Learner Readiness
You Read: One of the most important concepts of revealed religion is that of a sacred covenant. In legal language, a covenant generally denotes an agreement between two or more parties. But in a religious context, a covenant is much more significant. It is a sacred promise with God. He fixes the terms. Each person may choose to accept those terms. If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God’s law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant. We know that “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”4
Q: What is a covenant?
Q: What is the relationship between being a believer and covenants?
Q: Do signs follow the believer?
Q: How do we know that the level at which we are keeping our covenants is acceptable to God? (Introspective)
Q: What are some of the covenants that we make or that we are a part of?
1. Abrahamic Covenant
2. Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
3. Baptism and Sacrament
4. Temple Covenants
Q: What is a significant sign that the Lord has commenced to gather covenant Israel once again?
[if you have a chalk board, write the out line on the board]
Covenants> Abrahamic Covenant - write Nelson's introspective question>>>Oath and Covenant - write Nelson's introspective queston >>>> the Sign - Book of Mormon >>>>
ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (maybe)
You Read: The covenant God made with Abraham13 and later reaffirmed with Isaac14 and Jacob15 is of transcendent significance. It contained several promises, including:
You Read: The covenant God made with Abraham13 and later reaffirmed with Isaac14 and Jacob15 is of transcendent significance. It contained several promises, including:
- • Jesus the Christ would be born through Abraham’s lineage.
- • Abraham’s posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.
- • Abraham would become a father of many nations.
- • Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.
- • All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.16
- • And that covenant would be everlasting—even through “a thousand generations.”17
Read
A - Some of these promises have been fulfilled; others are still pending. I quote from an early Book of Mormon prophecy: “Our father [Lehi] hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham.”18 Isn’t that amazing? Some 600 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, prophets knew that the Abrahamic covenant would be finally fulfilled only in the latter days.
Q: Why is this amazing? [because everything is happening as prophecied and we are in the middle of it]
[ask multiple people why they think it is amazaing]
A - Some of these promises have been fulfilled; others are still pending. I quote from an early Book of Mormon prophecy: “Our father [Lehi] hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham.”18 Isn’t that amazing? Some 600 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, prophets knew that the Abrahamic covenant would be finally fulfilled only in the latter days.
Q: Why is this amazing? [because everything is happening as prophecied and we are in the middle of it]
[ask multiple people why they think it is amazaing]
Say: [Elder Nelson then says]: To facilitate that promise, the Lord appeared in these latter days to renew that Abrahamic covenant. To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Master declared:
“Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye are, … my servant Joseph. …
“This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham.”
Q: How did the Lord renew the Abrahamic Covenant in the latter days? [ask multiple brethren the same question to make sure everyone is following along]
OATH and COVENANT of the PRIESTHOOD
Q: How did the Lord renew the Abrahamic Covenant in the latter days? [ask multiple brethren the same question to make sure everyone is following along]
OATH and COVENANT of the PRIESTHOOD
READ
B - With this renewal, we have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. We have the right to receive the fulness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and qualify for God’s greatest blessing—that of eternal life.
B - With this renewal, we have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. We have the right to receive the fulness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and qualify for God’s greatest blessing—that of eternal life.
READ
C - Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world.29 That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? The Lord is counting on us and our sons—and He is profoundly grateful for our daughters—who worthily serve as missionaries in this great time of the gathering of Israel.
Q: Why is it exciting that we get to participate in the promised gathering of Israel? [again, ask multiple men when this should be exciting] Or, perhaps it's not exciting, why isn't it exciting (we have fallen asleep?)
Learner Involvement
C - Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world.29 That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? The Lord is counting on us and our sons—and He is profoundly grateful for our daughters—who worthily serve as missionaries in this great time of the gathering of Israel.
Q: Why is it exciting that we get to participate in the promised gathering of Israel? [again, ask multiple men when this should be exciting] Or, perhaps it's not exciting, why isn't it exciting (we have fallen asleep?)
Learner Involvement
***** The Book of Mormon - A Tangible Sign
Say, I believe Elder Nelson is trying to get latter day Israel excited about our involvement in the latter day work!
Q: What is a tangible sign that the Lord has commenced to gather covenant Israel?
READ:
D - The Book of Mormon is a tangible sign that the Lord has commenced to gather His children of covenant Israel.30 This book, written for our day, states as one of its purposes that “ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel … is already beginning to be fulfilled. … For behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.”31
Q: What is a tangible sign that the Lord has commenced to gather covenant Israel?
READ:
D - The Book of Mormon is a tangible sign that the Lord has commenced to gather His children of covenant Israel.30 This book, written for our day, states as one of its purposes that “ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel … is already beginning to be fulfilled. … For behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.”31
Say: Elder Nelson goes on to say:
- That the Book of Mormon helps us to make covenants with God. It convinces us the Jesus is the Christ.
- That we have claim on the blessings by making covenants.
- That we keep the covenant by obedience to God's commandments
- That the Book of Mormon helps us to make covenants with God. It convinces us the Jesus is the Christ.
- That we have claim on the blessings by making covenants.
- That we keep the covenant by obedience to God's commandments
READ :
E - At baptism we covenant to serve the Lord and keep His commandments.34 When we partake of the sacrament, we renew that covenant and declare our willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. Thereby we are adopted as His sons and daughters and are known as brothers and sisters. He is the father of our new life.35 Ultimately, in the holy temple, we may become joint heirs to the blessings of an eternal family, as once promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.36 Thus, celestial marriage is the covenant of exaltation.
Q: What does, "He is the father of our new life" mean?
Q: Who is the 'Father' spoken of by Elder Nelson?
Q: What is the essence of having a new life in Christ?
Q: Are we all in this new life in Christ? (introspective).
Say: I think Elder Nelson is saying once we have cleanse ourselves sufficiently and have caught the vision that we are children of the covenant, we start feeling God's power in our lives.
E - At baptism we covenant to serve the Lord and keep His commandments.34 When we partake of the sacrament, we renew that covenant and declare our willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. Thereby we are adopted as His sons and daughters and are known as brothers and sisters. He is the father of our new life.35 Ultimately, in the holy temple, we may become joint heirs to the blessings of an eternal family, as once promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.36 Thus, celestial marriage is the covenant of exaltation.
Q: What does, "He is the father of our new life" mean?
Q: Who is the 'Father' spoken of by Elder Nelson?
Q: What is the essence of having a new life in Christ?
Q: Are we all in this new life in Christ? (introspective).
Say: I think Elder Nelson is saying once we have cleanse ourselves sufficiently and have caught the vision that we are children of the covenant, we start feeling God's power in our lives.
READ:
F - When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us.37 His law is written in our hearts.38 He is our God and we are His people.39Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity. When that doctrine is deeply implanted in our hearts, even the sting of death is soothed and our spiritual stamina is strengthened.
F - When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us.37 His law is written in our hearts.38 He is our God and we are His people.39Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity. When that doctrine is deeply implanted in our hearts, even the sting of death is soothed and our spiritual stamina is strengthened.
SAY: Elder Nelson said that when the covenant doctrine is deeply planted in our hearts....
Q: How do we get this doctrine deeply implanted in our hearts?
Q: How do we get this doctrine deeply implanted in our hearts?
Learner Application
Q: How much should this idea or fact that we are the covenant people of the Lord in the last days, be a driving factor in our lives?
Q: How different from the world ought we be?
Q: How was Abraham different from Lot? If we were to be more like Abraham than Lot, what would we change?
READ:
G - The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter. Scripture declares that “ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, … and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven … [and] dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”40
Q: Who can tell me from their own experience some aspects of this blessed and happy state, being blessed in all things? (is this the state that we are in or is there something more?)
Q: What is the relationship between being in a blessed and happy state and covenant keeping?
Q: How much should this idea or fact that we are the covenant people of the Lord in the last days, be a driving factor in our lives?
Q: How different from the world ought we be?
Q: How was Abraham different from Lot? If we were to be more like Abraham than Lot, what would we change?
READ:
G - The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter. Scripture declares that “ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, … and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven … [and] dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.”40
Q: Who can tell me from their own experience some aspects of this blessed and happy state, being blessed in all things? (is this the state that we are in or is there something more?)
Q: What is the relationship between being in a blessed and happy state and covenant keeping?
God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored to bless all people. President Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today. And we, as faithful children of the covenant, will be blessed now and forever. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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