"The New Testament- Part II"

Elder and Sister dePaula became our treasured friends when they entered the MTC a little over a year ago with us. We see each other at least every two weeks at our S&I training meetings, at Senior Missionary socials, and sometimes on a P-day we do something fun together. They are gifted teachers and have had the opportunity of blessing our mission with their musical talents. Both of them sang in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 20 years. They shared their talents most recently at their Bayshore Ward and at our two Christmas Zone Conferences in December. Each program was well planned and presented. All three were miracles as they each turned out beautifully with little to no practice time. Now were are all back to teaching our Institute classes after the December break. Last semester we taught the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Our last night of Institute before our break was filled with inspired testimonies as our students shared what they had learned about Jesus Christ. This week we began, "The New Testament, Part II." We will teach through the month of April, The Book of Acts through Revelation.

Sister dePaula is a most creative writer and I asked her permission to copy her post and include it on our blog. The words from President Kimball and Andrew Skinner about the Apostle Peter are true. Last semester as we studied and taught about "Peter's Denial," we each knew that it was a command from Christ. This week we again had the opportunity to teach and testify of Peter's obedience and strength. Our thanks to Sister dePaula for allowing us to add her post and picture to our blog.



What a thrill for us! We just love The Acts of The Apostles and are so happy to be back teaching our classes. This great book could also be called "The Book of Luke - Part II" since Luke is the author, writing a beautiful discourse to an acquaintance, Theophilus. I have given it a subtitle - "The Gospel in Action."

Acts is just that - a book of action. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in action. It begins with organizing, calling new leaders, spreading, teaching, baptizing, training, caring, ordaining, feeding the poor, healing and vast missionary travels to "the uttermost parts of the earth." Acts feels much like the Church today...as well it should.

We read Peter's first powerful public discourse and testimony of the risen Lord, and of his skilled direction of the apostles, and of the healing of the sick and other miracles. We found Peter's leadership as president and prophet of the Church to be nothing short of spectacular - preaching with such a Spirit as to bring 3,000 souls to repentance and baptism in one day shortly after his call.

This is that same Peter who obediently denied knowing the Savior three times when the Savior gave him the command... "thou shalt deny me thrice." Had Peter not done so, his life, along with that of Jesus, would have been taken and the Church would have all but withered and died shortly after the Savior's cruificition. Our lesson manual suggests that we bear our testimony about Peter. It was an honor to do so!

We readily agree with President Kimball who refers to Peter as "Peter, My Brother" and asks the question "Do we understand the circumstances of Peter's denial as well as we think we do?" Additionally, we were thrilled when Dr. Andrew C. Skinnner's article from the 2002 Sidney B. Sperry Symposium later appeared in the Church News where he maintains that everything he knew to be true about Peter indicates that "when Jesus told Peter he would deny Him thrice before the cock crowed twice, it was not a prediction; it was a command."

My interpretation of Peter going out and "weeping bitterly" afterward was because of his sorrow in having to obey a difficult command from the Lord - one he would never have chosen to do. This is the Peter I have known and admired for over 30 years. How wonderful it is to be teaching our students the Lord's teachings through Peter and the other great apostles' dedicated service.