Mormon Bloggers

Pioneer Day is celebrated by Mormons the world over on July 24th of each year. This day is a time for reverence, remembrance, and recreation; it is marked by programs, picnics, treks, tributes, games, and storytelling. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we proudly honor and deeply respect our pioneer heritage. Whether our connection to those early men and women is genealogical or spiritual in nature, we are strengthened by the memory of those sturdy souls who loved the gospel of Jesus Christ more than life itself. Their lives and dedication inspire and uplift us. Leaders of our church often remind us that we, too, are pioneers. The road we travel is different, and the physical dangers are greatly reduced, but the spiritual dangers we face are just as real. While our limbs and bodies are not likely to be frozen by ice and snow or bloodied by rocky trails, hearts can be frozen by worldly concerns and pleasures, spirits bloodied by sin and cynicism. Each one... Read the rest of this entry »

~by Candace I know this is the true Church of our Savior Jesus Christ and that we are led by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. My story: My life challenges started at a very early age. I was eight years old when I was first molested. He was a friend of the family and I had a child’s love for him. He broke my heart and severely injured my spirit. Unable to tell my parents, my trust of people around me was shaken. I became very insecure and frightened of life. When I reached my teens, my insecurities and lack of participation in school activities became evident and a concerned counselor started drawing me out and I felt comforted by his concern. But, once again my life was jolted when he betrayed my trust. One day he offered me a ride home. I accepted his kind gesture. I soon realized he had other intentions. We took a ride into the hills near our town and the unspeakable happened. Once again I was shaken to the core and afraid to go to my parents. I had no idea how to deal with any... Read the rest of this entry »

“Faith Among Shadows” by Malcolm Leal is not just another story. This is an amazing story of courage and commitment, but most of all, it is a story of the faith of one man’s great-grandmother that ultimately through the trials and tests that he endured in his own life, became his faith, his story, his TESTIMONY. This is a book about faith in action. Though we have never met in person, I am honored to call Malcolm my friend, but more importantly my Brother. If there is one book you should read, I highly recommend that this be the one.  Read More →

An Address to the Young Men of the Church A person who has courage is able to boldly (without outward fear) face difficulties and dangers, and by habit is able to trust in the Lord for his strength in all of the circumstances of life. I would like to take just a few minutes to address the Young Men of the Church. My remarks will be addressed to those who are not only destined to be future leaders of the Church, but great leaders of our nation as well. I wish to address those of you who will be future missionaries for the Church. Those who will one day turn this world upside down for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my humble prayer that some of what I say in these next few minutes will prove to be of some benefit and a blessing to you. If there were but one message that I could give to the Young Men of the Church, the message would simply be this – Be Bold, Be Courageous, Be Strong. Webster defines the word courage as the ability to conquer fear. The word bold is defined... Read the rest of this entry »

Talented but troubled high school rugby player Rick Penning (Sean Faris) loses his position as the star of an Arizona rugby union team when he is sentenced to a boys’ Juvenile Detention Center in Salt Lake City. Rick ends up playing for Salt Lake’s famous Highland High School rugby team, coached by Larry Gelwix (Gary Cole), in the national championships – against his old team, which is coached by his father, Richard Penning (Neal McDonough). Emily (Arielle Kebbel) is Rick’s love interest, and Marcus (Sean Astin) is his guidance counselor. Forever Strong is based on true stories about a high school rugby team, Highland Rugby, which is the inspiration for the film. Rick Penning is based on a real member of the rugby team who played in Flagstaff, Arizona who was sent to a group home in Salt Lake City. The production company Go Films decided to make a film about the legacy of the team and coach. “Forever Strong” is one of the team mottoes of the high school... Read the rest of this entry »

_________________________________________________________________________________ The history of this Church is a history of the expression of such faith. It began with a farm boy in the year 1820 when he read that great promise set forth in the Epistle of James: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6.) It was faith, the simple faith of a fourteen-year-old boy, that took him into the woods that spring morning. It was faith that took him to his knees in pleading for understanding. The marvelous fruit of that faith was a vision glorious and beautiful, of which this great work is but the extended shadow. It was by faith that he kept himself worthy of the remarkable manifestations which followed in bringing to the earth the keys, the authority, the power to reestablish... Read the rest of this entry »