Letter to the Class

image Brothers and sisters, The word reconcile means to sit with. When we reconcile with God, it's because He has opened the debters book and shown us where we were great and where we were redeemed. He reconciles us, because we come to him to see how we can be better. There is a reason he is called the Redeemer. He sat with us once before and He awaits to sit with us again. All too often we worry is we will be welcomed home, if we are too far, if there is no love for us like the Shepherd to the lamb or the prodigal to their father. Know this, if you have a breath to breathe, you can be redeemed. You can reconcile.  I heard a story once of a man who owned a puppy (thank you John Bytheway) and it was on a particular night that the puppy had soiled his bed and made a complete mess. The animal weekend for mercy at this late hour. At first the owner was angry but it quickly turned to compassion as he scooped the creature washed him and cleaned his place setting everything ri

Image Brothers and Sisters,  We are hard on ourselves. We score our own performance on our skill, performance of the skill, sins and temptations and the compares it with the outward public lives of others. When we look at Nephi we at time may slip into the idea that he was amazing and perfect. We say to ourselves what's Nephi's score card... Is he a ten? I recall that he was hard on himself (2 Nephi 4:17-35). Thankfully he saw his blessings along with his hardship and learned to use it as a teaching tool for himself and others.  Look at his psalm. Said he in the 34th verse... "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." In his life he has learned unbending faith. Sure it took him his whole life to get it, but he did it.  The second thing we learn

Image Brothers and sisters, "The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation." - Surprised by Joy; CS Lewis  Said the prophet Nephi...  (2 Nephi 2:25) Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. In my life I have learned a couple of things. Joy takes work while happiness is flighty. The same goes for faith and charity. We can be happy, believe and love without work but it is hallow. So how can we fill it? We need to work for it. I know life is messy and looks to take our happiness but if you have worked for joy, that cannot be taken. Joy is both like ice cream and not so. Hear me out. When we go through trial with a willingness no matter now difficult, the reward is marvelous. However if the reward is given too quickly it becomes wasted. For those of us going through physical, mental, social, or spiritual trials, if our sins or hardships are overwhelming with out a gimmer of hope in sight, endure

Image 1 Nephi 17:3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness. 2 Nephi 2:26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.  27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, acco