GD: Lesson 11 Class Notes

"He spake many things unto them in parables"

Why did Jesus teach in parables?
* Symbolic at multiple levels
* Those who loved Christ understood the parable, those who were against Him, the lesson was hidden
* Lesson is hidden to the hard-hearted
* Instructs to those who are seeking truth
* An act of mercy to those where little is expected (ie much given; much expected)
* They are milk to prepare the spiritual stomach of those who would eat the meat of the Gospel

Parable of the Seeds
* Wayside = people w/ hard hearts, the wicked
* Stony Places = those who believe weakly, but don't endure
* Thorns = worldly, give in to natural man (ie rich young man)
* Good Soil = saints, those who endure
All of these conditions can be various conditions of our hearts.  Depending on the doctrine, we may receive it with 'good soil' or with a 'stony place'

Parable of Wheat & Tares
Why did Lord allow tares to grow with the wheat?
* Opposition in all things
* Wheat gets stronger b/c of tares
* Tares and wheat look similar at first, but as they mature, it is clear what is wheat and which is tares; therefore, to not destroy the wheat, both are allowed to grow until it is settled which is which.

Parable of the Leaven
* Underscores growing process
* Talmage says, "The process of leavening, or causing dough 'to rise,' by fermentation of yeast placed in the mass, is a slow one, and moreover as quiet and seemingly secret as that of the planted seed growing without the sower's further attention or concern." (271, Jesus the Christ)
* Also, see Note 7 of  chapter 19 in Jesus the Christ - it talks about the difference between the leaven in this parable and the 'leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees' and the 'leaven of Herod'

Parable of the Hidden Treasure
* The kingdom of Heaven is worth everything
* The finder stumbled upon it
* After finding it, he still has to go and sell all that he has to purchase it

Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
* The kindom of Heaven is worth everything in this parable as well
* The seeker actively sought the pearl as opposed to stumbling upon it
* Also after finding it, the seeker still had to go and sell all that he had to purchase it, so in both parables, the seeker/finder had to do additional work after their discovery.

Parable of the Gospel Net
* The good fish are put to usefulness while the bad are entirely wasted

GD: Lesson 10 Class Notes

"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me"

Examples of knowing in theory vs. actually doing.
* Raising kids, teaching, riding a bike, going on a mission, child birth, tasting a lemon

Christ has actual knowledge.  How did Christ learn of us?
* Tempted
* Alone
* Afflictions, illness, pains
* Forsaken
* Took upon our sins

We need to allow Him in.

IF you take my yoke upon you, THEN you learn of me.
IF you are meek and lowly, THEN you will find rest.

D&C 121 - many are called, but few are chosen
Controlled upon principals of righteousness ... yoke is for control.

Sometime we have an opportunity, but we don't take it.  ie forgiveness.
How do you move to action?
* Doctrines of the priesthood distill upon our souls
* Pride, anger gets in the way.  We need to be meek.
* Come unto me (to solve your problems)
* Meek means responsive?  Progression

Mosiah 3:18 - Natural man ... unless he yields ... submissive

D&C 122:7 - "all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" .. they will help you learn of me.

Meek = teachable

Mark E. Petersen said, "Do you suppose for one minute that you can separate the salvation of your soul from the obedience to the Gospel?"  Mark E. Petersen, "“What Will a Man Give?”", Ensign, Jan. 1974, 110

Heart - how is it used in the scriptures?

Come follow me; come learn of me.

Sister Hansen then closed by playing the last testimony of Bruce R. McConkie.  I found that someone has uploaded this talk on YouTube.

GD: Lesson 9 Class Notes

My notes were kind of sparse this week.  Not sure what I'll get out of them, but I'll post anyway.

Alms - Matt 6:1-2 - fast offerings
Motive - right conduct for the right reasons.
How do you balance this with the doctrine 'let your light so shine'?  ie see your good works whereas alms are not to be seen.

Prayer - Matt 6:5-8
Forgiveness - Matt 6:14-15
Fasting - Matt 6:16-18
Treasure - Matt 6:19-21

Character, perfection & attributes.

How we spend our disposable time is where our treasure is - priorities.