John and Steph's Houston Mission

  It’s not an uncommon thing to ask children, and even adults, who they count as heroes. In church, the heroes are usually individuals from the scriptures, perhaps David because of the battle with Goliath, or Gideon for his ultimate valor following initial hesitancy, or Paul for his determination, zeal and courage. For Latter-day Saints, heroes are as likely to be individuals from The Book of Mormon - Nephi for his unrelenting faith, Captain Moroni for his integrity, strength and valiance, Ammon for his sword skills and stalwart example. But I would like to point out a few other people that are not as frequently considered.  By way of background and introduction, there is in The Book of Mormon a narrative (see Mosiah 27 ) of a group of friends who were children of the leadership of the Nephite nation - one of two main groups of people whose history is recorded in that truly remarkable book. The leader of the Nephite church was a man named Alma. He had a son whose name was also...

Savior, Redeemer of My Soul Written by Orson F Whitney (1855-1931) Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, #112 Also popular with different music by Rob Garner Savior, Redeemer of My Soul 1. Savior, Redeemer of my soul, Whose mighty hand hath made me whole, Whose wondrous pow’r hath raised me up And filled with sweet my bitter cup! What tongue my gratitude can tell, O gracious God of Israel. 2. Never can I repay thee, Lord, But I can love thee. Thy pure word, Hath it not been my one delight, My joy by day, my dream by night? Then let my lips proclaim it still, And all my life reflect thy will. 3. O’errule mine acts to serve thine ends. Change frowning foes to smiling friends. Chasten my soul till I shall be In perfect harmony with thee. Make me more worthy of thy love, And fit me for the life above.

  The Prophet Isaiah Writes About the Birth of Jesus Christ In the first chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, God calls to the people of Israel Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. ( Isa 1:16-20 ) There are many things that I love about these verses. Among them is the invitation "Come now, and let us reason together." It is not unlike a parent sitting down to talk things over with a struggling teenager. "Let's think about this. Let's look at the situation ...

A little something from 40+ years ago, written while sitting on the floor of a basketball court as a callow missionary in Lake Placid, New York as I pondered on the immense gratitude I felt for the experiences I had between August 1983 and November 1985. It was then that God taught me that I was not some lost and forgotten soul, a meaningless cipher in a dark and cold universe. Instead, I mattered to Him and I determined to be a disciple. Although I've been an imperfect one, the purpose has been the primary theme and rationale for my life, my raison d'etre.  I know that you matter to Him, too. Slow down, listen, and let your heart soften enough to really hear Him! Then come and see.  As I entered into the castle of the great and mighty King, To be with my friends and family, to laugh and dance and sing, I found them waging a bloody war with axe and spear and sword. Their hearts were filled with bitter hate; I watched without a word, Then looked around to see if I could find a...

 The dawning of a new year is traditionally a time for people to reflect on the past and make resolutions for the future. It is in that spirit that I offer this post. In order to make meaningful resolutions, it is important to first think about one's priorities. What is most important to you? What motivates you? Where do you want to go? What do you want to become and then to accomplish - not only in the coming year, but in the long-term? Answering such questions honestly can reveal much to oneself. It can help you also focus on what tenets, philosophies, approaches, and actions will bring you the greatest return on your investment toward achieving your desired ends. It is, of course, my hope that anyone reading this has goals and heart-felt desires that are truly good, not merely for self, but for their families, friends and all people the world over. And to that end, I would propose that one consider some of the suggested priorities listed in scripture.  Perhaps the most impo...

When I started this blog, the intent was to provide some documentation of our experiences, but also with the hope that a few of my thoughts might be uplifting to someone who might read it. And I was hoping that friends, family, and colleagues who are both members and not members of the Church would read it. I didn't expect a large number of visits - I don't imagine myself as any type of media "influencer" after all.  I can see how many times each post is visited and it's clear there are a few  that have have seen any of them. I find myself laughing, with some feelings of commiseration, at the current commercial of a family dressed up for the holidays as reindeer (I think). The parents with their two children are getting a picture made. The oldest child insists "You had better not post this!" In reply, the younger child points out "She has like 27 followers." The clear message is "Who cares if she posts it, nobody of any consequence will se...

In this post, I invite you to examine with me one of the great parables taught by Jesus recorded in  Luke 10:25-37  of the New Testament. The parable is evoked when Jesus is asked a deeply important question by a lawyer, an expert in the Law of Moses.  25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. This initial exchange is remarkable on its own. Jesus courteously recognized, acknowledged and even acquiesced to the experience, expertise and knowledge of the lawyer. He was aware that the lawyer knew the right answer to his own question and side-stepped what was, apparently, an effo...