9 Tips to Adapt the New “Third Hour” for Your Autistic Child
A few Sundays ago I finally admitted to myself and my friends that this new home focus for church has been really hard for me. I had not had a lot of success using the Come Follow Me—For Individuals and Families resource to get my autistic son to pay attention and...
Pick a Protection Scripture
Elder Ronald A. Rasband spoke to seminary and institute teachers recently. You can watch that awesome address here. He addressed the crisis of suicide among high school teens. He spoke at length of fear juxtaposed to good cheer. Then he reiterated that the Lord...
Replacing Fear with Faith
"We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality." — Seneca I’ve been thinking about this quote all day! What does it even mean? The first line made me ponder, trying to understand more of its meaning—more frightened...
The Effort to Gain a Testimony
This is one in a series of articles about Lauren's conversion story. To read more about her experience, click here. It was just another, sunny, brilliant afternoon in Moab. I sat wedged between my friends on the wooden pews. It was the first Sunday of the...
We All Deserve (TRUE) Love
As I sat pondering what I could write about for Valentine's Day, my mind drifted over the sea of boys I liked before I met my husband. There's a familiar adage that claims "Nice guys finish last," implying that girls only like boys who treat them poorly... And...
Striking a Perfect Pitch
A screaming contest is in session a room or two away from where I am writing today. My wife and two daughters are its participants. I’m not sure why or how this got started, but the laughter following each attempt tells me it is all in good fun. Of the Church's...
A Love Story for Eternity
Everyone loves a good love story—one that tugs at the heart strings and makes you hold your honey a little closer. So when a love story comes along that bridges the gap between this life and the next, it’s worth telling. It’s not simply a story about the...
The Time the Lord Held My Calling for Me
My college years were a time of huge growth. I had new callings and new experiences. But the hardest part was making big life decisions all by myself. I will never forget how hard it was for me to transfer from BYU-Idaho to Southern Utah University. At the time, BYUI...
Feeling Too Ashamed to Pray
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. I've recently had a breakthrough where my prayers have become conversations with the Lord. It's been an awesome...
The Power of Personal Decision-Making
I read something online that said, "It literally feels like January 74th.” I don’t know about you, but not only couldn’t I agree more, but I totally FELT this! I was somewhat comforted by this statement as I realized I’m not the only one who has felt the truth of...
Acts of Kindness
Too often in the world today, we hear people bragging of how they “won” and gained more power for themselves. They often do so by hurting or manipulating someone else to get their way, or by using any number of cruel methods. But what about nice things that we do for...
Never Too Busy
One of the greatest challenges many of us face today is a matter of time. We never seem to have enough of it. Often, if we try to look at things rationally, we'll feel that we should either be able to accomplish more within a given hour, day, or week, or conversely...
Brilliant
Christmas is all about gifts. Now wait a minute. Before you think I am misspeaking, read on. My grandsons are really great. Though only months separate them in age, they are growing up so quickly. I had forgotten how inquisitive new toddlers are but have...
Strengthening Faith
I’ve been writing articles for LDS Blogs for five years. Originally, I wrote weekly articles about marriage. Then I wrote weekly “Daily Dose” articles teaching gospel principles based on a quotation. The last two and a half years, I’ve written bi-weekly articles under...
Are You Kicking Against the Pricks?
I was recently watching a video of a little girl telling the story of Jonah so poignantly. She was emphasizing how Jonah was scared by what the Lord had asked him to do. I started reflecting on my life, to see if I had a Jonah moment — and I realized I did!...
Motivation From Mediocre Sources
Does anyone else feel like a motivation battle begins every time the morning alarm goes off? I feel this incessant pull between “need tos,” “shoulds,” “want tos,” and where I ultimately say I want to be. I’d love to live intentionally. I have wonderful, awesome...
The Real Power of a Covenant
If you've read The Infinite Atonement by Brother Tad R. Callister even once all the way through, you've seen how incredible an author he is. There is one quote in that book that, among over 180 others I collected while I read it the first two times through, sticks out...
Our Own Dirt Roads
The best way I can explain my feelings right now is this: I’m looking up for direction on an isolated dirt road. I know deep in my heart that I’m on the right course. I have traveled this road before. I encountered different bumps and a pothole or two, and the dust...
The Pitfalls of Comparison
As I am writing this, it is my 26th birthday. This birthday has gone about the same as my birthdays from the past four years since I returned from my mission. I always have what could be kindly termed “emotional distress,” but a more accurate term would be “complete...
Grandparenting
Parenting is really great. Now, as my wife and I enter the grandparenting stage, it is turning out to be more wonderful than we ever expected! I have four little grandsons and more on the way. Another daughter is expecting, and still another was just married this...
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