The Master Carpenter

The Master Carpenter

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Christ, the Creator, Organizer and Savior of the world was born into mortality

as a Master Carpenter in an obscure town not far from Jerusalem.

He created worlds without number (Moses 1:38), put the stars in the sky (Psalms 33:6), and planets in orbit around them. Everything in the heavens and in the earth was created by Him (Col. 1:16).

Jesus Christ was already the Master Builder, the Accomplished Architect, and the Perfected Constructor

 before working at His earthly father’s feet in the woodshop of Nazareth.

He planted infinite forests on innumerable worlds prior to cutting and shaping hand-hewn

pieces of wood with rudimentary tools – perhaps fashioning a simple stool or a little box.

Repeatedly, He took the unorganized, the rough and the primitive, and knew perfectly

how to organize it, improve it, and refine it through the entire process of the creation.

And He did it again as He worked and built things by Joseph’s side.

But most importantly, and even more significantly, He can still do the same thing today – for us!

He can cut through the chaos and confusion of our lives; creating organized peace and calmness.

He can smooth out our crude corners and rough edges; polishing and refining them into beautiful usefulness.

He can trim off our imperfect and destructive dispositions; rebuilding, renovating and purifying them.

I love that Jesus was, and still is, the Master Carpenter! He is the Master of my soul (Matt. 23:8).

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Wm. Calvin Hughes | 16 Nov 2015 | Lake Elsinore, California

Our Atonement Appointment

Our Atonement Appointment

We all have an impending future date with the Atonement,

- regardless of the direction we’re headed…

- regardless of the places we’ve been…

- and regardless of our choices made, sins committed, or repentance accomplished.

And our Atonement appointment is also set for today, this hour, this minute –

in the very moment we humble ourselves, with broken heart and contrite spirit…

- seeking forgiveness and granting forgiveness to each another…

- seeking the healing, enabling power of Christ that will deliver us and make us whole.

We have an appointment with the Atonement,

- whether we believe in Christ, or not…

- whether we accept His teachings, or not…

- and whether we acknowledge Him as the Savior of the world, or not.

Our appointment with the Atonement is set for us every Sabbath –

in the hour put aside to reflect over the emblems of the bread and water…

in those moments where we renew covenants with our God.

Our destiny includes a meeting with the Atonement,

- in spite of the strength of our faith or lack thereof…

- in spite of our goodness or wretchedness…

- and in spite our fragility, humanity, or mortality.

Someday, inevitably, we will, in person, meet Him again; and then we will,

- know of His limitless, and boundless love for us…

- know of His desire to bless and exalt us to the greatest extent possible…

- and know and understand the miracle of His infinite and merciful Atonement.

Our appointment with the Atonement is set for us when we, seeking forgiveness,

confess our sins to those called to hear our anger and grief, our fear and anguish…

and shepherd us to the sweet blessings of the Atonement.

Our Atonement appointment is a both a singular event, and a continuous event.

At that meeting, we will acknowledge Him as the Son of God, when

- we feel the prints of the nails in His hands, in His feet…

- we bathe His feet with our tears of love and admiration…

- we humbly bow, and confess that He is our King and our God!

On that magnificent day when we will have our appointment with the Atonement.

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Wm. Calvin Hughes | September 16, 2015 | Lake Elsinore, California

We Said, "Yes!"

We Said, “Yes!”

… and we said, “Yes!”  Enthusiastically, unqualified and without hesitation, we anxiously and eagerly said “Yes!”

We knew there would be risks and danger. We understood that there would be failure and pain, sacrifice and sorrow; and yet, we still said, “Yes!”

We were told about the disappointments, the injustices, the evils and the unfairness – nevertheless, we could see the prospects, and said, “Yes!”

Moments before God had explained His plan. Part of His plan offered us a mortal life.

A life of mystery and of misery; a life of loneliness and of adventure; a life of varying contrasts.

But more than that, He was offering us an unlimited opportunity – the opportunity of a lifetime you might say – or, maybe better said, the opportunity of eternity!

It was the opportunity to take an all-expense paid trip to a foreign place. A place where we could have new experiences to learn and grow, to develop and progress in an infinite variety of ways that we couldn’t experience there. The possibilities were immeasurable and the potential was unlimited.

And we all sang together, all the sons of God shouted for joy!” (Job 38:7).

He taught us about agency and how powerful of a blessing it was, and if we used it wisely we could have a greater, more enriching experience on our trip. And that we could use it in its most heavenly form to help each other, to serve and lift each other, and to comfort and love one another (D&C 138:56).

Of course, we said, “Yes!”

He told us that it wasn’t going to be all fun and games, but there would be help along the way. And that whatever happened, no matter how bad it might get, it would all be for our benefit. And in time everything (EVERYTHING) would work for our good. We would need to trust Him, have patience, look for the silver-linings, and make the best of our circumstances. Through it all, the things we would learn and the relationships we would form would be priceless.

The upside was just too good! He said that this trip, in contrast to the eternities, would be but a small moment. But that the value of this moment would be without comparison and for our eternal welfare.

And so, we trusted Him. We felt His love for us, and unequivocally we said, “Yes!”

Then God took us in his loving arms and asked, “Are you sure?” He softly said, “It’s totally your choice.”

… and we said, “Yes!” 

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Wm. Calvin Hughes | November 1, 2015 | Lake Elsinore, California