Letter to the Class

Image Alright, let's start this. Brothers and sisters, the several chapters of scriptures are jammed packed with pearls of wisdom. In all of these scriptures we are taught about the blessing of mercy and humility. We learn that the Lord wants a humble people and he desires to bestow mercy. After Alma was trying to teach the rich and educated, it was the povershed and poor that come to him. They wanted a solution of connection with God. They had been brainwashed to believe that God is in only select places or that he honored and cherished select people. They had worked hard to please God and the Zoramites with hard work, depleting their time, talent and money to build a church to God only to be selected as not worthy because of apparel and income by the people they built the church for.  In sorrow we are prepared for the blessing of heaven. The gospel becomes something we are seeking for. Alma said we could talk to God anywhere any place or any time (Alma 33:5-11). He ta

image I wish to start by saying that I have heard a lot on the topic of Korihor and the Zoramites. One didn't want anything to do with God or our Christ and the other was so cought up in being religious that there was no room for the Spirit. Several years ago Gary E Stevenson gave a talk about wanting something and hoping that changing the outside would change the inside. In this talk his innocent son wanted a change because he had seen a show and thought he could change his life also. Surprising his father, he had painted the family dog. He wanted what happened in a movie to be part of his life unaware that outward change does nothing for the inside. Being religious doesn't mean you are spiritual. When we take the Holy Ghost to be our companion, we strive to strengthen our beliefs through Christ and work with God to direct our behavior.  The Antichrist Korihor wanted so much to change that path that the AntiNephiLehi people and the people of Gideon tied him and re

image It seems that this week and last week were about conversion. I also noted how the people were convicted to the gospel, that is to say, locked in. Having conviction to do good. In seeing their own guilt they destroyed and buried the things that defined them as Lamanites and changed their personal direction. In the scriptures there are those that use Opinion as a tool to beat, destroy or change Conversion. The one asks for no commitment and the other asks for whole comment. When we are converted we are spiritually changed from one state to another, a metamorphosis, if you will. When we have an opinion, it can be rooted in facts, lies, truth and falsehoods but it is not committing to anything or anyone and can be changed in a second. God doesn't ask what our opinion of him is but asks for our hope and faith. He wants our deepest desire. For me, I want a million dollars and that is based on opinions of money. I also want the Celestial Kingdom and that is rooted in a l

Image Many saints will relate to Alma and Amulek. The idea of doing a calling while their world seems to be falling apart and everything is against them. I am sure most of us will not do jail time or be tied up watching others die, but have you watched as children or friends make bad decisions despite the warnings? Has your heart broken because someone left the church or family? Weather malicious or accidental the words of Yoda come to mind. Fear, leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.  I don't know how long Alma and Amulek were there in a harsh town but being a convert resulted in such intensity that once they joined the church they had to leave. Standing for the faith, our faith, may ask us to be hurt or leave because of the fear, anger and hatred brewing. It is during this time that we should not let pain define us but what we endure to accomplish during the pain be the definition. When we win their hearts they will believe. A missionary knows