Ryan Reeder
Rel 333 Summer 2000
Juan Henderson
Callings
Callings often do not come to those who are most qualified or capable, but to those who have the opportunity to derive the greatest benefit from it. My zone leader experience was an example of this. (August 1, 2000)
Course of Life
Like Elder Eyring, people and situations are waiting for you. (June 20, 2000)
Experience
Sometimes the negative experiences are the ones we learn the most from. (July 11, 2000)
So have my failures been a result of 1. Not following the Spirit or 2. Tests and Tribulation to gain experience in the Doctrine and Covenants 122:7 sense ("know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good") or 3. Simply some character or personality flaw? I'm thinking #2-but perhaps elements of all three. (July 11, 2000)
Faith
What is your understanding of Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?
(What is it?; Faith and Works; fear; prayer; Word; Correct idea of God's attributes, perfections, etc.; Spiritual Gifts; Own topic; General Authority stories) (July 20, 2000)
Faith and Miracles
We need to show the faith to allow him to create a miracle with us. (July 11, 2000)
"Choose the Right when a choice is placed before you/In the Right the Holy Spirit guides." When you make the decision to overcome a habit, to go to school more often, or to get to bed on time, power from on high comes to help you to do it. (July 11, 2000)
Following the Spirit
Don't ever hold back when the Spirit tells you to speak-even to the prophet-Richard G. Scott (June 29, 2000)
Often it's difficult to follow the promptings of the Spirit. They come to correct and change the course we're already following, forcing us to yield our will to the Lord's if we desire to follow Him. But if we are not obedient, these promptings come less and less frequently. Conversely, when we choose to obey, we can be guided more often. (July 11, 2000)
Follow the promptings of the Spirit to arrive at those who are waiting for you. (July 25, 2000)
Heritage and Legacy as Members of Church (July 18, 2000)
Learning and Teaching by the Spirit
Show willingness to learn by participation. Write down impressions. Show the Lord you're willing to learn and when you're willing to learn he's willing to teach you. (June 20, 2000)
Coming into this class, I thought "My greatest fear about this class is that I won't learn anything." The only way not to learn is if you choose not to learn. My question was answered directly. (June 20, 2000)
Even if the teacher can't teach you about the subject, the spirit can. (June 20, 2000)
Humility in teachers allows them to teach by the Spirit rather than by their own knowledge. (June 20, 2000)
If the teacher teaches by the Spirit, he can teach the alphabet and you'll learn something. (June 20, 2000)
No matter what level the class is at, the Spirit can teach you new mysteries of the kingdom. (June 22, 2000)
Doctrine and Covenants 43:15: "Ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit" (June 22, 2000)
Jay E. Jensen-dangers of "Ya lo sè" (June 22, 2000)
There may be things you should hear concerning your studies. Maybe you ought to start paying attention. (June 22, 2000)
If you pay attention, you'll get more out of it in the long run-even if specifics are short (June 29, 2000)
Are you ever going to miss something that the Lord inspired someone to say for you because you were not prepared? (June 29, 2000)
Light
You lose the identity when you lose the light. (July 11, 2000)
Meeting General Authorities
Inspires Fear (Not of God) in sense of Reverence (of God); Love (of God). (June 22, 2000)
Mercy
Principle taught in Alma 32:19 "And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression." Knowledge is responsibility. Faith is mercy. How did Alma apply this concept to himself-when he received knowledge while in an iniquitous state? (July 18, 2000)
Missionaries
Once a missionary, always a missionary-David B. Haight (August 1, 2000)
Natural Man
Natural vs. Spiritual conflict in all of us. (June 20, 2000)
Every Time you win or overcome that conflict, you come closer to Christ. And every time you lose, you're that much farther away from him. (June 20, 2000)
Offense
Be more concerned about offending others than being offended-Boyd K. Packer (June 22, 2000).
Plan of Salvation
Great Plan of Happiness 1-Premortal Life 2-Spiritual Creation 3-War in Heaven 4-Physical Creation 5-Fall 6-Mortality 7-Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 8-Atonement 9-Physical Death 10-Life beyond grave (Spirit World) 11-Judgment 12-Resurrection 13-Eternal Life (June 22, 2000)
Preparation
Serve Life in Preparation for Specific future callings. (July 6, 2000)
Progression
Quite often, now in my life, I don't see ahead the next few steps-but whether or not the light appears the important thing is to keep moving forward. God doesn't drive a parked car. You're always moving but which direction? Obedience keeps you moving the right direction. Obedience for the right reasons is even more important-because of a spiritual witness or because of duty. But still obey-"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17). (June 29, 2000).
Purpose of this Class
You're in here not so much for yourselves as for other people. (June 22, 2000)
Revelation
Some of the comments remind me of some teachings of Elder Dallin H. Oaks concerning seeking revelation on all things. I've searched for these words and reprinted them below:
"Closely related to this example is the person who has a strong desire to be led by the Spirit of the Lord but who unwisely extends that desire to the point of wanting to be led in all things. A desire to be led by the Lord is a strength, but it needs to be accompanied by an understanding that our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions for our personal choices. Personal decision making is one of the sources of the growth we are meant to experience in mortality. Persons who try to shift all decision making to the Lord and plead for revelation in every choice will soon find circumstances in which they pray for guidance and don''t receive it. For example, this is likely to occur in those numerous circumstances in which the choices are trivial or either choice is acceptable.
"We should study things out in our minds, using the reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us. Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it. If we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgment. Persons who persist in seeking revelatory guidance on subjects on which the Lord has not chosen to direct us may concoct an answer out of their own fantasy or bias, or they may even receive an answer through the medium of false revelation. Revelation from God is a sacred reality, but like other sacred things, it must be cherished and used properly so that a great strength does not become a disabling weakness."
(October 1994 Ensign "Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall") (July 13, 2000)
Revelation is vertical, not horizontal (it comes from God, not man)-but Spencer W. Kimball has said "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom." (July 13, 2000)
Rules
Set some rules for yourself and commit to obey them. (July 27, 2000)
Scripture
President Packer stated "Think on it carefully. When facing Perdition himself, the Lord drew upon scriptures for protection." (July 13, 2000)
Second Chances
The Lord will continue to give you additional opportunities or second chances as long as you're willing to repent. (June 20, 2000)
Self-Mastery
Willpower alone will not do it-you have got to have God to help you. (July 11, 2000)
I get so worried about classes that I end up-not doing anything. (July 11, 2000)
Spiritual Gifts
All have not all, but all have some and some have all. (July 6, 2000)
Stay with the Brethren
Those on the outside get scraped off as the church goes through tight spots, like Indiana Jones on the tank in Last Crusade. (June 20, 2000)
Teaching
There is more than one way to teach others. It can be done through writing on an even greater scale than in the classroom. (July 18, 2000)
We need to see 'What lack we yet' when they begin to ask questions. (July 25, 2000)
Truth and History
Some thoughts on my own life, education, career and philosophy:
History-biased or unbiased? If it is impossible to be completely unbiased, Does this mean we should have a bias? Should we promote an agenda? Did B. H. Roberts? What does Elder Packer teach on the subject?
History as Art or Science?-Scientific Revolution influenced heavily the idea
of applying science to everything. Art-appeal to aesthetic nature. History is
both and neither. It is science in that it employs scientific
research-information gathering, data analysis, etc. It is art in its literature
and writing style. But history is something different entirely. Of itself, it is
neither art nor science. It is what is and was. D&C 93:24-"And truth is
knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;"
Truth. History is Truth. The search for knowledge, light and truth is the
abundant life-James E. Faust (Ensign, July 2000, 4-7). History brings these to
others. An eternal quest. History is based on past events. Everything that was
determines everything that is and everything that was and is determines what
will be. A discussion of history as an Art or Science is analogous to the blind
men and elephant story. We're looking at outward appearances, when the core, the
meat, is something different entirely. History is Truth. (July 17, 2000)
Resurrection
Ephesians 2:1-7:[1]And you hath he
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein
in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great
love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,[italics added] (by grace
ye are saved;)
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in
the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus.
Colossians 2:10-15:
[10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power:
[11] In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of
the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[12] Buried with
him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
[13]
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath
he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses;
[14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;
[italics added]
[15] And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
How does
the Resurrection apply from Christ to the rest of humanity? Why and How are we
resurrected because Christ was 2,000 years ago? Through the atonement, Christ
takes on himself the sins of all humanity. Through his death, then, that man of
sin-our sins-are slain. Being one with him, we die to sin-and with his
resurrection, being one with him, we are also guaranteed a resurrection "also ye
are risen with him" (Col. 12:12) "being dead in your sins. . .quickened together
with him, having forgiven you all trespasses (Col. 12:13), "took it out of the
way, nailing it to his cross" (Col. 12:14), "When we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ" (Eph. 2:5), "And hath raised us up together
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). (July
20, 2000)
Universal Brotherhood of Man
We're all the same-even me. The same temptations, the same joys. . . . (July 6, 2000)
Work
Hard Work is never wasted. (August 1, 2000)
Working with Christ
The yoke has two places-one for me and one for Christ. When you come to Christ, he is yoked and works with you, together. (July 11, 2000)