City	What they did that pleased the Lord.	How they needed to repent.	Promised blessings
Ephesus (2:1-7)	Their patients, hard work, honesty, and righteousness.	“Nevertheless I have somewhat against the, because thou hast left thy first love.”	Live in the paradise of God.
Smyrna (2:8-11)	Their good works, tribulations, and poverty.	Do not fear and be faithful.	“A crown of life” and “shall not be hurt of the second death.”
Pergamos (2:12-17)	They are faithful.	By not listening to false doctrine, and sexual immorality.	“Eat of the hidden manna (bread of life).” Will be given a “white stone (Urim and Thummim).” And “In the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth.”
Thyatira (2:18-29)	They were service oriented, faithful, charitable, patient, and motivated.	“Thou sufferest that woman, Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”	They will be given power over the nations.  “And I will give him the morning star.”
Sardis (3:1-6)	Good works	Be prepared and watchful.	“clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angel.”
Philadelphia (3:7-13)	Holy, true and faithful	Worship	“And I will write upon him my new name”
Laodicea (3:14-22)	Faithful true witnesses	“Open the Door” to Christ.”	“I will grant to sit with me in my throne.” And hear with the spirit.

All of the council given to the seven branches of the church does apply to us today.  Even though this council was given at a different time it is to applicable to us.  All of these promised blessings are inspiring for us to seek eternal life.  But to me the most inspiring is the last one in chapter 3.  "I will grant to sit with me in my throne," and hear with the spirit.  

Doctrine and Covenants 14:7 and 63:20 give great meaning to the phrase: "to him that overcometh."  In these scriptures we learn that eternal life is the "greatest of all the gifts of God."  And "He that endureth in faith and doeth my will, the same shall overcome, and shall receive an inheritance upon the earth when the say of transfiguration shall come."  

Unit 0ne
Choice 2:  2 Peter 2 Teaching
Characteristics of False teachers
·         Deny the Lord that brought them
·         Many will follow them
·         Truth shall be evil spoken of
·         Judge others
·         Have filthy conversations
·         “vexed his righteous soul from day to day”
·         Sexual immorality
·         Constituted authority
·         Presumptuous
·         Boasting
·         Self-willed
·         Speak evil of things they don’t understand
·         find pleasure in riot
·         “sporting themselves with their own deceiving”
·         Eyes full of adultery
·         Cannot cease from sin
·         Beguiling unstable souls
·         “love the wages of unrighteousness”
·         Speak words of vanity
·         Promise others liberty when they are servants of corruption
This list helps me to recognize false teachers today.  Peter makes it clear that false teachers are ones that do not have any sense of setting their priorities straight.   A false teacher would be somebody that, when around them the spirit would not be present. 
2 Peter 2 verse 21 says, “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. “  It is clear what Peter is teaching us here.  It is dangerous to return to the pollutions of the world.  The greater the knowledge of the truth, the greater the condemnation if sinned against. We are also reminded in Doctrine and Covenants 82:7 that our former sins may continue to tempt us. 

Unit 2

Choice 4: 1 Peter-4. The Trial of Our Faith Is More Precious than Gold

It is common for somebody to think "Life isn't fair."  And sometimes in our eyes this may appear to be true.  We might also think, "If I am faithful why do I have so many trials?"  But we learn in Peter chapter 1 verse 7, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."  

Heavenly Father gives us trials because he loves us.  Peter teaches us in 1Peter 4:12 "Beloved, thing it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you."  So instead, we should "rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering." (verse 13) Heavenly Father and our Savior want us to be happy, and not thinking about how unfair life is. 

We are also taught in chapter 3 verse 15, "be ready always to give an answer to very man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."  So is someone feels tired of being ridiculed by those who do not keep the commandments, we should glorify God.  Chapter 2 verse 15 says, "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."

Unit one:

Choice Three: Hebrews 13. Works of Righteousness

I really like the clarity in chapter 13. listed are answers to questions that are clarified in chapter 13 of Hebrews.

• How should we treat strangers and those "in bonds?"

We should treat everyone with benevolence and love.  As for strangers, we are taught to treat them with hospitality, which means we should be accepting and friendly toward them.  I have found that when I treat somebody with hospitality, we are more likely to get along well. And finally, we are to have compassion on those 'in bonds."

• How is marriage looked upon?

Marriage is looked upon as honorable.  some synonyms for honorable are:

acclaimed, celebrated, chivalrous, conscientious,dependable, distinguished, eminent, esteemed,ethical, faithful, forthright, high-principled,honest, honored, illustrious, just, knightly, law-abiding, noble, notable, of good repute, on theup-and-up, principled, reliable, respectable,righteous, sincere, sterling, straightforward,trustworthy, truthful, unstained, upright, virtuous (http://thesaurus.com/)

• What warnings are given about covetousness?

We are warned to have conversations free from covetousness.  The Lord has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  Therefore we should be content with what we have, if we have the Lord in our lives.   And in reward, we should not fear men.  

• What is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever?" 

Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8 says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever."  Many people say that change is the the only thing constant.  But, if we are established with Christ, he is constant.  

• How are we sanctified?

We are sanctified through the symbolism of Jesus Christ blood.  As we come to him we begin to repent.  And when we sacrifice our sins, we are sanctified through Christ. 

• How do we respond to those who rule over us?

We respond to our church leaders by sustaining them.  To sustain a church leader we must be obedient to the Lord, and heed to their counsels.  And verse 7 says, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God."  I think this is important because sometimes after I have felt impressed during a church meeting or general conference, it is easy to forget what was taught.  And verse 24 says, "Salute all them that have the rule over you." To "salute" means, "to address with expressions of goodwill, respect, etc." (dictionary.com).

• Who did Paul ask the people to pray for? 

Paul wanted the people to pray for the apostles, or leaders of the church.  He asked that they pray that they, "may have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly."  It is very important that leaders of the church be honest.  That is why Paul asked us to give him more strength by praying for it.  It is also very important for us to pray for our church leaders today.  

Unit 2

Choice 6 Hebrews 3-4 Entering into the Lord's Rest

We are taught by President Joseph F. Smith that Entering into the Lord's Rest "means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right."  We learn that the group of people that is refused entrance into the Lord's rest are those who do not believe. "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:19) It was sin that caused these people to forfeit this privilege of entering into the Lords rest.  Hardheartedness, selfishness and provocation are the forfeiting sins. 

Doctorine and Covenants 84:24 describes The Lord's Rest as, "the fulness of his glory."  This is a defining factor, because we learn of the joy that comes from his fulness and glory, that helps us strive to achieve in our lifetime. The sins that Paul repeatedly warned against were the hardening of hears. The warnings in Hebrews 3:12-15 very much apply to us.  They apply to us because we also have to be cautious of unbelief and evilness.

Counsel that are found in Hebrews 4 will help us enter into the rest of the Lord.

• faith/belief in the Gospel we hear
•  keeping the sabbath day holy
• "hear his voice"
• have a soft heart
• labor, be eager
•  obedience
• have good motivations 
• listen to our church leaders
• be sympathetic
• be bold
• be a follower of Jesus Christ  

We learn in Hebrews 4:2-3, that the words need to be "mixed with faith."  Matthew 7:21 says, "He that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."  It is not enough for us to just learn, teach, or talk about the doctrines of the Savior.  But we have to live by, and practice them.  Sometimes we expect our testimonies to be strengthen just by learning about the gospel, but we come to know of the doctrines to be true by also doing his will.  This is also in accordance with James 1:22 "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."