Shouting for Joy
We are told in multiple places, such as Job 38:7, that when we learned of the role of the Savior and His plan for us to come to earth, we shouted for joy. Do you still feel that way? We teach our children that shouts for joy rang out in the Grand Council in...
When Passion Meets an Introvert
Heavenly Father gave me great gifts. He gave me the gifts of strength, tenacity, and passion. These gifts got me through a childhood of illness when the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. As tiny and sickly as I was, there’s probably no reason why I’m...
Celebrate Differences
Our world is diverse. With technology we are able to interact more with different people. I’ve found that we are far more alike than we are different.
Applying Peter and the Lame Man
Peter and John walked towards the temple and saw a lame man begging for alms. Peter and John "fastened" their eyes on the man and told the man to look at them. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver...
God’s Diversity of Gifts
God offers each of His children the precise gifts they need. Accepting those gifts with gratitude, rather than obsessing over those we don’t have, brings eternal blessings.
For I Am Not Ashamed
Years ago, as I was preparing to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was told a story that had a powerful influence upon not only my mission, but also the rest of my life. A young man whom I knew was called to serve a mission...
Fad Diets and the Right to Choose
Not everything that sounds good, is good. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was studying at the University of Utah and decided to listen to opinions of others instead of figuring things out for myself. Back then, there were many "fad" diets going around...
The Rescue
I remember when it was hard to find things on the internet because the online data was still so small and the wealth of information was not posted yet. We had small dialup connections that transmitted at 14.4 kbit/s. While our modems were online back then, we could...
Finding Happiness: Keeping the Commandments
Recently I read a story in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that tells of Nephi and how he and his people “lived after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne 5:27.) I want to live after the manner of happiness, don’t you? In fact, I’d hazard a...
What I Learned From Being Inactive
The last few months, my family made a conscious decision to only have home church and not attend our regular ward. We were trying to help my high-functioning autistic son work some things out. But during that time, I remembered what it was like when I was inactive...
Our Road to Emmaus
After the most insane weekend ever, Cleopas and another disciple begin to walk the six or so miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. As they walked, they talked about the incredible things that happened: Jesus atoned in Gethsemane. He stood accused before the Jews, Pilot, and...
Jesus Christ: Messiah to All, Accepted By Few
By the time Jesus Christ came into the world, the Jews had been captured, freed, and captured again with quite regularity. Indeed, as they drew further and further away from the teachings of God, their captivity extended over decades, centuries, and millennia. ...
Transformation
Editor's Note: This post deals with the theme of abuse and how it warps a person's sense of self and ability to learn lessons the same way as other people. Because of the hardships Sonja faced early in life, she struggled to comprehend things in the way that was...
The Wall I Built Between Me and God
It’s finally happened. My constant effort to control everything has caught up to me. Everyone told me I cannot control everything and I just laughed and said “Watch me.” I don’t know where my need to control everything comes from, I just know that it’s been a part of...
The Plan
When I was just a boy, we moved to a farming community approximately 22 miles up the winding Colorado River road. Our little bit of paradise was called Castle Valley. Unless you follow this column, you have probably never even heard of it. We hadn’t either at...
Serving as Christ’s Little Helpers
In a previous article, I mentioned that my husband and I are doing the twelve months of Christmas. Over the last 18 months, we have done a minimum of one act of service as a birthday present for the Savior. Usually, it is much more than the minimum. Each month has...
Modesty is Beautiful
Let’s start our own little revolution. We can be totally controversial by wearing clothes that cover.
At the Door: Steadfast or Obstacle?
Our 5-year-old bulldog Stig LOVES going for a ride in the truck. When my husband or I say those magic words or Stig's watchful eye catches us looking at him invitingly, he immediately jumps ups and races down the hallway and plants his gigantic face followed by his...
God Loves Us Enough to Cut Us Down
One of my favorite talks of all time is "As Many As I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten" by D. Todd Christofferson. The talk contains so many wonderful pieces of wisdom and words of advice, but the real reason I love it so much is because it retells Hugh B. Brown's...
The Words We Speak and Write
This post was originally published in May 2008. Minor changes have been made. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Remember this nursery rhyme? Does anyone out there really believe that words can’t hurt us? Words do hurt!...
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