(This post was originally written in 2019.) "High on the mountain top, a banner is unfurled . . . " Over the years, I have watched many young women and their entourages arrive in limos to the Oakland Temple grounds. Shadowed by a professional photographer, girls have their photos taken for their quinceañeras using the Oakland Temple as a backdrop. A quinceanera is a Latin American Catholic tradition for girls when they reach the age of fifteen. At first, I was taken aback by all the ... VIEW POST
The Holy Temples Beckon
Part 1: Suffering a Crisis of Faith? Feed Your Faith, Starve Your Doubts
(Original Post Date: March 13, 2017) Growing our own Sacred Grove The 1980s were challenging years for me. I began 1980 as a newlywed and began the 1990's as a mom to four kids. One of my difficulties involved questions of faith. Born and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had always had a rock-solid testimony of the gospel and of the Church. Still, like many young adults, I had questions regarding Church doctrine and LDS culture. My older sister, Janet, was ... VIEW POST
The Giving Tree and The Proud Tree
Nothing left to give? Every Sunday evening, I attended the Latter-day Saint Women's Support Group and listened as the women gradually exposed their vulnerability and anguish due to addiction within their families. (Even though mental illness has lost much of its societal stigma, addiction is still shrouded in secrecy and shame---especially within our American LDS culture.) The sisters' individual stories were sad and distressing: My son hates me.I have nothing left to give.I'm ... VIEW POST
Your Mission…Should You Decide to Accept It…
Does your mission seem impossible? "You spend too much time reading all those textbooks. Why don't you read Harry Potter?" advised my mom. "You don't read much fiction do you?" observed my sister. "Those topics would interest YOU," my friend said to me with a hint of condescension. (We had just seated ourselves for a Relief Society meeting when I noticed three words written on the chalkboard from a previous meeting. I pointed out the words to my friend. The words on the chalkboard ... VIEW POST
“You Don’t Have to Walk the Plains to Be a Pioneer”
Tired of pulling your handcart? In 1996, two of my kids attended the Especially For Youth conference (EFY) sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The theme of the conference was called "Living the Legacy." One of the featured songs on the EFY conference CD was titled "You Don't Have to Walk the Plains," sung by Brett Raymond. At the time, I was pursuing a master's degree and struggling with the workload while being a mother to four children. Additionally, my ... VIEW POST
Part 3: Suffering a Crisis of Faith? A Bitter Root Produces Bitter Fruit
Got a shovel and clippers? I'm not into gardening, but I did marry an Idaho farm boy. My husband can grow almost anything. Over the years, he has taught me some basic principles about planting, sowing, and harvesting. (I've always been familiar with scriptural metaphors of bitter roots producing bitter fruit, but I was clueless regarding the earthly components of this spiritual and temporal principle.) I've come to appreciate more fully the miracle of planting and harvesting. Furthermore, ... VIEW POST
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