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In John 14, Jesus Christ teaches about the role of the Holy Ghost. One of the titles that the Holy Ghost has, is that of Comforter. The Prophet Joseph Smith thought about how the Holy Ghost is another comforter.
“There are two Comforters spoken of. One is the Holy Ghost, the same as given on the day of Pentecost, and that all Saints receive after faith, repentance, and baptism. This first Comforter [is the] Holy Ghost. …
“The other Comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest, and perhaps understood by few of this generation. After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses.
“Note the 16, 17, 18, 21, 23 verses. …
“Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God” (in History of the Church, 3:380–81).
Jeffery R. Holland explained a couple was that the Lord provides comfort:
“Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: ‘I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you]’ [John 14:18; see also verse 23]” (“None Were with Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 88).
New Testament
27 Peace I leave with you, my peaceI give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
How have you experienced the peace and comfort of the Savior in your life today?
Luke 21:1-4 (KJV)
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
To sacrifice is to give up something we value for the sake of something of greater worth. As Latter-day Saints, we have the opportunity to sacrifice worldly things for the Lord and His kingdom. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should be willing to make any sacrifice required by the Lord. If we were not required to make sacrifices, we would never be able to develop the faith necessary for eternal salvation.
In addition to remembering the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are to offer our own sacrifice: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The Savior said: “Ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away. … And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 9:19–20).
To have a broken heart and a contrite spirit is to be humble and receptive to the will of God and to the counsel of those He has called to lead His Church. It also means to feel deep sorrow for sin and a sincere desire to repent. The prophet Lehi emphasized the importance of offering this sacrifice: “Behold, [Christ] offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered” (2 Nephi 2:7). If we do not offer the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, we cannot fully receive the blessings that come through the Atonement.
If you are willing to sacrifice as the Lord has commanded, you will be accepted by Him. He taught: “All … who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me” (D&C 97:8). With an eternal perspective, you can see that giving up the things of the world is really no sacrifice at all. The blessings you receive are greater than anything you ever give up.
https://www.lds.org/manual/true-to-the-faith/sacrifice?lang=eng
The Savior taught that we should freely give to Him and His church, we should give even when we feel like we might not have enough. He recognizes our sacrifices and He will bless us abundantly. In this parable the widow gave all she had, some of us are not asked to give all we have, but we are still asked to give.
What can you to do maintain a spirit of love and sacrifice even when you don’t feel like paying tithes and offerings are as much as a sacrifice to you as the two mites were to the widow?
Luke 15:11-32
11 ¶And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
I have been thinking of this parable a lot lately as I self-evaluate my life, my choices, and where my testimony is. I have pondered if my actions, words, and priorities are aligned to the things that are most important.
In verse 17, the prodigal son “came to himself.” As I put myself in his place, I ponder who my-“self” is. What is my true identity? Who have I been? Who am I? Who am I meant to be? For all of us, we are children of God before anything else. At the root of our existence we all can identify as children of a loving God.
As a woman, I am His daughter. I am meant to be a daughter, sister, wife and mother in the Kingdom of God.
I invite you to join me in rediscovering what your identity as a child of God is. What roles and responsibilities do you have and how can you be true to your true self while fulfilling the day-to-day duties?
https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-prodigal-son?lang=eng
Jesus taught by parable how He is the Good Shepherd that God sent to lead us. He calls out to His sheep (His children), His sheep hear Him, the know His voice, He leads them, and they follow.
Do you hear when the Good Shepherd calls out to you? Can you recognize His voice amid all the counterfeits around us?
Verse 9: “I am the door”
Shepherds in Israel stood at the entrance of a sheepfold and inspected each sheep as it entered, treating injuries as needed. After the sheep were gathered in the enclosure for the night, the shepherd would lie down to sleep in the entrance, barring the way so predators or thieves could not hurt the sheep. The Savior’s statement, “I am the door,” makes clear that He was willing to “lay down [His] life for the sheep” (John 10:7, 15), and that He ultimately will decide who will enter the kingdom of heaven. (New Testament Student Manual https://www.lds.org/study/manual/new-testament-student-manual/introduction-to-the-gospel-according-to-st-john/chapter-24-john-8-10?lang=eng)
What does this video teach you about the relationship you have with the Savior?
Verses 17 – 18:
” Therefore, doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my Father.”
Jesus Christ is the only mortal to have the power to lay down His life as a ransom for us all. He has been the only one to have the power and authority to take up His life again. This is His call to us, to give Him our life and to choose to let him perfect us and raise us up to Him. He is at the door waiting for us with arms wide open.
What is one thing that you can do to develop a closer relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ or Savior?
Luke 7:36-50 (King James Version)
36 ¶ And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this isthat toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Christ was teaching that people that who choose not to seek or accept the blessings of repentance and complete forgiveness are demonstrating a lack of love for Him. He taught in parables and with examples to teach people that were ready to learn the lessons of His gospel. He taught a higher law that was difficult for some people to accept. He was rejected by many for the love and forgiveness He gave so freely, especially to those who society deemed unworthy. He was not condoning the sins of the woman. She was converted unto Him, she had repented, and she was ready to keep the commandments. She had accepted His forgiveness.
Think of a time in your life where you might feel unworthy of the Savior’s love and forgiveness. What actions can you take to be as humble as the woman in this story. What can you do to repent, recommit to keep the commandments, and accept His forgiveness?
We are taught several things in the New Testaments account of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. One thing that we are taught is that the Godhead is made up of three separate beings. The Godhead is made up of God, the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son, and the third member of the Godhead is the Holy Spirit. All three were present at the sacred occasion. The voice of the Father was heard as He expressed his pleasure, Jesus was in the water, and the dove that descended was a sign of the Holy Ghost.
Another insight from the Baptism of the Savior is that He didn’t have need for Baptism, but He was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness.” We know that baptism by water is part of the New and Everlasting Covenant and that it is a required ordinance. The Savior invites us all to be baptized and to follow Him on the covenant path.
The ministry of the Savior started after His baptism. He spent the rest of His life, teaching, forgiving, and healing. Jesus Christ established His church complete with the saving ordinances that we all need to draw nearer to God.
As you watch the video below, think of ways you can follow the example of the Savior in all things. What are some things you can do to draw nearer to God?
//players.brightcove.net/1241706627001/default_default/index.html?videoId=1634152407001
We all have different parenting styles, and in most cases our styles will even evolve over time. My main take-a-ways from this course are: 1) each child is different and we should parent them according to their needs, 2) when and where possible, parenting should be a team effort, and 3) look to the Lord and let the Spirit guide you.
Each Child is Different
This was probably one of my favorite topic from the course. I has so often thought that parenting should be the same to be fair, but that is not the case. Yes, of course parents should offer the same love and support to each child, but teaching, correcting, and discipline should be adapted to each child based on the child’s development and personality. Parenting is not “one size fits all.”
In the article: “WHAT IS YOUR CHILD’S PERSONALITY TYPE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?,” we read “Each person is born with his or her own unique personality characteristics and temperament…An understanding of temperament can help parents tailor their approach to their child’s needs.” The article goes on to explain how parents can adapt to meet the needs of each child. First you need to identify your child’s temperament. Then build understanding by looking for solutions and making compromises. Then remember to keep your needs separate from the needs of your child. Don’t impose your needs on them and then pass them off as their needs.
Finally, advocate for your child. The article contains a great example: “Our culture tends to reward quiet, submissive behavior. If you have a child with high energy and intense emotion, you’ve probably experienced judgment from well-meaning relatives or friends. Understanding that temperament characteristics are unique and inborn can help take the pressure off, allowing you to see your child’s traits as potential strengths. This puts you in a better place to respond to negative comments in ways that are helpful to your child, e.g., ‘Yes, she is spirited and independent. She knows exactly what she wants. She’s working on learning to compromise.’ “
Parenting: A Team Effort and Family Duty
Marriage and Family are ordained of God since the beginning. It is the unit he designed for all of His children to experience life in. The family has been under attack for many years. Our prophets released The Family: A Proclamation to the World over 20 years ago, before the attacks were as common and obvious as they are today. We know that God’s desire is for us to be married and sealed and for husbands and wives to have children and raise them together.
Parenting is a joint effort and both parents have a duty and responsibility to be equal and active participants. In the Proclamation we read, “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.” Even though no family is perfect, a safe and loving family with a father and a mother is the ideal setting for raising children.
Look to the Lord
The scriptures are replete with principles taught by the Lord and His servants that can be applied to parenting. Sometimes it might be difficult for us to related the teaching of the scriptures to our daily lives, especially to parenting, but we have living Prophets that also teach us parenting principles. The Lord has not left us alone to figure things out on our own. He is there to help us in ALL areas of our lives.
Since taking this class I have been more attentive to other parents and how they treat their children. I have tried to learn from them. I have also listened to old general conference talks on lds.org, that teach about parenting. I don’t have children of my own, so I don’t have my own experience to write from, and I don’t even know what kind of challenges will come my way when I do have children. But this I know: God is aware of us and He wants families to succeed eternally. He will not leave us helpless. I know that the more we do to learn and seek help from others, He will guides us through the Spirit and we will know what to do.
In the end we need to take care of our self and do what it takes for us to be healthy mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually so that we can provide the most love to our spouse and children. Children are a blessing of the Lord. Even though I don’t have children of my own yet, I will have them someday, whether that is in this life or the next and I need to do what I can to be prepared to be the best mom I can be. I know that children are a blessing, a gift from the Lord, but they are also a responsibility that we have charge over and He will help us love and raise His children. When we ask Him in faith He will help us meet the needs of each of our children.
This week has been really interesting! I really enjoyed learning about the digital analytics tools that are available and how to use them. I really appreciated this assignment to learn about an analytical tool that is available for us to use. I think that the information that we can learn from digital analytics would be really beneficial to see how my site is doing and what kinds of things I can focus to improve its performance. I have learned a lot in this class. And one main thing for me to remember is that the digital and online world is constantly changing. Some of the specific things I have learned might change or become obsolete in the coming months or years. That being the case I need to be able to find the information I need to stay relevant. While in this class I was able to learn where I can look to find help and guides to building a successful online business.
This week we had a lot of material that explained how to use social media to promote your business and gain exposure. Some things that were mentioned were things that I have noticed when I look back at the content I enjoy and the content creators that I like to follow. A couple things that are important are to be consistent. Even if you decide to only post once a week, that should be consistent. Of course it is better to post more often than just once a week, but being consistent is important. If you use platforms like Facebook or Twitter, posts should be kept short, concise, and to the point. I took a communications class last year and I learned that most people will not read long posts, so make sure to keep it short to make sure that your followers are scrolling past your posts. Another important lesson was to make sure that your posts are directed to the correct audience. For example Twitter users are generally younger than most Facebook users, so make sure that the content posted on either platform is appropriate for the audience that will see it. Social media can be great tool to promote and grow a business, and the possibilities are endless.
Yureli Castillo 