Lesson on Faith

What do you know about faith?

This movie clip from Indiana Jones is my favorite clip to show when teaching a lesson on faith.

Here are a few suggestions to consider when preparing a lesson on faith:

1) Read and study the Bible Dictionary discussion on faith. It is the best treatise on the subject that I have read.
2)Read Jer. 16:16 - ask what is being hunted and fished?
Read Matt. 4:18,19 - ask how we can become a fisherman and discuss how we can develop Christ-like attributes
Read Luke:5:1-11 - discuss the experience of when the Savior saw the disciples fishing unsuccessfully and then read John 21:2-13 which occurred after the Savior's resurrection
3)Define faith (read Hebrews 11:1)
4)Ponder Joseph Smith's quote on faith that it is a principle of action and of power and discuss
5)Watch the Indiana Jones Clip and compare to Nephi trying to get the plates from Laban three times
a) It is time to ask yourself if you believe - note the example of the penitent man must be humble (lst test)
b) Only in the footsteps of God may you proceed - note the second example but also that Jehovah in the Latin Alphabet begins with an I
c) It takes a leap of faith - the third test (and note how Indiana put his hand over his chest and actually had to put all of his weight out in mid air - do we have faith?

Discuss:

1. What motivated Indiana Jones?
2. What did Indiana Jones have confidence in?
3. What are ways we can show others the way through our faith?

Further Study:

Ether 12:29-30
Mosiah 8:18
Gen. 14:30-31 (JST)
Alma 37:40-41
Hel. 4:13

Application Questions:

How do you feel about faith in your life?
What can you do to invite the Spirit so that you will have faith continually?
What are times in your life when you have felt faith and how has it strengthened your ability to live the gospel?

Are you a seven dip Mormon?

Here is a story that is easily understood by all ages: It begins with the Old Testament record of Naaman who, as the commander of the armies of Syria, had “given deliverance” to his country. He became a leper and the king of Syria feared he would die.

An Israelite slave girl who served Naaman’s wife spoke of prophets in Israel who had the power to heal.

The king of Syria sent a message to the king of Israel saying, “I have … sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.” The king of Israel suspected a plot and complained, “He seeketh a quarrel against me. … Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?”

Elisha, the prophet, heard of the king’s distress. And “he sent to the king, saying, … let him come now to me.” Elisha would heal Naaman, and he told why: that “he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

When Naaman was near, Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, … and thou shalt be clean.” Naaman was angry. There were rivers aplenty in Syria, as good, he thought, as the Jordan. He had expected Elisha to perform some impressive ceremony like clapping his hands upon him. And he “turned … away in a rage.”

But one of his servants (it seems there is always a servant) courageously chastised the general and said, “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?”
Humbled by his servant, Naaman “went … down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: … and he was clean.” (2 Kgs. 5:1–14; italics added.)
Human nature hasn’t changed over the years. Even today some of us expect to be bidden to do some “great things” in order to receive the blessings of the Lord. When we receive ordinary counsel on ordinary things, there is disappointment, and, like Naaman, we turn away. “ (Boyd K. Packer, May 1972 Ensign, The Gospel A Foundation for our Career)

The moral of the story is: are you a seven dip Mormon? Or are you a six dip Mormon? Do you have enough faith to follow the instructions of the Lord when you can not see the end from the beginning.

Summary of the Story Points

1. Naaman, a Syrian, was a brave man and the captain of his king’s army. Sadly, he had leprosy, a skin disease that had no cure. (See 2 Kgs. 5:1.)
2. His wife’s Israelite maid told her mistress about a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman. When the king of Syria heard this, he sent Naaman to the king of Israel with gifts of silver and gold and a letter asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman of his leprosy. (See 2 Kgs. 5:2–6.)
3. The king of Israel could not cure Naaman. He was frightened that Syria would start a war with Israel if Naaman was not healed. The King was so unhappy that he tore his clothes. (See 2 Kgs. 5:7.)
4. Elisha was then the prophet. He told the king to send Naaman to him. So the captain went to see Elisha. (See 2 Kgs. 5:8–9.)
5. When Elisha told Naaman that he would be healed if he washed seven times in the Jordan River, Naaman was angry. He said that there were better rivers in Syria. Why couldn’t he just wash in those rivers? He decided not to do what the prophet counseled. (See 2 Kgs. 5:1–12.)
6. But Naaman’s servants asked him why, if he would have done something difficult to be healed, he wouldn’t do something easy. Naaman repented and obeyed Elisha’s instructions, and he was cured. And from then on, although he had been worshipping false gods, he worshipped only the Lord. (See 2 Kgs. 5:13–17.)
7. Did you ever wonder what would have happened if Naaman would have only dipped himself 6 times in the river? Are you a 6 dip Mormom or a 7 dip Mormon? How are each of us today with God’s commandments. Do we obey all of them except one?

(Here is a more simple version of the story to tell the smaller children: (See 2 Kgs 5:1–17.)

As captain of the king’s army, Naaman was an important man in the country of Syria. He was a good and valiant man, but he was a leper.

Naaman’s wife had a little maid from the land of Israel. She told her mistress that if Naaman were with the prophet in Samaria, the prophet would heal him. When the king of Syria heard this, he sent Naaman to the king of Israel with gifts of silver and gold and a letter asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman of his leprosy.

The king of Israel rent his clothes because he knew that he could not make Naaman well. When Elisha the prophet heard about the situation, he sent this message to the king: “Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him [Naaman] come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

So Naaman went with his horses and his chariot and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. The prophet sent a messenger out to tell Naaman that if he washed himself in the Jordan River seven times he would be healed. This message made Naaman angry. He exclaimed, “Behold, I thought, He [Elisha] will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and [heal me].

“Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?”

Naaman stomped off in a rage. But his servants followed him and said, “If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”

Naaman thought it over, then went to the Jordan River and washed himself seven times as the prophet Elisha had instructed him. When he came out of the river, he was completely healed.
Naaman returned to Elisha’s house, happy and thankful. He told the prophet that he knew that he had been healed by the power of God, and he promised that from then on he would worship only God.

Sixteen White Stones

The Lesson on the Sixteen Stones: Grandma taught a wonderful lesson to the missionaries about the lesson we learn from the Brother of Jared in Ether. Have you ever though about why the Lord gave the Brother of Jared an answer to one of his two quesitons so quickly but really made him for for the answer to the other question?

Background: Ether 2:6 - These people built mang barges, crossed many wathers and were directed continually by the Lord. Verse 13 - Finally they arrived near the sea and lived in tents for four years. Verse 14 - The Brother of Jared was chastised for not remembering to call upon the name of God. Verse 15 - The Brother of Jared was forgiven and told they would be lead to the promised land.

Question: How could someone as good as the Brother of Jared possible forget to call upon the name of God?

Possibilities: Perhaps this means his prayers were not as sincere as they should have been?
Now, here is the exciting connection to be made in this study:
After the brother of Jared was commanded to build ari tight barges, he approached the Lord in verse 19 and said "there is no light, how can we steer?" This was their first problem.
He also said "we cannot breathe" so we will perish (second problem).
Mortal life is given to us freely: The Lord immediately answered the second question and just told the Brother of Jared what to do. He told him to cut a hole in the top and fashion a stopper to plug the hole if the barged flipped over. He told him to do the same for the bottom.

Eternal life must be worked for: But when it came to the first question, the Brother of Jared was told to go figure it out. He told him he could not have windows for light because the glass would be "dashed in pieces" and he could not take fire for light on his voyage. So what would he do? The Lord asked the Brother of Jared "what would you have me do?" - in other words, he was told to go figure out the answer. (Isn't this the way so many of life's questions get answered?)
Isn't it interesting that the Lord immediately responded to the quesiton of breathing. This symbolizes our life here on earth. We have been given breath freely.
But as for light, we must really work (to have the Spirit with us). We must do all we can and then call on the Lord.

Brother of Jared's idea: How symbolic is it that the Borther of Jared would take a rock and heat it until it melted and became clear, white, and transparent glass. Then he did this 15 other times and took all 16 stones to the top of the mount (verse 1 of Chapter 3). This represents the temple.

Solution:There he humbled himself before God, acknowledging all his weaknesses, asking for pity and for the Lord's anger to be turned away. And he praised the Lord for all his power. And then....given that he had great faith...he saw the finger of the Lord as he had asked him to touch those 16 stones so they would have "light" on their journey.

Model for us: And so the pattern is laid out for us. To get light, we must be humble, faithful, work hard, and seek the Lord in a temple.