Youth Lesson - How can I understand the symbols used to teach about the Second Coming?

Have you had any spiritual conversations or experiences with friends this week?

We are going to talk today about parables and symbols in the scriptures that help us understand the second coming.

Have you had anything in your spiritual studies that has made something else make sense that you hadn’t previously understood?

Facts about the Second Coming

Elder Oaks expressed four facts about the Second Coming:

“Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. I wish to speak about the fourth of these great realities: the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it.”(General Conference

APRIL 2004, Preparation for the Second Coming, DALLIN H. OAKS)

We talked the last time I taught, about who are the wicked that will be removed from the earth and who are the righteous that will remain with the Savior.

The righteous are those who are  holding to the iron rod and becoming more like Father all the time. They are those who pray always.

Being righteous is about actively finding the ways that we are not obedient to God's instructions and commandments and actively working to change our character so that we are more obedient each day.

In our morning prayers we can assess how we are going to be better today.   Throughout the day we pray for strength when we are struggling to be better as we intended and repent and try again.   At the end of the day we pray and review how the day went. We repent of where we fell short and determine how we can succeed tomorrow.

We are obedient not just because God said so, but because that is how life works.   If we don't prepare in the ways God has shown then we are not prepared to function in the Millennium.

God gives us instructions on how to live,  so we will be successful. There are laws of the universe which are just how things work and that is what he tries to show us with the commandments.  

Parables and Symbols

The Savior shared simple stories, parables, and real-life examples that made sense to those He taught. He helped them discover gospel lessons in their own experiences and in the world around them.

We could use the real life example of gravity to help us to understand spiritual laws and God's love manifested by giving us commandments.

A temporal example of a natural law of how things work is the law of gravity.

Parents lovingly try to protect their children from potential negative effects of gravity by setting rules.   Rules like don't climb on that, don't run on the stairs, and get off the roof.

A person that does not learn to live within the constraints of gravity will likely be unprepared for adulthood and to live unsupervised. Even astronauts that appear to break away from gravity cannot live as though gravity does not apply to them or that it is an old notion from a time long past.

If they ignore the earth and moon's gravity's effect on them or their effect on each other they will likely end up where they do not want to go. The effect of gravity can pull you off just the slightest and as Elder Uchtdorf has pointed out before,  being of our course by just a little bit can over time and distance be a large distance off our target.

Does that make sense that God's commandments are explaining how things work and not just a bunch of arbitrary rules to keep us from what we want?

Why Symbols

“In teaching the gospel, we do not re-create the material world around us; we deal with the intangible world within us, and there is a big difference. None of the ordinary tools are available to us. To convey to a youngster the idea of a cat is much simpler than to convey the idea of faith; faith is very difficult to describe.

“For instance, how big is faith? We soon learn that size  is not helpful. Only vaguely can we talk to a youngster who knows nothing about faith by talking about an amount, such as much faith, or little faith. We can’t tell him what color it is. We can’t tell him what shape it is. We can’t tell
him what texture it is.” (Elder Boyd K Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, rev. ed. [1991], 31–32).

Gravity is a symbol that we can use to understand God's laws. Jesus and others have used the symbols of parables to help us to understand the mysteries of God.

The Ten Virgins

Someone tell the parable of the ten virgins.

Who are the ten virgins? Who are the five foolish?

Elder Oaks explained a little bit about the ten virgins.

“The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.” (April 2004 General Conference, “Preparation for the Second Coming”)

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency said:

“If we become casual in our study of the scriptures, we will become casual in our prayers.

“We may not cease to pray, but our prayers will become more repetitive, more mechanical, lacking real intent. Our hearts cannot be drawn out to a God we do not know, and the scriptures and the words of living prophets help us know Him” (“Prayer,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 17).

Part of the preparation of the wise virgins, the righteous, is to prepare by making a meaningful relationship with God in their prayer and scripture time, rather than just rushing through.

“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 67)

“What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?” (Elder Dallin H Oaks, April 2004 General Conference, “Preparation for the Second Coming”)

The wise virgin, the righteous, do their best to not wait to do away with bad habit, to forgive people, and to confess their sins and repent.

“The movies and magazines and television that shape our attitudes are filled with stories or images that portray the children of God as predatory beasts or, at best, as trivial creations pursuing little more than personal pleasure. And too many of us accept this as entertainment.”

(Elder Dallin H Oaks, April 2004 General Conference, “Preparation for the Second Coming”)

The righteous wise virgins, are careful about their entertainment.  The righteous wise virgins do their best to not put their pleasure above the things of God.  They do their best to understand the commandments like the sabbath and set aside their own pleasures and in place do their best to understand what Father would have them participate in on Sunday, even in the privacy of our own homes and rooms.

“While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.” (Elder Dallin H Oaks, April 2004 General Conference, “Preparation for the Second Coming”)

The righteous wise virgins raise their bar of acceptable behavior and accelerate their preparation to meet the Savior.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:88-90

88 And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.

89 For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.

90 And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.

He sent prophets and apostles, special witness, to testify that Jesus was returning soon. He then began to send natural disasters to humble the people and get their attention that His return is soon.

Jst Matthew 1:49-50 -  the Second Coming

49 Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

50 Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing; and verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

The righteous are those that are found doing their duty.

Youth Sunday School Lesson on How can I learn to make my own decisions?

Youth Sunday School Lesson on How can I learn to make my own decisions?

Do you understand the concepts of physically or temporally and spiritually? What's the difference between the two?

The idea of temporal education like high-school and college is to prepare us to be physically self sufficient.   Would you agree with that? How so?

The idea of church classes and other church programs is to teach us to be spiritually self sufficient.   Would you agree with that? How so?

The Church’s website says, "An important part of being self-reliant is learning how to make decisions for ourselves. Heavenly Father is willing to guide us, but He does not always tell us exactly what to do."

Do you ever find that there are things in the gospel you don't entirely understand and it seems like you have to work really hard to understand?  Do you find that there are things in the gospel that are not spelled out as precisely as you would like? What are some things that are basic doctrines that we are left to understand more deep through prayer and study?   The word of wisdom, the sabbath.

Father has designed earth life and the gospel to help us reach for answers through study and the spirit.   Using our agency makes us stronger, rather than having everything laid out exactly for us.

He tells us in DnC 58:26 and 29 why we have to search many things for ourselves.

 26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

29 But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.

Being commanded in all things prevents us from gaining wisdom and learning to use our agency.  This life is about learning to make proper choices.  Agency is a strong power.  If it is used wisely, it builds people up.  If it is used poorly it is destructive.

The Lord said we are slothful if we only do just what we are commanded to do and do not learn to behave better than the basic commandment instructed us to live.

In DnC 107:100 the Lord defines what slothful is.

 100 He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen.

Notice how the scripture states that one that is slothful is not worthy to stand and then states that one who does not learn his duty is not worthy to stand.  This is a pattern in the scriptures to teach us something.

We thus get the definition that one who is slothful does not learn his duty.  If we only learn what the Lord had exactly spelled out for us then we are not learning our duty, we are a blind follower.  The Lord does not want us to remain blind followers. He wants us to know what He knows and have all that He has. Much of what He knows and has is only learned and obtained through experiences of doing it ourselves and thus improving our character.  As we change our character and become like God, we naturally learn what He knows and obtain what He has.

When we learn to work hard to seek for the things of God, we are better prepared for more knowledge and responsibility. We also learn better to comprehend the spirit.  Many of the changes to our character are not obtained through what we think, but get encoded on our spirits by having interactions with the Holy Ghost, thus our we are taught and our character is changed in a different and more lasting way.

Learning to Be Like God Takes Work

If you ever have to go in for surgery, do you want your surgeon to be the guy that partied all the time when he was in school and just barely did enough to pass medical school or do you want the guy that studied hard to try to understand surgery and how it works and how to fix all the complications that could occur while he is cutting on you?

That is what earth life is about, learning to understand the things of God and how they work and how to deal with the complications of life. Some of those complications are painful.

So again, how do we understand the mysteries of God?

Let’s look at DnC 9:8-9 for some idea on how we learn the mysteries of God.

8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.

Here he is describing some of the hard work that is required to understand the mysteries of God.  He is also describing how the Holy Spirit speaks to us.  He talks of the burning or warmth or just very different kind of feeling in the your core.  Much like what the men who met Jesus on the road after he was resurrected, but was prevented from recognizing him with their physical senses.  After they were kind of kicking themselves, because they had felt the Spirit telling them who he was and they did not pay attention.

Peer Pressure

Pressure from those around us can make it hard to use our agency wisely.   Sometimes we just get carried away in having fun and realize we have made some bad choices.

Sometimes we feel the need to be accepted by people, because we feel that if we are not then we may miss out on something or we will have a hard time reaching our life goals if we are cast out from the group or if people don’t like what we believe or how we act.

What are some things that people fear when trying to make good choices?

Captain Moroni talks about keeping our perspective and not costing ourselves more important things to get short term success.

Alma 60:36

“Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country”

Elder Lynn G Robbins of the Seventy talked in general conference about Joseph Smith's struggles carrying the weight of the things he had seen and starting the Church alone.   He talks of some of the mistakes he made as he let his struggles in life become more important to him than seeking and understanding the Lord's will and understanding of the future.

Elder Robbins also talks of others who have had similar struggles.

Lynn G Robbins, Which Way Do You Face?, General Conference October 2014

“At the youthful age of 22, even Joseph Smith forgot which way he faced when he repeatedly importuned the Lord to allow Martin Harris to borrow the 116 manuscript pages. Perhaps Joseph wanted to show gratitude to Martin for his support. We know that Joseph was extremely anxious for other eyewitnesses to stand with him against the distressing falsehoods and lies being spread about him.

“Whatever Joseph’s reasons were, or as justified as they may appear, the Lord did not excuse them and sharply rebuked him: ‘How oft you have transgressed … and have gone on in the persuasions of men. For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God’ (Doctrine and Covenants 3:6–7; emphasis added). This poignant experience helped Joseph remember, forever after, which way he faced.”

...

"While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men. For example, Daniel’s prayers helped him face lions, but what made him lionhearted was defying King Darius (see Daniel 6). That kind of courage is a gift of the Spirit to the God-fearing who have said their prayers. Queen Esther’s prayers also gave her that same courage to confront her husband, King Ahasuerus, knowing that she risked her life in doing so (see Esther 4:8–16)."

...

“King Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord by keeping the spoils of war because he ‘feared the people, and obeyed their voice’ (1 Samuel 15:24). To appease rebellious Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, Aaron crafted a golden calf, forgetting which way he faced (see Exodus 32). Many of the New Testament chief rulers ‘believed on [the Lord]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God’ (John 12:42–43).”

Do you remember Elder Oaks’ Good, Better, Best talk (Dallin H. Oaks, “Good, Better, Best,” Ensign, Nov. 2007, 104–8)?  What was it about?

Good things might be treating people nice.  Better might be loving and serving them.  The best would be praying and studying to have the spirit tell you how you can serve best and who needs that service now.

Good things would be eating so your body functions.  Better would be not drink, not smoke, and not drink coffee and tea.  The best would be to really study the word of wisdom to see what else it says and really understand what the Lord is tell us and pray for guidance on how to best take care of your body.

Preparation

We are familiar with the Aaronic Priesthood, are we not?  What is another name for the Aaronic Priesthood?  The preparatory priesthood.  Why is it called the preparatory priesthood or lesser priesthood?

It prepares its holders for the Melchizedek Priesthood.  It is lessor not only because it has less responsibilities, but it is more basic.  It is a step in which we build on.  Even within the Aaronic Priesthood there is a progression of responsibility.  Deacon have responsibilities.  Teachers have the responsibilities of a Deacon as well as other responsibilities.  Priests have all the responsibilities of Deacons and Teachers and more.  Would it be reasonable to say that a Deacon’s responsibilities are preparing him to be a Teacher and a Priest?  Would it be reasonable to say that the responsibilities of the Aaronic priesthood prepare men to carry the responsibilities of the Melchizedek priesthood?

The same is true for the doctrines of the gospel.  Some are very clearly and directly spelled out and some could be called the mysteries of God. The very clearly spelled out doctrines prepare us for the mysteries of God.

The mysteries of God are are things we have to work for and have to spend a lot of time with God to understand them or to get a testimony that that is how we need to live our lives.

For example, fast Sunday.  We go without food for two meals and give the money we would have spent on those meals to the poor.  We hear that all the time and it is very clear instructions, right?  Don’t eat for two meals and calculate the cost of that food and put it in a tithing envelope.  Done, right?  Those are the exact, specific directions the Lord has spelled out to us precisely.

But if we study the instructions more carefully and look at what the prophets and apostles have said and pray about how we need to live our lives we might come to understand fast Sunday more deeply and have more power in our lives and strengthen our ability to use our agency without as much of a struggle.

Have someone read the section titled “How Should You Pray?” from Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,”.

Have someone else read the section titled “How Are Prayers Answered?”

How did the Savior compare gospel truths to familiar objects and experiences? - Youth Sunday School Lesson

How was your week this week?

Any questions from your other class?

Who is not here that should be in our class?

How did the Savior compare gospel truths to familiar objects and experiences?

" We can use stories to teach like the Savior as we relate our personal experiences and relate gospel principles to the world around us." - from the lesson outline

" Which of the parables of Jesus are most memorable to you, and why?" - from the lesson outline

Matthew 18:1-6

1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Jesus took a child from the group. Maybe it was a child he knew, we don't know.

He placed the child in the midst of them.   What does in the midst of them mean?  Maybe it means he placed the child where they could all see it?

Are there things in the modern church where children are placed in the midst of us to show us an example to teach us something?

What about when the bishop calls a child to the pulpit and the child for graduating primary?  It is to show the child that they have done something important and let the child perhaps share with us an article of faith

Is this just about the child? Or is it also about us being reminded that something important happened? And reminding us of our articles of faith and of when we were little children, before we became caught up in our friends,  our technology,  our school, our jobs.

What about when a child stands and is recognized for being baptized?  Is that placing a child in our midst and Heavenly Father giving us the opportunity to remember and be taught by that child?

What about the part in Matthew 18 where he talks about offending a little child? Is this just about being mean to kids or acting in a way you should act in front of a child? Or is it a symbol of offending that which is innocent, like the spirit.  Or is it about being a grown up, but not forgetting that we need to come to Father as a little child and if our behavior prevents that then we will not have lasting happiness and joy.

If a person does not have boundaries on their behavior they will not have not joy.

How can I show love for those I teach? - Youth Sunday School Lesson

What did you learn in your other class today?  Do you have any questions about what you talked about in there?  Any questions about things you have been studying on your own?  Do you have a scripture that you would like to share that you came across in your personal scripture study?

How can I show love for those I teach?

We will all have to teach at some point whether it is a lesson in Sunday school, in a talk, or with someone we know who doesn't understand a something about the gospel that we can help with.

How did Jesus teach?

"Jesus Christ loved those He taught. He prayed for them and found opportunities to express His love. We can develop love for those we teach by praying for them and selflessly serving them." - From the lesson outline.

"How have you been influenced by a teacher who showed love to you?" - From the lesson outline.

"How can learning to love those we teach help us become better teachers?" - From the lesson outline.

Mosiah 28:1–3

1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all these things, they took a small number with them and returned to their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to their brethren, the Lamanites

2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the land which the Lord their God had given them.

3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

Why would they want to go serve among people that hated them? Do missionaries today ever have to serve among people that hate them?

Do we ever live or serve around people that are hostile to what we believe our what they think we believe?

"We should measure our success by the progress of those we teach, not by the excellence of our performance." (Teaching No Greater Call, Lesson 1)

"Love prompts us to prepare and teach differently. When we love those we teach, we pray for each of them. We do all we can to know their interests, achievements, needs, and concerns. " - From the lesson outline.

Being Prepared to Teach at All Times

As I was preparing this lesson I came across this story by President Monson that I thought was cool.

" I share another example of the value of learning the Articles of Faith. Forty-five years ago I worked with a man named Sharman Hummel in the printing business in Salt Lake City. I once gave him a ride home from work and asked him how he came to receive his testimony of the gospel.

"He responded, “It’s interesting, Tom, that you asked me that question, for this very week my wife, my children, and I are going to the Manti Temple, there to be sealed for all eternity.”

He continued his account: “We lived in the East. I was journeying by bus to San Francisco to establish myself in a new printing company, and then I was going to send for my wife and children. All the way from New York City to Salt Lake City the bus trip was uneventful. But in Salt Lake City a young girl entered the bus—a Primary girl—who sat next to me. She was going to Reno, Nevada, there to have a visit with her aunt. As we journeyed westward, "I noticed a billboard: ‘Visit the Mormon Sunday School this week.’

" “I said to the little girl, ‘I guess there are a lot of Mormons in Utah, aren’t there?’

"“She replied, ‘Yes, sir.’

"“Then I said to her, ‘Are you a Mormon?’

"“Again her reply: ‘Yes, sir.’”

"Sharman Hummell then asked, “What do Mormons believe?” And that little girl recited the first article of faith; then she talked about it. Continuing, she gave him the second article of faith and talked about it. Then she gave him the third and the fourth and the fifth and the sixth and all of the Articles of Faith and talked about all of them. She knew them consecutively.

"Sharman Hummel said, “When we got to Reno, and we let that little girl off into the arms of her aunt, I was profoundly impressed.”

He said, “All the way to San Francisco I thought, ‘What is it that prompts that little girl to know her doctrine so well?’ When I arrived in San Francisco, the very first thing I did,” said Sharman, “was to look through the yellow pages for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I called the mission president, and he sent two missionaries to where I was staying. I became a member of the Church, my wife became a member, all of our children became members, in part because a Primary girl knew her Articles of Faith.”"(President Thomas S Monson, Examines of Great Teachers, June 2007 Liahona)

Memorizing Scriptures

"Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.

"Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change. " (Elder Richard G Scott, The Power of Scripture, October 2011 General Conference)

Moroni 7:45

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

What does Moroni 7:45 have to do with teaching others?

Being a Father - Lesson to the Laurels

When I Became A Man I Put Away Childish Things

1 Cor. 13: 11

 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

We all probably have a different expectation of how a baby boy behaves when compared to how a elementary school boy behaves.  We likely also have different expectations for a teenage boy, a father, or a grandfather.

We can expect that a baby boy will likely need us to do almost everything for it, including change its diaper.  An elementary student we would expect is potty trained, but likely will need a lot of observation to keep him safe and correct immature behavior.

We would expect a teenaged boy to be trusted to not touch a hot stove, not pull dishes from the counter onto his head, and perhaps even be trusted to drive a car alone.  You would expect a certain level of immaturity and even perhaps self centeredness, but you would assume they are improving and somewhat self sufficient.

Do we expect a father to behave like a teenaged boy?  We would expect him to not be as impulsive and to be more in control of his behavior.

Even though father’s are grown ups, don’t we have an even greater expectation of maturity and wisdom in word and behavior from a grandfather?

Being a man is about continually learning to put off childish things and things that don’t matter.

Women Help Shape Boys Into Men

As a young woman you have great power over young men.  In spite of this I see all too often young women lower themselves to foolish behaviors of immature young men.

Just because a young man speaks or behaves coarsely and you want to be close to him does not mean that you should speak coarsely.  You should expect better behavior of him.  He should not expect worse behavior of you.  If you stand your ground and are kind about it, the young men will figure it out and become stronger.  If you cave and behave as they do they will continue to become increasingly more irresponsible.

Do many young men often chase after coarse and immodest girls?  Yes, but that doesn’t last and they both end up miserable.

Young men do not respond positively to nagging or to young women who are judgemental, but they do respond quite well to young women who are beautiful, kind, and virtuous who they see giving attention to boys who are respectful and kind.  If a guy’s friends behave poorly and make him look like a fool in front of a beautiful, kind, and virtuous girl, then he will cause his friends behavior to change or he will find new friends.

How does keeping the commandments affect my ability to learn the gospel? - Youth Lesson

Ask the youth if they have any questions or comments about what they are learning in their other classes. Invite them to share personal experiences or impressions they have received as a result of their learning.

How does keeping the commandments affect my ability to learn the gospel?  Or How does obedience affect my ability to learn the gospel?

What are the commandments?  They are instructions for how to be happy.  God’s purpose is that we can have joy, right?  God knows there are things that will make life harder and make us unhappy and the commandments are to steer us away from those things.

When I follow what I want to do rather than what God wants or when I am not keeping the commandments I find that often I get in a fog. It gets hard to make decisions. It sometimes gets hard to concentrate or remember things. Sometimes it is harder to be patient with others.

If that fog isn't there and the spirit is speaking to me more clearly, because I have kept the commandments, I find that I learn and understand things better. I listen more and hear more.

Read scriptures from lesson about how keeping the commandments leads to increased knowledge.

D&C 42:61

Are there any mysteries of God you would like to know?  How would you go about finding out that mystery?

The more we keep the commandments the more we understand the commandments and life in general.

People try to figure out the problems of life while removing God from the solution. Their solution to the problems are constantly changing as they don't take into account God's plan and how he designed us and this earth. They don't know his purpose for us being here or the purpose of the earth.

Doctrine and Covenants 93:26-28

26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;

27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.

28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

"A knowledge of truth and the answers to our greatest questions come to us as we are obedient to the commandments of God." - President Monson

“Keep the commandments; keep the commandments! In this there is safety; in this there is peace.

He will send blessings; He will send blessings.  Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace.

Read Daniel 1

“What is the Lord trying to emphasize and why? Is there anything in these verses that applies to me personally?”

Tell the boys that when we read stories we can write notes in our scripture margins of things we want to remember the next time we read that part of the scriptures.

We can also pause while we are reading to write things we think of in our journal. They wet can read our journal in the future and remember things that were important to us and things we have learned. We can look back and see places where God's hand was in our life.

Our kids or grand kids will also be able to look through our journal and see the spiritual experiences we have with the scriptures.

What are some ways you have thought of as we have talked that you can do to help you understand the gospel better?