Letter to the Class

image Our wonderful class,  Let's start this discussion with a wish. If you would wish for anything, with the conditions (stipulations) of the film Aladdin, what would it be? Keep in mind, can't kill anyone, bring back anyone from the dead, make anyone fall in love, and can not wish for more wishes. Got that wish? It seems that the kings of Israel had great gifts of the Spirit. Faith, courage, and wisdom were the gifts of Saul, David, and Solomon. We are given gifts from heaven daily, perhaps even hourly as we need them. At times we are even given gifts we didn't ask for such as fame or wealth or respect from the world. This gives us a lot of freedom and that is fantastic. Fantastic things are given to us because we can handle them. The scripture and prophets are two such examples.  How do we use our gifts? Heavenly Father asks us to be wise. Satan would have us use our gifts for selfish reasons. He would have us abuse authority, flaunt wealth because we have mo

Image of Saul and Samuel Children,  Leaders are not perfect, not even prophets, who are asked to lead us. Now, this is not to say that we should not follow them. We must begin to realize the weight of responsibility that a government, a church, clubs, or whatever ever, gives a leader, is heavy and when we ask them to govern too long can be too much. When we have too much to bear, we all can make mistakes. We learn about this in the story of Saul and David. Samuel warned us (1 Samuel 8:10-22) and Moses did too (Deuteronomy 17:14-20) that too much power will corrupt and everyone involved will suffer.  In the church, we are given callings and during the time of judges, they had callings as we do today. This kept talented people in leadership but not overwhelmed and if they did become overwhelmed they could be released from their duties or callings and chosen later when it was a better time. The role of prophet or king is a life calling and the Lord knew this. He also knows th

image Children,  We will talk about three people. Last week we failed to mention Samson, the Nazarene, who was promised so much and despite his blessings did so much against them. He drank and partied and it seemed that in so much disobedience he was still blessed because he never cut his hair. Heavenly Father wants to bless us in even the smallest obedience and so it was with Samson and his pride, deceit, and arrogance. He was raised in the gospel and turned against the gospel. He is the opposite of Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite who lost her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law to famine. When her mother-in-law wanted to move back to Bethlehem, Ruth asked to go with her. The two went to the city poor. The law of Moses had rules to feed and nourish the poor. The poor could follow the servents of the land but were limited to the outer edges. Only a few were invited to the inner circles of the land where the choice grain was. While Ruth gathered food, Boaz, the owner of the

image Children,  Israel was governed for roughly four hundred years before a king was put in place at their request and while there were skirmishes, the people were well-governed. Yes, during that time there were wars and conquers and Israel went through their experiences and trials with sin and pain, remember the Lord was with them always. One of those trials was with the Midianites. These people had different ideas, and beliefs and trusted in the strength of their arms. Does this remind you of another nation? We refer to the Lamanites of course. Now because the Israelites were not a wholesome and righteous nation and slipped into following the idolatry of Midian, it would take a humble man to lead them to freedom and liberty. Gideon was that man. He asked for miracles not to prove God as the unrighteous do but to build existing faith that Gideon had in Him who Saves. Jesus had a similar experience when He encountered a man of the same faith when he learned that his (the C