The Lord loves integrity of heart. Integrity means wholeness, completeness, or purity. We can achieve and maintain it just as building inspectors ensure structural integrity—by looking for "cracks" in our discipleship and repairing them before they become large enough to threaten our spiritual foundation.
To My Readers: An Invitation
I'm excited to announce that two weeks from today, on October 23, I will be speaking at the 2025 Book of Mormon Culture Conference at Brigham Young University. The conference is co-sponsored by the Book of Mormon Arts & Letters Foundation and the BYU History Department. My presentation will explore the role of psalms in... Continue Reading →
“I Will Remember Mercy”
In 1833, church members in Missouri were struggling. The Lord explained that some of the adversity they were experiencing was self-inflicted, but He added "notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion." As President Holland has promised, "It is not possible for [us] to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines."
God’s Law and Our Constitutional Covenant
In August 1833, the Lord taught church members how we should respond when our rights and freedoms are in jeopardy. First, we ought to commit fully to follow His laws. Second, obey civil laws which are constitutional. Third, recruit and support good people to serve in public office.
John 1 and Doctrine and Covenants 93
John opens his gospel by testifying of the Savior's premortal divinity. In Doctrine and Covenants 93, the Savior builds on that testimony, adding additional insight and explaining how His story is relevant to us. He makes it possible for us to grow from grace to grace and receive of the fulness of the Father.
Not to Destroy, but to Build Up
The Savior told Joseph Smith that the Book of Mormon and the church are intended to build up what people already have, not to destroy it. As we interact with others, we must be careful not to disparage or minimize the good things they bring to the table, but to build upon them.
Ten Years
I wrote my first blog post on October 9, 2014. Ten years later, I can say that studying the Book of Mormon daily, sharing what I have learned, and striving to apply its precepts in my life has been most rewarding. Thank you for joining me on the journey!
Songs, Sermons, Lessons, and Prayers
Moroni and Paul both explained that church services ought to include a variety of content provided by a variety of people. As we share what we have to contribute and learn from others, under the guidance of the Spirit, we are all edified.
They Know Not
Acknowledging the boundaries of human knowledge can help us forgive. Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." We can also extend grace to others by assuming they will do better when they know better.
A Little Leaven
Three lessons from the Parable of the Leaven: 1. Leaven has to be in the dough to work, so participate actively. 2. Leaven works over time, so be patient. 3. Leaven is distributed across the dough, so trust that your work is part of something greater.