Week 7

Choice 4: Numbers 21:4-9. The Brazen Serpent

Read Numbers 21:4-9 and the Institute Student Manual Points to Ponder section (pg. 212). Then answer the following questions in writing:

•        What did the children of Israel do that resulted in the curse of the “fiery serpents”? They cursed God and also Moses.

•        In what ways are people today sometimes like unto the children of Israel anciently? (See also 1 Nephi 17:45.) It depends on how this question is meant. People today are often found swearing or using God's name in vain. This has never been good and in Israel's day, it was often fatal. In the case of being healed, many people think the cure is far too simple, so they turn away and look to other things instead of turning and looking to the brazen serpent (Christ).

•        According to Alma 33:18-22, what did the brazen serpent symbolize? It represents Jesus Christ.

•        How does one “look to” Jesus Christ for healing? We repent and come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We turn from our sins and come to Him.

•        Aside from physical healings, how can “looking to” the Savior heal a person in other ways? We can be freed from mental addictions, but I feel even more so, we can be healed from mental and emotional diseases, like depression and anxiety. He heals us.

•        Where else do people sometimes turn for healing other than the Savior? They turn to anything and everything else. Alcohol, drugs, books, eating, etc.

•        What are simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ that can heal us? The Atonement (both so simple and so complex at the same exact time), knowing God loves us, knowing we can be saved.

•        How have you experienced the healing power of the Atonement in your life? I would like to keep this in my heart to avoid sharing too much personal stuff on the internet...And no, no terrible addictions. Just personal stuff.

Week 6 (Should have been the 1st post in June)

Choice 3: Leviticus 17-25. Holiness to the Lord

a.       Read Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8. Write a sentence that could be used as a theme for the book of Leviticus. "Be ye holy for I am holy" is the sentence that can be the theme of Leviticus. Read the Bible Dictionary entry for “Holiness” (pgs. 703-4) and compare it with what is said in the Guide to the Scriptures entry for “Sanctification” (available online athttps://lds.org/scriptures/gs/sanctification?lang=eng.) Then answer the following questions in writing:

• What does it mean to be holy and sanctified? To be holy and sanctified is to become pure.
• Why could Jehovah command His followers to be holy? Because He Himself is holy.
• What could we do today to avoid the same downfall? Read scriptures, go to church, avoid profane things.
• How can the principles you have studied to this point in the book of Leviticus help you become holy? I don't know because it was all about "This is a leprosy" and punishments for unholy things. So I guess just making sure I try to be holy. 

b.      Read Leviticus 18:4-5 and write a brief statement of how keeping the commandments applies to these verses. Read Leviticus 19:3-4, 11-20, 28-31; 20:10, 13 and make a list of commandments from these verses. Highlight the commandments from your list that you think the world struggles with the most today. Make note of the commandment that you want to improve in the most. Write some ideas of how you plan to improve in keeping that commandment.

The commandments apply to these verses because Molech can be Satan, so we can end up offering our talents, etc., to Satan, which is bad.

Commandments:

Fear (respect) your mother and father.

Keep the Sabbath.

Worship God only.

Don't lie, steal or deal falsely.

Don't swear falsely, or use the Lord's name in vain.

Don't defraud your neighbor.

Don't curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind.

Judge righteously.

Don't gossip or stand against the blood of your neighbor.

Don't hate your brother.

Love your neighbor.

Keep clean and unclean things separate.

Don't lie with a woman.

Don't cut yourself for sadness, don't make any marks in your body.

Don't prostitute your daughter

Reverence the sanctuary.

No witchcraft.

Don't commit adultery.

No homosexuality.

I want to keep the Sabbath more holy. I will do this by not doing anything unrelated to church before 7:30.

Lesson 5 (supposed to be the last one in May)

Choice 5: Exodus 34. The Second Set of Stone Tablets

Read JST, Exodus 34:1-2; Doctrine and Covenants 84:18-27; and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Exodus 34:1-4, “Did Both Sets of Tablets Contain the Same Material?” (pg. 143). Imagine that you have been assigned to give a brief presentation that explains the difference between the first and second sets of stone tablets that Moses brought down off the mountain. Prepare an outline to help you describe the differences between the two tablets.

Outline:

1st Tablet:

• The 10 Commandments

• The words of the Everlasting Covenant of the Priesthood

• The 10 Commandments

• No words of the Everlasting Covenant of the Priesthood

2nd Tablet:

(This is all I can see...)