LESSON 45 - Sunday, Dec 15th Ether 1-5

Hi Everyone - I will not be teaching this Sunday. Bro Brown promised to provide a substitute.I did want to share some study questions. I have found these so helpful. I hope you do to.
See you in two weeks. Sister Fillmore

Outline, Study Questions and Notes by Dennis Roberts
http://www.ldsgospeldoctrine.net/ Dennis Roberts Gospel Doctrine Lesson Material


“Never Has Man Believed in Me as Thou Hast”
Objective: to help members understand how faith helps us eternally


Supplement #1 - Background

The book of Ether is a fifteen chapter abridgment of the twenty four plates
found by the people of Limhi in the days of King Mosiah. It gives an outline
history of a people who were led to this continent from the Tower of Babel
and became a great nation. These people, called Jaredites, had a national
history of possibly sixteen centuries or more. The Tower of Babel record is
the factual basis of the book of Ether. The Lord did not confound the Jaredite
language, but guided his people and made of them a great nation. Ether, the
last great prophet and historian of this people, gives his own genealogy,
covering twenty nine generations or more back to Jared, who lived at the
time of the Tower of Babel episode.

(FARMS, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Vol.4, Number 2, p.123)


1- The Lord grants the requests of the brother of Jared
Ether 1:1-5 What is contained on 24 gold plates?
Ether 1:34 What kind of person must the brother of Jared been?
Ether 1:35-43 What is difference being “crying unto Lord” and saying prayers?

2- The Jaredites begin their journey to the promised land
Ether 2:7-8 For whom had the Lord preserved this Promised Land?
Ether 2:9-12 What was said about the decrees of God? Did Moroni speak from experience? This is for all inhabitants.
Ether 2:13-14 Why did Lord chasten BofJ? Why might he (we) have neglected to call upon the Lord?
Ether 2:15-17 What did BofJ do after repenting?
Ether 2:19 What problems did BofJ foresee?
Ether 2:20,23-25 How did Lord respond? What can we learn from BofJ’s experience with Lord?

Supplement #2 Elder Russell M. Nelson gives direction on how we can solve our own problems. Quoting President Hinckley he stated: “I don’t know how to get anything done
except getting on my knees and pleading for help and then getting on
my feet and going to work.” (General Conference, October, 1997)

3- The brother of Jared sees Jesus Christ
Ether 3:1-5 How did BofJ propose to solve light problem? How do the words of this request show humility and faith?
Ether 3:6-9 How did the Lord respond to BofJ’s request? Why was BofJ frightened? What did Lord say about faith?
Ether 3:10-12 How did BofJ demonstrate faith? Where did such faith come from?
Ether 3:13-14 How did Lord describe himself? What was necessary for BofJ to see Lord? (redeemed from Fall)
Ether 3:15-18,25-26 What did Lord show BofJ?
Ether 3:27-28; 4:1 What did Lord instruct BofJ to do now?

4- Moroni seals up the writings of the brother of Jared
Ether 4:4-7 What do we learn about the plates & us?
Ether 4:8,10-11 What about those who deny / believe?
Ether 5:1 To whom is this chapter addressed?

5- The Jaredites travel to the promised land
Ether 6:3-4 How can this apply to us?
Ether 6:8-9 What did Jaredites do day and night?
Ether 6:12 What did Jaredites do in promised land?..Might this be similar to our return to our Heavenly Father?

How does this apply to me?
Supplement #3 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
The brother of Jared may not have had the great belief in himself, but
his belief in God was unprecedented. In that there is hope for us all.
His faith was without doubt or limit… Once and for all it was declared
that ordinary people with ordinary challenges could rend the veil of
unbelief and enter the realms of eternity.”
(Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 29)


Unique analogy and application given by Dennis Roberts “I know families who are in the “barges” as I write. They cannot see where the Lord is taking them, and having lost the moorings that bind them to familiar lands, they are utterly in his hands, waiting and hoping for him to bring them finally to a land of promise of their own.

During the crossing they were often buried by the waves and tempests of the deep. How did they spend their time? Giving thanks.

They might have done so many other things during that year of sailing. They might have argued over land divisions. They might have speculated on the kind of choice land the Lord was giving to them. They might have passed the days playing shuffleboard or other shipboard games. And perhaps they did some of these things, but the brother of Jared is anxious for us to know that they spent much of their time in gratitude.

In the absence of the blessings they sought, they were willing to give thanks for the blessings they had. This is another great lesson for those of us who find ourselves sailing blindly toward an unknown destination in our own barges.
Finally they arrived at the promised land and then gave thanks again.