An old man in the neighborhood was peaceful. Neighbors wondered what his secret was. He was not healthy or wealthy. Having no family nearby, he spent much of his day alone. But he expressed genuine interest in all around him, and he seemed to relish each new day. When a young boy asked him why he was so happy, the man replied that it was because he had the precious present. The boy wondered what the present could be. Could... Read more
“Count your many blessings; name them one by one, /And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.” This well known hymn may have been the first “adult” hymn many sang as children. It’s catchy tune and phrases give us something positive to carry in our minds. However, I recommend a mindset that takes out “one by one”—which slows us up. I prefer the approach taught by Amulek and handed down through the ages: “Live in thanksgiving daily” (Alma... Read more
For as long as I can remember, I have looked up to my paternal grandmother’s grandfather, John Taylor, whose influence is strong two generations later in the lives of his descendants and of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide. Influenced by his deeply spiritual and devoutly religious parents, John Taylor developed an intense determination to find and share truth, which would take him far beyond the small English village where he was born. When I... Read more
The invitation from Jesus was to “sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). Does selling everything feel like too big of a price to pay to follow Christ? Good news is that this instruction to the rich young ruler does not apply to us. We are all invited to gather together—in congregations, at special designated sites, and in homes—to follow Jesus. You are invited... Read more
Children may learn to know Christ’s loving face. I feel my Savior’s love / In all the world around me. His Spirt warms my soul, / Through ev’rything I see . . . I feel my Savior’s love; / Its gentleness enfolds me, And when I kneel to pray, / My heart is filled with peace.1 What a blessing this song is, whether sung by a child in wonder or an adult in gratitude. Phrases like “warms my soul” and... Read more
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7-8). This promise in the Sermon on the Mount encourages us to take our needs, thoughts, and questions to the Lord. When He was no longer on this earth, Jesus reversed this image with John the Revelator: “Behold, I... Read more
When I was a child in the Virginia/Maryland area, we used to buy crab cakes at a small “hole in... Read more
Walking by faith does not ensure that everything will be easy or work out in the short term. But we can be comforted by the assurance in Ether 12:4 that we can “with surety hope for a better world.” The Lord will place moments in our lives when if we press forward with no doubt, our faith in action can bring miracles, drawing us closer to Christ as we place our trust and hope in Him. A Predicament Recently my... Read more
Jesus of Nazareth is always our ultimate model for living peaceably together. And loving one another. Even the neighbor who lives differently than you do. Christ taught, by example, the power and purpose of what true interfaith community building can look like. Despite his Jewish upbringing, Jesus transcended the particular boundaries of His faith and reached outside His own culture, building interfaith connections. Christ’s Teachings and Examples We can read of Jesus’ interfaith connections throughout the scriptures: including Mark and... Read more
Prophets through the ages have taught God’s children to stand steadfast in holy places, refusing when tempted to move. Doing so gives them spiritual and physical safety in a turbulent world, enabling spiritual growth and progress in life. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that “we need to be in holy places because that is where we can best feel the Spirit of the Lord,” that spiritual survival is not possible “without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence... Read more
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