Old Testament, Lesson 5: “If Thou Doest Well, Thou Shalt Be Accepted.”
January 31, 2010, Compiled by Maren Hale, Pleasant View 1st Ward gospel doctrine class
Readings: Moses 5-7
“I need not remind you that this cause in which we are engaged is not an ordinary cause. It is the cause of Christ. It is the kingdom of God our Eternal Father. It is the building of Zion on the earth, the fulfillment of prophecy given of old and of a vision revealed in this dispensation.” Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov. 1989, p. 53.)
INTRODUCTION
Today we will discuss Moses 5-7 and gain insight into the matchless gifts of love granted to us by our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.
For these gifts, we are asked only to make an offering of a broken heart and contrite spirit. We will look at how we can be a Zion society if we will be unified and pure in heart.
BODY
An acceptable Offering
In Moses 5 we see Adam and Eve and their family.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:2-3
2. And Adam knew his wife, and she bare unto him sons and daughters, and they began to multiply and to replenish the earth.
3. And from that time forth, the sons and daughters of Adam began to divide two and two in the land, and to till the land, and to tend flocks, and they also begat sons and daughters.”
We know that Adam and Eve taught the gospel to their children
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:12
12. And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and daughters.
So we see here that Adam and Eve were having family home evenings J.
Adam and Eve hoped their son Cain would follow the Lord as they did. But we know that Cain “hearkened not” to his parents and the Lord, and asked, “Who is the Lord that I should know him?” (Moses 5:16)
In Moses 5:18 we learn who Cain followed.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:18
And Cain loved Satan more than God. And Satan commanded him saying: Make an offering unto the Lord.
QUESTION: What do Cain and Abel bring as offerings to the Lord?
[Cain brings an offering of the fruit of the ground. Abel brings of the firstlings of his flock]
QUESTION: Why does the Lord reject Cain’s offering? [The Lord had commanded Adam and Eve and their children to offer the firstlings of their flocks. Abel obeyed, but Cain heeded the words of Satan and offered the fruit of the ground.]
QUOTE #1 Let’s read what Joseph Smith said about these offerings.
Joseph Smith: “Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not do it in faith…Shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone for man…was the plan of redemption;…and as the sacrifice was instituted for a type, by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared; to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised…; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith 1976, p 58)
QUESTION: Why do you suppose a child of these righteous parents was so rebellious? ◦ Cain rejected God’s counsel
◦ He rejected the spirit
◦ He swore allegiance to Satan
◦ He became part of the secret combination to murder and get gain
The Lord then calls Cain to repentance.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:23-24 – Verse 23 is the theme for today’s lesson.
23. “If thou doest well, thou shalt be accepted. And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and Satan desireth to have thee; and except thou shalt hearken unto my commandments, I will deliver thee up…”
24:…“For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies; thou shalt be called Perdition; for thou wast also before the world.”
Quote #2, Elder Milton R. Hunter: “Why should Cain become Perdition? He committed murder, but there have been thousands and thousands of murders committed since his day and God has not pronounced the murderers sons of Perdition. The answer to this question lies in the fact that Cain must have held the Holy Priesthood.” (Pearl of Great Price Commentary, p. 167)
Quote #3: Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “From the scriptural records available to us, from the sermons of the Prophet, and from a knowledge of the revealed requisites for becoming a son of perdition, we know that Cain was a liar and a rebel in pre-existence; that, like Lucifer, he had power and influence there; that in this life he was taught the gospel, received the priesthood, and knew of the divinity of the Lord’s work; that he then came out in open rebellion against God; that he in fact loved Satan more than God, choosing to worship and serve that evil one rather than the Lord; and that he offered false sacrifices at Satan’s behest and slew Abel because the devil directed him so to do. (Genesis 4; Moses 5:16-55).” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:197)
QUESTION: How did Cain react to the Lord’s call to repent? [Angry, not teachable]
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:26
“And Cain was wroth, and listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel, his brother, who walked in holiness before the Lord.”
QUESTION: What are some of the reasons it is hard to repent?
1. Pride – we don’t like to be told what to do.
2. Set in our ways – we hate to move out of our comfort zones and away
from bad habits).
3. Lazy – may not feel like doing what we are commanded (rather do
what we want to do).
QUESTION: So how do we develop repentant hearts?
1. Be humble – pray, obey
2. Be open to change – be willing to be taught
3. Develop Self discipline – work and serve
The bondage of darkness/freedom of light
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:32-34
32. And Cain went into the field, and Cain talked with Abel, his brother. And it came to pass that while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him.
33. And Cain glorified in that which he had done, saying: I am free; surely the flocks of my brother falleth into my hands.
34. And the Lord said unto Cain: Where is Abel, thy brother? And he said: I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?
Cain murdered, he wanted to steal, he lied, and he didn’t want responsibility for another.
Note that after the murder, Cain says, “I am free.” Actually, this sin had decreased Cain’s freedom.
QUESTION: What are the consequences of not living the Word of Wisdom?
[bad health, lack of the Spirit]
What are the consequences of a moral transgression? [hurt others, unworthy, shame, lack of the Spirit].
QUESTION: How does obedience increase our freedom? [We are free of guilt. The Spirit abides with us, lifts us up, and we are further taught and blessed].
Cain then asks the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Bishop Robert L. Simpson teaches us that we are our brother’s keeper.
QUOTE #4, Bishop Robert L. Simpson: “The world today tells you to leave your friend alone. He has the right to come and go as he pleases. The world tells you that persuasion to attend church or priesthood meeting or to discard a bad habit might lead to frustration and undue pressures; but again I repeat the word of the Lord: You are your brother’s keeper, and when you are converted, you have an obligation to strengthen your brother.” (Conference Report, October 1971, p. 114)
This counsel especially applies to us as parents and teachers.
◦ Children must be carefully guided to make the right choices.
◦ We let them have more choice as they demonstrate they can choose the right.
◦ We need to be parents more than we need to be friends.
EXPERIENCE: Nephi and the disco—Maren Hale
I’m reminded of an experience my son-in-law had as a youth while growing up in Germany. His father and Mother, Dutch and Belgian converts to the Church, loved the Lord and had taught their 7 children the gospel.
One day one of their son’s Nephi came to his father and said, “A lot of my friends are going to downtown Frankfurt to a disco. It will be a lot of fun. Do you think I should go?
Nephi’s father said, “Nephi, you’ve been taught well. You are capable of making the right choice.”
Nephi left and pondered on that. Later that evening, Nephi came in and announced that he was on his way to the disco with his friends. His father said, “Oh, no you’re not!”
Nephi said, “But Dad, I thought you said I was old enough to make the right decision.”
His father said, “I did, but you’ve just proved that you are not mature enough to make the right choice.”
Nephi said that he has always been grateful that his father was willing to be his parent and love him enough to take back some of his freedom to choose until he was able to prove he could make a good decision. His father was Nephi’s keeper.
We should live by President Harold B. Lee’s wise counsel to us.
President Harold B. Lee. “Remember always that the most important of the Lord’s work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes.”
Cain’s choice to follow Satan affected his descendants as well as himself. It is important for us to realize that our righteous or unrighteous choices affect our family members and our progeny.
EXPERIENCE: Marriage of 2 nephews –Maren Hale
One of my nephews was married in November in the Manhattan temple. As family gathered around the altar in the ceiling room I looked at his father, 5 of his brothers, and my 90-year-old mother. I felt his mother, my sister, was there from the other side of the veil. Our joy was an eternal joy.
In sharp contrast, another nephew was also married in November in Mexico. It was his 2nd marriage. He is a returned missionary. I wasn’t able to attend, but learned that he and his bride were married by a minister on the beach and liquor was served to the guests. Rather than joy, I mourned for him, his parents, his siblings, and his future children. Our righteous or unrighteous choices affect our family members and our progeny.
Zion: a righteous people
In chapters 6 and 7 of Moses, we read of Enoch and the blessings of righteousness.
Enoch was the 4th great-grandson of Adam and lived in the land of Cainan.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 6:21 we read that
“Jared taught Enoch in all the ways of God.” So we know that Enoch was taught the gospel.
The Lord called Enoch to teach repentance to the people in Moses 6:27-28.
SCRIPTURE:
27. “And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people and say unto them – Repent, for thus saith the Lord; I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against thee, for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;
28. “And for these many generations, ever since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark; and in their own abominations have they devised murder, and have not kept the commandments, which I gave unto their father, Adam.”
These are the same problems and transgressions we see in today’s world.
SCRIPTURE: Here is Enoch’s response in Moses 6:31.
“And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?”
Then the Lord gives Enoch great promises if he will fulfill this call:
◦ “No man shall pierce thee…”
◦ “Open thy mouth and it shall be filled.”
◦ “The spirit is upon you.”
◦ “The mountains shall flee before you.”
◦ “The rivers shall turn from their course.”
◦ “Thou shalt abide in me and I in you.”
◦ The Lord tells Enoch to anoint his eyes with clay and wash them and
he will see. Then the Lord shows Enoch His creations and Enoch
becomes a seer.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 6:37
“And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him.”
The people were offended, yet they continued to listen to Enoch because they were curious. Enoch taught the people the gospel. Many listened to him, were converted, and repented of their sins.
We see here that preaching truth has great power. Consider the faith of Enoch and the people in verse 13.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 7:13
And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lion was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.”
Remember that Enoch told the Lord of his great weakness – “I am slow of speech.” Again we see that the Lord qualifies those who obey and serve him – “…so great was the power of the language which God had given him.”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie talks of the power of faith.
QUOTE #5, Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “Faith is power; by faith the worlds were made; nothing is impossible to those who have faith. If the earth itself came rolling into existence by faith, surely a mere mountain can be removed by that same power. ‘Let Mount Hermon be cast into the Great Sea.’ Such would not be one whit different than the brother of Jared saying ‘unto the mountain Zerin, Remove – and it was removed.’ (Ether 12:30).” (Mortal Messiah, 3:73)
Brigham Young tells us how we can develop this kind of faith
QUOTE #6, Brigham Young: “Were your faith concentrated upon the proper object, your confidence unshaken, your lives pure and holy, every one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the Priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you, you would be filled with the Holy Ghost, and it would be as impossible for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense heat.” (Diary of Brigham Young, p. 132)
It is this kind of faith that made Enoch’s Zion.
Let’s read Joseph Smith’s thoughts on the cause of Zion
QUOTE #7, Joseph Smith: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with particular delight…[It is]a work God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past; that fired the souls of ancient patriarchs and prophets; a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, and renovation of the earth, the glory of God and the salvation of the human family.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 231)
The Lord referred to His people as “Zion” (Moses 7:18) because:
1. They were of one heart and one mind.
2. There was no poor among them.
“I feel like I am part of such a community here in the Pleasant View 1st Ward and I feel that way about my family as well.” Maren Hale
EXPERIENCE: Maren Hale
I had a lovely experience Monday night, Forrest and I hosted a family home evening for some 232nd BYU ward members. As they sang the Primary song, “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus” Acappella, I felt the Spirit witness to me that in our living room was a Zion community.
QUOTE: Pres. Kimball tells us how to become a Zion people:
1. “We must eliminate the individual tendency to selfishness that snares the soul,
shrinks the heart, and darkens the mind.
2. “We must cooperate completely and work in harmony one with the other. There
must be unanimity in our decisions and unity in our actions.
3. “We must lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord. We
begin by offering a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit.’ We follow this by
giving our best effort in our assigned fields of labor and callings. We learn
our duty and execute it fully. Finally we consecrate our time, talents, and
means as called upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the whisperings of
the Spirit.”
I love Sister Elaine Dalton’s words from a CES Fireside last September.
QUOTE #8, Elaine S. Dalton: “Zion was then, and is now, the goal. It is the cause of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And now is the time…to ‘be faithful in Christ’ (Moroni 9:25) and to “lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing” (Moroni 10:30). Now is the time to “awake, and arise from the dust, . . . that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled” (Moroni 10:31). Now is the time to return to virtue! (“Zion Is the Pure in Heart.” CES Fireside, September 12, 2009, BYU)E-mail story
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President Joseph F. Smith teaches us how to prepare to redeem Zion.
QUOTE #9, Pres. Joseph F. Smith: “When I am ready to say, ‘Father, all that I have, myself included, is Thine; my time, my substance, everything that I possess is on the altar, to be used freely, agreeable to Thy holy will, and not my will, but Thine, be done,’ then perhaps I will be prepared to go and help to redeem Zion.” (quoted in The Doctrine & Covenants Speaks, 2:299-300)
EXPERIENCE: Maren Hale
These words by President Joseph F. Smith reminded me of 2 companion articles I read last Sunday in the Deseret New by Scott Taylor and Elizabeth Howell. Yesterday’s Church News also told this story. It is a story well worth repeating. Elizabeth Howell is a nurse and part of the Church-sponsored team of doctors, nurses [and social workers] (and only woman), sent to aid Haitians following the earth quake. Let me give you a little of her background.
Liz and her husband Brady were living in Arlington, Virginia, where “Brady was serving as a presidential management intern in Naval intelligence and [Liz] was positioning herself in the medical field with prestigious national and international connections. That all ended on September 11, 2001, when Liz’s husband, Brady, was one of the 188 killed in the attack on the Pentagon.
“Liz found life difficult without her husband. She said, ‘There’s a scripture that says the worth of a soul is great in the eyes of God. I really grew to understand what that meant with the loss of my husband, just how great a loss it is. I realized there are other people in the world who are suffering, and while I by no means am an expert on grief or trial, I’m acquainted with grief. I just realized at that point that I wanted to serve others with all my heart, with everything that I had, and I realized that I had been blessed so much after the loss of my husband and comforted so much.’
“[Liz] had come to the realization that the worth of a soul is great, as is the value of comforting and caring for that soul. Humanitarian service then became a natural for combining compassion and medical care.
“Medical training and education took alterations; [Liz] refuses to call them ‘changes’ but rather ‘enhancements.’ She looked for opportunities to serve others.
“Liz said, ‘That’s why I decided at 30 that I would go on a mission’…She served her ….mission in Portugal several years ago. She said, ‘It was a difficult transition period…People can take away your loved ones, they can take away your greatest treasures, but they cannot take away or change the way you respond to a situation….And that’s what I made. I took the responsibility to channel my grief in a positive direction.’
“In addition to being a nurse, [Liz] is one of eight full-time employees in the…Church’s Humanitarian Services, working in the neonatal resuscitation training program.
“Liz said, ‘When you’re of service you lose yourself…All of a sudden, your trials don’t seem nearly as big because everybody else is going through something. It puts it in perspective, and it’s very, very healing.’ (Scott Taylor, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24,2010, pp. A1,A7)
In her own words in a companion article, Liz Howell wrote of her experience in Haiti:
“We arrived at the [LDS] meetinghouse, people were all over the grass, people were inside the cultural hall….We had been there about 10 minutes and in comes this little boy. He’s in a little crude litter that had been made from sticks and clothing…The little boy was 4 years old, but he looked like he was [a baby]…His mother had died in the earthquake; his father was alive. When they found the boy, they found him with a dead body – another boy, maybe a brother. His aunt and his father, who lived up in the hills, walked for hours with this litter and the boy, looking for a place to stay.
“They were near the church when they were spotted by one of the LDS members…given the responsibility to find people in need of medical help…The little baby will probably lose his hand; his bones were exposed. He had lacerations so deep we could see the bones...chunks were missing from his scalp, and his left ear was kind of hanging there…He had a real high fever; he was just burning up. By the time we got to him, it appeared he was septic, full of infection. I think maybe he would have had two days, if that, before he would have passed…I bandaged him, cleaned all of his wounds and gave him antibiotics.
“We wrapped him up and he held me. He didn’t understand English, but I just kept telling him that I loved him and that we would take care of him, that we would make sure that he would receive the best care…We wrapped him up, and with the rest of the medical team, we went into University Hospital. He just held on so tight to me, and I held on; he just whimpered all the way to the hospital.
“I asked (Ogden UT emergency-room doctor Jeremy Booth), who was in the back seat, to give the baby a priesthood blessing. He did – and in Creole, he blessed the baby…We heal with our hands, but there’s also a healing we have access to that comes in times of need.
“I don’t have children. I don’t know if I’ll ever have children. I don’t know if that’s the Lord’s will for me. But I’d like to think that maybe if I were a mother who passed away, that someone would take care of my child, and I was grateful I could do that.”
They were met by Swiss doctors who have revolutionized a procedure and have done marvelous work in reconstruction. They told Liz they had not lost an arm or a foot in all their surgical procedures there.
Liz ended with, “As I was getting ready to go, I looked him in his big brown eyes and told him, ‘We love you, and you’re going to be taken care of.’…I’m grateful the Lord led us to him, that the members were in tune enough to find him and bring him to us.” (Elizabeth Howell, Deseret News, January 24, 2010, pp. A1, A7)
The journalist who wrote the initial article said, “Few of the men in her medical team, and certainly none of the Haitians she has seen, know how aptly [Liz Howell] fits the fifth stanza of James Montgomery’s 1826 poem, “The Stranger and His Friend.” The poem later became the lyrics to ‘A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.’ YOU SEE, [Liz] HERSELF HAS A WOUND CONCEALED.”
Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment – he was healed.
(I had myself a wound concealed),
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.
A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” (Scott Taylor, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24,2010, pp. A1,A7)
Let me repeat the words of President Joseph F. Smith:
QUOTE
President Joseph F. Smith: “When I am ready to say, ‘Father, all that I have, myself included, is Thine; my time, my substance, everything that I possess is on the altar, to be used freely, agreeable to Thy holy will, and not my will, but Thine, be done,’ then perhaps I will be prepared to go and help to redeem Zion.” (quoted in The Doctrine & Covenants Speaks, 2:299-300)
CONCLUSION
January 31, 2010, Compiled by Maren Hale, Pleasant View 1st Ward gospel doctrine class
Readings: Moses 5-7
“I need not remind you that this cause in which we are engaged is not an ordinary cause. It is the cause of Christ. It is the kingdom of God our Eternal Father. It is the building of Zion on the earth, the fulfillment of prophecy given of old and of a vision revealed in this dispensation.” Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley (Ensign, Nov. 1989, p. 53.)
INTRODUCTION
Today we will discuss Moses 5-7 and gain insight into the matchless gifts of love granted to us by our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.
For these gifts, we are asked only to make an offering of a broken heart and contrite spirit. We will look at how we can be a Zion society if we will be unified and pure in heart.
BODY
An acceptable Offering
In Moses 5 we see Adam and Eve and their family.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:2-3
2. And Adam knew his wife, and she bare unto him sons and daughters, and they began to multiply and to replenish the earth.
3. And from that time forth, the sons and daughters of Adam began to divide two and two in the land, and to till the land, and to tend flocks, and they also begat sons and daughters.”
We know that Adam and Eve taught the gospel to their children
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:12
12. And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and daughters.
So we see here that Adam and Eve were having family home evenings J.
Adam and Eve hoped their son Cain would follow the Lord as they did. But we know that Cain “hearkened not” to his parents and the Lord, and asked, “Who is the Lord that I should know him?” (Moses 5:16)
In Moses 5:18 we learn who Cain followed.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:18
And Cain loved Satan more than God. And Satan commanded him saying: Make an offering unto the Lord.
QUESTION: What do Cain and Abel bring as offerings to the Lord?
[Cain brings an offering of the fruit of the ground. Abel brings of the firstlings of his flock]
QUESTION: Why does the Lord reject Cain’s offering? [The Lord had commanded Adam and Eve and their children to offer the firstlings of their flocks. Abel obeyed, but Cain heeded the words of Satan and offered the fruit of the ground.]
QUOTE #1 Let’s read what Joseph Smith said about these offerings.
Joseph Smith: “Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not do it in faith…Shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone for man…was the plan of redemption;…and as the sacrifice was instituted for a type, by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared; to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised…; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith 1976, p 58)
QUESTION: Why do you suppose a child of these righteous parents was so rebellious? ◦ Cain rejected God’s counsel
◦ He rejected the spirit
◦ He swore allegiance to Satan
◦ He became part of the secret combination to murder and get gain
The Lord then calls Cain to repentance.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:23-24 – Verse 23 is the theme for today’s lesson.
23. “If thou doest well, thou shalt be accepted. And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and Satan desireth to have thee; and except thou shalt hearken unto my commandments, I will deliver thee up…”
24:…“For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies; thou shalt be called Perdition; for thou wast also before the world.”
Quote #2, Elder Milton R. Hunter: “Why should Cain become Perdition? He committed murder, but there have been thousands and thousands of murders committed since his day and God has not pronounced the murderers sons of Perdition. The answer to this question lies in the fact that Cain must have held the Holy Priesthood.” (Pearl of Great Price Commentary, p. 167)
Quote #3: Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “From the scriptural records available to us, from the sermons of the Prophet, and from a knowledge of the revealed requisites for becoming a son of perdition, we know that Cain was a liar and a rebel in pre-existence; that, like Lucifer, he had power and influence there; that in this life he was taught the gospel, received the priesthood, and knew of the divinity of the Lord’s work; that he then came out in open rebellion against God; that he in fact loved Satan more than God, choosing to worship and serve that evil one rather than the Lord; and that he offered false sacrifices at Satan’s behest and slew Abel because the devil directed him so to do. (Genesis 4; Moses 5:16-55).” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:197)
QUESTION: How did Cain react to the Lord’s call to repent? [Angry, not teachable]
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:26
“And Cain was wroth, and listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel, his brother, who walked in holiness before the Lord.”
QUESTION: What are some of the reasons it is hard to repent?
1. Pride – we don’t like to be told what to do.
2. Set in our ways – we hate to move out of our comfort zones and away
from bad habits).
3. Lazy – may not feel like doing what we are commanded (rather do
what we want to do).
QUESTION: So how do we develop repentant hearts?
1. Be humble – pray, obey
2. Be open to change – be willing to be taught
3. Develop Self discipline – work and serve
The bondage of darkness/freedom of light
SCRIPTURE: Moses 5:32-34
32. And Cain went into the field, and Cain talked with Abel, his brother. And it came to pass that while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him.
33. And Cain glorified in that which he had done, saying: I am free; surely the flocks of my brother falleth into my hands.
34. And the Lord said unto Cain: Where is Abel, thy brother? And he said: I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?
Cain murdered, he wanted to steal, he lied, and he didn’t want responsibility for another.
Note that after the murder, Cain says, “I am free.” Actually, this sin had decreased Cain’s freedom.
QUESTION: What are the consequences of not living the Word of Wisdom?
[bad health, lack of the Spirit]
What are the consequences of a moral transgression? [hurt others, unworthy, shame, lack of the Spirit].
QUESTION: How does obedience increase our freedom? [We are free of guilt. The Spirit abides with us, lifts us up, and we are further taught and blessed].
Cain then asks the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Bishop Robert L. Simpson teaches us that we are our brother’s keeper.
QUOTE #4, Bishop Robert L. Simpson: “The world today tells you to leave your friend alone. He has the right to come and go as he pleases. The world tells you that persuasion to attend church or priesthood meeting or to discard a bad habit might lead to frustration and undue pressures; but again I repeat the word of the Lord: You are your brother’s keeper, and when you are converted, you have an obligation to strengthen your brother.” (Conference Report, October 1971, p. 114)
This counsel especially applies to us as parents and teachers.
◦ Children must be carefully guided to make the right choices.
◦ We let them have more choice as they demonstrate they can choose the right.
◦ We need to be parents more than we need to be friends.
EXPERIENCE: Nephi and the disco—Maren Hale
I’m reminded of an experience my son-in-law had as a youth while growing up in Germany. His father and Mother, Dutch and Belgian converts to the Church, loved the Lord and had taught their 7 children the gospel.
One day one of their son’s Nephi came to his father and said, “A lot of my friends are going to downtown Frankfurt to a disco. It will be a lot of fun. Do you think I should go?
Nephi’s father said, “Nephi, you’ve been taught well. You are capable of making the right choice.”
Nephi left and pondered on that. Later that evening, Nephi came in and announced that he was on his way to the disco with his friends. His father said, “Oh, no you’re not!”
Nephi said, “But Dad, I thought you said I was old enough to make the right decision.”
His father said, “I did, but you’ve just proved that you are not mature enough to make the right choice.”
Nephi said that he has always been grateful that his father was willing to be his parent and love him enough to take back some of his freedom to choose until he was able to prove he could make a good decision. His father was Nephi’s keeper.
We should live by President Harold B. Lee’s wise counsel to us.
President Harold B. Lee. “Remember always that the most important of the Lord’s work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes.”
Cain’s choice to follow Satan affected his descendants as well as himself. It is important for us to realize that our righteous or unrighteous choices affect our family members and our progeny.
EXPERIENCE: Marriage of 2 nephews –Maren Hale
One of my nephews was married in November in the Manhattan temple. As family gathered around the altar in the ceiling room I looked at his father, 5 of his brothers, and my 90-year-old mother. I felt his mother, my sister, was there from the other side of the veil. Our joy was an eternal joy.
In sharp contrast, another nephew was also married in November in Mexico. It was his 2nd marriage. He is a returned missionary. I wasn’t able to attend, but learned that he and his bride were married by a minister on the beach and liquor was served to the guests. Rather than joy, I mourned for him, his parents, his siblings, and his future children. Our righteous or unrighteous choices affect our family members and our progeny.
Zion: a righteous people
In chapters 6 and 7 of Moses, we read of Enoch and the blessings of righteousness.
Enoch was the 4th great-grandson of Adam and lived in the land of Cainan.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 6:21 we read that
“Jared taught Enoch in all the ways of God.” So we know that Enoch was taught the gospel.
The Lord called Enoch to teach repentance to the people in Moses 6:27-28.
SCRIPTURE:
27. “And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people and say unto them – Repent, for thus saith the Lord; I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against thee, for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;
28. “And for these many generations, ever since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark; and in their own abominations have they devised murder, and have not kept the commandments, which I gave unto their father, Adam.”
These are the same problems and transgressions we see in today’s world.
SCRIPTURE: Here is Enoch’s response in Moses 6:31.
“And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?”
Then the Lord gives Enoch great promises if he will fulfill this call:
◦ “No man shall pierce thee…”
◦ “Open thy mouth and it shall be filled.”
◦ “The spirit is upon you.”
◦ “The mountains shall flee before you.”
◦ “The rivers shall turn from their course.”
◦ “Thou shalt abide in me and I in you.”
◦ The Lord tells Enoch to anoint his eyes with clay and wash them and
he will see. Then the Lord shows Enoch His creations and Enoch
becomes a seer.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 6:37
“And it came to pass that Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him.”
The people were offended, yet they continued to listen to Enoch because they were curious. Enoch taught the people the gospel. Many listened to him, were converted, and repented of their sins.
We see here that preaching truth has great power. Consider the faith of Enoch and the people in verse 13.
SCRIPTURE: Moses 7:13
And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lion was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.”
Remember that Enoch told the Lord of his great weakness – “I am slow of speech.” Again we see that the Lord qualifies those who obey and serve him – “…so great was the power of the language which God had given him.”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie talks of the power of faith.
QUOTE #5, Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “Faith is power; by faith the worlds were made; nothing is impossible to those who have faith. If the earth itself came rolling into existence by faith, surely a mere mountain can be removed by that same power. ‘Let Mount Hermon be cast into the Great Sea.’ Such would not be one whit different than the brother of Jared saying ‘unto the mountain Zerin, Remove – and it was removed.’ (Ether 12:30).” (Mortal Messiah, 3:73)
Brigham Young tells us how we can develop this kind of faith
QUOTE #6, Brigham Young: “Were your faith concentrated upon the proper object, your confidence unshaken, your lives pure and holy, every one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the Priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you, you would be filled with the Holy Ghost, and it would be as impossible for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense heat.” (Diary of Brigham Young, p. 132)
It is this kind of faith that made Enoch’s Zion.
Let’s read Joseph Smith’s thoughts on the cause of Zion
QUOTE #7, Joseph Smith: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with particular delight…[It is]a work God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past; that fired the souls of ancient patriarchs and prophets; a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, and renovation of the earth, the glory of God and the salvation of the human family.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 231)
The Lord referred to His people as “Zion” (Moses 7:18) because:
1. They were of one heart and one mind.
2. There was no poor among them.
“I feel like I am part of such a community here in the Pleasant View 1st Ward and I feel that way about my family as well.” Maren Hale
EXPERIENCE: Maren Hale
I had a lovely experience Monday night, Forrest and I hosted a family home evening for some 232nd BYU ward members. As they sang the Primary song, “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus” Acappella, I felt the Spirit witness to me that in our living room was a Zion community.
QUOTE: Pres. Kimball tells us how to become a Zion people:
1. “We must eliminate the individual tendency to selfishness that snares the soul,
shrinks the heart, and darkens the mind.
2. “We must cooperate completely and work in harmony one with the other. There
must be unanimity in our decisions and unity in our actions.
3. “We must lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord. We
begin by offering a ‘broken heart and a contrite spirit.’ We follow this by
giving our best effort in our assigned fields of labor and callings. We learn
our duty and execute it fully. Finally we consecrate our time, talents, and
means as called upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the whisperings of
the Spirit.”
I love Sister Elaine Dalton’s words from a CES Fireside last September.
QUOTE #8, Elaine S. Dalton: “Zion was then, and is now, the goal. It is the cause of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And now is the time…to ‘be faithful in Christ’ (Moroni 9:25) and to “lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing” (Moroni 10:30). Now is the time to “awake, and arise from the dust, . . . that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled” (Moroni 10:31). Now is the time to return to virtue! (“Zion Is the Pure in Heart.” CES Fireside, September 12, 2009, BYU)E-mail story
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President Joseph F. Smith teaches us how to prepare to redeem Zion.
QUOTE #9, Pres. Joseph F. Smith: “When I am ready to say, ‘Father, all that I have, myself included, is Thine; my time, my substance, everything that I possess is on the altar, to be used freely, agreeable to Thy holy will, and not my will, but Thine, be done,’ then perhaps I will be prepared to go and help to redeem Zion.” (quoted in The Doctrine & Covenants Speaks, 2:299-300)
EXPERIENCE: Maren Hale
These words by President Joseph F. Smith reminded me of 2 companion articles I read last Sunday in the Deseret New by Scott Taylor and Elizabeth Howell. Yesterday’s Church News also told this story. It is a story well worth repeating. Elizabeth Howell is a nurse and part of the Church-sponsored team of doctors, nurses [and social workers] (and only woman), sent to aid Haitians following the earth quake. Let me give you a little of her background.
Liz and her husband Brady were living in Arlington, Virginia, where “Brady was serving as a presidential management intern in Naval intelligence and [Liz] was positioning herself in the medical field with prestigious national and international connections. That all ended on September 11, 2001, when Liz’s husband, Brady, was one of the 188 killed in the attack on the Pentagon.
“Liz found life difficult without her husband. She said, ‘There’s a scripture that says the worth of a soul is great in the eyes of God. I really grew to understand what that meant with the loss of my husband, just how great a loss it is. I realized there are other people in the world who are suffering, and while I by no means am an expert on grief or trial, I’m acquainted with grief. I just realized at that point that I wanted to serve others with all my heart, with everything that I had, and I realized that I had been blessed so much after the loss of my husband and comforted so much.’
“[Liz] had come to the realization that the worth of a soul is great, as is the value of comforting and caring for that soul. Humanitarian service then became a natural for combining compassion and medical care.
“Medical training and education took alterations; [Liz] refuses to call them ‘changes’ but rather ‘enhancements.’ She looked for opportunities to serve others.
“Liz said, ‘That’s why I decided at 30 that I would go on a mission’…She served her ….mission in Portugal several years ago. She said, ‘It was a difficult transition period…People can take away your loved ones, they can take away your greatest treasures, but they cannot take away or change the way you respond to a situation….And that’s what I made. I took the responsibility to channel my grief in a positive direction.’
“In addition to being a nurse, [Liz] is one of eight full-time employees in the…Church’s Humanitarian Services, working in the neonatal resuscitation training program.
“Liz said, ‘When you’re of service you lose yourself…All of a sudden, your trials don’t seem nearly as big because everybody else is going through something. It puts it in perspective, and it’s very, very healing.’ (Scott Taylor, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24,2010, pp. A1,A7)
In her own words in a companion article, Liz Howell wrote of her experience in Haiti:
“We arrived at the [LDS] meetinghouse, people were all over the grass, people were inside the cultural hall….We had been there about 10 minutes and in comes this little boy. He’s in a little crude litter that had been made from sticks and clothing…The little boy was 4 years old, but he looked like he was [a baby]…His mother had died in the earthquake; his father was alive. When they found the boy, they found him with a dead body – another boy, maybe a brother. His aunt and his father, who lived up in the hills, walked for hours with this litter and the boy, looking for a place to stay.
“They were near the church when they were spotted by one of the LDS members…given the responsibility to find people in need of medical help…The little baby will probably lose his hand; his bones were exposed. He had lacerations so deep we could see the bones...chunks were missing from his scalp, and his left ear was kind of hanging there…He had a real high fever; he was just burning up. By the time we got to him, it appeared he was septic, full of infection. I think maybe he would have had two days, if that, before he would have passed…I bandaged him, cleaned all of his wounds and gave him antibiotics.
“We wrapped him up and he held me. He didn’t understand English, but I just kept telling him that I loved him and that we would take care of him, that we would make sure that he would receive the best care…We wrapped him up, and with the rest of the medical team, we went into University Hospital. He just held on so tight to me, and I held on; he just whimpered all the way to the hospital.
“I asked (Ogden UT emergency-room doctor Jeremy Booth), who was in the back seat, to give the baby a priesthood blessing. He did – and in Creole, he blessed the baby…We heal with our hands, but there’s also a healing we have access to that comes in times of need.
“I don’t have children. I don’t know if I’ll ever have children. I don’t know if that’s the Lord’s will for me. But I’d like to think that maybe if I were a mother who passed away, that someone would take care of my child, and I was grateful I could do that.”
They were met by Swiss doctors who have revolutionized a procedure and have done marvelous work in reconstruction. They told Liz they had not lost an arm or a foot in all their surgical procedures there.
Liz ended with, “As I was getting ready to go, I looked him in his big brown eyes and told him, ‘We love you, and you’re going to be taken care of.’…I’m grateful the Lord led us to him, that the members were in tune enough to find him and bring him to us.” (Elizabeth Howell, Deseret News, January 24, 2010, pp. A1, A7)
The journalist who wrote the initial article said, “Few of the men in her medical team, and certainly none of the Haitians she has seen, know how aptly [Liz Howell] fits the fifth stanza of James Montgomery’s 1826 poem, “The Stranger and His Friend.” The poem later became the lyrics to ‘A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.’ YOU SEE, [Liz] HERSELF HAS A WOUND CONCEALED.”
Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment – he was healed.
(I had myself a wound concealed),
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.
A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” (Scott Taylor, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24,2010, pp. A1,A7)
Let me repeat the words of President Joseph F. Smith:
QUOTE
President Joseph F. Smith: “When I am ready to say, ‘Father, all that I have, myself included, is Thine; my time, my substance, everything that I possess is on the altar, to be used freely, agreeable to Thy holy will, and not my will, but Thine, be done,’ then perhaps I will be prepared to go and help to redeem Zion.” (quoted in The Doctrine & Covenants Speaks, 2:299-300)
CONCLUSION
It must be our greatest desire to build a Zion community.
When we choose to be in the company of Satan, we are led to a life of misery and captivity.
I pray that we will strive to be worthy of the spirit and desire to follow the Savior and his commandments.
It is my testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us freedom, happiness, and eternal life.
References:
When we choose to be in the company of Satan, we are led to a life of misery and captivity.
I pray that we will strive to be worthy of the spirit and desire to follow the Savior and his commandments.
It is my testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us freedom, happiness, and eternal life.
References:
Bible- Old Testament
Bob Beardall Old Testament Class
Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen, Teachings and Commentaries on the Old Testament, pp. 271-283
General Authority quotes – references noted in written lesson
Maren Hardy Hale, personal experiences
Nephi Mark Mourik, story of Nephi and the disco
Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teachers Manual
Pearl of Great Price, Moses 5-7
Scott Taylor, Elizabeth Howell, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24, pp. A1, A7
Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen, Teachings and Commentaries on the Old Testament, pp. 271-283
General Authority quotes – references noted in written lesson
Maren Hardy Hale, personal experiences
Nephi Mark Mourik, story of Nephi and the disco
Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teachers Manual
Pearl of Great Price, Moses 5-7
Scott Taylor, Elizabeth Howell, Deseret News, Sunday, January 24, pp. A1, A7
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