Choice 2: 2 Peter 2. Teaching

Characteristics of false teachers described by Peter:

• deny the Lord
• pernicious ways
• they speak evil about the way of truth
• covetousness
• speak with feigned words
• judgmental
• filthy conversation
• unjust 
• walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness
• despise government
•  presumptuous
• self willed
• they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities
  
• natural brute beasts
• speak evil of the things that they understand not
• corrupt
• unrighteous
• they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time
• spots they are and blemishes
• deceptive
• adulterous
• cannot cease from sin
• beguiling unstable souls 
• cursed children
• have forsaken the right way
• are gone astray
• following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
  
• they are wells without water
• the mist of darkness is reserved for ever from them
• they speak great swelling words of vanity
• they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness
• the are servants of corruption bondage

Knowing all of these characteristics of false teachers can make it easier to spot them in my own life. If I find people who are displaying the above characteristics, I will know to stay away from them and not listen to the things that they say. As long as I am listening to the Spirit is shouldn't be hard to spot them because the Spirit cannot dwell with them.

The dangers of returning to the pollutions of the world:
It is bad to go back to the pollutions of the world after we have received knowledge of righteousness because we then have a fuller knowledge and can be judged accordingly. We have also been told that if we go back to the ways of the world, it will be harder for us to overcome the terrible temptations of the pollutions because we are leaving the knowledge of Christ and our past sins return to us. The scripture "for of him whom much if given, much is required" sums it up pretty well because it puts us at a higher level of accountability and responsibility when we know what we are doing is wrong.

Choice #4: The Trial of our Faith is More Precious than Gold

In response to a person who says, "Life isn't fair. Why do I have so many trials? I am tired of being ridiculed by those who do not keep the commandments."

Fair is a strange word. The word 'fair' has taken on many new meanings today. Unfortunately those meanings are either incomplete or skewed. Life doesn't seem fair because all of the outcomes and consequences aren't decided here during our earthly life. In the next life, everyone will get what they deserve. Everyone will have an equal chance at salvation. Just because something isn't going your way, doesn't mean the situation isn't fair. 

Life is full of trials because our Heavenly Father loves us. He knows that we need to be tested and gain valuable experience before we come back to him and start making our own worlds. God chastises and gives trials to those he loves. Not for any sick pleasure, but because he loves us. 

Those who don't keep the commandments aren't blessed. Don't be worn down by people who have less than you. You are the one being blessed, and you will continue to be blessed if you don't let it get to you and continue doing what you are doing. 

Choice #1: Proper Authority and Administering to the People

1. When Paul arrived he found that most of the people had been baptized in the way that John the Baptist had done, but they didn't have any authority to do so. So Paul helped them out by baptizing them for real, with the proper authority.

2. This clears up any questions that people may have about baptism, if they have already been baptized before, but without the authority. It is clear now that you need to have that authority, even if the entire ceremony looks identical to the correct one with authority.

3. Paul gave authority through the laying on of hands. It is important that we know that detail because it means that he had authority.

4. I believe that the sabbath was changed to Sunday because it the day that Christ was resurrected.

Choice #1: Paul's First Mission

1.    Antioch

-        - Salamis, Paphos, Antioch and Lycania

222. Here are some ideas on how to help a missionary who is discouraged:

**** Read about the hardships and successes of other missionaries in the scriptures.

**** Pray for help

**** Love everyone and lose yourself in the work.

333.  Barnabas was Paul's companion who also was a Levite. His story was a lot like Amulek in that they both were willing to give everything up for the gospel. 

Tt  The Lord has us go out in two's because it is better to have more than one witness to testify of truth. That and they can feed off each other and help each other. 

4.  4. After Paul and Barnabas had healed a cripple, people started to call them gods and brought them animal sacrifices. They handled it very well by just telling the people that the praise should be aimed toward God and that he is the one to worship and thank. 

5.  5. It was interesting to me that these two experiences happened to Paul so close together in the scriptures. God obviously was sending him trials to test his faith and so that God could bless him even more. Paul was first treated like a god, and then he was stoned and left for dead. God has an amazing way of teaching us lessons. Paul was strong enough to take it. 

Choice #3: Hebrews 13 Works of Righeousness

1. We should treat others with unconditional love. And we should obey the golden rule and do only unto others that what we would want done unto us.

2. In chapter 4 it states that marriage is something that is sacred and honorable. Therefore, if you don't take it seriously and defile the bonds of marriage, it is not taken lightly.

3. Covetousness is a dangerous feeling to have. It means that you want something that someone else has. It leads to impure thoughts that can lead to action. Just be happy with what you are given and make the best of it!

4. Our Savior, Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever.

5. We are sanctified through the great sacrifice, or the Atonement, of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

6. Those who rule over us are to be followed with obedience. We need to trust them to do the right thing. We need to make sure that we communicate with them and help them know that is what we expect of them.

7. We are asked to pray for everyone. We aren't supposed to pick and choose.

Choice #5 Jesus Christ is Greater than the Angels

1. List of things Christ is superior to:

- Angels

- Moses

- High priests of the Law of Moses

- The law of the Aaronic Priesthood

2. Three truths Paul taught about the Savior:

- Jesus created the world

- He has laid the foundation of the world

- He is the only begotten son of our Heavenly Father

3. Jesus came to this earth to experience mortality for all of us. He had to experience mortality to know how to succor his people. Without the experience of what we are going through, he wouldn't be able to help us or console us. He need to get a body as well and then offer up that same body for all of us. He needed to be here to let people witness him and his power. And I bet he would have wanted to come down because he loves us. 

Option #1 Find Solutions in the Scriptures to Everyday Problems

1. Within the Church we have a lot of petty arguments and problems. Here is a scripture that will help resolve that issue, if we choose to do it:

2Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same ^alove,being of ^bone ^caccord, of one mind.

 3Let nothing be done through ^astrife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each ^besteem other better than themselves.

The answer is love and respect. Do as Jesus Christ would. 

2. Many times kids will rely on their parent's testimony and not build their own. In the scriptures it says:

12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, ^awork out your own ^bsalvation with fear and trembling.

 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do ofhis good pleasure.

So we need to be working out our OWN salvation through finding things out for ourselves. We have to have our own personal testimonies in order to be saved. 

3. When investigators join the Church, and their family will have nothing to do with them the scriptures teach us that:

7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Sacrificing for the Lord isn't really sacrificing because you get something better in return for your obedience to Him.

4. Just in writing this paper I am learning how to "feast upon the words of Christ." The entire verse goes like this:

3^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, ^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do

You search for the answer and God will give it to you.

Choice #1 Live as Saints Should Live

1. Salvations is nearer than we know. I think that it has two meanings. One, that we don't know when we will meet God. Two, I believe it means that our opportunity to get close to our Heavenly Father readily available if we let it.

2. Here is a list of what Paul taught would help lead to salvation:

- Present your body as a living sacrifice

- Be transformed by the healing powers of the Lord

- Cleave to what is good

- Give hospitality

- Be of one mind with the Saints

- Let your soul be subject to higher powers

- Do that which is good

- Keep the commandments

3. Paul was cautioned about judging because it will all come back around if you do it. He was told that we are all brothers and sisters, and we need to judge, and just leave that to our Heavenly Father. The most important thing to remember is that you should treat others like yourselves. 

4. Paul called members of the Church, saints.

Choice #3 Baptism

1. We need to rid ourselves of all sin before we are baptized. That and we need to repent of all of them.
2. Baptism represents the birth and death of our Savior.
3. We need to be baptized by immersion because it is symbolic of Christ's body rising back to life.
4. We can maintain the newness of life by remembering why we were baptized and then keep our promises we made at our baptism.
5. According to Mosiah we learn that our natural man should be left in the water after baptism.

Freedom is weird to think about. It is sometimes hard to see that freedom comes from rules and commandments. We are all owned by our Heavenly Father, so we need to keep his commandments if we want to remain free from the consequences of sin.

Choice #2 Forgiveness

1. He explained that if any did give grief they need to understand that first, he loves them. Then second, they need to forgive, so that they can know the love the Lord has for them.

2. If you forgive someone, God will forgive you as well. What great love our Savior has for us!

3. If we don't forgive then we won't be forgiven by God or others. We can't be blessed until we show mercy towards other and let God do the judging. Not to mention, you won't be able to feel God's love for you if you don't forgive. That is a big burden of anger to hold by yourself.

The Impact of Example

It is required of the Lord's servants that they be found faithful. And that is why the Lords tells us to look at his apostles as examples of what we need to be doing. But being a good example is required from all members of the church. As we strive to follow the apostles' examples, we need to be setting the example for everyone else that we know.

To know something is passive. Just because you know the commandments, doesn't mean you are following them. Everyone knows that we should be a good example to others, but do we do it? When Alma reprimanded his son, Corianton, he told him that he knew what he should be doing but he didn't do it. And because he wasn't a good example, nobody would believe Alma's teachings. Our choice to actually be the example is what our Heavenly Father cares about.

If we decide to do what is right, and be the example to others, God will perform miracles through you. That is the ultimate blessing. Others will see the light that comes from you and will feel the Spirit. I hope that I can always act on the knowledge that I have and bless the lives of others.