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For Latter-Day Saints History Year 3 -Insights for Latter-day Saints Written by Katie Powell and Jenny Phillips ©2018 Jenny Phillips | www.thegoodandthebeautiful.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied or reproduced in any way without written permission from the publisher. HISTORY YEAR 3 INSIGHTS FOR LATTER-DAY SAINTS About This Document The Good and the Beautiful history courses strive to emphasize examples of faith in God and the hand of God in the history of the world. The course book itself covers most of this, explaining the role that faith, religion, and God played in history. This document includes additional insights that are specific to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How to Use this Document As you teach from the course book, check this Insights document to see if there is an additional Church insight for the lesson. If so, follow the instructions after completing the lesson in the course book. NOTE: If you have not already done so, you may access and print a timeline extension for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the History Year 2 – Insights document. No additional timeline is included in this document. 1 © Jenny Phillips HISTORY YEAR 3 INSIGHTS FOR LATTER-DAY SAINTS This transfiguration and vision that the Lord gave to Lesson 1 Moses elevated his view of many things. He saw a new eternal perspective with “spiritual eyes” (Moses 1:11). Mesopotamia He understood that worlds without number were created by the Father’s Only Begotten Son, that many o Read the following excerpts from “What do worlds had passed away, many now stood, and other we know about the location of the Garden worlds would yet come into existence (see Moses of Eden?” by Bruce A. Van Orden, associate 1:35, 38). The vistas of Moses’ vision were expanded professor of Church history, Brigham Young to behold God’s intended purpose for mankind’s University (Ensign, January 1994), or, with older existence: “For behold, this is my work and my glory— children, read the entire article on lds.org. to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Blessed with this broader vision, We must remember that the whole earth was this panoramic perspective, this “God’s eye view” paradisiacal before the Fall. The Garden of Eden was of the Lord’s entire plan and purpose, Moses was a center place. After the Fall, there was no Garden of better prepared to lead covenant Israel from spiritual Eden or paradisiacal status on earth. [T]he Prophet darkness and Egyptian bondage into light and freedom Joseph Smith learned through revelation (D&C 57) that in the land of their fathers. Jackson County was the location of a Zion to be and the New Jerusalem to come. The Prophet first visited President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Jackson County, Missouri, in the summer of 1831. Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated, “No more The Prophet visited Jackson County again in April profound truth has been conveyed to us in the and May 1832. On one of the occasions, or perhaps restoration than the knowledge of our premortal both, the Prophet Joseph apparently instructed his existence. No other church knows or teaches this close associates, and perhaps even a general Church truth.” Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, we learn gathering, that the ancient Garden of Eden was also that the doctrinal scaffolding of this principle was located in Jackson County. revealed to Moses when the Lord said, “For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth” (Moses 3:5). Lesson 3 To the spiritual eyes of Moses also came a vision of a premortal council held in heaven, wherein the Father The Exodus & 40 presented the plan of salvation. Jesus Christ was Years in the Desert willing to come to earth, give his life for us, and take upon himself our sins while preserving the honor for the Father and the agency of man. Satan’s reaction o Read to the children: to this plan was one of rebellion: “Lucifer sought to dethrone God, . and to save all men without When Joseph Smith restored the gospel to the Earth, reference to their works.” The Father chose Jesus the Lord revealed some clarifications to the current Christ. Satan rebelled and “kept not his first estate” translation of the Bible. Some of these are included in (see Moses 4:1–3; Abr. 3:24–28). the Pearl of Great Price, including the book of Moses, which teaches us more about Moses. As Latter-day Saints, we have learned that it was Jesus Christ in his role as Jehovah who gave Moses the Ten o Read the following excerpts from “Moses: Commandments and the law (see 3 Ne. 15:5). Through Witness of Jesus Christ” by Todd B. Parker the Prophet Joseph Smith it has been made clear that and Robert Norman; or, for a more in depth since the Fall of Adam, Jesus Christ is the being from discussion about Moses and the revelations that whom revelation is received by prophets (“Moses: we have received, read the entire article on lds. Witness of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, April 1998). org with older children. 2 © Jenny Phillips HISTORY YEAR 3 INSIGHTS FOR LATTER-DAY SAINTS Lesson 8 Lesson 12 Shadrach, Meshach, Job / The Hebrew and Abednego Calendar o Read and discuss the following excerpt from o Read the following excerpts from “Hast Thou “‘But if Not’ - A lesson on Faith from Shadrach, Considered My Servant Job?” by John S. Tanner Meshach and Abednego,” (https://www. (Ensign, Dec. 1990). mormon.org/blog/but-if-not-a-lesson-on- Job’s example makes it clear that although faith). sometimes suffering is a punishment, it is not HOW THEN DO WE DEVELOP FAITH LIKE SHADRACH, always so. The [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO? Saints'] Bible Dictionary (s.v. “Job”) states that though the book “does not entirely answer the 1. PERSPECTIVE question as to why Job (or any man) might suffer,” it does make it clear that “affliction is not necessarily First – We need to take a step back and gain some evidence that one has sinned.” This is a great perspective on our situation. It is always hard to see comfort, especially for the many blameless souls the big picture when we are only focused on such a who accuse themselves when tragedy befalls them. small corner of it. When an infant is born with birth defects, or a 2. TESTIMONY loved one is killed in an auto accident, some people immediately respond, “What have I done to deserve Second – Gain a strong testimony of Christ. This this?” Job implies that there can be “no-fault” includes not only believing in Him, but believing tragedy. Him. When He says that He will be there to comfort you, know that He will. Trust Him and allow Him the If we look carefully at the Bible or the Book of time to justify your faith in Him. Mormon or modern Church history, we can find many instances of good individuals who, like Job, 3. RESOLUTION suffer. Think of the martyred women and children Third – Be resolved to have your faith placed in the who were burned before the eyes of Alma and idea that regardless of what happens, regardless of Amulek. (See Alma 14:7–11.) Complicating the how God chooses to bless our lives or not, we will simplistic view of retribution expressed by Job’s still believe in Him and follow Him down whatever comforters is the fact that sometimes “the Lord road that may lead us. suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked.” (Alma Regardless of whether we receive a particular 60:13.) blessing or outcome, we need to understand that Christ is still our Savior. We need to understand that Job’s example, then, corrects unwarranted He loves us and that He has a plan for all of us to assumptions based upon the true doctrine of be happy with our families; and in the end isn’t that retribution. It reminds us that the Lord’s plan of the only thing that matters? rewards and punishment does not guarantee that only the wicked will suffer, nor does it insulate the righteous from adversity or assure them material rewards in this life. Christ, though blameless, suffered more than has any other man. If the Lord, who was perfect, had to endure affliction, should we, who are imperfect, expect to be spared from 3 © Jenny Phillips HISTORY YEAR 3 INSIGHTS FOR LATTER-DAY SAINTS it? The only reward for righteousness that the Lord President Russell M. Nelson explained: holds out unfailingly to individuals is “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” (D&C Many of Abraham’s descendants—the tribes 59:23.) But even this peace must be found amid of ancient Israel—eventually rejected the persecutions, not in their absence. (See John 14:27; teachings of the Lord and killed the prophets. John 15:20.) Ten tribes were carried captive into Assyria. From there they became lost to the records of mankind, though not lost to the Lord. Two tribes remained for a short time, but because Lesson 14 of their rebellion they were taken captive into Babylon. When they returned, they were Israel: After favored of the Lord, but again they rejected Him! the Return / As prophesied, all things were to be restored in The Alexandrine this dispensation.
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