Book of Mormon Sunday II- Mormon

   Mormon's day was truly a sad period of Nephite history. War and destruction are the themes and it makes me sad to read this section of the Book of Mormon. The interesting part is the spiritual life of Mormon.  

     Mormon 1:14 "And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief. And I, *being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus."

   The dichotomy between the inner life of Mormon and the motivations of his people is striking. How was he able to maintain his perspective?

    Mormon 2:26 "And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren"

    The strength of the Lord was not with the Nephite people but that strength was present in Mormon's family. From that spiritual center he talks to us and understands that if we truly have eternal perspective, we will read this story and mourn, as he did,  for the spiritual weakness of the Nephites. 

   Mormon 5:10 "And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come. For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus."

     All of his strength went into preparing the plates for the great day of restoration. I think of his son, who's statue reaches high on every LDS temple, who rejoices in a better day and that day is my day.

     Mormon 8:16 "And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God."

    How grateful I feel for the covenants renewed by God in these last days, and I am aware, as never before, of the strength coming from God, through his divine Son to unite all of God's children and give them power to progress, if they so choose. 

   Mormon 8:23 "Search the prophecies of Isaiah. Behold, I cannot write them. Yea, behold I say unto you, that those saints who have gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall cry, yea, even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with them."

Teaching the New Testament in Harmony

   This is the third time for teaching the New Testament. Once I taught the gospels sequentially, taking each book in turn. The second time I tried teaching in "Harmony", covering the like events and principles together. I'm going with the gospels in harmony because the music is so much sweeter. :)

   Checking in with the Teachers Manual has given me a great resource and plan. You'll find this in the pacing section of the introduction. The down side is the students have a more difficult time following along in their personal reading.

Option 1

Teach the four Gospels as a harmony.

Week	Day	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John	Latter-day Revelation
1	Day 1 Days 2–3 Day 4	“An Introduction to the New Testament” and “Scripture Study Helps”  “Plan of Salvation Overview”  “The Time between the Old and New Testaments”
2	Days 1–2 Day 3 Day 4	1 2		1:1–2:20 2:40–52	1:1–3
3	Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4	3:13–17 4:1–11		3:1–22 4:1–13	1:29–2:25 3
4	Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4	10 5–7		4:14–32; 5:1–6:49 9:1–6	4–5
5	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	5–7 (cont.) 8–9	1:23–2:12; 5:21–6:6	7–8
6	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	8–9 (cont.) 11–12	1:23–2:12; 5:21–6:6 (cont.) 2:23–3:6	7–8 (cont.)
7	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	13 14:3–33	4 6:14–44
8	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	16	7–8		6
9	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	17 18:1–10	9:14–50	15
10	Days 1–2 Days 3–4			9:1–10:42	7–8
11	Day 1 Day 2 Days 3–4			11–13 14 16–17
12	Days 1–2 Days 3–4	19–20	10		9–10

Morning Lines #13- Morning Mist

Morning Mist by ME

Watching the billows of smoke rise over the trees

Expecting an acrid aroma to follow,

Instead of smoke I followed furls of fog to the beach

Rushing onto shore and pushing up to the bank.

There seemed an urgent need to start the day

The sea sending whispers that today might be like none other.

I stopped the car along the pier to witness,

To testify that what was once hazy

Would become crystal clear.

Preparing To Teach the New Testament

It is time to choose a theme for my New Testament seminary year. Having a theme allows me to review the important messages I want my students to keep in their hearts. I do a lot of reviewing because my students just don't recall much from a lesson. I feel I am creating a scaffold on which to hang new information. Last year I highlighted Exodus 6:6-7 and we labeled it "His Mission" and this year we are using Matthew 1:23 to open and enlarge who he is. Emmanuel, God with us, has multiple meanings. This title, Emmanuel, will help us remember that Jesus is the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1) with our Father, who came to teach us in the likeness of our Heavenly Father. This title will also remind us that Jesus Christ is a God, a creator and Father of our new hearts. These are big concepts which need   

repetitions to understand.

 I like to sing in seminary and so I choose, or write, a song to match our theme. I just couldn't get Amy Grant's "Emmanuel" out of my head. 

.
   But it needs new words. So with the help of The Living Christ document I rewrote the words. Sorry, Amy, but there is more information.

Emmanuel, God With Us

Creator of

The world he was

Jehovah of the past.

Sinless one, he was still baptized

To fill the laws of righteousness.

He walked the roads of Palestine

He went about doing good.

Despised, rejected

He died for us

And rose upon the third day

To be again This Living Christ.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, God with us

The King of Israel.

His eyes were as
Flamng fire,
His hair as white as snow
His countenance bright as the sun
For those who've seen Him let us know,
He taught the truth

Of eternity,

Of pre-existent life

The purpose of our life on earth

The promise of what we could 

Be in the life to come.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, God with us

The King of Israel.

And His life began

Not in Bethlehem

Nor ended in Calvary

Our Father sent him as messenger

To show his charity.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, God with us

The King of Israel.

Morning Lines #12- More Pooh Philosophy

"Lots of people talk to animals," said Pooh.

Maybe, but…"

"Not very many listen, though," he said.

"That's the problem," he added.

A. A. Milne

Pooh. in his unassuming way has been wondering why I have to talk myself into getting on my bike each morning. He doesn't get it, being a bear with little brain. He will never understand that exercise is not natural to me. "Then, why do you do it?" he always asks. Because I have changed my life and now I am a active person who exercises an hour a day. Duh!

He goes on about how he loves the feeling of the wind in his fur and seeing his friends just ahead as they cruise down the hills.

"Just how do you do it, Pooh?"

"Do what?" asked Pooh.

"Become so Effortless."

"I don't do much of anything," he said.

"But all those things of yours get done."

"They just sort of happen," he said.

Rabbit chimes in suddenly, "Don't listen to Pooh, he always gets us into trouble. Forgets, his helmet, doesn't bring a bike lock, I am sure we will crash eventually.

I can't think about this anymore because I either have to jump on my trampoline or get on my bike. Hmmm….. which one should I do today?

Morning Lines #11- Flowers For Everyday

I have a flower shop in my town where recently I have become a customer. Buying flowers is an acquired habit, if you can count two times a habit. In the past I have occasionally purchased a bouquet at the grocery store, but now I am looking at the flowers in big silver buckets as props to set a stage. I pick them one by one, in a hue that speaks to me and they wrap them up for me to arrange when I get home. The stage is my attitude and the show takes place in my mind.

This week the show is featuring daisies, "the friendly flowers", and in a supporting role a small bunch... of roses. 

"At my feet the white petaled daisies display

the small suns of their center-piece-their hearts. Of course

I could be wrong, perhaps their hearts are pale and

narrow and hidden in the roots. What do I know.

But this: it is heaven itself to take what is given,

to see what is plain; what the sun

lights up willingly…" 

Mary Oliver

                                   Could I be as whole-hearted as this open gerber daisy?

Book of Mormon Sunday II- 4th Nephi

    I am taking a moment to enjoy the height of goodness in Nephite history.  Here are the things they did not have:

  No robbers

  No murderers

  No Lamanites

  No "ites" of any kind

4 Nephi:16 "And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; "

Here is what they did have:

   Miracles

   Peace

   Amazing joy

4 Nephi 3: "And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift."

   All this because they remembered the Son of God who visited with them and changed three generation's lives.

  4 Nephi 10: "And now, behold, it came to pass that the people of Nephi did wax strong, and did multiply exceedingly fast, and became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people".