The Apostle Paul

There is a famous artist who loved to paint the Apostle Paul and in each of his paintings Paul is busy doing a particular activity.  You can earn 10 points for your team by telling me who this artist is and another 10 points for telling me what Paul is doing in each of the paintings.

For an additional 10 points, which of the pictures above is actually a self-portrait of the artist posing as the Apostle Paul?

What is Truth?

Here is a great devotional given by President Dieter Uchtdorf as a Church Educational System Fireside at Brigham Young University January 13, 2013.  If you would like to receive a makeup day of credit, please write a simple note or email to me stating that you watch the devotional and tell me what you learned from it.

Listen

Try to see the similarities between Peter and Cornelius and this story:
  
         The setting is Nazi Germany in 1939.  Adolf Hitler’s forces were about to take full control of that country, and the missionaries who were then serving in Germany were instructed by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith to leave immediately.  In those days, missionaries were not always assigned to a specific city and were often not in contact with mission headquarters on a regular basis.  So when the instructions were given for all missionaries to leave, several could not be contacted because their exact whereabouts were not known.  And herein lies one of the most inspiring stories of World War II.  President Douglas Wood called a tall, 200-pound missionary from Idaho into his office and said, ‘Elder, we have 31 missionaries lost somewhere between here and the Dutch border.  It will be your mission to find them and see that they get out.’  The young elder set out with 500 marks and some tickets for Denmark and London, and was told to follow his impressions entirely.  He boarded a train and headed westward, not knowing where to go.  Cologne was not his destination, but he felt impressed to get off the train there.  The large station was filled with thousands of people.  How was he to find the missionaries?  He began to whistle ‘Do What is Right,’ and in a corner of the station an elder and a married missionary couple heard the call and quickly received their tickets for Denmark.  The tall elder again boarded the train and continued his mission, getting off at border stations at town after town only when he felt inspired to do so. Led by inspiration, he found 17 missionaries, who were able to flee Germany that night.  Shortly thereafter a report reached mission headquarters that all missionaries were safely out of Germany. Nine days later the War broke out.”  (Richard O. Cowan and Wilson K. Andersen, The Living Church, p. 314 or 1984 Seminary Teacher’s Manual, pp. 265-66.)

What might have happened to the missionaries if this elder had not been in tune with the Spirit and followed its promptings?  What might have happened if Cornelius and Peter had they not followed the promptings from the Lord?  Both these stories show how the Spirit can direct a person to give or receive assistance.   

Stephen - the first martyr

Stephen's story tells us many things: for example, that charitable social commitment must never be separated from the courageous proclamation of the faith. He was one of the seven made responsible above all for serving the poor and needy of the early Christian church. But it was impossible to separate charity and faith. Thus, with charity, he proclaimed the crucified Christ, to the point of accepting even martyrdom. This is the first lesson we can learn from the figure of Stephen: charity and the proclamation of faith always go hand in hand. 

Below I have included some interesting art portraying the martyrdom of Stephen.  I you would like to learn more about these works and hundreds of others, visit http://www.artbible.net/2NT/ACTS%2007_01%20STEPHEN%20STONING...LA%20LAPIDATION%20D%20ETIENNE/index.html

Honesty

“Winners and Winners”     

As a high school coach, I did all I could to help my boys win their games.  I rooted as hard for victory as they did.  A dramatic incident, however, following a game in which I officiated as a referee, changed my perspective on victories and defeats.  I was refereeing a league championship basketball game in New Rochelle, New York, between New Rochelle and Yonkers High.  New Rochelle was coached by Dan O’Brian; Yonkers by Les Beck.  The gym was crowded to capacity, and the volume of noise made it impossible to hear.  The game was well played and closely contested.  Yonkers was leading by one point as I glanced at the clock and discovered there were but 30 seconds left to play.  Yonkers, in possession of the ball, passed off, shot missed.  New Rochelle recovered, pushed the ball up court, and shot.  The ball rolled tantalizingly around the rim and off.   The fans shrieked.  New Rochelle, the home team, recovered the ball and tapped it in for what looked like victory. The tumult was deafening.  I glanced at the clock and saw that the game was over.  I hadn’t heard the final buzzer because of the noise.  I checked with the other official, but he could not help me.  Still seeking help in this bedlam, I approached the time keeper, a young man of 17 or so.  He said, “Mr. Covino, the buzzer went off as the ball rolled off the rim, before the final tap-in was made.”  I was in the unenviable position of having to tell Coach O’Brian the sad news.  “Dan,” I said, “Time ran out before the final basket was tapped in.  Yonkers won the game.” His face clouded over.  The young timekeeper came up.  He said, “I’m sorry, Dad.  The time ran out before the final basket.”  Suddenly, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, Coach O’Brian’s face lit up. He said, “That’s okay, Joe.  You did what you had to do.  I’m proud of you.”  Turning to me, he said, “Al, I want you to meet my son, Joe.”  The two of them then walked off the court together, the coach’s arm around his son’s shoulder.

                                                                                                      —Al Covino