John and Steph's Houston Mission

  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...

What do you want to be when you grow up? It is a classical question commonly asked of children and youth. Of course, the answers change as we mature and become more aware of the possibilities, and many of us do not settle on a specific answer until college, having been surprised by previously unknown options. When I was three, I wanted to grow up to be Superman. At twelve, I thought being Mr. Spock would be ideal. At 15 electrical engineering was looking pretty good having had a good first run at computer programming on my Commodore PET, so at 18 I started down that path at college.  But that vision was refined when I was on my earlier mission at the age of 23. I was serving in Pittsfield, Massachusetts at the time. Interestingly, it was the town where I was born while my dad was employed in the accounting department of the General Electric transformer factory. On my mission, I was visiting with a man who worked for GE. He essentially asked me the same classical question mentioned ...

It's been a long minute since my last post. Time easily slips away when you are engaged in demanding activities, so let me post a few thoughts as they flow today.  It has been surprising how much energy is required to simply support individuals as they navigate their own lives. Trying to help someone improve the way they budget, providing a bit of senior care to ensure they get to their doctor's appointments, or simply visiting with and listening to people of any age because everyone needs to be seen and heard, require both physical and emotional energy. Stephanie and I have time for those things right now and the results of such service to others are days with tired bodies but joyful souls.    Proselyting itself is a young man's sport, however. That's not to say that we don't get to speak with people about the Church and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, but putting in a day's work to find people who may be interested in learning more and are courageous enou...