Welcome back to team teacher Kim who has been on spring break in sunny Florida. How blessed we were that she brought her mother and father back with her and Yes...we were all on our best behavior since they also came to participate in her Sunday School class...:)
Our reading today is Mosiah 1-3.
http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-class-member-study-guide/lesson-15-eternally-indebted-to-your-heavenly-father?lang=eng
Well just to get us up to speed...Flash forward hundreds of years to a man named Mormon who is at the end of the Book of Mormon and has the records and entries of all the men who have kept and preserved said records.
Like the Bible which has undergone the edit and abridge process many, many times, Mormon now has the huge task of pushing through the heartache of knowing that the last of his people are very close to being killed by their enemies and he now has to carefully & prayerfully compile and abridge these many records which will then enable him to give a readers digest version to his son Moroni.
Moroni will be the last living of all their people and will bury this small compilation of records before his own death in a hill which is now known as the Hill Cumorah in Manchester County, New York. USA.
So, as Jed S. in class explained, that while the reading has been in the 1st person up till now... it changes to the 3rd person as Mormon is reading what he has in storage and is describing to us the events of the people.
Which is why we call it the Book of Mormon. Happy to do it... as we love that guy for his diligence, sacrifice and good heart.
We are in the section called Mosiah where Mormon is telling about a most wonderful King by the name of Benjamin who did Not live off the labor and taxes of the people, instead choosing to maintain the needs/wants of his household by his own efforts.
The timing here on the world clock is 130 BC... and King Benjamin has asked his son Mosiah to gather all the people together around the temple as he wants to share his thoughts with them.
He has a tower built wherein he can be tall enough to be heard from a distance. Jed S. also explains how the families gathered and set up tents with the door of each family tent facing the temple..
which is symbolic to us now as we try to have our lives constructed with the door to the temple and in reflection of the covenants we make with God.
Kim and her mom then said how it has always been a critical priority to have pictures of the temples and of the Savior up in their homes...and in the bedroom of each child.
I felt surprised to consider how excited I have been to prepare my child's big girl room with Snoopy and tye dye prints ..but had totally overlooked this in my decor planning. Grateful for the reminder. Will take photos and post when it's done..:)
Mike J. then shared a moment that he had this past week with a contractor who had been working in his home. The man had noticed the pictures of the Christ theme and inquired if Mike and his family were LDS.
Mike affirmed and the man's eyes sparkled as he recalled his youth of being active in church and it was a tender reminder of what he could enjoy again.
Okay, back to the topic of the Book of Mormon, Dave C. and Shane B. both gave comments about how the blessings daily study of the Book of Mormon and Bible scriptures have blessed them and their families as it has improved things they had not thought of such as increasing knowledge and confidence.
Because of this, President Vaughan our stake president has asked us to offer and if accepted, place a Book of Mormon with any friends who will also see of it's value.
Here is my Barnes and Noble link...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-book-of-mormon-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-the-latter-day-saints/1030659525?ean=2940012369017
It's of the nook and is only 2.99...! wowowow!
The hard copy one I like to give is through Amazon and is $17.29. It is a beautiful gift, I believe. It is listed under 'Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ' by doubleday printers.
I'll just go out on a limb and venture to say that Valerie L. will make a batch of her incredible chocolate chip cookies for the brave soul who is able to share a Book of Mormon with another.
How that Sister Valerie stays so lean and beautiful with cookies like that about the house is a thing of admiration.
Alright... next week's lesson..which is in 2 days...:D on April 22 is by Jennie and is about being called by the name of Christ... A Christian, so to speak. I can't think of a better name to go by, can you...? insert heart symbol here.. :)
Mosiah chapters 4-6....
http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-class-member-study-guide/lesson-16-ye-shall-be-called-the-children-of-christ?lang=eng
Love your friend,
Cynthia McCormick
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