Ignoring God
When Lehi, the first Book of Mormon prophet we read of, was commanded by God to take his family into the wilderness to escape attempts on his life, his greatest challenge wasn’t leaving behind his wealth. It was the attitude of his two oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel....
Temple Recommend Interviews Aren’t An Interrogation
I had my temple recommend interview tonight with a member of my stake presidency. He opened the interview by telling me a story. A family friend of his had recently lost his mom, and as he was digging through the boxes to settle her estate, he found a collection of...
Our Promise
I love the example of Job. His record attests that he was faithful and true despite tremendous hardship. Rather than cursing God for his struggles and difficult situation, Job praised God all the day long. Job, a just and perfect man, was blessed with great...
Don’t Consider How—Consider Why
There are times in life — perhaps even more often than not — that we feel insignificant, inadequate. We wonder about our purpose and if we're fulfilling it. We wonder if God is pleased with us. Sometimes when we're feeling especially imperfect and inconsequential, we...
How Service Changed My Life
I’ve been watching the terrible and almost non-stop disasters in our world. They just keep growing. As I’ve watched the news with growing heartache, I have noticed something: amidst all the terror, destruction, and chaos, I have seen people reaching out in love and...
Henry M. Tanner Vision: Service and Judging Others
My great grandmother Edith Smith Bushman compiled numerous stories of friends and family who helped settle the Arizonan high plains. She dedicated the stories to her descendants saying, In the early days of Arizona many men and women, some of whom are your...
Don’t Stop Talking: A Modern Cautionary Tale
Just when you think you can relax, something happens and you realize that you can never let your guard down. At least, not when it comes to the Internet and technology and your children. Take this recent example from our family. Like many parents, we gave our...
Voting as a Latter-day Saint
Get out and vote! You can register at vote.org, and you can find a comprehensive list of every issue and candidate in your area (easily explained) at the nonpartisan site ballotready.org. Elections are coming up soon for Americans (November 6th), and some...
School Refusal, Part 2: Fighting Back
In my last article, "School Refusal Part 1," I told you about the long struggle we have had getting my son to attend school regularly. He has what is known as "school refusal." There are four causes of school refusal. But for each reason, there are things that can be...
Heavenly Help
I hate to name drop, but for this article I have to. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, President Russell M Nelson, and President James E Faust are just a few of the men that have counseled and encouraged me throughout my life. Definitely three of the most inspirational...
It’s All About Family
Heavenly Father’s plan is all about family. The family unit is central to the organization of eternity. We’ve been taught this principle from the beginning of time. For many years, we’ve been encouraged to hold family home evening in our homes and teach our children...
School Refusal, Part 1: It’s A Thing
I’ve been afraid to write about this topic because it has been one of the greatest trials of my life. My son has school refusal. Knowing what has been going on, and having a name for it, gives me strength to face it. For all these years, teachers and administrators...
Finding the Warmth of the Son in Freezing Stockholm
A couple of years ago, my sisters, parents, and I planned a trip to visit Egypt and the Holy Land. While booking flights from Honolulu to Cairo, I noticed some awesome flights to Germany where I lived as an au pair during 1996-1997. The Meyers said I could visit for a...
Stand by Your Testimony in the Lions’ Den
The Biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den teaches us to trust God when the world tries to tear down our testimonies.
King Benjamin’s Formula
I love reading the Book of Mormon. It is a lamp unto my feet and manna to my soul. Today I started reading again in the Book of Mosiah. Chapter One speaks of King Benjamin, a righteous king who has worked diligently with many prophets to preach and teach the...
You Have a Diagnosis—Now What?
The time leading up to my son's autism diagnosis was chaotic. We had been struggling for so long to understand his meltdowns and trying to reach him. It was a gift to know what was wrong. I felt relieved, but stunned. It was a relief because we finally knew what the...
My Words Never Cease
I ask your forgiveness for using this platform to express a personal memory. May I take just a moment to reminisce? My dad was an amazing person. I loved being with him. My days were always better when he was a part of them. Whether we were working or playing or doing...
Why Not Believe in God?
A good friend of mine recently announced his 60th birthday on social media. He posted in a letter format, starting by saying, “I don't like growing older. I understand one can't have a good life without growing older in the process. It is life.” I suppose...
You Aren’t Alone
I’ve been struggling to know what is best for my son for a while now. As you may know, I had to pull him out of school about a year ago because of severe bullying. Recovery from that trauma is ongoing, but for the most part he is finally back to his old self. I have...
Share Your Gift and Shine Your Light on Your Stage
The glittery neon lights faded to black on the biggest indoor concert stage in Hawaii leaving just enough light to see the performer putting on a knee-length black coat which subdued her glittery black dress. As she moved to a standing microphone center stage,...
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