Week 8 - Student Choice Assignment - Choice 5 - Blog

Week 8 - Student Choice Assignment - Choice 5 - Blog

a. These instances of the Jews being captive in Babylon can be used to help anyone who might be captive in sin today.

Deuteronomy 4:30 "When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord they God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31) (For the Lord they God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."

Even though we might be in sin and in tribulation, as well as anything else we are struggling in life really; we can seek out Heavenly Father for help and forgiveness. We have to be willing to submit to God's will and following his gospel and what he would have us do to be able to seek out God. If we do not do that, we will not only be not seeking him, but we will purposefully be avoiding him and what he would have us to. It is important to be meek and submissive, and be willing to change in our lives so that we can come closer to our Father in Heaven. The cool thing though is that if we do even have the desire to come to him, he will help us get to where we need to be even if that road is a long rocky path. No matter what, we will always be able to come back to our Father in Heaven, no matter how many times we mess up in our lives. As long as we are continually improving and progressing, that is all that matters. If we are truly willing to come unto God and truly working to repent and change, then Heavenly Father will help us to eventually get there.


b.
- Jesus Christ was raised up by God to be a King over the people to lead them and guide them.
  - He also executed judgement and righteousness throughout the land.
- He was a priest to all the people of Jerusalem in doing the following:
  - watching over the people
  - caring for them
  - blessing them
- Jesus Christ performed the ultimate sacrifice for all. He selflessly gave up his own desires and concerns for that of everyone who had lived, are living, and will live on this earth.

• How and what did you do to complete the assignment?
• I read through the verses suggested and applied my own impressions to the things I had read.
• Why did you decide to do the assignment you did?
• I like learning about the subject matter and how God will help us and lift us out of the depths of sin, despair, and fear if we will reach for his hand that is waiting for us to grab hold of to be saved.
• What do you think is the best thing about your assignment, and how could you improve it for next time?
• I like how we can be going through anything and Heavenly Father will always be there right beside us to help us. The thing I could do to improve more on this assignment is to spend even more time searching the scriptures to see what more I can find on the topics.

Week 7 - Student Choice Assignment - Blog - Choice 3

Week 7 - Student Choice Assignment - Blog - Choice 3

Choice 3: Isaiah 55:8–11. The Lord’s Thoughts and Ways

Read Isaiah 55:8–11; Jacob 4:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14–16, and then answer the following questions:

• How is the message of these verses one of comfort?
• How can we come to better understand God’s thoughts and ways?
• Give an example of when you have observed a clear example of God’s ways being higher than man’s ways.

1) How is the message of these verses one of comfort?
 I think specifically of the suggested reading in this choice of Isaiah 55:8-11. It talks about that the ways of the Lord are higher than man's ways. That as a result of God's ways, the earth will be showered with what will help a sower to have seed and bread to the eater. That God's ways will accomplish that which he pleases and prosper in the thing where he sends them. In these things that will come upon the earth, God's will and plan of salvation will be fulfilled which will help to bring to pass the immortality of man.

2) We can understand his ways if we are walking with the spirit in our lives. Only with the spirit in our lives can we be of benefit to ourselves, our loved ones, and to others. Only with the spirit can we know his ways, or have knowledge of them.

3) I think of occasions in my life where I have not been as strong or close to the spirit, and when those times have occurred; I can tell the difference, just in the feeling of the absence in the spirit as well as temporally things not being as good as other times when I have the spirit. These instances remind me that God knows better, and that I need to just trust him and his ways whereby he can then help me to become who I need and desire to become and also to do the things I desire to do and that he would have me do.

• How and what did you do to complete the assignment?
• I chose choice three, reading the suggested scriptures to then formulate my opinion and knowledge  together to assemble answers and viewpoints to the questions.
• Why did you decide to do the assignment you did?
• I liked the questions that were being asked.
• What do you think is the best thing about your assignment, and how could you improve it for next time?
• I liked reading about how God has a plan and that his ways have purpose and are better than our ways.

Week 6 - Student Choice Assignment #1 - Blog

Week 6 - Student Choice Assignment  #1 - Blog

(a) Read Isaiah 25:1, 4, 8–9; 26:3–4, 9, 19 and the institute student manual commentary for Isaiah 25:1–11, “The Second Coming Will Be a Time of Great Rejoicing for the Righteous” (pg. 162). Then answer the following questions:

--- What specific blessings did Isaiah mention?

- He will give strength to the poor, and to the needy in distress.

- He will be a refuge from the storm.

- He will swallow up death in victory.

- He will take away the rebuke of his people

- He will keep him perfect in peace

- The inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness

--- What desires did Isaiah express?

-       He desires to have the judgments come upon the earth and to have all be resurrected, and God’s plan of salvation be forwarded.

-       He desires to be close to God and to seek out God early for when his judgments are upon the earth.

--- What specific promises are given? 

-       The people on the earth will learn righteousness.

-       Dead men shall live, they shall arise, awake, and sing.

-       The earth shall be cast out of the dead.

--- If you were asked to speak at a funeral and could share two thoughts from these verses, which two would you share and why?

- I would share thoughts specifically from Isaiah 26: 19. That men shall live again when everyone is resurrected. That this life is only a step in our progression to returning to our Heavenly Father again, and being reunited with our loved ones also once again.

·       How and what did you do to complete the assignment?

• I read the verses listed and formulated my responses based on what I gathered from those verses.

·       Why did you decide to do the assignment you did?

• I liked those verses of the scriptures that I read in particular.

·       What do you think is the best thing about your assignment, and how could you improve it for next time?

• I like reading about the second coming, as it is interesting. I also like the things that Isaiah said in these verses describing his enthusiasm for seeing Gods work progress.
• I could do more to search the scriptures even further to gain more insights and knowledge on the subject.

Lesson 04 - Student Choice Assignment

Student Choice Assignment - Choice #2 - Blog

A)
The book of Ecclesiastes consists of: Some of the deepest problems of life that are presented to one who is a thoughtful observer.

-       Son of David, King in Jerusalem

-       The point of view of the world

-       Theological pronouncements on the condition of the soul after death.

B)

1. The more wisdom we gain, the more sorrow that we have as well. (Eccl 1: 17-17)

2. He says to his heart, go enjoy pleasure, but this is vanity. (Eccl 2: 1)

3.  He had come to gain all manner of riches, joys, and pleasures. He found that everything he had was vain and had no profit or benefiting value. After he would go and leave this earth, he was wondering what would be left. (Eccl 2: 1-14)

4. We must work for things in life if we wish to receive them. We cannot take what we do not work for, otherwise this is “vanity and a great evil.” (Eccl 2: 21

5. We must also not work tirelessly to no end or true purpose, otherwise this is  vanity. (Eccl 2: 23)

C)  Timing is important in life in the things that we do. God has told us this throughout the scriptures. We must be patient and go with the timing that is best for us and for how God would have things play out. Sometimes things just need to take a little longer to develop, or maybe even happen faster than we think. In Mosiah 4:27, it talks about how a man should not run faster than he hath strength.  Sometimes we may not be ready until the proper timing has played out, till we become ready for a certain circumstance to take place. Heavenly Father knows far better than we do  and if we trust him and his timeline, things will happen much better than according to our own understanding. If we were to do some things to early on, things might fall apart in an endeavor or part of life we are working in or focusing on. Or if we were working on going to the temple for example, and we were unworthy or not ready; that would not be good at all. We would be hindering our spiritual progression by doing things we may not be supposed to be doing at a current time. There are many factors and reasons why timing is so important in many cases.

D) I like the principles of two better than one, and better is a poor and wise child than an old foolish king. It is always nice to work or be with someone else rather than just yourself. Not only can you get more work done and be more efficient, but you are also able to have someone else to spend time with.

To be a poor and wise child is better than an old foolish king. It’s better to seek after wisdom and meekness, and also kindness rather than being stuck in our ways, with no desire to learn, and only seeking riches of the world rather than anything of true everlasting value.

E)

1) We will return unto God

2) To fear God, and keep his commandments

3) It sums up all the things that God would have us do.

Step 3:

1)   How and what did you do to complete the assignment?

a.     I chose choice 2 and wrote a blog.

2)   Why did you decide to do the assignment you did?

a.     I wanted to learn more about Ecclesiastes.

3)   What do you think is the best thing about your assignment, and how could you improve it for next time?

a.     I like how all things can be applicable to things I am going through in my life. I can keep trying to think differently about the material that I am learning.

REL302 - Student Choice Assignment Choice 2

Queen Vashti – Queen Vashti  was one of the queens of King Ahasuerus. She had made a feast for the women in the house of the King. The King had called her that him and his cohorts could look at her beauty. She denied and the King was not pleased with that that she did not heed what he had commanded her to do. The King was then worried about all women not having respect for princes or husbands. Even still, she stood her ground and would not stand for it. She could have just followed along with what the King had commanded everyone else to do under his reign; but she diverted from the usual train of thinking. She was thinking for herself and not wanting to obey the King. This is a good example of how she stood her ground to not let her be devalued and treated with no respect.

Mordecai – Mordecai did not want to bow to Haman for what he is doing to the  people. Even though Mordecai knows the results of what happens if someone comes to the king if they are not called to come to him, that they will  be put to death unless the king reaches out to them with his scepter, he still did not bow to him. He lead a good example to not stand for those who trample on others.

Esther – Esther also was a really good example. She revealed all the evil doings and things that the King was planning to do in his plot. She came unto the King as well when people are put to death if they are not invited. She knew these things but stood up for what is right and exposed him.

These three people all had courage, persistence, and endurance to do the things that they did. With them, others began to follow and see that they did not need to stand for the goings on around them. They were examples to others.  I would definitely like to try to incorporate these attributes into my life. Sure things we do will probably not be life or death and as serious as like the stories of these people. Even still, we can learn from them and how their examples are ones that we should try to be like in standing up for what is right. If we stand up for the things that are right we will not only be blessed but things will be okay if we do. God wants us to stand up for what is right and stand up for our religion and the things that we believe.

Week 9 - Share and Report

Choice 2:

1.     What word would be a good synonym for judge? What were they supposed to do for Israel?

a.     A guiding Protector

b.     They were to deliver them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

2.     How well did the children of Israel obey the Lord during the early reign of the judges.        

a.     Israel does well for the first part, up to verse 27 of Judges Chapter 1. Then later on they start to come up short in driving the Canaanites out. Then in Judges chapter two the Lord expresses his disapproval with Israel for their lack of obeying his voice, in verse 2 of Judges chapter 2.

3.     Who are Baal and Ashtoreth?

a.     Baal was the supreme male deity of the people of the Phoenician’s and Canaanites nation. Ashtoreth was the female deity and was also a goddess of love and fertility.

4.                       The things that parents can learn is that if you let something surface and develop, such as a bad habit with children as parents are raising up their children, then it will continue to develop into something that will just get harder to reverse. So it is important for parents to discipline their children from the get go. Otherwise their kids will not have any boundaries. This relates from the Canaanites in how they continued to develop.

5.                       There is the story of Ethud in Judges 3. Ethud was send by God to slay Eglon. In this, no matter what it was, Ethud did what the Lord asked him to do.

I can’t imagine having to slay someone because God asked me. Just like Nephi was instructed to slay Laban for purposes that were known to God. That would be a very hard thing to do to have to slay someone if you were instructed by God. We are asked to do many things by God that we may not know the exact reason for, but we have to trust in God that he knows better than we know in our short vision of sight.

Week 7 Numbers 1-36 - Choice 1 Blog Post

REL301 - Old Testament - Blog Posts

Week 7 Numbers 1-36 

Choice 1 - Blog Post
 

·      Why do you think this book carries the title of “Numbers”?

- It was titled “Numbers” from the mass cencus that Moses and others had conducted to fulfill God’s commandments to carry out this large endeavor.

·      What time period of Israel’s history does Numbers Cover?

- I had a really hard time finding out about any kind of time period-related information in the suggested informational sources, but it seems that it would be covered from 1400 to 1200 BC.

·      How many males 20 years of age and older were there at the beinning of the children of Israel’s sojourn into the wilderness? How many were there after 40 years in the wilderness?

- In the beginning there were 603,550. After the 40 years in the wilderness there were 601,730.

·      Why do you think after 40 years of bearing children in the wilderness, the population of the males 20 years and older was actually less? Consider this question as you move through this lesson.

- There were many hardships that came with trying to provide for so many people. As a result, the decrease was mostly because of lack of shelter from the harsh and barren wilderness including hunger and thirst.