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: "sexism, racism, and doctrine," and had pointed them out to my friend.) My mom, my sister, ... VIEW POST
Your Mission…Should You Decide to Accept It…
“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. "Living the Legacy" was the conference theme and the EFY CD (compact disc) featured Brett Raymond's song, "You Don't Have to Walk the Plains." During this time, I struggled under my workload as a wife, mom to four kids, and as a student pursuing my master's degree. Two additional factors added to 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
Part 2: Suffering a Crisis of Faith? Grow Your Own “Sacred Grove”
The power of a seed: Turning our faith crises into sacred experiences (Update: Sadly, the California wildfires of 2020 have destroyed many parts of Big Basin State Park.) A short time ago, I walked through the majestic redwoods in California's Big Basin State Park located in the Santa Cruz mountains. Just a short drive north from San Jose (or south from San Francisco), I grew up camping and hiking amongst these stately redwoods. Because Big Basin was a short drive from our house, ... VIEW POST
“Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant”
"Come and behold Him!" I must take time from the holiday scurry and scuttle to acknowledge and pay tribute to the Savior and His birth. Each year, the Christmas season brings new meaning and significance for me. And each season increasingly separates me from the festivities of the holidays while pulling me closer to the magnificence of the Savior's birth. Some Western societies/cultures seem to be forgetting and even attempting to erase their roots and traditions in Christianity while ... VIEW POST
Got a Muddy Conscience?
Clear it! A few weeks ago, my husband and I spent a few days at Lake Tahoe to attend our niece's wedding. Every time I visit Tahoe, the lake's deep blue hues and clear water always surprise me. In the summertime, our family has taken our boat out on the water, and there---in the middle of the lake---I have admired the beauty of the changing hues against the green of the surrounding pine trees. In winter, we sometimes skied the slopes. (Well, I tried---I'm not much of a skier.) We admired ... VIEW POST
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"The Ten Virgins" by John Melhuish Strudwick