This morning I thought about the fact that Christmas is the birthday party where the Person whose birth is being celebrated brings The Gift. It's a gift that no amount of money can buy. It is the gift of rescue, of transformation, and of Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father, with our Savior, and ... Read More
So What’s So Merry About Christmas?
Merry Christmas everyone! Isn't that the sincere wish on our lips and in our hearts at this time of year for everyone we know? We say it, we write it, we sing it. I thought I might look up the definition of the word "merry" to see just what it is I am hoping for each of you (and frankly for me too). ... Read More
“Hey Lady, Do You Know How To Call Utah?”
One summer night, years ago, I met a different kind of nine-year-old. He was day and night from my little boy, the one I had left at Grandma's, safely watching videos and eating popcorn, with instructions negating any chance of taking part in neighborhood night games (hide and seek, kick the can ... Read More
The Long Way Home
Preface Recovery is about acknowledging, coming to believe, learning to trust, remembering, thinking through, seeking perspective, taking time to review, becoming willing to let go, gathering courage to do hard things, growing in our ability to live by revelation, serving our fellows–and all this ... Read More
Tie Him Up Today
Every day the world is abuzz with tweets and twitters, newscasts and texts, Facebook proclamations and e-mail conversation about how to put an end to evil. No one seems to agree on how this might be accomplished, but one little girl has a pretty good idea of where to begin. Recently my ... Read More
Little Messenger, Big Support
Addendum to “There’s No Way I Signed Up for This?” and “The Perfect Stranger” I’ve had people tell me that the minds of little children and youth aren’t developed enough to understand principles of recovery. I don’t think it’s true. I want to tell you about a little girl who definitely has the Main ... Read More
“There’s No Way I Signed Up For This!”
I believe the doctrine that teaches that we chose to come to earth, that before we came we were prepared for mortality over eons of time by God Himself, and that we were aware of the trials that might come our way. On Spirit filled days I sometimes form a faithful picture of my final pre-earth ... Read More
“Bleak Midwinter”
This morning as I opened my blinds to allow the first light of day into the cozy yellow bedroom I was hopeful for sunshine. But as I pulled the string that opens my view to the world outside and gazed out the window at the gray day these words came to mind. “Snow had fallen, snow on snow.” They are ... Read More