Awful Monsters

My class has been working on 2 Nephi 9 this week. I've always read verse 10 thinking that the awful monsters spoken of are physical death and hell. Through my class discussions, I've come to realize that this death is not physical death because the real sting of death comes from sin. The death that Jacob is talking about (and it's apparent to me now) is spiritual death or alienation from God. Jacob mentions in this chapter that temporal death is just another step in the plan of salvation (v. 6). Just thought I'd share!

What Matters Most

I love you Katie

Seminary Starts in a Week!!

It’s crazy how fast the summer has flown

Stretching Hurts

I recently taught a class based out of 1 Nephi 20-22 to a bunch of seminary teachers and I was surprised at the amount of love the Lord demonstrates in these few Isaiah chapters. I'd like to share a few of the main points.

1 Nephi 20:10 "For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."

Cross reference

Doctrine & Covenants 95:1 "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you--"


Flip over to 1 Nephi 21:14. Israel was going through many afflictions and felt like they had been forgotten. "But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not."

v. 15 "For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion o nthe son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel."

v. 16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands..."

After the Nephites were required to abruptly leave their home, friends, and everything that was ever familiar to them, wandered in the dessert for 8 years, beaten, and endured many unspeakable hardships only to arrive in a land where they now had to live out the rest of their days alone, the Lord tells them that He is shaping them. He is leading them. Most importantly, He loves them. The same is true for us. The Lord loves us. I know He does.

In the latter verses of 1 Nephi 22 Isaiah compares the punishments of the wicked to the promises to the righteous and says, "If ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day."

Boyd K. Packer said,"Happily Ever After is never written into the second act." We are in that second act here in mortality. Endure. Your salvation awaits. The Lord loves you. He is refining you throught the furnace of affliction. He invites, "Come ye near unto me." (1 Nephi 20:16) The Lord's message through to words of Isaiah to the Nephites and to us in the latter days is: I love you.

Having a Hard Time?

This touched me. We all have hard times. If we could all just help each other out... "...Lift where you stand..."

Maple Mountain High School

I just found out that I have been transferred to the new high school in Spanish Fork. Maple Mountain High School. The seminary building won't be finished until August, so Katie and I will have to have an all-day room decorating party! We're both really excited.

MMHS