More than a century after the Jews were carried captive into Babylon lived a man by the name of Haman. His story begins in Esther 3 in the Old Testament. King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, putting him above all the princes. The servants of the king in the king’s gate all bowed to Haman, all ...
I was waiting in my car for my kids after school let out this week when I noticed an incoming call from a phone number I did not recognize. I thought it might be a telemarketer, but I felt compelled to answer, so I did. “Hello?” I skeptically asked. “Who is this?” came the reply on ...
Last week, I found myself pondering the idea of gratitude. In doing this, I started thinking of things that I was grateful for. Then, however, a thought came to my mind. What if I no longer had this thing for which I am now grateful? Would I become bitter? Then, another thought came. What about ...
Last week, I had my six-month checkup at the dentist office. As I am sure many can sympathize with, it’s hardly a day I anticipate with eagerness. Thankfully, I don’t dread it as much as I once did. My attitude toward going to the dentist changed about 10 years ago. I had just started ...
When I was on my Latter-day Saint mission in Taiwan, there was a phrase I often heard by the people who we would attempt to teach: “Kao Zi Ji.” Simply put, it means, “Rely on oneself." Respectfully, I just can’t do that. And I’m not ashamed of it. I know that I have a Heavenly ...
My favorite talks in church are the ones in which the speaker draws on personal experiences to provide instruction on whatever gospel subject they are discussing. In those moments, I find my focus completely fixed on the message and I realize how similar the speaker is to me, attempting to ...
Last week, I was walking my two sons to school in the driving snow. Walking to school has become a necessity as of late because the transmission in my car faltered. Thankfully, it’s less than a mile walk, but in the snow, it’s not particularly pleasant. About halfway there, a woman from ...
There’s a story I read once about Joseph Smith, founder and first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that made such an impression on me that I haven’t forgotten it. As the story goes, while Smith was in Far West, Missouri, at his parents’ home, armed militiamen ...
There’s a vague memory inside my head from when I was a young child, perhaps only 8 or 9 years old. I was lying in bed one evening and found myself pondering life after death. I don’t remember much about the thoughts I had at the time, but I remember being gripped with fear by the ...
On Palm Sunday, in the lead-up to Easter, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged members to be peacemakers and to interact with others in a more civil manner. During the morning session of the 193rd Annual General Conference of the church, speakers encouraged others ...
