Ahmad Corbitt A Personal Essay on Race and

Ahmad Corbitt, “A Personal Essay on Race and the Priesthood” 1. Focus on Jesus Christ and His Atonement; 2. Understanding Heavenly Father’s unified human family; 3. Understanding Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness; 4. Spiritual self-perception; eternal perspective; 1

Ahmad Corbitt, “A Personal Essay on Race and the Priesthood” 1. Focus on Jesus Christ and His Atonement; 2. Understanding Heavenly Father’s unified human family; 3. Understanding Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness; 4. Spiritual self-perception; eternal perspective; 5. The mission of the Church – uniquely able and divinely destined to become the most unifying global organization in the history of the world. The Church exists largely to gather and unify the Father’s children from every nation. 2

Preparing the World for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ ~ Lesson 27 Student Readings: • Doctrine and Covenants 29: 7– 9; 34: 5– 7; 39: 19– 23; 45: 15– 46, 56– 57; 88: 81– 87. • Neil L. Andersen, “Preparing the World for the Second Coming, ” Ensign, May 2011. 3

How can you tell when it is about to rain?

How can you tell when it is about to rain? • Just as there are indicators that help us know when rain will fall, there also indicators, or signs, that help us know when the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur.

How can you tell when it is about to rain? • Just as there are indicators that help us know when rain will fall, there also indicators, or signs, that help us know when the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur. • In Matthew 24, the Savior met with His disciples on the Mount of Olives shortly before His death and described the signs of His Second Coming.

How can you tell when it is about to rain? • Just as there are indicators that help us know when rain will fall, there also indicators, or signs, that help us know when the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur. • In Matthew 24, the Savior met with His disciples on the Mount of Olives shortly before His death and described the signs of His Second Coming. • He repeated some of these teachings to Joseph Smith in our day, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 45.

How can you tell when it is about to rain? • Just as there are indicators that help us know when rain will fall, there also indicators, or signs, that help us know when the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur. • In Matthew 24, the Savior met with His disciples on the Mount of Olives shortly before His death and described the signs of His Second Coming. • He repeated some of these teachings to Joseph Smith in our day, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 45. • “Preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ” is an important theme throughout the Doctrine and Covenants. Take time as you study the Doctrine and Covenants to note teachings about the Second Coming and ponder how you can prepare for it.

Signs that will precede the Second Coming D&C 45: 25 -27 D&C 45: 28 -31, 33 D&C 45: 40 -43 Identify the signs that will precede the Second Coming.

How to Prepare for the Second Coming D&C 45: 32, 39, 56 -57 What do we learn from these verses?

How to Prepare for the Second Coming D&C 45: 32, 39, 56 -57 Principle: Standing in holy places and taking the Holy Spirit as our guide are essential as we prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

How to Prepare for the Second Coming D&C 45: 32, 39, 56 -57 How do you think a follower of Jesus Christ can “stand in holy places”?

Stand in Holy Places • Holy places include temples, chapels, and homes. A home can be made holy through consistent personal and family prayer, scripture study, service, and family home evening.

Stand in Holy Places • Holy places include temples, chapels, and homes. A home can be made holy through consistent personal and family prayer, scripture study, service, and family home evening. • Standing in holy places also has to do with how we live. If we live worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, then we stand in a holy place.

How to Prepare for the Second Coming What connection or relationship do you see between the Restoration of the gospel and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

How to Prepare for the Second Coming What connection or relationship do you see between the Restoration of the gospel and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? What are the dates of these revelations and the common theme of these verses? • D&C 29: 7 -9 • D&C 34: 5 -7 • D&C 39: 19 -23

How to Prepare for the Second Coming What connection or relationship do you see between the Restoration of the gospel and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? What are the dates of these revelations and the common theme of these verses? • D&C 29: 7 -9 • D&C 34: 5 -7 • D&C 39: 19 -23 (September 1830) (November 1830) (January 1831)

How to Prepare for the Second Coming Principle: As we preach the gospel to others, we are helping to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Elder Neil L. Andersen “From the early days of the Restoration, the Brethren have been very serious about their charge to declare the gospel. In 1837, only seven years after the organization of the Church, at a time of poverty and persecution, missionaries were sent to teach the gospel in England. Within the next few years, missionaries were preaching in such diverse places as Austria, French Polynesia, India, Barbados, Chile, and China. The Lord has blessed this work, and the Church is being established across the world.

Elder Neil L. Andersen … The sun never sets on righteous missionaries testifying of the Savior. Think of the spiritual power of 52, 000 missionaries, endowed with the Spirit of the Lord, boldly declaring that there is ‘no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come … , only in and through the name of Christ’ [Mosiah 3: 17]. The world is being prepared for the Second Coming of the Savior in large measure because of the Lord’s work through His missionaries. ” (“Preparing the World for the Second Coming, ” Ensign, May 2011)

How does the message taught by the Church’s missionaries prepare people for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

President Joseph F. Smith (1838 -1918) “The gospel teaches men to be humble, faithful, honest and righteous before the Lord and with each other, and in proportion as its principles are carried out so will peace and righteousness extend and be established on the earth, and sin, contention, bloodshed and corruption of all kinds cease to exist, and the earth become purified and be made a fit abode for heavenly beings; and for the Lord our God to come and dwell upon, which he will do during the Millennium. ” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith[1998]).

? What have you done so far to share the message of the Restoration with those not of our faith? How do you think helping others prepare for the Second Coming will help you prepare as well? What more will you do to fulfill your responsibility as a member of the Church to help prepare the world for the Second Coming?

Next week: Hastening the Work of Salvation ~ Lesson 28 Student Readings: Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Are You Sleeping through the Restoration? ” Ensign, May 2014. 24