Blessings

The branches in my family tree are filled with folks who have a stubborn streak few can rival. In some ways, that stubbornness can be a good thing, but usually, it is not. At the heart of this stubbornness is pridefulness. When we feel threatened, disappointed, or uneasy, our pride thrusts upon us an unbending will that is difficult to maneuver around. I have had to learn how to humble myself in response to unexpected circumstances and perceived threats.

A natural tree whose branches are rigid and are not able to sway...

How many of us have known a missionary who really liked to “bash”? In my missionary days, “bashing” meant that the Elder or Sister would go head-to-head with someone trying to come off victorious in a battle of words. In other words, they enjoyed a heated debate. A debate typically means holding a discussion with opposing viewpoints. I see it as trying to “prove” the strength of an argument or “side.”

There is often a difference between a discussion and a debate. A discussion seems to be the creation of...

I love the wisdom of the Savior’s teachings. When those at His feet asked Him a question, He often responded with a parable, ensuring that they would need to apply it to themselves to find the answer. One such parable is regarding the woman and the lost piece of silver. Luke 15:8-9 records “What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath...

In our last conference, President Nelson shared his enthusiasm for a new understanding regarding the gathering of Israel. With the help of two Hebrew scholars, he learned that the name Israel means “let God prevail”.

He shared, “Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul! The word willing is crucial to this interpretation of Israel. We all have our agency. We can choose to be of Israel, or not. We can choose to let God prevail in our lives,...

All people are sent to the earth are blessed through the plan of our Savior to make choices for themselves. That includes the choice to continue partaking of the Lord’s goodness through sacred ordinances, or not.

When children are small, we families do our best to instill in them the love of the gospel and explain principles that, when followed, will bring eternal happiness, peace, joy, and unimaginable blessings. President Thomas S. Monson mentioned the responsibility of teaching children in a conference address. He said, “There...