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How to overcome loss and temptation by trusting in God
- 1. Have you ever lost a prized possession or someone else’s prized possession and never found it? How did you feel? How did it happen?
- 2. 100pts what prized passion did Joseph Smith lose? What else do you know about Martin Harris losing the 116pages?
- 3. How is Martin Harris putting Joseph Smith in difficult a situation? “[Martin] desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim, if he might not [take the manuscript home and show it]. I did inquire, and the answer was that he must not. However, he was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should inquire again. I did so, and the answer was as before. Still he could not be contented, but insisted that I should inquire once more” (in History of the Church, 1:21). Why do you think Joseph Smith persisted in asking God the same question even after receiving a clear answer?
- 4. D&C 3:1-8 1. Highlight phrases that show how God felt about Joseph Smith losing the translated 116 pages and what he wanted him to understand the work? 2. What does the Lord teach Joseph Smith about how he should listen to God and not man from losing the 116 pages? 3. According to v.7 who should we ”fear” more then anyone? 4. How can fearing God, help us make right decisions even when we feel peer pressure? 5. According to v.8 if Joseph Smith had listened to the initial answer to not give Martin Harris the 116 pages what would have Heavenly Father done for Joseph Smith. 6. Using v.1-8, how would you finish this principle: 1. Choosing to trust in man will lead to… 2. Choosing to trust in God will lead to… 3. Choosing to fear God more then man will lead to… 7. Write your principle next to your favorite verse.
- 5. D&C 3:1-8 1. According to v.8 if Joseph Smith had listened to the initial answer to, not give Martin Harris the 116 pages, what would have Heavenly Father done for Joseph Smith. 2. What does this teach you that Heavenly Father will do for you as you listen to follow His commandments? 3. Using v.1-8, how would you finish one of these principles: 1. If we are faithful to the Lord’s commandments, He will… 2. Choosing to trust in God will lead to… 3. Choosing to fear God more then man will lead to… 4. Write your principle next to your favorite verse.
- 6. When have you seen and felt one of these principles to be true in your life? When have you felt peace and joy that comes from following Heavenly Father commandments and not the world? How is your life different because you have strived to follow Heavenly Father and not the world?
- 7. D&C 3:9-15 1. What did Heavenly Father say Joseph Smith needed to DO after losing the 116 pages, and what else did you lose? 2. Why might Heavenly Father allow us to make wrong decisions like Joseph Smith did in losing the 116 translated pages if he knows the outcome of our decisions? 3. Like Joseph Smith, how might the wrong choices that we make become learning experiences for us?
- 8. D&C 10:1-4 The Plates, the Urim and Thummin, and the ability to translate is taken from Joseph Smith, then given back after a time.
- 9. How could this bear trap represent Satan’s intentions toward us?
- 10. Like it stays in v.5 that Satan tries to trap us, Satan planted a trap for Joseph Smith. D&C 10:5-19 Like the bear trap, look for the trap that Satan put out for Joseph Smith to fall into from losing the 116 pages.
- 11. D&C 10:20–29 The Lord speaks about Satan’s influence on the wicked people who obtained the 116 pages of manuscript and how Satan accomplishes his wicked purposes. • D&C 10:20–29 Look for what these verses teach about Satan’s aims(plans). • D&C 10:20-29 Look for the strategies Satan uses to accomplish his aims(plans). 1. What evidences have you seen that Satan uses deception, anger, flattery, and lying to destroy the work of the Lord and our souls? 2. How can being aware of Satan’s intentions and methods help us avoid and escape his traps?
- 12. Doctrine and Covenants 10:30–37 Because of wicked people’s plans to destroy the work of God and Joseph Smith’s reputation, the Lord commanded Joseph NOT to retranslate the portion of the plates from which the lost 116 pages had been translated. Why did he not have him retranslate the 116 pages and what did Heavenly Father have Nephi do to plan for this event in the Future?
- 13. D&C 10:43 How is Heavenly showing that he knew that this was coming? How would you finish this principle: The wisdom of God is greater than…
Editor's Notes
- From mid-April 1828 to mid-June 1828, the Prophet Joseph Smith was translating the plates while living in Harmony, Pennsylvania. A prosperous farmer and businessman named Martin Harris was acting as scribe to Joseph while he translated. Martin was 22 years older than Joseph and had given Joseph and Emma $50 (which was a substantial amount of money at that time) to help them move to Harmony, Pennsylvania (where Emma’s family lived), thus helping to support Joseph while he translated the plates. In February 1828, Joseph encouraged Martin to take copies of characters from the plates to professors in New York (see Joseph Smith—History 1:63–65). Lucy Harris, Martin’s wife, became increasingly concerned about Martin’s interest and financial involvement in the translation of the plates. She and others began to press Martin for evidence of the plates’ existence. To appease their concerns, in mid-June Martin requested that Joseph allow him to take the 116 pages of manuscript they had completed to show as evidence.
- After much pleading from Martin, Joseph asked the Lord a third time, and the Lord gave permission for Martin to take the manuscript “on certain conditions” (History of the Church, 1:21). Martin promised that he would show the manuscript only to his wife and a few other family members. Martin returned to New York with the manuscript. Shortly after Martin’s departure, Emma Smith gave birth to a son, Alvin, who died shortly after birth. Emma nearly died herself, and for two weeks Joseph stayed at her bedside. By this time, Martin had been gone for three weeks and they had heard nothing from him. Emma, who was slowly recovering, persuaded Joseph to go to New York and find out why Martin had not sent any word. Joseph traveled to his parents’ home, and once he arrived there, he sent for Martin. Martin took all morning to arrive. When he did, he sat down to eat with the Smith family but immediately dropped his utensils. When asked if he was all right, he cried out and eventually admitted that he had lost the 116 pages of manuscript. (See History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, ed. Preston Nibley [1958], 124–29 for more details of this account.)
- Upon returning to Harmony without the 116 pages of manuscript, Joseph Smith prayed for forgiveness. Because Joseph had “wearied the Lord in asking for the privilege of letting Martin Harris take the writings” (History of the Church, 1:21), Moroni had taken the Urim and Thummim and Joseph had lost the gift to translate. However, Moroni promised that Joseph could receive them again if he would be “humble and penitent” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, 134). Some time later, Joseph received the revelation now known as Doctrine and Covenants 3. Summarize: Doctrine and Covenants 3:16–20 The Lord explains His purposes for the Book of Mormon
- Principle: The wisdom of God is greater than the cunning of the devil Summarize: Doctrine and Covenants 10:46–70 The Lord explains the purpose of the Book of Mormon and its role in establishing His Church