Mormon Bloggers

“Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.”Henry David Thoreau  Heee-Yeah! – Riiiiight!Perhaps ol’ Henry spent a little too much time at the pond?Kinda funny that Nathaniel Hawthorne said this about Thoreau: “He has repudiated all regular modes of getting a living, and seems inclined to lead a sort of Indian life among civilized men- an Indian life, I mean, as respects the absence of any systematic effort for a livelihood”.  Read More →

Sitting in Ward Conference yesterday, learning to fulfill a calling as a ward missionary, the reality is becoming how and … Continue reading »  Read More →

The following article is a response to Lee Grenier. She is the founder of the Facebook Group LDS/Mormon Awareness as … Continue reading »  Read More →

On 5 November 1937 at the New York Times Book Fair, author and editor Henry A. Wallace (who later went on to be Vice-president of the United States) stated the following while speaking on the subject “Good books of the Nineteenth Century”: “Of all the American religious books of the nineteenth century it seems probable that ‘The Book of Mormon’ was the most powerful.  it reached perhaps only one percent of the people of the United States, but it affected this one percent so powerfully and lastingly that all the people of the United States have been affected.”      The Book of Mormon is “others’ words“ in the greatest sense.  First of all, it is a compilation of the words of numerous prophets.  More important, however, is the fact (and millions upon millions have now testified to its truth) that it is the word of God.  His words should have the utmost presidence when discussing “others’... Read the rest of this entry »

Let me throw several interesting little events at you.  I’m going to deviate a little from the way I thought I was going to write this entry.  1)  Not long ago, I saw a poster advertizing a movie entitled “That’s What I Am.”  I don’t know a thing about the movie (except that Ed Harris might be in it.  Man, he’s getting old.) but the title struck me.  I thought of some wonderful conversations I had with a very good friend of mine in which we discussed that very idea.  Who and what are we?  We had a very simple conclusion:  “We are Pure Potential.”  2) As I’ve thought lately about how to overcome my personal struggles and difficulties, I read once again this quote from the profoundly honest Abe:  “Is is difficult to make a man miserable when he feels he is worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.”  This made me think of another... Read the rest of this entry »

I think too often, we think of charity as this grand thing that is only put into action by large-scale demonstrations.  We seem to place simple love out of our own reach.  But, as Neal A. Maxwell said, even God’s love is “macro-love with micro-manifestations!”  None of us has true charity as Jesus Christ did, and I don’t think we will any time soon.  But that doesn’t absolve us from the duty, and from the privilege of putting our “widow’s mite” in the coffer.  A smile?  A handshake?  Giving the benefit of the doubt?Maybe we’re don’t have perfect love.  But He does.  I know He’s more than willing to give it to us if we agree to pass it along. Can’t we just be a little…kind? In others’ words…“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  -Dalai Lama The best portion of a good man’s... Read the rest of this entry »

I consider Easter the most important holiday.  Not because it happens to fall on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox, but because of the empty tomb that it commemorates.  As a youth, I never really captured the importance of the empty tomb.  Just like when Mary looked inside and couldn’t quite comprehend, I didn’t realize that, as Gordon B. Hinckley put so well, “Here was the greatest miracle of human history.  Ealier He had told them, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life’ (John 11:25). But they had not understood.  Now they knew.  He had died in misery and pain and loneliness.  Now, on the third day, He arose in power and beauty and life, the firstfruits of all who slept, the assurance for men of all ages that ‘as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’ (1 Corinthians 15:22)” The resurrection of Jesus Christ is real and it means that there is hope. ... Read the rest of this entry »

Robert Peary and Captain Bob Bartlett standing on a ship, Battle Harbor, Labrador, circa 1909 The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of March 1911. Insurrection In Mexico (Again) The insurrection in Mexico, in the interest of Francisco de Madero, the defeated candidate for the presidency, which broke out on November 17 last, is still in progress in northern Mexico. Considerable trouble has been experienced by roving bands of robbers in Chihuahua, where they have attacked settlements which they considered were unable to defend themselves. Several conflicts with government troops have taken place, and things are in an uncertain condition in that state. So far the settlements of the Latter-day Saints have not been disturbed, though much anxiety has been felt, and the situation is serious. [Not much has changed in 100 years. Today's Mexican Drug War, an armed conflict among rival drug cartels and between the drug cartels and the Mexican government, killed 12 mayors... Read the rest of this entry »

I came across this video series on YouTube. It is a history of Missionaries and the Church in Taiwan. It includes a great interview of Hu Wei-I 胡唯一。  Read More →

Let me share some of the best advice I have ever received. I never met the French scientist Louis Pasteur, but when I began my adventure as a missionary, the following words by him were repeated to me until I could never forget them. “Let me tell you,” he said, “the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” Tenacity: the quality of holding fast; of being characterized by keeping a firm grip; of being persistent. This phrase embodies a lot of wisdom, but one thing that it taught me is that my duty trumps my desire. Sometimes, I would prefer not to do hard things; I don’t have the desire; my circumstances don’t make it easy. There are always a miriad of excuses, but duty is something that cannot be excused. I believe it might be a duty to be happy; to search for knowledge and beauty and find peace. True, it is a difficult duty at times–we are like water and seek for the path of least resistence–but we... Read the rest of this entry »

The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of February 1911. No More War? For the abolition of international war, Mr. Andrew Carnegie has transferred to a board of trustees, twenty-seven in number, Senator Root of New York as president, ten million dollars, in five per cent first mortgage bonds. Andrew Carnegie in 1913 The proceeds, five hundred thousand dollars annually, is to be freely used by the board to establish a lasting, world-wide peace. When war is abolished, the fund is still to be used for the banishment of the next most degrading evil. [100 years later, we have wars or conflicts in Afghanistan, Balochistan, Cambodia, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ingushetia, Iran, Iraq, Mexico, North Caucasus, North West Pakistan, Sahara, Somalia, South Thailand, South Yemen, Sudan, and Yemeni. Founded in 1910, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is still in operation.] Falling Mule Death Elder John Edward Kirkman, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kirkman, of Salt Lake City, and... Read the rest of this entry »

A great story was related on September 30, 1859 at an address given to theWisconsin State Agricultural Society in Milwaukee.  One may wonder what importance such an address could be.  The question is undoubtedly answered by the fact that the address was given by Abraham Lincoln.  The story was not originated by Mr. Lincoln; it is the product of numerous Near Eastern folklore traditions.  Mr. Lincoln shared it in this way. “It is said an Eastern Monarch once charged his wise men to invent a sentance, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations.  They presented him with the words, “And this, too, shall pass away.”  How much it expresses!  How chastening in the hour of pride!  How consoling in the depth of affliction!”  This was brought to my mind just this morning because honestly, it was really hard to get bed this morning.  That just happens sometimes.  But... Read the rest of this entry »