Current Plans for Fall Classes

I currently have 4 classes scheduled for the 2011 fall semester, starting the THIRD week of September.

1. Springville : Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:00 PM. Finding Christ in the Old Testament. 1965 East Canyon Road, Springville UT 84663.

2. Sandy : Thursday morning, 9:00-10:30 AM. Finding Christ in the Old Testament. (no address yet, but check the BYU Continuing Ed website in early July for details and to register.)

3. South Jordan : Thursday mid-morning, 11:00-12:30 AM. Finding Christ in the Old Testament. 2450 W 10400 S. (South Jordan Parkway) South Jordan, Utah 84095. Register thru BYU Cont. Ed

All of these OT classes will begin where we left off in May, in Genesis 5.

4. Orem University Institute at UVU : for students and YSA only. Thursday evening, 7:00-8:30 PM. Doctrine and Covenants (324). Room 186. Register online.

If you live in Salt Lake City and want a class near the city center or by the University of Utah, then contact me by commenting on this blogpost. Wednesday evening is still available.

(The awesome painting in this post is from J Kirk Richards. )

Books Worth Buying

I am often asked where I learn what I teach and what books I would recommend. I have two I would suggest for people who like my teaching style. Both are by Mark A Shields, a lawyer living in Mesa, AZ. The books are Your Endowment and Gospel Symbols: Finding the Creator in His Creations. Both are published by Cedar Fort. Mark has a website where you can order his books.

Springville Area Single Adult Cluster Fireside

I will be speaking on Sunday, May 29th, at 7:00 pm at the chapel on 400 N. 400 E. Springville, Utah at a Single Adult Fireside. The topic will be Adam and Eve, the temple and the plan of salvation.

Reminders of Symposia

The Expound Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 14 in the Provo Public Library. The all-day event is free, but please 'register' at their website so they will set up enough chairs.




The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR) is
pleased to announce the Thirteenth Annual Mormon Apologetics
Conference, August 4-5, 2011, and for a limited time you can
register at the discounted Early Bird price.

A lot of interesting papers, videos and podcasts are available on their website, YouTube and blog.

Last Class for Spring 2011

Tuesday, May 3 will be the last class for the Springville Institute class.

Thurday, May 5 will be the last class for the South Jordan class.

BOTH classes will begin again in the fall. We will begin with the City of Enoch and then talk about Noah, Melchizedek and Abraham. Covenants will be our major focus.

Tuesday, September 13 will be the first class for the Springville Institute group. Class is held from 6:30-8 Tuesday evenings at the Canyon Chapel (1965 East Canyon Road, Springville UT 84663). Registration will be done in class.

Thurday, September 15 will be the first class for the South Jordan group, which meets mid-day from 11 to 12:30 at the stake center at 2450 W 10400 S. (South Jordan Parkway) South Jordan, Utah 84095. You will be able to register for this class online at the BYU Religious Enrichment Programs website.

Some other days and times are being considered for fall. I will publish information on any additional classes here.

Leaving, Cleaving and Being One

Here is a good article from the Ensign on this subject.

Dress and Keep the Garden

Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden and was commanded "to dress (aved) it and to keep (shomer) it" (Gen 2:15).

These same Hebrew words are used by the LORD in Deuteronomy 10 :12-13 : "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve (aved) the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep (shomer) the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?"

There is a definite temple connection with these two words : avodah (from aved) is the Hebrew word for worship, service, or temple work (see Numbers 7:5); the Cherubim keep (shomer) the way back to the Tree and we have to keep (shomer) the commandments to be allowed past them back into the temple.

Jeffery Bradshaw has written about this in an article entitled "The Temple Work of Adam and Eve."