Mormon Bloggers

The Church runs on volunteered time and service, organized through callings. We choose to accept or reject these callings when Church leaders extend them to us. When we are faced with this choice we must remember the following: Church leaders truly are inspired from heaven. They know where we need to serve. We must not doubt them even if it is difficult not to. There are many reasons why a certain calling is right for us. Most obvious, we have the necessary qualities and skills for that position or, conversely, we need to develop the needed qualities and skills. Other reasons may not even be related to the calling. In my case, I needed to meet a certain person, who shared the same calling. We have since become close friends and blessings in each other’s lives. When we magnify our callings, everyone benefits. We grow and the ward grows; we learn and the ward learns; we love and the ward loves us back. Every calling in the ward is important. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 emphasizes this... Read the rest of this entry »

In the LDS Church men from the ages of 14 on up are assigned as home-teachers. Home teachers are assigned in pairs and are assigned families in the congregation to help both spiritually and with their temporal needs as well. Home teachers are encouraged to share at least once a month a spiritual message with the family. Last month, I read the message by the LDS church President, Thomas S. Monson called Canaries with Gray on their Wings. The message of the story is basically not to judge a book by it’s cover and treat everyone with respect and dignity, including yourself. Since there were children at two of the families I home teach, I decided to have an object lesson illustrating not to judge things by their appearance. I made some cookies and dumped tons of salt in them and baked them. Before I baked them, I made sure (actually it was my wife) that the cookies would turn out large and nice-looking. I then made a batch of normal cookies but baked them to look unattractive and small. You’ve... Read the rest of this entry »

I recieved the following message from a reader the other day: Dear Friend, I liked reading your letter on God and receiving his message through understanding of God´s manner of speaking. I have been reading very much and watching Daystar programs considerably. All of these things are interesting but the more I read the Bible and meditate, pray, and listen for that voice of God— the farther and farther from understanding anything it seems. If I continue to understand less and less as there is so much contradiction, the natural process would be to become an athiest. Something I am not hoping for. But my simple and nieve question is– If God can do anything, why can´t he communicate with us? After all that silly business of speaking in tongues is accepted as real and I think is nonsense. Is that God speaking to us? I wish I could find some message that felt like it really represented our relation to God, if there is indeed a relation. I have written about this in previous articles throughout... Read the rest of this entry »

I recieved the following message from a reader the other day: Dear Friend, I liked reading your letter on God and receiving his message through understanding of God´s manner of speaking. I have been reading very much and watching Daystar programs considerably. All of these things are interesting but the more I read the Bible and meditate, pray, and listen for that voice of God— the farther and farther from understanding anything it seems. If I continue to understand less and less as there is so much contradiction, the natural process would be to become an athiest. Something I am not hoping for. But my simple and nieve question is– If God can do anything, why can´t he communicate with us? After all that silly business of speaking in tongues is accepted as real and I think is nonsense. Is that God speaking to us? I wish I could find some message that felt like it really represented our relation to God, if there is indeed a relation. I have written about this in previous articles throughout... Read the rest of this entry »

~by Katy With our daughter, our lil’ Hannah, now a full-fledged member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, I’ve been trying to help her find ways to develop her spirit…mainly her connection with the Holy Ghost. I want her to learn how to feel His influence…in her own way. We’ve talked about how she could feel warm fuzzies inside. Or she could feel a sense of peace. Or she could feel really happy after she has made a good choice. I also want her to recognize what the Spirit feels like when something is not right. Like when her classmates at school are not making a good decision and she feels awful inside because she knows that it is wrong. Or if she feels uncomfortable around somebody for no apparent reason, it may be the Spirit telling her to get away from that person immediately. I hope that what I’m saying is sticking…only time will tell I guess. As a parent, I feel it’s important for me to give my children every chance... Read the rest of this entry »

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When you pray for an opportunity, remember to also pray for courage. After writing for my own projects—my fiction manuscript, my autobiography and my blog—I needed to reach for some new possibilities beyond myself to share my talents in a way that benefits my local community. I took my desire to the Lord and discovered a truth [...] All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.Pray, Ask, Listen, Follow AKPC_IDS += "204431,";Popularity: unranked [?] Read More →

Sometimes I pray for a need, and it isn’t fulfilled. Sometimes I doubt that he knows our needs. But then I pray for rain, and it rains. Moroni, who lived alone and hid from his enemies for more than 2o years, said: All ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles . . . God has not [...] All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.Looking for Miracles AKPC_IDS += "194420,";Popularity: unranked [?] Read More →

Certain TV shows and previews reminded me of a quote from Sister Margaret Nagauld: “Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.” We need to be classy women–women with manners, discipline, integrity, virtue, sincerity, and charity. Sister Nagauld isn’t the only one to have said this: 1. “It is, unfortunately, all too easy to illustrate the confusion and distortion of womanhood in contemporary society. Immodest, immoral, intemperate women jam the airwaves, monopolize magazines, and slink across movie screens—all while being celebrated by the world.... Read the rest of this entry »

John 4:1-15 tells the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Jesus told her, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (vv. 13-14). I have drunk deeply from the gospel well thanks to the following, and I can already feel it reviving my spirit: General Conference: Amazing! I love Conference so much for the Spirit and motivation it brings. Personal scripture study: I’ve gotten back into the habit almost daily and am learning a lot from the wars in Alma about fighting spiritual enemies. Family scripture study: While my family was here, we sang a hymn and had a spiritual thought every night. Family Home Evening: My little sister gave an excellent lesson on the Holy Ghost and truth. Priesthood blessing: My husband gave me a blessing of comfort (see the post “The Priesthood... Read the rest of this entry »

Two Days Six Family Meals Five Sessions of Inspired Words “It’s not the meal, but the family interaction that nourishes the soul.” Robert D. Hales All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.Our Essential Easter Feast All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.Our Essential Easter Feast AKPC_IDS += "180831,";Popularity: unranked [?] Read More →

Imagine you’ve walked in a desert for several days. Your supplies are depleted. You’ve been without water for nearly 24 hours. You walk in the direction you believe is right, but you are lost, disoriented and dehydrated. You fall in the sand and close your eyes for a rest. When you open them, you see [...] All Content Copyright (C) 2007-2009 TJ Hirst. No content may be reproduced without the copyright owner’s express written consent.In Need of Water AKPC_IDS += "169078,";Popularity: unranked [?] Read More →