The Covenant
The prophet for whom God's covenant with His children is named for. He was commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Who is Abraham?
"The adjective everlasting denotes that this covenant existed even before the foundation of the world! The plan laid out in the Grand Council in Heaven included the sobering realization that we would all be cut off from God’s presence. However, God promised that He would provide a Savior who would overcome the consequences of the Fall." -President Russell M. Nelson
When we are baptized, we start on a path that will return us to the presence of this individual.
Who is Heavenly Father?
"When you and I ... enter (the covenant) path, we have a new way of life. We thereby create a relationship with God that allows Him to bless and change us. The covenant path leads us back to Him. If we let God prevail in our lives, that covenant will lead us closer and closer to Him. All covenants are intended to be binding. They create a relationship with everlasting ties." -President Russell M. Nelson
God "wishes for every one of His children to have the opportunity to choose the Savior’s gospel and embark upon the covenant path. God wants to connect all people to the covenant He made anciently with Abraham." (President Nelson)
This is why He sends these people to preach His gospel.
Who are missionaries?
"Missionary work is an essential part of the great gathering of Israel. That gathering is the most important work taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude. Nothing else compares in importance. The Lord’s missionaries—His disciples—are engaged in the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, the greatest work on earth today."
"There is a huge need to spread the gospel to people on the other side of" this figurative or symbolic barrier.
What is the veil?
"God wants everyone, on both sides of the veil, to enjoy the blessings of His covenant. The covenant path is open to all. We plead with everyone to walk that path with us. No other work is so universally inclusive. For “the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name” (Helaman 3:27)."
This is the first step on the covenant path, "the gate by which ye should enter". (2 Nephi 31:17)
What is baptism and confirmation?
"And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son." (2 Nephi 31:18)
Through priesthood ordinances, Abraham promised obedience and loyalty to this being.
Who is God or Heavenly Father?
"When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gate that leads to becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity." - President Russell M. Nelson
President Nelson said, "All those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In the Hebrew language, that covenantal love is called..." this word.
(Hint: see "A Special Love and Mercy" in the Liahona article)
What is hesed?
"Hesed has no adequate English equivalent... Hesed is a unique term describing a covenant relationship in which both parties are bound to be loyal and faithful to each other... Hesed is a special kind of love and mercy that God feels for and extends to those who have made a covenant with Him. And we reciprocate with hesed for Him.
Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us." -President Russell M. Nelson
This is one simple, easy, no-pressure way in which any of us can share the gospel with a neighbor or friend.
What is an example of an open-ended answer?
In 1836 in the Kirtland temple, the prophets Elijah and Elias appeared to Oliver Cowdery and this latter-day prophet to give them the priesthood authority to "convey the unique blessings of the Abrahamic covenant to others."
Who is Joseph Smith?
(see Doctrine & Covenents 110)
This is the second step on the covenant path, the offices of which are bestowed upon men but the blessings associated with its oath and covenant are promised to men AND women in God's kingdom.
What is receiving the Melchizedek priesthood?
Doctrine & Covenants 84:33-38
This central figure to God's plan of salvation was promised to come through Abraham's lineage.
Who is Jesus Christ?
All are adopted into the lineage of Abraham and are promised the blessings God covenanted to him when we are baptized and receive the ordinances offered in this sacred building.
What is the temple?
"You and I personally entered the covenant path at baptism. Then we enter it more completely in the temple. The blessings of the Abrahamic covenant are conferred in holy temples. These blessings allow us, upon being resurrected, to “inherit thrones, kingdoms, powers, principalities, and dominions, to our ‘exaltation and glory in all things’ (Doctrine & Covenents 132:19)." -President Russell M. Nelson
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
“… Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” Galatians 3:27-29
This is an experience one team member had in sharing their beliefs with a friend or extending an invitation to attend an activity.
What is an example of a good friend?
What is May 17th? (At 7:30 PM!)
Those who are unable to enter the baptistry can still come along with us and check out the visitors center!
This is the third step on the covenant path, the first that is performed in the temple.
What is initiatory and endowment?
This land was promised to Abraham as an inheritance for his descendants.
What is Canaan?
Because of Jesus Christ, those who enter into covenants with God receive the strength to resist this.
(See Jesus Christ: The Center of the Covenant - near the bottom of this section)
What is sin or the influence of the world?
3 Nephi 20:25-26
"Do you see the significance of this? Those who keep their covenants with God will become a strain of sin-resistant souls! Those who keep their covenants will have the strength to resist the constant influence of the world." -President Russell M. Nelson
(Open-ended) This is an example of an upcoming activity, meeting, or other event we can invite a friend to come to.
What is.... insert event here!
The Church's website for finding and researching names of ancestors to help them enter the covenant path.
Ancestry.com and other websites are also great tools in finding information!
This is the fourth and final step on the covenant path, which unlocks for us all of the rest of the blessings promised to Abraham and his wife Sarah.
What is sealing or eternal marriage?
"A marriage covenant made in the temple is tied directly to that Abrahamic covenant. In the temple a couple is introduced to all the blessings reserved for the faithful posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." -President Russell M. Nelson
Abraham was promised that his lineage would be offered the blessings of the gospel, and that his descendants would be blessed with the opportunity and responsibility to do this.
What is spreading the gospel to God's children?
The supreme, eternal act performed by our Savior that the Abrahamic covenant hinges on. Because of this act, we can repent each time we stray from the covenant path and renew our access to all of God's promised blessings.
What is the Atonement?
"The fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant becomes feasible because of the Atonement of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is at the center of the Abrahamic covenant." -President Russell M. Nelson
"No man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
This is something I can start doing today to invite more opportunities to share the gospel with those around me.
What is...
-pray for opportunities to share/invite
-talk to our full-time missionaries about opportunities to help them teach a lesson or simply host one at your house
-mention our faith in everyday conversation (i.e. mentioning church attendance when discussing our weekend plans)
-offer to babysit the child of an investigator while the missionaries teach
-say hi to a new or unfamiliar face at church this Sunday
-.... and more!
An extremely far-reaching and helpful service we can all do in which we use our personal computers to digitally transcribe old records for the purposes of family history research.
What is indexing?
This book's coming forth "is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill the covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
What is The Book of Mormon?
"The Book of Mormon begins and ends with reference to this everlasting covenant. From its title page to the closing testimonies of Mormon and Moroni, the Book of Mormon makes reference to the covenant." -President Russell M. Nelson