Letter to the Class

Image Children,  We should not divide because of our unique attributes but unite us. There should be no rich or poor, bond or free, black or white. We should all be one body in Christ. That is why we are placed in wards and stakes that are by location. Paul watched as the church wrestled with doctrine vs. policy. Ancient Israel policy was law and deeply rooted in the gospel but when the law was fulfilled through Jesus, the doctrine, which the Law should of directed us to was now a stumbling block. People want to race back to this crutch and bring the rest of the church to it.  We may be different in a dozen different ways and come from a thousand backgrounds but we must remember that we are supposed to put behind us the things that separate us and come together with the things that unite us, those things that make us unique and precious in His sight that will benefit thos around us. Remember in our previous discussion about talents and abilities? They are ours to b...

image Class,  When God lets things happen, God is helping us to be better and tougher because of it. There is no pass in mortality when we follow Jesus. Paul tells of whipping, stoning and shipwrecks. Another example is the Redeemer. Just look at Jesus for his righteous. There was no holding back on the Son of God. He was ever vigilant in being righteous and His reward in mortality was a horrible death. Brothers and sisters, He the only perfect son, knew that this was the second act of a three act eternity. The first being premortal life, the second, mortal life and finally, an eternal reward for a ever enduring righteousness. We need to see and live the same. Like the Savior we need to catch that vision and then share that vision with others.  How do we show God that we love Him? The scriptures asked us to show love to Him who we do not see by showing love to those that we see daily (1 John 4:20). Paul wanted us to give because we have substance. The Corinthians h...

Image Class, We have discussed a little on the Gifts of the Spirit. They are so many but the last three chapters of First Corinthians talks about the Spirit of Prophecy and how that is among the most coveted gift. These days we see brothers and sisters wanting the gift of tongues and in ancient times it was so little in desire.  So we ask ourselves what is this prophecy gift? Don't only prophets have it? Well we are going to ask you this, do you have a testimony of Jesus? Could you share it with others? When you share it do some who listened or marvel? Your testimony prophesies of Jesus, His past, His present, and His future. That's prophecy,a prophecy that testifies of Him and what He wants for all of us. Oh sure we don't know the end times, point to point but we testify God lives, He is our Father and that His Son loved us so much that He wants to daily redeem us. He, the Father of our spirits, wants us home and wants to give us line upon line the things that ...

image Class,  Our Lord's example should be written in the fleshy parts of our hearts and that should lead us to follow and obey the Savior and His ambassadors, the Apostles. The Apostle Paul wanted us to not just keep the gospel written on paper outside of us but written on our hearts. He then showed how Israel was led over and over through history how Christ or the Messiah was going to lead us through the Spirit and creat spiritual knowledge through trials. They faced ten plagues, passed through a river as if on dry ground, shouted hosannah and a city's wall fell. All the time they didn't need a sword or shield as the God of heaven was their guardian angel. Are we not also led by the Spirit and do we not see how He is a part of our lives daily? We know that sometimes it takes stepping back and looking at His care and constant guidance. That leads to our next point. Are we blinded by a vail as the Vail of the Spirit or do we hinder ourselves because we refuse to...

image Class,  1Corinthians 12:14-27 says... 14 For the body is not one member, but many.  15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?  20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.  21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:  23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abund...

source   Children, 1 Corinthians 6:13 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. Paul spoke of fornication but this could also apply to things that pollute the soul. You would not eat a rotten apple. The foolish would say "But it is an apple". The same is said for sexual and spiritual purity. You cannot say you can get spiritual nourishment from corruptible things. Books, movies, and the like are no good if there is corruption in their content.  He further stated that our bodies are owned by another; a rental. We are owned by Christ if we care about our covenant of obedience. The especially for youth handbook encourages obedience, charity, chastity, repentance, and faith. When you become a teen you will be shown more on the topic but for now, strive for stern obedience. For moms and dads, he said that Mom owns Dad's chastity and vice ...

Image The term saint in Greek means "one who is set apart". Paul wanted us to take what we have learned in our current state and progress from where we are. During that time Jewish saints were bent on the Law and what it now meant now that Christ had come. The Greek saints had not been raised Jewish and had not known all the old ways and it had created a rift in the church.  As we experience the church, we have to come to realize that we come from different backgrounds and our rearing is different but the direction is the same; Christ. When we take the time to realize that Christ has been there the whole time then we realize our path was perfect for us. All to often we either become critical or are criticize for our place in God's kingdom here on earth but we must remember that Paul said the eye is not more important than the ear (1 Corinthians 12:16). So is it with saints that grew up outside of the church as those grown up in the church. Do not discount your...