Lesson 110

Ordinances and Covenants (Part 2)

Introduction

The teaching materials for this doctrinal mastery topic are divided into two parts. Part 2 contains a practice exercise intended to help students apply principles from the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document and the truths contained in the doctrinal mastery passage Psalm 24:3–4. This lesson also includes a cumulative review of all the doctrinal mastery passages students have studied so far this year.

Note: You could teach each segment of this lesson in a single class session or over the course of two class sessions, dividing class time between Doctrinal Mastery and a regular sequential scripture lesson.

Suggestions for Teaching

Listen without judging

Helping others acquire spiritual knowledge involves listening carefully. When students ask questions, let them know you are really listening. Seek to understand their needs without judging or condemning. “Seek the spirit of discernment before responding to [their] questions.” Students need to know their questions are welcome and not dismissed. (See Chad H Webb, “Doctrinal Mastery” [Seminaries and Institutes of Religion annual training broadcast, June 14, 2016], broadcasts.lds.org.) Teach students to practice listening without judging as they discuss questions with others.

Practice Exercise (20 minutes)

As needed, review with students the following principles from the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document: act in faith, examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective, and seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources.

Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with the following handout. Give students time to answer the questions on the handout, and invite them to be prepared to share their thoughts with the class.

(Note: You may want to adapt the following scenario according to your students’ experiences and needs. Consider using names that are more common where you live.)

Why Can’t Everybody Enter the Temple?

Choose a member of your group to read aloud the following scenario:

Your brother and his fiancée have made the choice to be sealed in the temple. Shortly after receiving this exciting news, your parents get a phone call from Mrs. Lee, the mother of your brother’s fiancée. Mrs. Lee explains that she and her husband have recently learned that because they are not members of the Church, they cannot enter the temple to attend the sealing ceremony. Mrs. Lee says in frustration, “Your church isn’t very welcoming of outsiders. Why does it prevent people from entering the temple?” As you ponder Mrs. Lee’s question, you begin to wonder the same thing.

• What are some ways in which you could act in faith as you attempt to find an answer to Mrs. Lee’s question?

As you ponder the question, you recognize that the Lord must have important reasons for allowing only members of the Church who have a temple recommend to enter the temple, so you decide to reframe this question and view it with an eternal perspective.

Discuss with your group the following questions:

• What are some assumptions that Mrs. Lee might have about God, the Church, marriage, or the temple that could have led to her frustration?

• What are some truths that you understand about God, His plan of salvation, the temple, and ordinances and covenants that can help you understand why the Lord has set specific standards for those who enter His temple?

One reason the Lord has specific standards for those who enter the temple is because we commit to live according to covenants that we make there. Making covenants with God in the temple invites great blessings into our lives. However, there are also consequences if we fail to keep those covenants. Therefore, the Lord’s standards serve as a protection to those who are not committed to living according to the expectations the Lord has for those who make covenants with Him. These same standards also protect the sanctity and holiness of the house of the Lord.

Choose a member of your group to read aloud the following statements. While he or she is reading, listen for what is necessary before we go to the temple.

“We must be prepared before we go to the temple. We must be worthy before we go to the temple. There are restrictions and conditions set. They were established by the Lord and not by man. And, the Lord has every right and authority to direct that matters relating to the temple be kept sacred and confidential” (Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple [booklet, 2002], 2).

“Temples are built for the performance of sacred ordinances—not secret, but sacred. A Temple is not a public house of worship. It is erected for special purposes. Indeed after a Temple is dedicated only members of the Church in good standing may enter” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay [2003], 126).

• Why do you think it is important for someone to be both prepared and worthy to enter the temple?

• What is the process for determining whether members of the Church are prepared and worthy to enter the temple?

• How do the teachings from these statements help explain why the Lord has set specific standards that we must meet in order to enter the temple?

Read together Psalm 24:3–4.

• What additional answers to Mrs. Lee’s question can you find in the truths taught in these verses?

Though the Lord requires that those who enter the temple must be prepared and worthy, we should be sensitive and show compassion toward those who are unable to enter the temple to attend their loved ones’ sealings.

• What are some ways that family members of different faiths can show respect for each others’ beliefs at weddings and other family events?

• How can the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge help us as we strive to maintain good relationships with those not of our faith?

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After students have completed the exercises on the handout, invite volunteers to share what they discussed as a group. Be sure to discuss how the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge could help in answering Mrs. Lee’s question. You might ask students to role-play the scenario in order to demonstrate how they would answer Mrs. Lee’s question.

At the conclusion of the class discussion, testify that by applying the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge, students will be better able to receive answers to their own questions and can also help others to seek truth.

Doctrinal Mastery Cumulative Review (20 minutes)

Give students a few minutes to review their copies of the Doctrinal Mastery Reference Guide and to study the scripture references and key phrases for each Old Testament doctrinal mastery passage that they have studied so far this year. (They have studied 17 passages so far.) You might suggest that they study in pairs so they can quiz one another.

After sufficient time, give each student a copy of the following handout. Invite students to match each doctrinal mastery scripture passage to its corresponding key phrase. Encourage students to answer as many questions as they can in five minutes without looking up any scriptures. After five minutes, give students three more minutes to use their copies of the scriptures or the Doctrinal Mastery Reference Guide to look up any passages they could not match. After the time limit, review the correct responses as a class.

Doctrinal Mastery Review

Proverbs 3:5–6	Abraham was chosen before he was born.
Isaiah 5:20	Jesus Christ bore our griefs and suffered for our sins.
Moses 1:39	God reveals His secret to His prophets.
Abraham 3:22–23	God’s kingdom shall stand forever.
Genesis 1:26–27	God’s work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Joshua 24:15	Jeremiah was foreordained to be a prophet.
Isaiah 1:18	God created man in His own image.
Isaiah 53:3–5	Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and He shall direct thy paths.
Moses 7:18	To stand worthy in the Lord’s presence, we must have clean hands and a pure heart.
Isaiah 29:13–14	Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.
Ezekiel 37:15–17	Choose you this day whom ye will serve.
Daniel 2:44	The Restoration is a marvelous work and a wonder.
Jeremiah 1:4–5	Zion—one heart and one mind in righteousness.
Ezekiel 3:16–17	Keep my covenant and ye shall be a holy nation.
Amos 3:7	If we repent, our sins will be as white as snow.
Exodus 19:5–6	The Bible and the Book of Mormon are joined together.
Psalm 24:3–4	The Lord’s watchmen give warnings from Him.

Answers: (1) h; (2) j; (3) e; (4) a; (5) g; (6) k; (7) o; (8) b; (9) m; (10) l; (11) p; (12) d; (13) f; (14) q; (15) c; (16) n; (17) i

Supplemental Teaching Idea

Entering the Temple. Why is a worthiness interview needed?

If students struggle to understand the reasons for worthiness interviews to enter the temple, it may be helpful to refer them to the section “Worthy to Enter” in the manual Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple ([booklet, 2002], 3–5).