An Epistle to the Sandy Seminary students

At the request of Sandy Seminary teacher Nancy Hansen, I prepared the following Epistle to the students as they began studying Pauline Epistles in their New Testament course:

14 February 2017

An Epistle to my friends (see D&C 84:77) in the Sandy Seminary

Dear students,

I salute you as a “a chosen generation” (1 Peter 2:9) of the last days—the youth of a noble birthright! Personally, I feel grateful and honored that I am privileged to live in the day when you are on the earth.

You have so many years ahead of you. And while the world cries doom and gloom, you hold within your heart the true gospel of Jesus Christ and know with a certainty that it is a message of hope and happiness. That is why so many of you—I hope all of you—will serve a mission to share with as many of God’s children as possible the thrilling news of the gospel truths…

…that God lives and is a loving Heavenly Father, who has a plan of happiness for each of us;

…that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, whose Atonement and grace makes it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Home to live with our heavenly and earthly parents;

…that we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17) and have before us a magnificent future filled with goodness, love and joy;

…that the Gospel has been restored to the earth in its fullness, that our loving Heavenly Father speaks to prophets on the earth to help us return safely to His presence;

…that priesthood authority is on the earth to bless and heal us in this oft-times painful journey back to Heavenly Father’s presence;

…that each of us has been given the gift of agency to choose God (see Moses 7:33) and to follow His Son, giving each of us the magnificent opportunity to create our own eternal family;

…that enduring to the end, not giving up on living the gospel, when the world mocks us or cries that it’s too hard, knowing that the most prized gift of eternal life awaits us. (2 Nephi 31:20)

I am so proud of each of you that you have made a commitment to attend Seminary and to show your love for the Lord by rising early to learn of Him and to listen to His words (D&C 19:23). You are truly the “children of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5) and, as your stake president, I rejoice in the blessing and privilege of associating with you in this majestic work of the Lord.

With love and admiration,

Crismon S. Lewis