So many of you are going through such difficult, refining trials right now. I stand in awe of your faith, trust in the Lord, and sheer grit to keep going day after day, hour after hour, and minute after minute. One of my very favorite scripture stories is of the woman with an issue. Isn’t she all of us? We all have issues. Because of her experience with the world, this woman knew that the only source of healing, change,... Read more
My mom, Darla Bushman, shared some blessings she’s seen from being wholehearted as she pondered Sister Michelle Craig’s talk “Wholehearted” in the October 2022 General Conference. “Wholehearted” by Darla Bushman Sister Craig’s main premise was that We should be followers of Jesus who are joyful and wholehearted in our own personal journey of discipleship. She asserts that hard times are a part of every life and that “trials do not mean God’s plan is failing.” No, “they are part... Read more
I’m a very visual learner. When I was young, I dreamt about going to Jerusalem to walk where the Savior walked. I went to Jerusalem with BYU’s study abroad program and loved exploring the places I’d read about in the scriptures. That experience of walking where Jesus Christ walked became an important foundation stone in my faith and knowledge that Jesus Christ lives. One day while sitting on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple Mount, the Holy Ghost nudged... Read more
Last night my sister sent me a “trigger warning” text asking for any Bible scriptures or quotes to help a friend find peace who recently had another miscarriage. The friend is a faith-filled, Christian woman seeking solace through Christ. While I’ve definitely had experience, words seem so inadequate. Like so many other women, the grief of miscarriage I experienced was just one of the griefs I bore. How do you adequately categorize what brought peace to one thing when you’re... Read more
Recently this miracle where I heard and felt the Holy Ghost’s whisperings that I recorded in a journal entry came to mind. The journal entry recorded some of the angst, stress, and fear I felt during that particular “crisis.” I was amazed at the peace that came when I decided to listen to the Holy Ghost’s whisperings. By following the prophet’s admonition to “refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost,” we can be guided through turbulent... Read more
Growing Your Testimony in Christ by Austin Bushman I am Austin Bushman. My parents are Daylen and Scarlet. I have got the best immediate family and extended family in the world because they taught me while I was young to believe in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement. I love my parents and I have come to realize so much more of what they did for me and my love for them has been enhanced on the mission. [In December,... Read more
In the preface of his gospel, Luke addressed “most excellent Theophilus.” Theophilus seemed like a pretty Greek name to me. I glossed over it assuming I couldn’t know who Theophilus was because he isn’t found in the scriptures beyond Luke’s mention in Luke and Acts. But as I began a new reading of Luke 1, I found some clues about Theophilus. Several theories exist about who Theophilus is. Two, in particular, fascinated me. Theophilus ben Ananus Theophilus ben Ananus served as... Read more
It wasn’t the first time I felt mortified because of an expectation gone awry, but these circumstances made the sting really sting. A friend asked me to play the hymns for their grandfather’s funeral. Anthony and I have known this family for 20 years, and I felt honored to pay my respects this way. When I arrived at the church, I found a large, dilapidated hymnal missing its binding. I preferred the size of that book to my smaller hymnal,... Read more
Have you ever felt immobilized by fear and lack of conviction? I have. It’s usually not a comfortable place to be; however, I’ve noticed that state of mind can become a comfort zone. I appreciated these thoughts my brother Dannen shared with me about being aware of the “security of not doing, the security of not being,” of being willing to go, know, and be. Compilation of Thoughts about the effects of being Immobilized by Fear and Lack of Conviction... Read more
“Thanksgiving in and for the Gospel” by Destinee Bushman I have prayed that each of us may hear the sweet voice of the Spirit. My thoughts have taken a different turn than I expected so I hope that He will relay this message in a clear way to your minds and open hearts. Review and Revise I am thankful for and feel blessed to have such a beautiful holiday set aside in our religious and secular world – Thanksgiving –... Read more
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