Jesus Wept—Why Can’t We?
Grieving does not mean we lack Christian faith–after all, even Jesus wept when his friend died.
Why Choose Discipleship?
People look to Christ for many different reasons, just as they did during His mortal ministry. Some came looking for miracles, some to have their daily needs met, some to try and find fault with Him, some to seek forgiveness, some to learn from Him, become His...
Family Unity
One of the major themes of April 2018 LDS General Conference was unity. I’ve been thinking about unity in various settings since General Conference, but lately what comes to mind is unity in the family. Family unity can be fostered when children are very young....
Mental Question Shelf—Where to Put Your Questions Until They’re Answered
My internal conflict came to a head as I drove up an interstate onramp towards a vivid sunset. I don't remember where I'd been or where I was going, but I remember everything about that moment. I can wind it down in total slow motion. Passing the tiny misshapen tree...
Called to Serve
Earlier this week, the Sister missionaries who serve in our ward sat with me as we waited for an investigator to meet with us. Since he was late, we had time to chat. The Sisters quietly asked me if there were something they needed to do differently in our ward...
Growing One Mistake into Two
My dog recently made a mistake: he injured himself. We don’t know how he did it. He literally put his body part somewhere it didn’t belong and got a nice size cut on it. Dogs are not easy to bandage at all, but especially some parts over others. We’ve been in daily...
Comparison: the Thief of Joy
I’ve heard it said that comparison is the thief of joy. You know what else is the thief of joy? Canker sores. I have two. On my gums. Ruining my life. (I'm obviously not exaggerating whatsoever.) When you’re SO excited for the guacamole you’re about to...
Finding Answers and Figuring it All Out
I have always loved brain teasers. You know, the riddle sort of challenges that help stretch your mind and require an increase in the number of neurons. Brain cells notwithstanding, I enjoy the challenge. But admittedly, if I can't figure it out, I am able to seek...
Lessons Learned from Jericho
It was a hesitant comment. She felt inspired but didn’t fully understand how it all fit. She felt that loving her family when they were choosing things that wouldn't be good for them was like walking around Jericho: it could lead to miracles, even though it was a...
Free to Be Happy
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or the Mormon Church, as many people call it. I am what is called a ‘convert’ to the Church, which means that I was taught the gospel by missionaries and I joined as a young woman, of my own free will...
Sin Is An Inversion of God’s Attributes
"I wish you to understand that sin is not an attribute in the nature of man, but it is an inversion of the attributes God has placed in him. Righteousness tends to an eternal duration of organized intelligence, while sin bringeth to pass their dissolution" (Brigham...
Plan and Prepare and Then Do
Imagine that you are about to go explore the Artic. As you step off the plane into the frigid Arctic winds, you realize that you do not have a coat, boots, nor any other necessary item for survival in this harsh environment. None of us is so foolish as to...
Knowing Your End from the Beginning
Outside of a few side projects, I have spent most of the last 14 years as an engineer on a single enterprise, or set of contracts, for the same overall system. I have had great opportunities to work many different aspects of the system, but what’s funny is that I’ve...
Childless and Elevating Motherhood–Bruised, Battle-Scarred, Joyful
(This article was previously published on Delisa’s blog at Patheos.com.) Three-year-old Rockwell didn't seem convinced that you could love mean monsters into kindness even with his amazing powers as a superhero. But I emphatically promised he could....
Aligning My Will With God’s
As our new, beloved prophet President Russell M. Nelson has recently been sustained as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) in solemn assembly, we should probably review what we know about prophets of God. Prophets are the...
Counsel to Those Who Lead
As our son has served in various leadership roles throughout his mission, he has reached out for guidance and counsel from his father, who taught in the MTC for several years following his own mission. This article is for our son—a compilation of his father’s...
Going Where God Leads You
Yesterday, in my weekly religion class, we talked about Abraham, of the Old Testament. God instructed Abraham to leave and get away from his family and homeland, where idolatry was being practiced. (See Genesis 12.) We noted this is a common practice in the...
Faith in the Face of Tremendous Odds
This article was published by the author previously in December of 2015. This version has been edited for clarity and additional information has been added. How I love reading the Book of Mormon. I've lost track of the number of times I've completed it and...
Overcoming Illusions: The Future is as Bright as Your Faith
We have all had one of those experiences when looking at an optical illusion: we don’t see what others see. They may try and help us—stand to the side, stare at it, focus on nothing—but we can’t seem to see what others clearly recognize. There are literally...
Conquering FOMO: The Fear of Missing Out
We all experience FOMO, or the fear of missing out, at some point in our lives. My step-daughters came home from their mom's one Sunday and began telling me of the fun activities they did with her. As my biological daughter listened, I could tell from her...