Mormon Bloggers

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 »

Recently, I visited a good friend in the hospital.  She is elderly and having numerous health problems.  As my companion and I came into the room, she was awake and sitting up and we began to talk.  She is the type of person who, in her earlier life, was outspoken and powerful, but at the same time has very tender feelings and has suffered much.  She is kind-hearted and thoughtful and she trusts God.  While laying on her hospital bed, she was connected to a miriad of wires and tubes and the like–electronic pads and interveinous whatnot.  A screen above her and to her right showed her blood pressure, temperature, heart-rate, and a number of other things that I don’t understand.  All I know is that when graph shows a consistent pattern of troughs and peaks, things are good.  I also know that a good resting heart-rate is somewhere around 70 beats per minute.  Hers read in the mid 90′s.  We took two seats a few feet from... Read the rest of this entry »

Today, Larry Barkdull, who writes for Meridian Magazine, has something spectacular to say, and I quote: Meridian Magazine and Gospel Ideals International are announcing a gathering place for anyone who wants to become an Internet member-missionary. Do you have a website, blog, Facebook or Twitter account, or any other Internet presence? If you don’t would you like to learn more about how to do it and how to use these new technologies to spread the gospel? Become part of the army of LDS Internet missionaries and help us take the gospel message to every nation, kindred, tongue and people! Have you ever yearned to shout the gospel message from the rooftops? Have you ever considered what is located on your rooftop or some other access point in your house? The Internet! Never in the history of the world has there been such a powerful distribution tool for moving content in a matter of seconds to millions of people! Alma once lamented his inability to broadcast the gospel message... Read the rest of this entry »

I draw on others’ words a lot.  The most useful are those that belong to Jesus Christ or his representatvies.  I’ve been having a lot of thoughts this week about a certain text from Christ‘s “Sermon on the Mount.”  In Matthew 7:13-14, the Man of Galilee said, “Enter ye in at the astrait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” A while back a friend of mine taught me to solve the Rubik’s cube.  I’ll be honest; I never ever would have figured it out by myself.  There are certain patterns that must be followed exactly if you are to solve it.  There’s no way of getting around it; you have to move it in the right ways even when it appears not to make sense.   But as long as you follow the patterns, it is the... Read the rest of this entry »

The time has come for me to share one of my all-time favorite quotes.  This comes from an extended poem by Elizabeth Barret Browning entitled “Aurora Leigh.”  Browning is known as one of the most successful female poets in history and a biographer lauded her as “the most philisophical poet” and called her life “a Gospel of applied Christianity.”  Let me show you why these accolades are well-due.  “And truly, I reiterate, . . nothing’s small! No lily-muffled hum of a summer-bee, But finds some coupling with the spinning stars; No pebble at your foot, but proves a sphere; No chaffinch, but implies the cherubim: And,–glancing on my own thin, veined wrist,– In such a little tremour of the blood The whole strong clamour of a vehement soul Doth utter itself distinct. Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God: But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries, And... Read the rest of this entry »

The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of 100 years ago. In the spring of 1894, Elder Squires was serving as a missionary in Leipsic, Germany. He welcomed a new companion, fresh to the mission field, and showed him around the city. After touring the great market-hall and the library, they went to the art gallery. On the inside the pictures had been placed in a series of rooms each connected with the other in such a way that you may pass from the first room into the next, and so on through all of the others and back again to the first. The new elder—I will call him Elder Green—did not know that they could thus move from room to room, and at last return to their starting place. The walls of the different rooms were crowded with the master-pieces of German and Italian artists. In one room was a life-sized portrait of Napoleon which Elder Green admired very much. They passed on around through the different rooms, chatting and admiring the paintings, as they went, and... Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been reflecting, lately, on the concept of Honor.  There are generally two senses in which we use the word.  One being the quality of honesty or integrity, the second being related to esteem or high respect.  I’ve been thinking about the relationship between these two.  I think the truest way to receive the second is to devolop the first.  We honor God, in part, because of His supreme integrity.  He receives honor because He has perfect honor.  I can place total confidence in God because I know that what He says, He will do.  He’ll follow through.  God is a man of honor I’ve been discovering that the key to real power is honor–in the sense of integrity.  The Buddha once said, “If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.”  I think there is a lot of truth to that.  Consider these words from Karl G. Maeser, founder and first president of Brigham... Read the rest of this entry »

Daniel spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday with many family and friends present. For readability his address has been modified slightly. Here is the audio in Ogg Vorbis (13.3MB) and MP3 (14.8MB) formats. Daniel exiting the chapel after speaking in Sacrament Meeting Thank you for that musical number, that was wonderful. Well, I’m excited to be here. It’s great to see everyone that came out. One of the great things about my mission is when someone asks me where I went it is a trick question, because I went to Mongolia and Washington and Mongolia isn’t an actual city in Washington, it is a country. Before I was leaving I was talking to my Dad and I was saying, “Hey Dad, in Mongolia we’re going to be teaching English as English teachers. Can you help me with the language? And he said, “I don’t speak any Mongolian.” “No I meant with English, Dad.” So it is wonderful to serve a mission, like Troy said. I remember talking with him in the MTC and it... Read the rest of this entry »

Elder Daniel Willoughby, son of Richard and Jill Willoughby, has returned home after successfully serving in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar and Washington Kennewich Missions. He will speak December 26 at 3:20 pm. in the Kaysville 14th Ward, 9 W 550 S., Kaysville. A week by week account of Daniel’s mission is here. Related Posts: Official: Daniel Will Not Be Returning To Mongolia Contact Daniel Missionary Dan Email #33 from Vancouver, Washington Missionary Dan Email #1 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Missionary Dan Email #37 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Readers who viewed this page, also viewed: World  Read More →

My guest writer is Susan Mathews Hardy, the mother of Elder Nathan Hardy, one of Daniel’s missionary companions. Susan wrote a letter to Daniel’s mission president, timed so that Daniel will receive it from President Greer on the night before Daniel returns home. Thanksgiving Morning November 25, 2010 Dear President Greer, I know you will be sitting down soon with Elder Willoughby as he leaves the mission field. I wanted to take the time to tell both of you thank you: thank you to you for following inspiration to pair my son with Elder Willoughby; and thank you to Elder Willoughby for being an exemplary trainer. Elder Willoughby taught Nathan to “be the best missionary you can so God can work miracles though you.” He taught Nathan that missionary work is real and very rewarding. Nathan wrote to us this week, “it takes two to ‘kill’ a Willoughby” because “he is a really good missionary! When I talk to the other missionaries who came out with me, I feel very blessed... Read the rest of this entry »

Our first view of Daniel After two years and 47 days, Elder Willoughby finally returned home from his mission. There were several familes there to greet him. Bryson and Aurora held up the Welcome Home Elder Willoughby sign that was generic enough to be used for four missionaries. At the airport were Daniel’s parents, his three brothers and sister and their spouses (and fiancée) and children. Also Daniel’s Uncle Mike and cousin Christopher; Aunt Susan and cousin Shauna; and Jill’s cousin Julie. Waiting for Daniel: Jill, Susan, Aurora, Bryson, Sarah, Shauna, Adelaide, and Cassandra Daniel and Shauna Daniel meets his nieces for the first time We all went home to enjoy a delicious meal. But first Daniel headed over to the stake center to be released by President Thredgold. I asked President Thredgold if I could take a picture. He said, “Is this going to end up on Rickety?” Well, of course! Later that evening Daniel stood by his Welcome Home Dan sign,... Read the rest of this entry »