Letter to the Class

Image Peculiar in Greek and Hebrew means purchased preserved. Class, Being a example and having the Savior shinning in your countinance shows how your trials and tribulations have brought out your own lustre.  We are meant to go through pain and trial. How we choose to react to it is on us though. Do we leave the church and safety of the Lord because of a harsh life or do we become the stones that are centered by the chief cornerstone who is our Redeemer? Some have seen people who had a hard life and championed them because of the invisible strength they exhibit.  If you are going through trials, buckle down. This is testing your metal. The trials chip off your darkness a chip at a time and believe it or not, the gospel and the church, like a shelter from thr storm, is sheltering you from the worst of it. Life is rough but it is worth it.  When you strive to tie yourselves to the Savior, you are anchored and people see it. When you tie yourselves to anything e...

Class,  We are going to talk about three things. One doers, two our tongues, and third temptation vs. enticement. James wanted the saints be doers. He saw the saints in their embrace in grace need to be creators and movers. That by showing the grace of Christ we show His grace by the very essence of our souls and hearts in action.  Hearers vs. doers The scriptures say... 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22)  All too often some saints have shown faith (deep unwaivering trust) without doing anything. We see need both spiritually and physically and walk by. Why do we do that? Do we not trust the Spirit of God to guide us in righteous doing? We should, alas that does need action. In a previous discussion we said faith was built by our actions. It's still true. Show your faith by your work and your work will reflect Christ's mercy, which will be in your countinance. Tame your tongue The phrase "Sticks and sto...

Image We have various names of Christ (Look also for Isaiah's names for Christ too; Isaiah 9:6; 11:1-9; 61:1-3) 2:10 Captain 6:20 Forerunner 1:13 Son of God 1:6 First Begotten 9:16 Testator  12:2 Author and Finisher  3:1 Apostle 13:20-21 Shepard 8:2 Minister of the Sanctuary  7:17, 21 High Priest Forever 8:6 Mediator 8:6, 9:11-15 High Priest of Good Things to Come Class,  Succour means  running or racing to help so when the Lord succours us, he comforts us in our trials as the angel that comforted even the Savior in the garden of Gethsemane. Faith is an entrenching and unquenchable trust. This trust is needed to enter into God presence. (Hebrews 11:6) Faith is also the evidence of things hoped for and that is tested! An example of this is after Danial was thrown into the den of lions, his faith was tried with the chaos of the teeth and hunger of wild beasts his faith was reassured and because  of it when God rescued him his faith increased. This...

Image Class, We have taught you the basics; the milk, if you will. In teaching you, we hope you are becoming more prepared for the world; to be teachers and leaders. Hebrews is a book about pushing forward. In the Gospel of Jesus Christ we are asked to prepare with the plain and simple truths so that wen we are faced with trial our foundation is based on our Redeemer, on our faith, our repentance and our covenants.  Hebrews were converted to the gospel. They had an old law with old prophets, priesthood and covenants. When they the gospel went through it's renewal through Christ, the saints had to go through that vail too, like the Hebrews passing through the Red Sea, to new ideas and understanding. All the stories of the prophets were fulfilled in Jesus and the desire, the fear to return to the old ways, was intense, especially for life long Hebrews.  We are saints, some of us by several generations and some new converts. We are asked to change daily through the fu...

Image Class,  I had so many ideas for our lesson and even written a piece that was some twenty paragraphs. You don't need that (though if you want to see it I'll put that up elsewhere.) When Paul was talking to young Timothy he told him not to be discouraged because he was young. The gospel isn't about knowing everything in Christ's church but striving for obedience. Sometimes we are asked to use our talents through our obedience. Being called in the church is a privilege. We are asked to stretch our faith and help others in the gospel.  So many examples like Paul's life show that in our trials come the best examples of how we can teach and exhort. I'll give you one. Remember Joseph Smith and the one question he had? Which church was true? That one question was answered and line upon line he learned truth. Heavenly Father didn't give it all at once, a little bit at a time. Paul told Timothy to teach the same. The gospel is one that answers a ques...

Image Class, how do we teach? Dallen H Oaks in his talk , Teaching  In the Lord's Way talked about his struggle to nold his calling as an apostle was he a lawyer who was an apostle or the other way around? Paul was a tent maker. How much of his career is mentioned in his letters? When we speak boldly of Jesus, our lives can be an echo or an example of how the Savior's message can be delivered. We must strive to teach pure doctrine. Learn of me is mentioned six times in the scriptures. Three times in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 19::23, 32:1, 58:1), twice in the Book of Mormon (Alma 36:3 & 38:9) and once in the New Testament Matt 11:29). When we learn the Lord's way, we strive to be honest and clean with our message. There is no gyle.  Let's reflect on things we should and should not do... 1) do not deceive - seek to tell the truth. The truth will set both the speaker and the hearer free. 2) seek no glory - we are the package of the message, not th...

image Class,  While I was studying the gospel and the letters to the Philippians and Collissians I realized that the church and it's temple goers turned warship on it's head. In the world of polytheism the gods and goddesses were given tribute and served because they were in the image of man; made by man. The God of Israel does the opposite. There is no idols in the image of man as because the God of Israel seems to teach bless and serve us through our obedience. We are in His image and He meets us at the temple to be with us and not the other way around.  Some may say, but we give tithes. Isn't that tribute? When we serve and contribute to the success of the Lord to pay Him back for all of His blessing and revelations, it is continuely rewarded so we are in constant debt to the one who has given us everything.  Heavenly Father want to teach and give to us and when we see how he has blessed us we want to give back. When we go to church or the temple, think of ...