Lesson 2: "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord"

1. What do you learn about Mary from her conversations with the angel Gabriel and with Elisabeth? (See Luke 1:26-38, 45-49; see also Alma 7:10.)

2. What can you do to follow her example?

3. How do the examples of Elisabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph help you see the Savior's greatness and increase your faith in him?

4. How can you help others increase their faith in Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read Luke 1:16, and discuss the importance of helping people "turn to the Lord" by sharing the gospel with them. Make a list of family members or friends who are not members of the Church or who are less-active members of the Church. Pray as a family for guidance in deciding whom you can share the gospel with and how to go about it.

Scripture Chain: Prophecies about John the Baptist
Isaiah 40:3
Luke 1:13-17
1 Nephi 10:7-10
Luke 1:67, 76-79
NT GD Study Guide, Lesson 2

"My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord"

1. What do you learn about Mary from her conversations with the angel Gabriel and with Elisabeth? (See Luke 1:26-38, 45-49; see also Alma 7:10.)

Luke 1:26-38
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:45-49
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

Alma 7:10
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

2.What can you do to follow her example?

3. How do the examples of Elisabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph help you see the Savior's greatness and increase your faith in him?

4. How can you help others increase their faith in Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read Luke 1:16, and discuss the importance of helping people "turn to the Lord" by sharing the gospel with them. Make a list of family members or friends who are not members of the Church or who are less-active members of the Church. Pray as a family for guidance in deciding whom you can share the gospel with and how to go about it.

Luke 1:16
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

Scripture Chain: Prophecies about John the Baptist

Isaiah 40:3
3 ¶ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Luke 1:13-17
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

1 Nephi 10:7-10
7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.
10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.

Luke 1:67, 76-79
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

NT GD Study Guide, Lesson 2

Lesson 1: “That Ye Might Believe That Jesus Is the Christ"

1. What do you learn about Jesus Christ from John 1:1-3, 14? (Note that "the Word" in John 1:1, 14 refers to the Savior. Use the Joseph Smith Translation of these verses if it is available.)

The Apostle John said that "in [Jesus] was life" (John 1:4). He also testified that Jesus is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).

2. How has the Savior given you life and light?

3. What accounts or teachings in the New Testament have particularly inspired or helped you?

4. How might studying the New Testament this year help strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read John 1:1-3 or Joseph Smith Translation, John 1:1-3. Explain that Jesus ("the Word" in John 1:1-3) created the earth under Heavenly Father's direction. Take a walk as a family, giving close attention to the many beauties of creation.

Scripture Chain: Jesus Christ's Foreordained Mission
John 1:1-5
Mosiah 3:5-10
John 1:9-17
Isaiah 61:1-2
Abraham 3:22-27
Luke 4:16-21

NT GD Study Guide, Lesson 1

That Ye Might Believe That Jesus Is the Christ"

1, What do you learn about Jesus Christ from John 1:1-3, 14? (Note that "the Word" in John 1:1, 14 refers to the Savior. Use the Joseph Smith Translation of these verses if it is available.)

John 1:1-3, 14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
2 The same was in the beginning with God
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

JST: John 1:1-3, 14
1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was made.
14 And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Apostle John said that "in [Jesus] was life" (John 1:4). He also testified that Jesus is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John 1:9).

2. How has the Savior given you life and light?

John 1:4
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:9
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
What accounts or teachings in the New Testament have particularly inspired or helped you? How might studying the New Testament this year help strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?

3. What accounts or teachings in the New Testament have particularly inspired or helped you?

4. How might studying the New Testament this year help strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?

Suggestion for Family Discussion

Read John 1:1-3 or Joseph Smith Translation, John 1:1-3. Explain that Jesus ("the Word" in John 1:1-3) created the earth under Heavenly Father's direction. Take a walk as a family, giving close attention to the many beauties of creation.

Scripture Chain: Jesus Christ's Foreordained Mission

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Mosiah 3:5-10
5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.
6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell in the hearts of the children of men.
7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.
9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

John 1:9-17
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 ¶ John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 61:1-2
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Abraham 3:22-27
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
27 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.

Luke 4:16-21

16 ¶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

NT GD Study Guide, Lesson 1