesus was given vinegar for his thirst.
Psalm 34:20	John 19:33–36. None of Jesus’ bones was broken.
Psalm 31:5	Luke 23:46. Jesus commended his spirit to the Father and died.
Psalm 16:10	Acts 2:31–32; 13:34–35. The Savior’s flesh did not see corruption, being raised up in the Resurrection.

• •

Jesus Christ is the only person whose birth, life, death, and resurrection were prophesied before his birth. Why do you think such detailed prophecies were given about the Savior’s life? (These prophecies made it clear that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world.) How were these prophecies a blessing to those who received them? (The prophecies helped people learn of the Savior and gain testimonies of him even before he was born [see Mosiah 3:13]. The prophecies also helped some people recognize him when he came.)

Readings used in the lesson

Reading 1

 “…there is ample internal evidence that David, the great poet and musician of Israel, was the principal author of (Psalms).

1.    David’s name is famous in the Old Testament period for music and song.

2.    David was especially endowed by the Holy Spirit (I Sam. 23:1-2)

3.    David’s music and poetical gifts appear indelibly interwoven on the pages of Old Testament history.  He is called ‘the sweet psalmist of Israel’ (II Sam. 23:1)

4.    He was a skilled performer on the lyre (I Sam.16:6-18)

5.    He was the author of the masterful elegy written upon the death of Saul and Jonathan (II Sam. 1:19-27)

6.    He is referred to as a model poet-musician by the prophet, Amos (Amos 6:5)

7.    Most of the songs attributed to him reflect some period of his life

8.    Certain psalms are cited as Davidic in Scripture in general. For example, Acts 4:25-26 so cites Psalm 2. “   Unger,Bible Dictionary

 There are 283 citations from the Old Testament in the New Testament.

116 have been counted from this one book of Psalms.

 Reading 2

 Psalm 51 Verses 1-3, 9-12, 16-17

 Reading 3

“Music is part of the language of the Gods. It has been given to man so he can sing praises to the Lord.  It is a means of expressing, with poetic words and in melodious tunes, the deep feelings of rejoicing and thanksgiving found in the hearts of those who have testimonies of the divine Sonship and who know of the wonders and glories wrought for them by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Music is both in the voice and in the heart. Every true saint finds his heart full of songs of praise to his Maker.”   Old Testament Student Manual

 Reading 4

 Psalm 104:24       Psalm 136:3-9

 Reading 5

 Psalm 86:5, 13      Psalm 100:4-5

 Reading 6

 Psalm 19:7-11

 Reading 7

 Psalm 5:7

 Reading 8

 Psalm 18:2    Psalm 56:11