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Walking in Darkness at Noon-day
One night in our early married years, the phone rang after we’d turned out the lights and gone to bed. I leaped out of bed and ran in the dark from one end of the house to the other to answer it before it woke the baby. On the way, I stubbed my toe. I answered the phone in the pleasantest voice I could muster, and found that I was speaking to the bishop. I don’t remember what the conversation was about, but I distinctly remember the pain I was in from my throbbing toe. I’m sure Bishop Jarman would have been greatly distressed to know that I was suffering while talking to him, but I didn’t let him in on my secret.
Read MoreTriad of Truth
In the April 2012 general conference Elder L. Tom Perry commented that neither the Bible nor the Book of Mormon is sufficient alone. That made me wonder if the two of them together are sufficient without the words of our modern prophets. My answer is no.
Read MoreStrait and Narrow
We speak about walking the strait and narrow. The scriptures say a good deal about the “strait and narrow path.” (2 Ne. 31:18-19). This is an interesting phrase. On the surface it seems redundant since strait, as it’s spelled, means narrow. It’s a phrase used by the Savior when He taught both the people of Jerusalem and also the Nephites. He said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat;
Read MoreWho’s Doing the Whispering?
The ultimate thrust of all God’s purposes is for His children to feel the Spirit. If we don’t home teach, attend Sunday School, sing the hymns, go to church, or hold Family Home Evening we don’t feel the Spirit that those activities would otherwise make us open to. The best way of all for me to feel the Spirit is to be in the temple. If I don’t go, I miss the opportunity to feel the Spirit. The second best way for me personally to feel and hear the Spirit is to ponder, pray and write. When I’m studying a subject to the extent of having to organize my thoughts into a coherent article or talk, the Spirit always teaches me. I learn as I write.
Read MoreHardening-Off
“Hardening-off” is a horticultural term describing the process used to mature and make hardier a succulent plant. Hardening-off is performed on seedlings before transplanting. It is accomplished by withholding water to the point of near permanent wilt or by reducing temperature. Such adverse conditions increase a plant’s ability to withstand cold, the wilting effects of constant winds, intense sunlight and the ravages of sucking insects.
Read MoreDon’t Sell Yourself for Naught
We live in a unique period of the world’s history. In nearly all former times and cultures people were bought and sold. Slavery and servitude were common practices among nearly all people. I believe that it has only been in recent times that slavery and human trafficking has largely been abolished.
Read MoreRudeness Bites—Kindness Scores
The trouble with Laman and Lemuel was rudeness. They seemed to know nothing of kindness, and were, instead, caught up in selfishness, criticism, murmuring, and extreme rudeness. Nephi used the word “rudeness” twice in one verse when referring to his brothers. While aboard the ship he says that they “began…to speak with much rudeness, yea…they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.” (1 Ne. 18:9).
Read MoreCarefree, Complacent and Comfortable
We received a Christmas letter from a woman who reported on the doings of her family. One son and his wife had only one child. There would be no more because “one is all the children they can handle.” The other son is “not married and will never have children but does have girlfriends, lives rather a rogue life in that he prefers living out of his van, but is happy that way.” Her former husband has left his wife of 20 years.
Read MoreMaking and Keeping Sacred Covenants
Covenants are never mentioned in other churches. The covenants have been forgotten. They’re not understood, they’re ignored, and are unimportant in their eyes.
Read MoreInvisibility and Other Protections
We’re going to memorize a scripture tonight. It’s one of my very favorites. It comes from Doctrine and Covenants 84:88. Can you repeat that with me?…Section 84 is the section of the Doctrine and Covenants that contains the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood. Repeat each line after me. It goes like this:
Read MoreWilliam Tyndale
If I was to make a short list of the individuals who have made the most significant, positive impacts upon the world in the past 2000 years, I would list Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Christopher Columbus, and William Tyndale.
Read MoreIf Not Me, Who?
One Sunday as the bishop surveyed the congregation from the stand at the beginning of sacrament meeting, he became unsettled when he noticed that Sister Mensing was not in her usual place. The meeting was already under way, but the bishop was so bothered by the faithful widow’s absence that he arose and went to his office to call her. There was no answer.
Read MoreKeep Your Covenants
This is the talk that I gave at Samuel’s baptism. It isn’t an exact transcription of what was actually said, but it is the official message of what I want Samuel (and the rest of my posterity) to have, to remember, and to keep.—Saturday 11 December 2010
Read MoreTurning Up the Lights
Joseph said that he went to the woods “on the morning of a beautiful, clear day.” He may have knelt in the shade; but if it was cool, and since he was obviously enjoying the feel of the spring day, he probably knelt in the sunshine.
Read MoreWhat’s the Value of the Holy Ghost?
While on company assignment a few days ago, Tory Baxter stopped at a service station in an out-of-the-way place to use the rest room. While there, the Holy Ghost told him that he was going to be asked to help someone, and that he was not to do so. As he went back to his vehicle he was approached by a clean-cut young man carrying a gas can. The young man explained that he had run out of gas down the road and needed a ride back to his car. Tory told him that he was driving a company car, that it was against the rules to have unauthorized passengers in the car, and that he, therefore, couldn’t help him.
Read MoreIn the World but not of it
Sunday I went early to church to see a member of an earlier ward, and then sat in my pickup finishing the lesson preparation for my 11-year-old Primary class. With the front of my pickup nosed into the bushes that line the east fence of the parking lot, I became aware of rustlings in the dry leaves, and of the soft noises that quail make as they talk to one another.
Read MoreWhat’s in a Name?
Cover of “In a Grove of Aspens”
Read MoreIllusions of Greatness
I just arose from a very disturbing dream. I was told that one of my good friends and Church members was now a general in the adversary’s army. He came riding by on a horse at the head of this army. He was way in advance of the army, so he was the only individual that I saw. But I caught a glimpse of his face. This is what was so disturbing about the dream. I initially couldn’t believe that he could have fallen so far as to lead Satan’s army, but it was him all right. I could recognize his former self and former countenance, but it had changed so much as to be almost unbelievable. The shine was gone. His strength and vitality and handsomeness were gone. He was ugly. He had aged dramatically. He couldn’t keep his head upright. It tilted badly to the side, and there was an inner trembling and shakiness evident.
Read MoreWhere Am I in this Picture?
I’d like to paint some pictures for you, and ask you a question. The first picture is actually already painted. It’s the picture of Noah standing on a pile of logs, with arms upraised, as he harangues the jeering and mocking crowd that has gathered to make fun of him for building a huge boat up on a wooded mountain. He’s plainly exasperated by their hard-headedness and hard-heartedness, and they’re plainly convinced that he is out of his mind.
Read MoreWhat Lack I Yet?
In rereading the New Testament two questions asked therein have given me pause for a good deal of thought.
Read MoreDoctrines Pertinent to the Plan of Salvation
DOCTRINES PERTINENT TO THE PLAN OF SALVATION
AS UNDERSTOOD BY
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Me, a Shepherd in Israel
This is the topic the stake presidency gave Marjorie and the other stake leaders upon which they are to speak this coming year. When I heard it, my mind immediately added punctuation so that the topic became, “Me?!! A Shepherd in Israel.” I might also add the phrase, “Are you kidding?”—I’m a nobody, and everyone else knows it. I’m just a common person and am not capable of herding people around.
Read MoreHelps From Heaven
Our Father in Heaven is fixated upon one primary, ultimate, supreme goal. All of His great love and wisdom is concentrated upon doing all in His power, short of force, to return us, His children, to Him. He says, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39). In our quest to find Him, and learn to implicitly follow and obey Him, He has given us helps, which if properly utilized, cannot help but safely lead us home to His presence.
Read MoreJosiah and Lehi—Contemporaries
Cover of “In a Grove of Aspens”
Read MoreImmersing Ourselves in the Scriptures
The first law of thermodynamics says that energy in a system cannot be created or destroyed. It can, however, be converted into another form, or transferred to another system.
Read MoreCreation Versus Chaos
The first law of thermodynamics says that energy in a system cannot be created or destroyed. It can, however, be converted into another form, or transferred to another system.
Read MoreTemples and Temple Work
Before I get into bed at night, I always kneel and have prayer. As part of my prayer last Saturday night I prayed specifically for direction about the lesson on knowledge that I’d be teaching the High Priests the next day. I thus went to bed thinking about the lesson, and about our need to be in daily pursuit of the acquisition of knowledge. My body and mind relaxed, and I rested through the night.
Read MoreAre Latter-Day Saints Christian?
Editor, Baker City Herald:
Due to the presidential candidacy of a member of the LDS Church, there is currently a great deal of talk in the media about the Mormons. Much of it is misinformation. You would do a great service by publishing the following facts, as provided by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the talk he gave in general conference October 6, 2007. A shortened version of the list follows, but I have also enclosed the full text of his talk for your use.
Priorities
Many years ago there was an article in the newspaper about a dog race in England. The greyhounds had spent their lives chasing a mechanical rabbit around the track. The newsworthy thing about this race was that on this particular day a real rabbit had run across the track in front of the dogs—and the dogs gave it not the slightest notice! I thought to myself, “What foolish dogs, chasing a false rabbit that they can never catch.” My next thought was, “How fortunate that we’re humans and have our priorities straight. We have more sense than to chase uncatchable mechanical rabbits.”
Read MoreListening for the Spirit
John Burroughs, the naturalist, was once walking through a busy city park when he heard the beautiful song of a bird. He stopped to listen. As he did so he noticed that none of his companions nor anyone around him had heard it. He took a coin from his pocket and tossed it in the air. When it hit the pavement with a metallic ring, every head turned. That was a sound to which their ears were attuned.
Read MoreDefining Moments
I took my son to the temple for his marriage. He and his bride were taken away by a temple worker to review paper work and have a preliminary interview. I was left to sit and wait near the top of the stairs inside the entrance to the Boise Temple.
Read MoreLighting the World
Our purpose in life is to bring light into the world.
Each person is born with the light of Christ. It is a free gift. What each individual does with that light thereafter is up to him. Many extinguish it. Many let it lie dormant, neither extinguishing nor feeding it. Some work to increase their light and the lights of others.
Stranded on Earth
Death is the surest evidence that our Father loves us. He knows us and remembers us. He does not leave us stranded here on earth.
Read MoreThe Purpose of Meetings
What is the purpose of stake priesthood leadership meetings? More particularly, what is the reasoning behind stake priesthood leadership meeting on stake conference weekend? The meeting happens twice a year, right in the middle of a busy Saturday afternoon. Everyone with anything at all to do must choose between 10 other worthy projects and attendance at priesthood leadership.
Read MoreIndividual Worth
A talk given at La Grande 5th Branch conference 17 November 1996.
Some years ago I had the opportunity of living in an Arabic country for 15 months. What I’m about to say is not fair because I never learned their language, was never invited into their homes, and never learned about their customs. But I formed an opinion of the people. My opinion was that they were surly, feisty, and humorless.
The Gospel Purpose and Plan
24 October 1994
Katie received a blessing in which she was told that her life was fitting into the gospel purpose and plan. As she has reflected on that statement, she asked if I would write about how my life does that. I agreed to think about it.
Joseph Smith’s 200th Birthday (newspaper version)
Latter-day Saints have cause to celebrate: December 23rd is the 200th birthday of their church’s founder, Joseph Smith. They’ve been celebrating all year, holding extravaganzas of dance, music, and plays.
Read MoreJoseph Smith’s 200th Birthday
Latter-day Saints the world over have cause to celebrate: December 23rd is (was) the 200th birthday of their church’s founder, Joseph Smith.
And celebrate they are. They’ve been doing it all year. From Seoul to San Diego, and from Portland to Portugal they’ve been holding extravaganzas of dance, music, plays and parties.
Preach My Gospel
The stake presidency asked a couple of weeks ago if I would speak to you in this setting on ways to implement Preach My Gospel in our homes. I said, “Sure.” I even knew what Preach My Gospel is. It’s this new book, published by the Church just last year.
Read MoreStaying Anchored
Family letter 8 March 2006
Abby asked me an interesting question. She wondered if I would prefer to die in a world being flooded by water or in a world being burned by fire.
Kindness
The very basis for all of Jesus’ teachings may be summed up in His oft-repeated admonition to “love one another.”
Read MoreHelp From the Other Side
I often wonder about my deceased parents and parents-in-law. What are they doing? Where are they?
Read MoreMusic
Sacrament Meeting Talk
Sunday 14 December 2003
My wife, Margie, and my sister, Judy (Brazofsky), agreed to supply the music for this assignment if I’d do the speaking. I’m grateful for the talents with which they’ve been blessed
The Dam Has Broken
I would like to tell of two events which took place in my neighborhood. Just over a century ago a tragedy occurred about five miles south of my house. On a night in June 1896 the seven members of the Clark French family retired to their beds in their home at
Read MoreWhat Happened?
Cover of “In a Grove of Aspens”
Read MoreTable of Contents
Cover of “In a Grove of Aspens”
Read MoreSelected Sermons
Cover of “Poems”
Read MoreSilverware
Most of all, I think eternal marriage cannot be achieved without a commitment to make it work.
Read MoreJoseph Apologized to Emma
David Whitmer, a close associate of the Prophet and one of the Three Witnesses for the Book of Mormon
Read MoreNo Cross Words Ever
(A story that I’ve used countless times, and which has greatly impacted my life. It was given by Elder Boyd K. Packer in general conference, October 1972).
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