Doctrine & Covenants 18:1-16

Doctrine & Covenants 18:1-16Hamilton Seminary30 September 2014What is a foundation?

FOUNDATIONOn October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m., an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit the San Francisco, California, area of the United States. Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. The foundations of many buildings cracked, which caused the buildings to be declared unsafe.

What concerns would you have about living in a house with a weak foundation?FOUNDATIONDoctrine and Covenants 18 records the Lords revelation to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery regarding how to build His Church on a secure foundation. At the beginning of this revelation, the Lord refers to the things Oliver Cowdery had written, meaning the words of the Book of Mormon that Oliver had recorded while acting as a scribe for the Prophet Joseph Smith. Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:14 aloud. Look for how the things written in the Book of Mormon would help in the building up of the Church.What did the Lord say was in the Book of Mormon?How could the teachings in the Book of Mormon help in the building up of the Church?FoundationRead Doctrine and Covenants 18:5 aloud. Identify what the Savior promised if we would build His Church on the foundation of His gospel.

According to verse 5, what is the true Church to be built upon?What does the Lord promise us as we build His Church on the foundation of His gospel?FoundationRead Doctrine and Covenants 18:6 with a partner and look for how the Lord describes the world we are living in. What did you find?Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:9 to learn what the Lord commanded in response to the increasing iniquity in the world.What was the Lords response to the increasing iniquity in the world?FoundationThe Lord called Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to preach repentance, as He had called the ancient Apostle Paul to do. While Oliver and David were not called to be members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, they would have roles in establishing this quorum in the latter days. We will learn more about Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmers roles in the next lesson.

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?

What would you pay?One way to determine an objects worth is to find out what people would be willing to pay for it. Someone might claim that a particular object is worth a certain amount of money, but this price is accurate only if another person is willing to pay that amount for the object.

What worth?Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 aloud. How does this verse explain our value in the eyes of God?Why do you think you are of such great worth to God?The Worth of Souls is Great

The Worth of Souls is Great

The Worth of Souls is GreatAn items worth is based on what someone is willing to pay for it. Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:1112. What was the Savior was willing to pay for us?What price did the Savior pay for our souls?How can we show gratitude for the sacrifice the Savior has made for us?The Worth of Souls is GreatMy worth is so great that Jesus Christ suffered and died so I can repent.

Write this principle in you scriptures or scripture study journals!

How might this truth influence how you see yourself?How might this truth influence the way you treat other people?The Worth of Souls is Great

The Worth of Souls is Great!Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:13 silently.Why do you think the Lord feels great joy when we repent?If someone believes that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God, then what might their belief lead them to do?The Worth of Souls is Great!It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizationthese are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploitimmortal horrors or everlasting splendours. C. S. Lewis, The Weight of GloryThe Worth of Souls is Great!Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:14 silently to learn what the Lord called Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to do.What do you think it means to cry repentance?Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Crying repentance simply means helping people return to God.What are some ways we can help others repent?

The Worth of Souls is Great!Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:1516 to learn what individuals experience when they help someone come unto Jesus Christ.What blessings are given to those who help others come unto Jesus Christ?Why do you think you will feel joy if you bring others to Jesus Christ?The Worth of Souls is Great!Share an experience in which either you or someone you know felt joy because they helped someone grow closer to the Lord.Scripture Mastery 10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; 11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.Scripture Mastery15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!Tomorrow!Doctrine and Covenants 18:1747

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