Nephi and Attitude
The Book of Mormon begins with Nephi. When the story he shares of his life begins, he is the teenaged son of a wealthy man, probably living a life of privilege. His father is a prophet in Jerusalem in 600 B.C. There were many prophets at that time, all preaching the...
Getting Educated
How important did you consider education before you joined the church? As you begin to work towards an LDS-mindset to life, think about your education. The church encourages its youth, and in fact, all its members, to get as much education as possible, both formally,...
Do Mormons Worship Joseph Smith?
The March 2008 edition of the Ensign magazine (the official magazine of the Mormon Church), is devoted entirely to discussing the life, mission, teachings, and atonement of Jesus Christ. The main reason for doing this is to reinforce to Mormons the importance of Jesus...
The Secular And The Spiritual Academy
There was a lot of reminiscing when political commentator William F. Buckley passed on. I read and saw several of the “last interviews” various people had with him. One interview caught my eye. In it, Buckley discussed his experience at Yale as an undergraduate, and...
Rest And Relaxation
William Moore Allred had this charming recollection about Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Mormon Church: “[Joseph Smith] said it tried some of the pious folks to see him play ball with the boys. He then related a story of a certain prophet who was sitting under...
What Does “Mormon” Mean, Anyways?
Mormon. What an unusual word. It sounds rather mysterious, like a word from a Harry Potter spell, or the name of some character from Star Wars. Mormon. But what does it mean? First of all, most people associate it with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....
Special Issue of Mormon Magazine Focuses on Christ
The March issue of the official magazine for adults of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called “the Mormons“) is devoted to testimonies and doctrines about our Savior, Jesus Christ. This magazine is the Ensign for English speakers; international...
Everyday Miracles
When was the last time you witnessed a miracle? In a world full of so much sorrow and evil, it sometimes overwhelms the good. The Lord’s hand is still visible if we look. I have seen Him working in the lives of many that I love. I have seen His miracles. The other day...
Preparing for a Spiritual Sabbath
I love Sacrament Meeting. I leave it each week feeling renewed and ready to go. No matter how bad the previous week was, I feel I can go home and do a great job with the life I’ve been given. I’ve always considered it the start of my work week, a starting-over day. As...
Jesus Christ Our Elder Brother
What is the power of family? Why are they so important to Heavenly Father? He has placed us here in a loving and supportive family as a central part of His plan for us. Why? Because we are His family. One of the truths that I treasure most about the gospel of Jesus...
Prayers of Action
What is the best way for a disciple to develop a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father? We learn who They are through following the commandments. We learn what we mean to Them through prayer. Prayer is an open line of communication between...
Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
When I first began trying to live the gospel as a new convert, I found the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy a real challenge. I wasn’t really sure what was appropriate. All I could think of to do was to read scriptures, and as much as I loved doing that, I...
Look and Live
Do you remember the story of the fiery serpents and the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert with Moses? Among the trials that the Lord’s people faced during this time was a plague of fiery serpents when their faith began to wane. This new test did humble...
Words of Comfort and Love
One of the most difficult things for many of us is knowing how to act around those facing major life trials. We worry that our actions or words will bring pain instead of relief. We worry that we will be uncomfortable and that they will be able to feel that....
Of Motes and Stones
If you were to ask me what the greatest problem among mankind is, there would be many to choose from. But, I think many of them stem from a simple human frailty. There is something about our nature that compels us to compare ourselves to each other. This becomes a...
Teens: Physical Health
A young man named Daniel knew, perhaps more than many of us personally know today, the importance of being watchful over what he took into his body. Many of us know the scripture account well. The king had asked for some of the best and brightest children of the land...
Faith . . . The Things Unseen But Hoped For
Joseph Smith, Jr. is the prophet of my heart. What I mean by that is I have studied the prophets, from Adam forward, and have come to love each in my own way. But with Joseph Smith I spent two solid years, fourteen hours a day, studying his life and times. When I say...
Emergency Preparedness Tip: Strengthen the Family … While there is Time
My heart sank as I read the news today about the plight of a homeschooling family in California. They were homeschooling because they did not want their children being taught immoral lifestyles in a public school setting. But because of political activism, their...
Do I Love One Child More Than Another?
Sometimes as parents we struggle with certain of our children more than the others. I'll never forget a professor I had once semester. He was the coolest guy, someone I really looked up to. So I was shocked one Monday when he came rushing in, out of breath, declaring...
Learn and Do
Did you know that the Latin root word for disciple means “learner or pupil”? Very literally, those who choose to follow Christ and want to be named His disciples are those who are willing to learn from Him. A disciple studies the words and life of Christ, trying to...