Change up
Retirement is a tricky time. It’s hard to know when to call it quits. Then once you’ve retired it’s hard to know if you can afford that fun vacation, new car, or second home. You may need to be careful. Whatever your circumstances it would be terrible to run out of money. Retirement can be scary. It is important to…
Sandwich Gen
The sandwich generation gets to welcome the newborns and help their aging parents. It is not easy trying to balance the sunrise of the new generation and the sunset of the passing one. We got caught in this strange ebb and flow just recently when two sweet little girls were born into our family. We eagerly made the trek out…
Wisdom’s Ways
Life is a gift that contains a cornucopia of experiences. At times, life can be difficult and lonely. Our individual experiences can separate us from each other and make us believe that no one else can ever understand us. Sometimes the future can look so bleak and scary that even people with great faith are anxious and troubled. As a…
Root of the Problem
The other day I shared my joy at the birth of a long awaited granddaughter. The woman, my neighbor smiled and laughed with me. Then she said, “babies are fine as long as they don’t ruin the planet.” In the distraction of the moment, I didn’t have an appropriate response. But the next morning, I texted her a picture and…
Trust in Trials
You may know someone who has had trouble getting pregnant. The pain and disappointment of childlessness intensifies with each failure or miscarriage. An intensely personal trial, infertility can be very difficult to overcome. Globally, infertility prevalence is estimated at 17.5%. There are fertility treatments and services that can be accessed in first world countries. However, these treatments take time, are…
Foundation Stones
Jesus spoke in parables to ensure that those who truly seek Him would find Him. While those who are only interested in being entertained simply hear a story. Parables contain hidden spiritual truth to the sincere seeker of righteousness. Keeping that in mind, please examine this often misunderstood saying found in Matthew 16:15-18. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that…
He Is Risen!
Skipping over the trials, the scourging, the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, the miracle of the Risen Lord is revealed. Even to this day, the testimonies of His disciples are irrefutable. He revealed Himself to so many. Giving comfort to His grieving disciples, Jesus first revealed Himself to Mary. Mary bore testimony to His other disciples that she had…
Gethsemane
The Lord and His apostles sought the beautiful quiet of the garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus began His infinite atonement. Praying to the Father and suffering the pains of sin, He ultimately took upon Himself the sins of all mankind. 21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold,…
Passover
The first night of Passover, Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It began as Jesus directed his apostles to find a quiet upper room where they could celebrate in the busy, crowded city. During this memorable feast, Jesus washed the Apostle’s feet. A sacred ordinance of service, Jesus took this moment to lovingly instruct His apostles…
Parables
During the last week of his mortal ministry Jesus taught many parables. One of His most well known parables describes 5 foolish virgins who didn’t buy enough oil to last the evening before the bridegroom invited them to enter the marriage feast. They are contrasted to 5 wise virgins who brought enough oil but weren’t willing to share with the…
O Jerusalem!
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord…
Cleansing
The House of the Lord is a place of spiritual reflection. It is a place where those who seek God can find Him in worship. Covenants are made in the Temple and Heaven’s blessings are given. As a place of worship, the Temple is a sacred space and separate from the world. Unfortunately, the priests of Jesus’s day allowed business…
Holy Week
Today is Palm Sunday! The beginning of the week that celebrates the life and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. It was at this time, the ancient Passover week, that so many amazing and awe-inspiring things happened in the history of the world for the benefit of all mankind. The people had heard of the great prophet, Jesus of Galilee, who…
The Whole Earth
Many people in Africa are accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ whole-heartedly. In a recent visit to West Africa, Elder D. Todd Christofferson visited saints in Sierra Leon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Ghana. He even spent an evening with the President and First Lady of Freetown, Sierra Leon. The first lady, Fatima Maada Bio, had visited with Elder Christofferson in…
WISDOM
Not long ago I stumbled across a 2010 address given to a university entitled “Education, A Religious Responsibility” by Russell M. Nelson, MD. In his talk, he points out that when we die we leave all material wealth behind. The only thing we will take with us is the knowledge we’ve acquired. Thus, our continuing education is of eternal import.…
An Informed Mind 2
How does the Holy Ghost speak to me? After baptism, a person is confirmed and told in that blessing to “receive the Holy Ghost”. This – receiving the Holy Ghost is a choice we make each day as we strive to live worthy of His companionship and then choose to listen to His soft impressions.(2) Elder David A. Bednar taught: “As we receive…
An Informed Mind
As a parent and grandparent I want to teach my family what matters most. Understanding that each person is a Child of God who has divine potential is an important concept. Baptism is a necessary step on the path of discipleship. After baptism and confirmation many questions arise, such as, how do I know I have the Holy Ghost with…
Hope Of Youth
Sometimes only young people have the courage to choose what is right. Helmuth Hubener was only 16 years old when he discovered that his government was lying to him and all of their citizens. In spite of great personal danger, he decided to oppose the Nazi party rule. In 1941 he printed out leaflets containing Allied radio broadcasts and his…
Light & Dark
Ever since our first parents ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the world has been divided into light and dark, left and right, good and evil. All things have two sides, all roads lead off into at least two directions. Indeed, every instance of life requires choice. As we make good choices, they can…
Ask, Seek, Knock
The Lord was very clear in His teachings. If we really want to know something, we need to search for the best answer, study it out in our minds, and then ask Him in prayer if our conclusions are right. In D&C 9, Jesus explains – 8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you…
Your Hands, His Hands
“When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation. That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living…
Temple
Temples are sacred spaces dedicated to the worship and work of Heavenly Father – which is the salvation of the human family. His work is exalting and so His House reflects His wonderful purposes in soaring Temple architecture that draws the eye, and the heart, heavenward. As people enter the House of the Lord, they see and experience beautiful artwork…
Senior Missions
Among the 72000 missionaries serving as disciples of Christ in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, over 5300 are senior missionaries. Serving a mission is the new retirement! And now, as senior single brothers are allowed to serve alone, the number of serving seniors is expected to go up. More people are living the joy of missionary service!…
Physician of Wholeness
Recently our US Surgeon General warned us. “Today, we are faced with a profound choice: do we continue with the status quo, marked by pain, disconnection, and division? Or do we choose a different path − one of joy, health, and fulfillment, where we turn toward each other instead of away from each other; where we choose love over fear;…
Secret vs Sacred
Priesthood power was sought by the great prophets of old. Abraham said he sought diligently for priesthood authority that he might administer the ordinances to others (Abraham 1:2). He had a testimony of the work of God and he wanted to be an instrument in the hands of God in bringing many people to salvation through saving ordinances, such as baptism.…
Day of Thanksgiving!
Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love. (Thomas S. Monson) At times I reflect on how difficult it is to bring a newborn into this world. They are without a doubt a lot of work, demanding sleepless nights and a complete disregard for…
Temples!
Temples have always been a part of Heavenly Father’s church on the earth. In fact, the Garden of Eden is considered to be a type of temple, and was the first dwelling place of Adam and Eve – Heavenly Father’s first children. As Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden, He taught them many things, including the plan…
Christmas
Even non-Christian nations celebrate Santa and Christmas without the Christ. When I lived in China, and Indonesia I was surprised by all the Christmas decorations merchants used to entice shoppers to their stores. Merchants, whether they are muslim or buddhist, love Santa and use his jolly figure to sell just about everything. Merchants and advertisements build an anticipation about gifts…
What Science Discovered
Science, or the study of the physical and natural world, has been a boon to mankind in helping us to grow better crops, predict and even curtail natural disasters, and ease human suffering due to virulent diseases. I am no scientist but I love to follow the reasoning of great thinkers. And, it seems that great scientists believe the second…
Questions
It is good to have questions and a natural curiosity about the world around you. Questions often lead to connections and that is how you enlarge the boundaries of your knowledge. However, sometimes you accept the teachings of others without question and that can lead to some surprising discoveries. Just recently, I had one of those discoveries. I was reading…
194 Semi-Annual
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a wonderful General Conference to enjoy and study from every 6 months. Speakers, including the 12 apostles and the first presidency, have sought earnestly to give the message Heavenly Father wants His people to hear. Like most people, I eagerly listen for answers to prayers and for insights that…
Last Hurrah!
For a last summer hurrah we decided to dig for garnets in our own state of Idaho. We had to book ourselves a spot at the Emerald Creek Garnet Area 90 days in advance. We booked in May and we were excited for our August appointment date because star garnets are beautiful! Emerald Creek is just south of St. Maries,…
The Path
Baptism is a very important ordinance, especially since it is the first ordinance and the one that grants the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is awesome that the gift of the Holy Ghost is given just as a person enters into the path of discipleship. This wonderful gift, if used properly, will keep a disciple progressing on that strait…
Siblings
It’s been over 40 years since me and my siblings all got together without our families in tow. As individuals, my brothers, sister, and I have changed, moved, transformed, switched it up and lived our lives. So much has happened in the last 40 years. One thing we know for sure is that time goes by fast! All us kids(…
Eternal Reward
When our mother Lillie died at the age of 64 we were surprised and alarmed that skin cancer was the culprit that cut her life so short. Not one of her parents had lived long enough to die from a cancer of any sort. They had all died before they reached their golden years. Lillie was given 6 months to…
Peacemakers
I have lived among the latter-day saints my entire life. Sometimes, as in Indonesia and China, those saints have been few in number. In every place, I’ve looked to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for friendship, recreation, and information. This type of love and friendship is a gift. I know that there were times in…
Rock of Revelation
Lehi, of the Book of Mormon, was a great prophet. Many of his teachings were difficult for his family to understand. Sometimes his teachings sparked arguments among his children. Nephi, one of Lehi’s sons, didn’t understand the teachings so he went and prayed for more understanding. He was rewarded with his own vision that clarified his father’s teachings. This experience…
Bad Karma
In 2008 I was invited to play tennis one night with other parents at Bangkok International School. It was a round robin format that had all players trading partners at the end of each set. My third partner was Lek, a Thai national. Lek and I played well together and were winning. It was 5-2 and my turn to serve.…
A Good Life
Life is very funny. We all know that it takes time for an embryo to grow to create a child, and yet we are often surprised by the birth. It’s just such a huge change in our lives! So it also is with death. We all know that our lives will end in death, but death always feels like it…
Jasper Nat’l Park
This year we went on an adventure in Jasper National Park. We saw sheep, bear and elk. We didn’t even need to get out of our car to see nature up close. The scenery is spectacular! Where Yellowstone is molded by volcanic activity, Jasper’s landscape is created by glaciers. There are glacial moraines, glacial lakes, avalanches, and Yes! Snow, all…
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