Letter to the Class

Image Brothers and sisters, This week has been a schmogasborg of learning and I apologize for the scatterbrained approach. I have been so overwhelmed by what I learned. So when you read this please bear with patience and please be forgiving. First, inspiration is given line upon line; revelation is given all at once. I learned that at times Nephi was encouraged to step forward in faith. He stepped forward to leave Jerusalem, to return and sacrifice  Laban, make a friends from a stranger, for the plates, to return for Ishmael, to build a boat, to sail to a world of the known, leave Laman and be king of his people. Nephi was lead his whole life not knowing where he was going. There was, however, something that changed it a little, a compass, the leahona. Now later we learn that he, Nephi will see the revelation of John, and that's all at once and he commented on it, but realize that God wants to inspire us and as we receive inspiration we will be ready for revelation.  Wh

image Nephi asked God to see what his father saw. Now in the scriptures it shows the vision twice, showing the importance of the vision. Now Nephi didn't want the vision but he wanted to know what it means. He was a man who wanted to apply all things of the scriptures to himself (1 Nephi 19:23).  The thing we need to learn from his vision is that we can question the Lord with the intent to learn. For Nephi, it gave him angels and the opportunity to see the young Savior and parts of the life that he, Nephi, had built his whole life about. He had a conversation and asked questions to the angels but instead of telling him the answers, we observed how the Lord teaches, He allows us to have ah-hah moment. What better then discovery. The Spirit to spirit moment comes when we want to attach to the Lord and learn of Him.  When we learn from him we learn to good and be good and share good then we can change the world through good but let's change the word good to charity. I

Image When Nephi explained so much trial in the first five chapters, what he was preparing his reader for was for the prophecies of a father that taught him the importance of the scriptures.  In his trials and tribulations he learned that searching pondering and praying brings the knowledge of the scriptures and the miracles brought by faith come because he trusted his father, the prophet and the Lord Jesus Christ. Are we doing the same? Oh sure, President Nielsen isn't our father but the prophet he be! The testimony of Jesus and the scriptures strengthens us and our unyielding trust in Christ is built on a book that by pure miracle a unlearned Joseph would translate from a dead language that has been quiet for a thousand years. Now let's talk about the Tree of Life. Lehi went through hours of darkness before seeing the tree. Slowly the vision opened to his understanding. The rough part of the vision was  covered by the sweetness of the vision and because he caught

Image Nephi and Laman had a rough life. One frought with a need to develop faith. Both had to escape Jerusalem, both had to retrieve the brass plates, both had to get Ishmael family, both had to build a boat, and finally, both started a new life in a new world. What changes were between them and the Lord. They started in the same place but split like a tree in two directions. Nephi learned to look to the Lord while Laban blamed the Lord for his troubles.  In our own trials do we push back or demand explanation. We trivialize what the Lord wants or do we need to see for inspiration and direction. The Lord knows us each on a personal level and it seems at times our relationship is full of twists and turns that help us to become the children of God  that we were meant to be. Our trials are unique. Like Nephi, some of us are asked to leave our homes, some are asked to get to know strangers and make lasting friendships. Some times, we are in chaos like the seas of the great deep