A Place and a Prayer I love to travel. To see beautiful places, learn about interesting history, and meet new people. My husband and I are trying to introduce this passion to our young children. This summer we had a chance to visit several states in the Midwestern and Eastern parts of the United States. It was wonderful to experience our country’s history and be together as a family. One of our stops was Massachusetts. We spent our first day... Read more
Many times in life, we seek success by looking forward and having a firm vision of where we want to be. But we also benefit from looking back on the progress we’ve made. Looking Back on Football I can remember when I was a brand-new walk-on for the BYU football team. I learned lots from my teammates and from the entire coaching staff, including legendary head coach Lavell Edwards. One of the most important things Coach Edwards taught me that... Read more
Breaking the Law Most everyone has witnessed someone driving through a red light, exceeding the posted speed limit, or not stopping at a stop sign. Despite street signs and law enforcement officer’s efforts, people break the law every day. We, too, much like drivers who break the law, are often found in transgression against the laws of God. Be them sins of omission or sins of commission, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).... Read more
Luke recorded that one of Jesus’s disciples asked Jesus to teach him how to pray. Almost as if to reassure the disciple about the efficacy of prayer, Jesus gave a parable that is rarely discussed today: “Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And... Read more
Listen to “At the Same Time,” a song by Hilary Weeks, and read about Hilary’s connection with Christ. The Bitter I’ve never seen a funeral quite like it. People filled the chapel, the choir seats, the cultural hall, the Primary and Relief Society rooms—even the hallways were used as “overflow.” I could hardly believe how many people were there. I secretly wondered if that many people would attend my funeral . . . or if I even knew that many... Read more
This summer I’ve been preparing to present at an upcoming BYU Sperry Symposium that will focus on the New Testament and its teachings about the family. My specific presentation is about Christ’s Crucifixion as a model for love in marriage and family. A Wedding with a Crucifix As I’ve been exploring different aspects of this topic, I came across a blog post by Carissa Pluta that talks about Catholic weddings in a small town—a town that has a zero percent... Read more
Zion in the Classroom When I was a seminary student, my teacher would often use the word Zion to try and calm us down when we got too rowdy. I remember times when he’d stand at the front of the room, saying, “Zion, Zion, ZION!” At the time, I wasn’t clear on what he was doing. I’m sure he had spent some time teaching us the principles of Zion and inviting us to become a Zion people. But at the... Read more
Contagious Enthusiasm A few years ago when my boys were playing Pop Warner football, my wife and I were asked to participate in an annual winter parade. Our job was easy. We were walking down the street throwing candy and waving at the people who had come out to enjoy the parade. We were just parents walking to support the team and the league. As I walked, I got the idea to start enthusiastically waving, looking people in the eye,... Read more
Greater understanding comes when we see God as He truly is—a loving Father teaching us and making all things work together for our good. Read more
Earning the Award I began to be active in the scouting program in the Boy Scouts of America when I turned 10. I had some of the best scout leaders in the world, who took us on wild adventures, including white water rafting and scuba diving. These great men were passionate about helping us to earn merit badges so we could become Eagle Scouts. I finished my Eagle Scout project when I was 13 years old, and I anticipated receiving... Read more
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