a while back i wrote a simple Game of Life program( probably not the best program out there). however, it uses the same 8 cell check around each cell. i used nested for loops to deal with it. the snippet below starts at line 121 of the program.

private void age() {
    generation++;
    //loop through all cells
    for ( int row = 0; row < rows; row++) {
        for ( int col = 0; col < cols; col++) {
            processCell( row, col);
        }
    }
    parent.updateGeneration( generation);
}

private void processCell( int row, int col) {
    int alive = 0;
    //start at top left cell, once cell away
    for ( int startRow = row == 0 ? 0 : row - 1; startRow < row + 2 && startRow < rows; startRow++) {
        for ( int startCol = col == 0 ? 0 : col - 1; startCol < col + 2 && startCol < cols; startCol++) {
            if ( cells[ startRow][ startCol].getGeneration() == generation) {
                if ( cells[ startRow][ startCol].wasAlive()) {
                    alive++;
                }
            } else if ( cells[ startRow][ startCol].isAlive()) {
                alive++;
            }
        }
    }
    if ( cells[ row][ col].isAlive()) {
        alive--;
    }
    if ( cells[ row][ col].isAlive() && (alive <= 1 || alive >= 4)) {
        changeCell( cells[ row][ col], false);
    } else if ( !cells[ row][ col].isAlive() && alive == 3) {
        changeCell( cells[ row][ col], true);
    }
} 

it might be helpful if u run the code in debug and see how it runs. if u need more help replay back to this and i try my best to help u, good luck.