The Jaredites

• Boyd K. Packer buying a home• Look for the word ‘faith’—mark the word

‘faith’ each time you see it (34 times).• Scan Ether 12, circling the great people of

faith

“. . . It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in Him.

“So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions’ mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him” (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith,[1985], 3, 5).

Ether 12:1–5

“In the geometry of restored theology, hope has a greater circumference than faith. If faith increases, the perimeter of hope stretches correspondingly” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, November 1994).

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

What if something is beyond our faith and our hope?

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

President Uchtdorf (The Power of Hope)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbsU3b2srQA)

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

“Every time you try your faith, (when you act in worthiness on an impression), you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. Those feelings will fortify your faith. As you repeat that pattern, your faith will become stronger.” (Elder Richard G. Scott, “The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 76).

• Looking ahead, in what scenarios will you or have you needed to ‘try your faith’?

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

“It takes faith – unseeing faith – for young people to proceed immediately with their family responsibilities in the face of financial uncertainties. “It takes faith for the young woman to bear her family instead of accepting employment, especially when schooling for the young husband is to be finished. “It takes faith to observe the Sabbath when ‘time and a half’ can be had working, when profit can be made, when merchandise can be sold. “It takes great faith to pay tithes when funds are scarce and demands are great. “It takes faith to fast and have family prayers and to observe the Word of Wisdom. “It takes faith to fill full-time missions. “But know this – that all these are of the planting, while faithful families, spiritual security, peace, and eternal life are the harvest.” (Faith Proceeds the Miracle, 3-5, 10-11).

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

• Ether 12:11 • Ether 12:12–13 • Ether 12:14• Ether 12:15• Ether 12:17-18• Ether 12:20–21• Ether 12:30–31 – Notice the use of the word after in Ether 12:7, 12, 17, 18,

and 31

FAITH

HOPEHOPE

• …faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. (Ether 12:6)

• …I give unto men weakness that they may be humble …if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:27)

Name three people you know (personally or scripturally) that are an example of these two scripture mastery verses.

“Redemptive faith must often be exercised toward experiences in the future—the unknown, which provides an opportunity for the miraculous.

“Faith (like that of the brother of Jared) precedes the miracle and the knowledge. He had to believe before God spoke. He had to act before the ability to complete that action was apparent. He had to commit to the complete experience in advance.

“Faith is to agree unconditionally to whatever God may require in the future.” (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 18–19).

“Each trial in life is tailored to the individual’s capacities and needs.” (Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, November 1990, 18).

“When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God’s timing, we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn’t it? We who wear wristwatches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars.” (Elder Neal A Maxwell, C.R., Oct. 1998, 79).

What does Ether 12:36-38 have to do with Carthage Jail?

What does Ether 12:36-38 have to do with Carthage Jail?

Elder Holland: Safety for the Soul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TfBqBx197o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFTYnonC4q4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFTYnonC4q4

Ether 15:29-31

"And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz. And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died." (Ether 15:29-31 )

According to Dr. M. Gary Hadfield, M.D., professor of pathology at Virginia Commonwealth University:

"Shiz's death struggle illustrates the classic reflex posture that occurs in both humans and animals when the upper brain stem (midbrain/mesencephalon) is disconnected from the brain. The extensor muscles of the arms and legs contract, and this reflect action could cause Shiz to raise up on his hands.“ (M. Gary Hadfield, "Neuropathy and the Scriptures," _BYU Studies_33/2 (1993): 312-20.)

According to Alister Kershaw in "A History of the Guillotine": "Beheading is effective and is probably as humane as any other modern method if carried out correctly. When a single blow is sufficient to decapitate the prisoner, they lose consciousness within a few seconds. Death occurs due to separation of the brain and spinal cord, after the transection (cutting through) of the surrounding tissues. 

“It has often been reported that the eyes and mouths of people beheaded have shown signs of movement. It has been calculated that the human brain has enough oxygen stored for metabolism to persist about seven seconds after the head is cut off.”

So why is this story in the scriptures?

Elder David E. Sorensen: “When someone has hurt us or those we care about, that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if the pain or the injustice is the most important thing in the world and that we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts” (“Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 12).

The Jaredites