Sunday School 12 - 2 Nephi 31-33 Staying Celestial

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Brothers and Sisters, 

In 2011 Elder Dallan H Oaks said, "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming."

Towards the last few days of his life Nephi wanted his people and by association us to make it to God and have no excuse on his part for not being there. We should be doing the same. Insuring that we squeeze every last ounce of good we can share as the Savior did in his most pressing moments.

The last three chapters emphasize purity by water and fire. The same can be said about a potato that is going to be eaten. A potato needs washing before the fire that truly prepared it for consumption. So are we. Baptism by both water and fire completes the task. The power and keys of the priesthood complete a process much Luke and oven. We alone cannot provide the heat that purifies and efficiently prepares us for our eventual meeting with the Savior. The Holy Ghost does that. 

It's not just seeking to be Celestial but to stay Celestial. Do we want to be with the Savior or just meet him. Do you want to live with Heavenly Father or just meet him? It should be our goal not to seek the Holy Ghost in our lives but because he should be our constant companion, we should be aware when he is not with us as a fish without water.

The Holy Spirit will show or tell you what you need but you must be fervent in asking.  I remember when I was young, sharing our lives,  interests, toys, or history. The Holy Ghost seems to teach and inspire people who ask for it. Open your mouth in prayer and ask. Joseph did and look what it did for him. You are no different.

We must realize that we owe a thousand talents because of our sins. Many people think the debt is so far distant and will never be called for till it is. We qualify for salvation. We will never earn salvation. The best example of this is banking and scholarships. Scholars qualify for scholarships not earn them. Money is qualified for when we buy large purchases. 

Who is Jesus to you, not us or someone else, to you. Nephi identified Jesus as his Savior and not as the Savior separating himself from the grace that so fully he proffers us. Jesus is my Savior and his relationship should be personal with you too. Does Jesus visit you in your times of need? Do you sense him close in times of sorrow? I hope so. As you reach out he reaches back.

Elder Burton Howard once stated in April 1996 "I once attended a funeral service with Elder M. Russell Ballard. A statement he made there has remained with me to this day. He said, “Life isn’t over for a Latter-day Saint until he or she is safely dead, with their testimony still burning brightly.” “Safely dead”—what a challenging concept. Brothers and sisters, we will not be safe until we have given our hearts to the Lord—until we have learned to do what we have promised." 

See even then did we want to not just visit the heavenly gate of the Celestial Kingdom but be a honored resident. Heavenly Father has not prepared guest homes for his children to visit but has made mansions for us to dwell with him eternally. I hope we see ourselves as a prodigal son seeking to be home permanently and not just his guest.

We must realize that our lives are full of events and those events become the beginning of our process to internalize baptism, faith, the gift of the Holy Ghost and this allows us to know what it means to be born again so that we become both enlightened and inspired; so that the symbolism keeps coming back to us like the waves of the beach front.

What will be your last words? What will be your testimony to your family and friends? Every time you think your done your testimony grows. Share those experiences, share your learning. Your testimony has fruit to share if you have prunes, dunged and watered daily through study and prayer. Don't hide the fruit. Don't forget it either.

Finally, do we feast or graze and snack on the Word? The scriptures say... "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3). The day of probation is not a grazing period. We should be at the table prepared for us daily and feasting for further light and knowledge. We should see for the light, love and heat that the Savior gives in his everlasting embrace. We deserve it. Do not discount yourself because you think yourself the Prodigal. Even he was embraced with a warm strong hung and kiss by a loving Father. Seek repentance, faith and renewal of your covenants. Seek to make your homes temples to the most high God. Go to his temples, for you they were made and you should be attending. Strengthen your brethren in your conversion as Peter was. We are worth it. All of us. Nephi wants to see us at the bar of Christ washed and pronounced clean. We can do it, brothers and sisters, I so testifying the name of the Redeemer who is that tree of eternal life, a shroud and a essence for us, even Jesus Christ, amen