TODAY’S LEARNING JOURNEY COMES FROM
DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18
REMEMBER:
Always begin your gospel study with a prayer so you can be guided by the Spirit.
You may also want to listen to (or sing along with) a hymn or sacred music such as this one:
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared the following insight…
“At times we may even feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten.
But always remember—you matter to Him!”
(“You Matter to Him,” October 2011 General Conference)
• • • • •
DO I MATTER?
Have you ever wondered if you really matter to anyone, including God?
You’re not alone…
What you will study today can help you understand how important and valued you are to the Lord and what you can do to help others know of their great worth also.
SEEK THE SPIRIT • WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS • BE WILLING TO SHARE WHEN GATHERED WITH CLASSMATES • DESIRE TO “HEAR HIM”
| CHURCH HISTORY: DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18 The Lord gave a special assignment to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer in a revelation through the prophet Joseph Smith to begin seeking out twelve righteous men who would become the latter-day Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and special witnesses of Jesus Christ to all the world. They were to know who these twelve would be “by their desires and their works” (D&C 18:37–38). Over the next several years, Oliver’s and David’s minds were “on a constant stretch to find who these Twelve would be.” The two “sought the Lord by fasting and prayer” as they sought to fulfill this assignment. They knew that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ could bring hope, healing, and happiness to all of God’s children, and the key to gathering us all back to our Heavenly Home. |
GREAT SHALL BE YOUR JOY…
D&C 18:16
In our day, the Lord through his prophet Russell M. Nelson has called YOU to take an active part in this same work!
He has invited you to become part of the Latter-day Youth Battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel on both sides of the veil.
HAVE YOU EVER met someone for the first time and felt like you have met before? Think about it… your classmates, teachers, friends, work associates, neighbors, and even the total strangers you see each day are really all people you’ve known for much longer than you remember!
The book “Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service,” written by prophets, starts with this powerful statement on the very first page…
“You are surrounded by people. You pass them on the street, visit them in their homes, and travel among them. They are all children of God, your brothers and sisters. God loves them just as He loves you. Many of these people are searching for purpose in life. They are concerned for their future and their families. They need the sense of belonging that comes from the knowledge that they are children of God, members of His eternal family. They want to feel secure in a world of changing values. They want “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23), but they are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:12).
AS YOU STUDY TODAY keep in mind that what you are learning will not only bring your life divine direction, greater peace, and deeper happiness, it will also do the same for others — all those who are truly your brothers and sisters.
PLEASE OPEN YOUR SCRIPTURES TO
DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 18
TODAY during your DILIGENT PERSONAL STUDY experience you will be learning how eternally important every soul is to our Heavenly Father including YOU!
As you study, record your thoughts and feelings in your Scripture Journal or in your Gospel Library digital notes.
As you do this, the things you learn from the Spirit will not fade away and you will receive more.
• • • • •
CHOOSE YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY
CLICK ON ONE OF THESE OPTIONS
WHAT KIND OF “BUILDER” ARE YOU?
WAIT, WHAT? YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE “LIVING” APOSTLES?
WHAT IS THE WORTH OF MY SOUL?
THE ULTIMATE BUILDER!
If someone asked you to describe what a “builder” is, you might first think of somebody who is an architect, contractor, or carpenter who builds buildings. Yet someone who is a “builder” can literally have an influence on nearly every aspect of life. Jesus was and is the Master Builder — not only in relation to building the Kingdom of God on earth but in building the lives of all those who will believe in Him. His power can help build friendships, marriages, families, communities, and nations. His influence builds faith, hope, confidence, kindness, courage, love, patience, virtue, and every other divine attribute.
STUDY D&C 18:14-25 and LOOK FOR and
WRITE
your responses to these questions…
| How did Christ Build?
When did Christ Build? Where did Christ Build? Who did Christ Build? |
How can I Build?
When can I Build? Where can I Build? Who can I Build? |
ADD to your notes what you learn from this assertion from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“If you are criticizing others, you are weakening the Church. If you are building others, you are building the kingdom of God”
(“The Virtue of Kindness,” April 2005 General Conference)
DEEPEN YOUR LEARNING: Record the thoughts, impressions, people, and actions that come to your mind and heart as you study the following:
Think of someone you know in your life that you consider a BUILDER in and out of the Church — write their name in your notes
• What kinds of things have you noticed they do as BUILDERS with people, at school, in their home, as teammates, at church/seminary, etc?
• What do you think motivates them to be this way?
• Ask yourself, “What’s one thing I can do to become a better BUILDER at HOME, SCHOOL, CHURCH, COMMUNITY, and in my SOCIAL LIFE?”
• How can I become of the kind of builder that Jesus was and is?
YOU’RE DONE WITH YOUR
DILIGENT PERSONAL STUDY
WAIT, WHAT? YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE “LIVING” APOSTLES?
What would say if a friend asked you…
“Hey I heard you believe that there are Twelve Apostles on the earth today just like when Jesus was alive. Who are they and what do they do?”
For today’s Learning Adventure watch this 6-minute video and take notes that will help you answer your friend’s question…
DEEPEN YOUR LEARNING:
Record the thoughts, impressions, people, and actions that come to your mind and heart as you study and respond to the following:
• What did you learn from the video that will help you answer your friend’s question?
Joseph was told by Jesus to establish the Church in the same manner in which He organized the Church when He was on the earth.
ReadD&C 18:37-38 and take note of the Lord’s direction regarding the kind of men that should be “searched out” to serve as Apostles.
• What did you learn? What are some important attributes the Lord desires for an Apostle to have?
Now search D&C 18:26-36 and LOOK FOR what some of these desires and works are.
• Ponder and Write: Why is it important to you to know that Apostles are men with this kind of character?
Note: All Apostles have these desires and attributes, but not all people who have these desires and attributes are Apostles.
While we do not aspire to certain callings, we do want to develop these Christlike desires and attributes in our own lives.
• How can you cultivate these Christlike desires and characteristics more fully in yourself?
IN 1835 the Twelve Apostles of the newly Restored Church of Jesus Christ were called. Here is the order in which they were presented at the meeting to sustain them:
Lyman Johnson, age 23; Brigham Young, 33; Heber C. Kimball, 33; Orson Hyde, 30; David W. Patten, 35; Luke Johnson, 27; William E. McLellin, 29; John F. Boynton, 23; Orson Pratt, 23; William Smith, 23; Thomas B. Marsh, 34; and Parley P. Pratt, 27. All had previously served missions. Eight had accompanied Joseph Smith on the Zion’s Camp expedition the previous summer.
Above: The current First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ
YOU’RE DONE WITH YOUR
DILIGENT PERSONAL STUDY
WHICH OF THESE TO MEN HAS THE GREATEST “NET WORTH”?
Most people would say the successful young Harvard graduate and first-year business executive on the left has a much greater “net worth” than the struggling homeless man on the right.
“NET WORTH” is a term the world uses to estimate the value of everything one owns — meaning their financial and other positive assets, minus their total outstanding liabilities/debts. It is calculated by determining the value in cash one would have if they were to sell everything they owned and pay off all of their debts. Whatever is left over would be their “net worth.”
ANOTHER WAY the world determines the value or worth of something is by determining how much someone is willing to pay for it. A first-year (vol. 1, no. 1) edition Spider-Man Comic Book (pictured above) cost only 12¢ in 1964 — but that same book today in mint condition is valued at $1,450,000!! Yes, that’s nearly one and a half MILLION dollars!
So how can you tell what the Net Worth and Value of your soul is?
DEEPEN YOUR LEARNING:
Study the scripture references and record the thoughts, impressions, people, and actions that come to your mind and heart as you use the following guiding questions:
• What doesD&C 18:10-13 teach you about the worth of one soul to God?
How does the following quote add to what you’re learning?
“Worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. As President Brigham Young taught:
‘
The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth… is worth worlds.’
No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father” (Joy D. Jones, “Value beyond Measure,” October 2017 General Conference)
Cross-referenceD&C 19:16-19 and remember that “the value of something can be determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it.”
• How much was Jesus willing to pay for your individual life and salvation?
Remember: Jesus would have come to earth and sacrificed His life even if you were the only one who would have accepted Him as Savior.
If Net Worth is defined as the sum of all your positive assets minus the total of all your outstanding liabilities/debts, then how does this relate to the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
• How do our sins become “outstanding liabilities/debts” that must be paid for in full?
• Why do you think Jesus was so willing to pay for your “outstanding liabilities/debts”?
• Knowing that you were worth dying for, how do you think Jesus wants you to feel about yourself and His love for you?
• How does this transform the principles of obedience and repentance into joyful ways of expressing gratitude and love for your Savior?
Record your impressions: How can this knowledge…
• …bless your life and help you understand your self-worth?
• …increase your personal righteous action and give you greater power?
• …influence how you see and treat others?
YOU’RE DONE WITH YOUR
DILIGENT PERSONAL STUDY
Confessions of a Little League Dad 
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