We will memorize 25 Scripture Mastery selections that are chosen by the leaders in Salt Lake City, UT which will be most beneficial to the Youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout their lives.
Thus far we have discussed the following:
The role of the learner and the role of the teacher. The Holy Ghost needs to be present in order for either person to be able to fulfill his/her role. The three main jobs of the Holy Ghost are to let know when we need to STOP what we are doing that may be wrong and REPENT. To WARN us of DANGER. And to TESTIFY, TEACH AND PROMPT. It is important that we live so we always invite the Holy Ghost to be with us as our constant companions as we are promised when we are confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Priesthood authority after we are baptized.
When we are born we have an invisible veil placed over our mind so we cannot remember Heaven. We learn and grow but do eventually die thus causing our body and our spirit to separate. Our body goes into the grave of our choice and our spirit goes to the spirit world where it will reside in paradise or spirit prison (based on how will lived our life here on earth) until resurrection day. At this point Jesus will judge us to determine whether we lived worthy to live eternally in the Telestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, the Celestial Kingdom, or Outer Darkness.
In the Book of Moses:
* Heavenly Father's glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (His sons and daughters).
* Moses was transfigured so he could be in the presence God. Satan tried to deceive Moses by appearing to him as an angel but Moses remembered that he wasn't able to see God in his natural state and told Satan to leave him.
In the Book of Abraham:
* Abraham was abused by his father. His father tried to sacrifice him to the False god Elkinah. Heavenly Father told Abraham to leave that place so he could be safe. He also told him to take his nephew Lot with him and go to Canaan. They obeyed the Lord's command and went to Canaan.
In Genesis:
* The Creation - Heavenly Father created the earth in 6 days (one of His days is 1,000 years in our time) and rested on the 7th day which is the Sabbath.
* Enoch and his people were translated (went to heaven while still alive) because of their righteousness. However because Methuselah was not at home so he was not translated with the rest of the people. But we also learned that he had to be left behind because he was Noah's father so if he had been translated Noah could not have been born to him and he was righteous.
* He commanded Noah to build an Ark (or a big boat) before the rain even began to fall. The people thought Noah was crazy and didn't want to listen to him. The Ark was built of Gopher wood or Cypress tree. It was 3 stories tall with a window and a door. Heavenly Father closed the door once everyone was inside. Water was on earth for 150 days. When the rainbow appeared it was sign or token of God's covenant with Noah that the earth would not be covered by water again. We discussed Noah's descendants as well.
* Three holy messengers visited Abraham on there way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and their wicked inhabitants. The messengers met Lot and he invited them to tay with his family. The men of Sodom wanted to meet with the men of the household. Abraham and the holy men protected lot's family. The holy men told Lot and his family to leave Sodom and they obeyed, however, Lot's wife looked back. And we learned from Elder Holland that the reason she turned to salt wasn't because she just casually glanced back, it was because in her heart she wanted to be back there. Remember that Heavenly Father knows our hearts even if we try to hide our doings.
* Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac which was a test of his faith and obedience more than for him to actually sacrifice Isaac. The Lord provided a lamb for the sacrifice.
* When Isaac was grown he married Rebekah. History kind of repeated itself and Rebekah couldn't have children. Isaac went to the Lord and in Genesis 25 we learned that the Lord answered Isaac's prayer and Rebekah had twins - Esau and Jacob, in birth order. The brothers were different from birth and their nations would be separated. We learned about birthright and what it meant in the Old Testament time. It wasn't just about being the oldest male, it was also dependent on righteousness. Then we saw that birthright meant nothing to Esau as he sold it to Jacob for a bowl of pottage (which is basically vegetable soup). Rebekah wanted Jacob to have the birthright because he was her favorite, even though Esau was Isaac's favorite. Jacob was a good and righteous man and the Lord promised him posterity. Although he is righteous he tricked Esau twice. He wanted to marry Rachel
so he worked 7 years for her and was given Leah instead because she was the older daughter. He then worked another 7 years for Rachel because that is who he loved. After those two wives he also had two handmaids.
* Jacob's twelve sons from his two wives and their two handmaids (not in their exact
order):
Leah - Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, ad Dinah.
Rachel - Joseph and Benjamin (were the two youngest)
Bilhah - Dan and Naphtali
Zilpah - Gad and Asher
* Jacob and Esau reunite. Shechem defiles Dinah, the only sister of the 12 sons. He claims he loves her and wants to marry her. The brothers didn't believe him so they tell him he can marry her is he is willing to live by the Law of Moses which means he and his men would have to be circumsized. He agreed but after he and his had agreed and had been drinking for a while and were intoxicated and knocked out, the brother killed them all. (Poetic justice right?)
* Joseph and Benjamin were his favorites. Joseph was the most favorite and the brothers knew it.
Jacob gave him a colorful as a gift because of his standing. Joseph had had two different dreams both of which basically said his brothers would be serving him. This made them jealous thus they wanted to get rid of him. Reuben tried to convince them not to, but they threw him in to a pit anyhow, then sold him into Egypt (to Potifer, the Pharaoh) and tore his coat wiping it with animal blood to make Jacob think he had been killed.
* Pharaoh began having dreams. His men told him that Joseph could interpret them thus putting him in good standing with Pharaoh and being made the Governor-who was second in command of the area.
* Joseph was very strong and righteous even though Rotifer's wife was relentless in her attempts to sway him in her direction. She tricked him them ore his clothing as he ran away from her. From this we learned t is a bad idea to tempt Satan to tempt us. We need to stay away from places Satan can easily access.
* Pharaoh dreams of 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine. Because of these dreams Pharaoh tells Joseph to buy allah grain during the plentiful years and store it for when the famine hits thus causing the people to come and buy from him. Joseph's marries Asenath and they have tow sons - Mannaseh and Ephraim.
* Famine hits and Jacob tells his sons to go and buy grain in Egypt but not to take Benjamin - who is favorite for fear that something will happen to him. Joseph recognized them but they didn't recognize him. He accused them of being spies and put them in prison. They said they were just there to buy food and they were all brothers but one was with their father and one was not. He kept them in prison three days then sent all but one to bring back Benjamin before the last one could be released. Judah offers himself responsibility for Benjamin to Jacob. Benjamin recognizes Joseph. Joseph has his brothers' bags filled with food but also has a silver cup placed in one bag. The brothers realize that God what they did and is repaying them. Joseph finally tells he is their brother - twice. They are all happy and hug at the reunion.
* Joseph goes back with them and reunites with Jacob. Jacob is happy to see Joseph again. Jacob's name is changed to Israel. Joseph is told that Jacob/Israel is ill and Joseph goes to see him. He took his sons with him. Jacob is blind now. Joseph wants Jacob to bless his sons so he places them at his sides according to their birth order, which is indicative of birthright usually. However, Jacob places his hands on opposite heads (not seeing which one is which because of his blindness), and gives the younger son, Ephraim, the birthright - again based on righteousness. He then gives each of his sons blessings, with Judah and Joseph receiving the longest and most detailed ones.
* After giving instructions to his sons, Jacob dies and his sons took him to Canaan for burial. Then Joseph dies at 110 after making an oath that God would visit them. And that ended the book of Genesis.
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