Sister Coleman's Quotes & Extras

After the words that King Benjamin recounts to the people "the spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them." (Mosiah 4:3) These people got to feel the Atonement working in their life and with that came joy.  The remainder of this chapter King Benjamin shares why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is so important for everyone of us and some specific things people could do in their lives to ensure they are grasping onto the full blessings of this gift. President James E. Faust said, "Our salvation depends on believing in and accepting the Atonement. Such acceptance requires a continual effort to understand it more fully." (General Conference, Oct. 2001). Understanding and using the Atonement of Jesus Christ perfectly is going to be...

Okay, so just a reminder of what is happening King Benjamin is getting older, about to die, and is going to hand the responsibilities of the kingdom over to his son Mosiah.  Before he does so though he wants to bring everyone in so he can speak to them one last time.  Sometimes we jokingly refer to this as the first recorded General Conference.  Everyone has come together at the temple to hear King Benjamin speak.  In the next few chapters we study, staring with Mosiah 3, King Benjamin shares what he has learned from a heavenly messenger, an angel (Mosiah 3:2). The angel tells of the coming Messiah, His mother Mary, and many of the acts He will perform while on earth in the flesh. As I studied this chapter this morning two verses really stood out in my mind.  Verses that I don't think would have stood out so loudly if I wasn't currently in quarantine with Corona and watching the world as I know it "stop spinning." The two verses are Mosiah 3:13 & 15. ...

Well we have finally hit the point where we transition from the Small Plates of Nephi to the Large Plates of Nephi and Mormon squeezes a few of his thoughts in during the transition process.  As I read The Words of Mormon I am always caught up in the same phrasing he uses in his writings, "And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me.  And now, I do no know all things but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." (WoM 1:7) The phrase of "for a wise purpose" just like Nephi would say.  The wise purpose we now know is because of the events found in Doctrine and Covenants 10, where Martin Harris looses the 116 pages, basically the entire book of Lehi.  How many times have you been prompted to do something and you didn't know? Do you wonder why you must experience what is going on in the world right now? I find it such a ...

So as most of you already know I am an early morning scripture study person.  I feel like my brain is most alert then, don't know why, all I know is night time scripture study always results in mm being asleep in my chair, bed, or whatever surface I am sitting on. Here is my view this morning since as of yesterday all seminary teachers are to work from home now. Makes for a quick commute from my bed which is pretty nice, I think I counted an entire 6 steps. Well lets dive in.  Today we are studying Jarom and Omni, pretty short books that are straight and to the point. It sounds like there isn't much room left on the small plates of Nephi. Remember Nephi made two sets of plates, the small and large plates "for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not" (1 Nephi 9:5).  If you need a visual I included the awesome picture of the relationships of all these different plates with the final outcome of The Book of Mormon. Two things that stood out to me fr...

So let me let you in on a little secret about Sister Coleman, my favorite thing about my job is the students.  I miss you guys something terrible and have spent the last week pondering, praying, and thinking about what more I could do for you given our new current circumstances.  As I continued to think about this over the week and spent time pondering like Enos I was reminded that I already had a format where I can share with you each week or each day.  This blog has been used for quotes or other cool facts so you could copy and paste things into gospel library as a class.  However, with current "quarantine" I am going to change the format of this blog.  You are invited every day through the week, Monday through Friday, to come here and see some of Sister Coleman's thoughts, videos, or cool things she found in her study.  As always no pressure to use this resource I just thought it might help us all feel a little less alone and isolated. So, today we wil...

I sit here in my home office, which is more like a small corner of my bedroom, this Friday morning watching the sun come up over the majestic mountains I will no longer get to ski this spring.  I can't believe all that has transpired in one week.  Just last Friday I was starting my A-day classes so excited to talk about Jacob 5 and the allegory of the olive tree and the sweet message of a loving Savior who keeps laboring over us, his trees. Little did I know that by that afternoon school state wide would be put on a mandatory dismissal leaving us seminary teachers scrambling to set up and an online learning plan and platform in the coming week. This last week brought a health issue that usually sends me to the ER but left me wondering if I should self treat at home, I chose the later. The spring skiing season was cancelled leaving my kids morning a missed last club race, soccer, and baseball were also delayed. Then I had to try and figure out this work from home 8 hours a da...

Lesson Quotes: Joseph Fielding Smith “The parable of Zenos, recorded by Jacob in chapter five of his book, is one of the greatest parables ever recorded. This parable in and of itself stamps the Book of Mormon with convincing truth. No mortal man, without the inspiration of the Lord, could have written such a parable. It is a pity that too many of those who read the Book of Mormon pass over and slight the truths which it conveys in relation to the history, scattering, and final gathering of Israel. Such members of the Church unto whom attention has been called to the great significance of this parable have said they fail to comprehend it. It is simple and very clear to the minds of those who earnestly seek to know the truth. No man without divine inspiration could have written such a parable.” “In brief, it records the history of Israel down through the ages, the scattering of the tribes to all parts of the earth; their mingling with, or being grafted in, the wild olive trees, or i...

Doctrinal Mastery Lesson Quotes: Elder Lynn G. Robbins “Repentance is God’s ever-accessible gift that allows and enables us to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm.  Repentance isn’t His backup plan in the event we might fail.  Repentance IS His plan, knowing that we will.  This is the gospel of repentance, and as President Russell M. Nelson has observed, it will be “a lifetime curriculum.”  (“Until Seventy Times Seven,” April 2018 GC) President Henry B. Eyring “If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today, you may take it as evidence that the Atonement is working in your life. …The reception of the Holy Ghost cleanses us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (“Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times,” Ensign, June 2007, 23) Lesson Quotes: President Marion G. Romney “I do not think that many members of the Church consciously [follow] the persuasions of men or their own counsel instead of heeding the Lord’s. However, when w...

Lesson Quotes: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland “Perhaps you already know (but if you don’t you should) that with rare exception, no man or woman who speaks [in general conference] is assigned a topic. Each is to fast and pray, study and seek, start and stop and start again until he or she is confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present regardless of personal wishes or private preferences. … Each has wept, worried, and earnestly sought the Lord’s direction to guide his or her thoughts and expression” (“An Ensign to the Nations,” Ensign, May 2011, 111). President Hugh B. Brown “President John Taylor said on one occasion, speaking to the brethren of the priesthood: “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those you might have saved, had you done your duty.” “This is a challenging statement. If I by reason of sins of commission or omission lose what I might have had in the hereafter, I mys...

Doctrinal Mastery Lesson Quotes Sister Jean B. Bingham “Sometimes we think we have to do something grand and heroic to “count” as serving our neighbors.  Yet simple acts of service can have profound effects on others—as well as on our selves. What did the Savior do? Through His supernal gifts of the Atonement and Resurrection…”none other has had so profound an influence [on] all who have lived and who will yet live upon the earth.” But He also smiled at, talked with, walked with, listened to, made time for, encouraged, taught, fed, and forgave.  He served family and friends, neighbors and strangers alike, and He invited acquaintances and loved ones to enjoy the rich blessings of His gospel.  Those “simple” acts of service and love provide a template for our ministering today.” (“Ministering as the Savior Does”, Ensign, May 2018, 104) Lesson Quotes Elder David A. Bednar  “Please notice how the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but not necessar...

Elder David A. Bednar “Constant vigilance is required to counteract complacency and casualness. To be vigilant is the state or action of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. And keeping watch denotes the act of staying awake to guard and protect. Spiritually speaking, we need to stay awake and be alert to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the signals that come from the Lord’s watchmen on the towers.”  (David A. Bednar, “Watchful Continually unto Prayer,” General Conference, Oct 2019). President Russell M. Nelson “We all need to repent. We need to get up off the couch, put down the remote, and wake up from our spiritual slumber. It is time to put on the full armor of God so we can engage in the most important work on earth. It is time to ‘thrust in [our] sickles, and reap with all [our] might, mind, and strength.’ The forces of evil have never raged more forcefully than they do today. As servants of the Lord, we cannot be asleep while this battle rages.”...

Lesson Quotes: President Ezra Taft Benson “We, the members of the Church, and particularly the missionaries, have to be the ‘hissers,’ or the tellers and testifiers, of the Book of Mormon unto the ends of the earth” (Ensign, May 1975, 65). Elder Neal A. Maxwell “Many more scriptural writings will yet come to us, including those of Enoch, all the writings of the Apostle John, the records of the lost tribes of Israel, and the approximately 2/3 of The Book of Mormon plates that were sealed.” (“A Wonderful Flood of Light, General Conference 1990). Elder Neal A. Maxwell “Lost books are among the treasures yet to come forth.” (GC 1986) President James E. Faust “As a young missionary I personally learned the importance of the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon in missionary work. Elder Wm. Grant Bangerter, Elder Lynn A. Sorensen, and I, along with other dedicated young men, were pioneer missionaries in Brazil half a century ago. One year we conv...