God helped my 12-year-old find his iPod

By A. W.

One day my 12-year-old son was walking through the house looking for something. Opening and closing cabinets, picking up sofa cushions. Going in and out of the garage.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“My iPod,” he said.

“Did you pray about it?”

“Yeah, right,” he grumped and moved into the other room.

A while later he returned and repeated the seeking maneuvers: cushions up and down, rug lifted and replaced, drawers opened and shut.

“Still haven’t found it? Why don’t you pray about it?”

“No and no. Heavenly Father does not care if I find my iPod.”

I answered: “You’re right. Heavenly Father does not care if you find your iPod. But He does very much care about whether or not you’re happy. And He also appreciates chances to show you that He answers prayers.”

“Well, I’m not going to.”

“Okay, it’s your choice.”

Over the next few hours the door slamming and drawer shutting continued. The school backpack was emptied and repacked. The trash can was emptied and re-filled. The coat closet was turned inside out and reloaded. The iPod was not to be found. The seeker’s grumpiness increased.

“Do me a favor,” I asked. “Please, just go pray about it. You have already spent hours looking. Why not spend five minutes asking for help?”

“Fine,” he agreed at last and trudged up the stairs to his room. Six minutes later, he returned, iPod in hand.

“You found it!” I exclaimed. “Did you even have a chance to say your prayer?”

He sat down sheepishly. “I knelt down at my bed and bowed my head and from there I could see it jammed behind the bed. That is the only place I could have seen it.”

“So you didn’t pray after all?” I asked.

“Yes,” he answered, “I did. I wanted to tell Him thank you for His help.”

Image from lds.org.

Ask and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be 

opened.

- Matthew 7: 7-8

Joy is available to us right now.

By Christian P.

I was listening to NPR the other day and there was a piece about research that had been done on the effects of parenting on parents. As parents, we often talk about the happiness that our children bring us. Yet, this research had failed to find any greater levels of happiness among people with children versus those without. The article goes on to describe a book that explains this phenomenon with the concept that the ‘category’ of happiness parents feel about their children is better described as ‘joy’. “That [feeling] you're feeling when your kid laughs or when your kid says something that's so totally, like, amazingly weird, or insightful, or sensitive — it's not the same as like getting a good laugh out of watching a movie or having a really nice time with a friend.” 

This jives up with my experiences pretty well. I love having my children in my life but I can’t say as that I enjoy every minute of it. There is a lot of time that is tedious, aggravating or frustrating whether it be asking them to get dressed for the 45th time or sweeping up the broken crystal statue of the Washington DC temple that was our wedding cake topper that one of them decided to throw across the room. Yet, I can’t think of anything that I love more than those maniacs or anything that has changed me more for the better.

One of the things we bang on pretty hard as Mormons is the idea that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. He gives us commandments because He wants to teach us how to be happy, He blesses us because He wants us to be happy, He sent His son Jesus Christ to show us how to be happy. Yet, when I look in the scriptures, I can’t find a reference to our Heavenly Father promising us happiness in his life. There is a lot of talk in the Book of Mormon about the great plan of happiness but it seems to only promise happiness in the next life. Alma promises us:

Alma 40:12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

Mormon and Mosiah make similar promises concerning a never-ending happiness awaiting those who are faithful. What I do see is a lot of talk about this word ‘joy’.

2 Nephi 2: 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

John 15:11 These things  have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Alma 26:11 ...I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

The lesson I’m learning is that despite how difficult day to life might be for each of us, despite our own individual trials and challenges, the satisfaction and deep contentment that we call joy is available to us right now. Not everything works out for my immediate enjoyment but I have found enough joy in both family service and church service to bolster my trust in the Lord and know that Heavenly Father really does want me to have joy.

Jessica Simpson explains a gospel truth

By A. W.

I really have not ever understood why Jessica Simpson is a celebrity, but she is and the other day I watched her in a commercial where she stated:

I love this body and what it is capable of.
This body made two amazing little human beings.
This version feels really good.

“I love this body and what it is capable of.” We are taught that we come to earth so to gain a physical body. We understand that this mortal experience is the path to divinity; that the promise of resurrection lies before us because of our Savior’s sacrifice. I, too, love this body and what it is capable of.

Image courtesy of lds.org.

“This body made two amazing little human beings.” The blessing of motherhood is beyond description. I am so grateful for the opportunity to help build bodies for sons and daughters, and then to build a family with them. The promise of an eternal family inspires me to be a better mother and a better person.

“This version feels really good.” Each of us has several versions of ourselves. Some versions of me are not very good; some are incredibly awesome. My choices determine what version of body I have and what version I am working for. The best version of me is the one where I have followed the commandments, and treated my body the way Heavenly Father wants me to.

The gospel has taught me to take particular care of my body, because it is the physical temple of my spirit. Our health code, “The Word of Wisdom”, guides me when making choices about how and what to eat, and about keeping my body fit and healthy. For example, while scientists debate whether or not red wine is good for you, I know that the best thing for me will be obedience to my Heavenly Father who has instructed me not to drink wine. I know that I have been blessed to heal quickly and recover well from the various illnesses and injuries that I have had, in part because I obey the Word of Wisdom. I have also promised to dress modestly, in order to demonstrate that I respect the sacred character of my body. I know that commitment has also blessed me with health and strength that I would not otherwise have had. I am grateful to Jessica Simpson for reminding me of the precious gift of my body. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for providing guidance and blessings in caring for my body during my time here on earth.

Knoweth ye not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

- 1 Corinthians 3:17

"We are often amazed at how much Heavenly Father cares for us and wants us to be happy."

By Nayeli J. 

Whenever we have to make big important decisions, who do we turn to?  Who is always there to guide us if we want it?  

As a military family and parents of two with one on the way, we have had to make many important decisions in our life.  We are aware that the decisions we make could potentially make a big difference on the experiences that our family has, and ultimately on who we become.

Image from lds.org.

We always turn to the Lord in prayer, fasting, scripture study and also being sure to do our part (such as researching, talking to people with experience in that field, serving others, and renewing our covenants by partaking of the sacrament).

Our first move from out of college, was from Utah to Maryland, across the country.  As we looked for housing we enthusiastically and with faith included Heavenly Father in our decision making and tried our best to listen for guidance from Him through the Holy Ghost.

After much researching and talking to some students that had gone before us to this Medical School on base (USUHS), my husband flew out to find housing.  Taking lots of pictures and communicating with me over the phone, we felt that we should move to Germantown (about 20-30 min) north from the school.  Even though the commute would be longer than it could have been if we moved closer like most of my husband's colleagues we felt this was where we should be.  We only have one car, so my husband would have to take public transportation to leave me the car.

We knew that it was best for us to move here for a reason, but we weren't exactly clear on what that reason was.  We would be here for four years and we would make the best of it!  As we started our first year, I got to meet a group of LDS mothers whose husbands were in the same year and situation we were in.  They all lived pretty close to each other and a lot closer to the school. I was able to attend a couple of their get-togethers and they were great.  I desired to be a part of their group, however, the distance became an issue.  There was also a spouses and sweethearts club at the school for the wives of those in the military to support each other and attend activities.  We joined and attended a couple of times, but then as I became pregnant with my second child, it became increasingly difficult to be a part of.  I often wondered why we had felt that this was the best place for us live...

However, during this time, we started to make friendships in our church ward and also in our neighborhood.  The housing complex where we lived was away from traffic and looked over a large hill and artificial lake.  It allowed me to take my kids on exploration walks, to different parks at just a short distance and to enjoy swimming at our wonderful pool was just across the parking lot.  My husband and I joined the gym just a couple of blocks from where we lived and I have made great friendships there as well!  We have had many opportunities to share our testimony and what we believe in with people in our neighborhood like we had never imagined!  We have had so many opportunities to serve and be served by our neighbors and those around us. The callings we have received at church have really strengthened our testimony of Jesus Christ our Savior and our desire to do good.  We have received so much support from the members in our church as my husband has had to travel extensively his 3rd year in school.

 I personally have greatly enjoyed making friendships with the other mothers in the ward and have learned so much from their phenomenal example as righteous women.  As we begin to make plans for our next move, we know that this was the absolute perfect house and location for us at this time!  We are often amazed at how much Heavenly Father cares for us and wants us to be happy. Heavenly Father truly is there for us and if we strive to receive his guidance through the companionship of the Holy Ghost as we make life-changing decisions He will bless us.

Trust ye in the Lord forever: For in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. 

- Isaiah 26:4 

What the 2014 Olympic Figure Skating Taught Me About The Gospel

By A. W.

The 2014 Winter Olympics have just ended, and I very much enjoyed the figure skating competitions. This year, there was apparently some controversy when a more experienced skater, Kim Yu-na, won a silver medal while a skater from Russia, Adelina Sotnikova, won the gold. Several commentators were clear that Yu-na was the better skater – so why did Adelina win? Because she selected a more difficult program and skated it well. Not perfectly, but well. 

Yu-na set her goals lower, and while she accomplished them, her program was not as challenging as Adelina’s. Each woman decided what elements she would strive for, and Yu-na did not aim as high as Adelina.

High standards make us stand out. Image from lds.org. 

This was a reminder to me about the importance of setting high standards for myself, and of course, high standards can be challenging. As an example, a number of years ago, our church leaders asked families to set the goal of reading the scriptures to or with their children; we were promised that if we would do so, our children would learn to love the scriptures. Not scripture stories, but the actual scriptures themselves, with the actual King James wording. And not watching animated movies, but really reading them together. My children were very young, but I decided to work toward accomplishing the goal of reading the scriptures with them. In addition to reading Green Eggs and Ham and other childhood classics, we started with the Old Testament.

I have to admit there were days when it was a difficult slog. With my work schedule, there was not a consistent time to do reading, so sometimes we read in the car, and sometimes over breakfast. We decided to do one chapter a day, and some chapters are very long! But some are also very exciting and there were times when we read more than one chapter to finish a great story. We often had to stop while we were reading to explain difficult concepts and hard words. To my astonishment, my young children learned words like “Abrahamic” and “covenant” and “sacrifice.” We talked about symbols and sins and miracles. We talked about how people in the Bible had the same problems and fears that we have. When we shivered through storms and visited beautiful gardens, we talked about rainbows and other gardens long ago, and what those mean to us in our lives today. And many years later, I am happy to report that my children did truly learn to love the scriptures and have stayed close to the gospel. I think the many hours we spent together reading and talking about how the scriptures apply to our own lives brought us closer together as a family. I think we have been better prepared to face challenges after considering the challenges faced by Moses, Abraham, Daniel and so many other great people.

Working through the scriptures with my little children was a challenging goal. It was often hard to do, but it taught me that while I may not always accomplish a challenging goal perfectly, I certainly will not succeed if I settle for lower standards that might be easier to meet, but that will not permit me to grow into the person that my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

And I will bring [them] through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

- Zechariah 13:9

We met as strangers and parted as friends.

By Melissa K.

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom, 

that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings

 ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

One of my best friends passed away on February 22, 2014. The month of February marked the five year anniversary of our friendship.

My friend Bill was one of my dearest friends. He was not my age. In fact, he was 30 years older than me. He was 76. 

Five years ago, a woman in the ward emailed the Relief Society asking if anyone would be interested in doing some housekeeping for her neighbor, Bill, who was elderly. She gave his contact info and said to contact him directly if interested.  I was in need of earning some extra money, so I called Bill. We chatted briefly, agreed on a date and time to meet and talked about payment.

Early one Saturday morning I arrived at Bill's home. I was in a foul mood and dreading the appointment, and I was irritated that I had to get up early on a Saturday morning.  I almost cancelled the appointment, but decided not to.

Bill and I sat in the kitchen as we introduced ourselves and he explained what he wanted me to clean.  He first asked me to clean the freezer.  I proceeded to clean the freezer and I assumed Bill was going to go do something else and leave me to my cleaning. But, no. He sat there in the kitchen. I remember thinking, "Oh, my word. He's going to sit here the whole time and now I have to make conversation with him. What could we possibly have to talk about? We are 30 years apart." Bill started to ask me questions, such as if I was married, if I had kids, etc. I answered his questions, and then I asked him if he had children. He learned that I had two growing children, and I learned that he had three grown children. Our conversation kept going as I was cleaning the freezer.  Before I knew it, the freezer was cleaned and two hours had passed by, and much to my amazement, Bill and I were still talking and having a marvelous time. A friendship had been born. We were talking like we had been friends for years, and I left his house smiling at what had transpired in three hours. We met as strangers and parted as friends.

After that first meeting, I held regular Saturday morning appointments with Bill to clean, organize, do laundry, and grocery shop for him. I no longer dreaded our appointments. I rather looked forward to them. Sometimes I would arrive and we would talk for two hours and then I would clean.  After awhile my heart started to change. It became full of love, and my helping Bill was no longer about the money, which I still needed, but that was not what motivated me to go see him. It became a joy to help and serve not only an elderly person, but my friend.  We had a very deep and special friendship. He was old enough to be my father, but that's not how he treated me. And, I didn't treat him like a father.  The gap in our age difference did not matter, and perhaps really doesn't matter when it comes to friendship and serving others.

Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when He put Bill in my life.  I never thought of myself as a selfish person, but when I met Bill my attitude was negative and all about me. Over the last five years I am the one who has learned the most through serving my friend Bill. I learned to put aside what I was dealing with and to be of service to this man who needed help.  I also learned that it's not all about me. And, my heart has become softened and full of compassion for others, and I love to serve! It brings me such great joy.

When I met Bill I knew he was on borrowed time. He was not well, and in the last two years his health had taken a turn for the worse. And, I knew that his life would end sooner rather than later.  I drove to Bill's house on Saturday when I found out that he had died. I wanted to say goodbye to my friend. He was in his room.  I sat with him for a few moments and caressed his arm.  I thought about the five years we had together, the service I provided, and the friendship that occurred in that time. And, I can smile. I love my friend deeply, and will miss him. But I know that the service and friendship I provided to him increased his quality of life, and made his last years more comfortable. And my life has definitely been enriched as well because of this man. 

image from lds.org

Bill was funny. And, whenever I would ask if I had cleaned this or that to his specification, his answer was always, "It's good enough for Gaithersburg." And we would both burst out laughing. I will always cherish the time I had with this man, my friend, Bill, and the things I have learned through service.

I now clean for another elderly person, a woman, and it has been fun helping her, and getting to know her better. I look forward to our visits. I am glad that I can be of service to her, and I'm sure that I will continue to learn and grow as I serve others. Will another friendship develop? We will have to wait and see.

How has service brought you closer to others? How have you been blessed while you serve?

BEING THE GOOD: Seek to Serve

By Wendy K.

The night before my preschooler started school last fall my husband was giving him a Father’s

Blessing and I felt inspired to tell him something very specific. I told him there is one thing I want him to do above all else this year in school: Be a friend to everyone. I told him listening to the teacher is necessary, learning is important, but I will be most proud if that teacher reports that my little boy is a friend to everyone. My son is a good, friendly kid. I wasn’t worried he wouldn’t be kind, yet I felt very prompted that this is the lesson I need to teach my boys and it needs to start now. I felt the weight of my responsibility as a mother and the importance of this message. What matters most at the end of this life? Not school grades or worldly successes, but the way we treated God’s children. 

As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” Be a friend to everyone. BE THE GOOD.

Fast forward a few months to Parent-Teacher Conferences. I hadn’t brought up “Be a Friend to Everyone” in a while and as I was leaving I casually asked my little boy if there was anything I should ask his teacher. He thought for a moment and said, “Mom, ask Mrs. L if I’m a friend to everyone.” I was so happy he’d internalized this concept. I asked Mrs. L. She acted a little surprised by the question, but then she told me, “Yes. He is.”

It’s easy to say it to your children, it’s harder to live it. A few weeks into the school year, a family showed up uninvited, unexpectedly at my doorstep during dinner. They were there to return dishes from a meal I’d bought them earlier in the week. That night I was busy. I had an appointment to get to. I was annoyed that they choose the dinner hour to pop over. I became further annoyed when somehow returning dishes led to them telling us they hadn’t yet had dinner that night and the next thing I knew they were at our kitchen table and I was feeding the six of them AGAIN. I was upset. I wasn’t prepared, we didn’t have enough food and this disruption was going to make me late.

As I fumed over the stove, figuring out how to make our meal stretch, I felt my son’s eyes on me and I remembered my own words: “Be a friend to everyone.” Everyone. It’s easy to be a friend to our friends and our loved ones. It’s harder to be a friend to those who upset you, offend you or do you wrong. How would I want my children to handle this situation? I would want him to share. I would want him to be a friend to everyone, regardless of how much it put him out. I needed to remember my own lesson. I needed to live it.

What does it mean to be a friend to everyone?

It's crazy what a little faith can do.

By Elder Brian

My grandma used to tell us grandkids stories about our ancestors that crossed the plains with the pioneers all the time when I was little. She would tell us about all the trials they went through as well as
all the amazing miracles they witnessed. One of these stories I would have my grandma tell me over and over again. It was my absolute favorite and it's the one I would like to share. It's about my Great
Great Grandma Mellor.

Great Grandma Mellor was going through a hard time before they even left England. She had just given birth to conjoined twins who had died just moments after birth and Grandma Mellor's health wasn't to great either. She was told by the captain of the ship that if she got on the boat to America that she would die and just become shark bait. Night came around and she was given a blessing that her and all of her family would make it to the Salt Lake Valley. She was then smuggled onto the ship and off they went.

Later in their trek to Zion the extremities were beyond comprehension. It was so cold at night that her children's braids froze to the ground and needed to be cut off in order to free the child. They were starving and freezing to death and yet they pressed on with faith.

from lds.org

Grandma Mellor couldn't make it any farther. She sat down on a rock kissed her husband and children good bye and cried. Her daughter Elizabeth Mellor could not stand the thought of leaving her mother behind for the wolves to devour. She turned around and ran back towards her mother. On her way she stopped and offered a prayer of thanks as well as asking for a miracle. She told God the situation and acknowledged that she could not do it herself. After she said amen, she got up and continued towards Grandma Mellor with faith that God would bless her and her mother with strength. On her way she found a fresh hot pie on the frozen snow. This was truly a miracle and a gift from God. She took the pie to her mother and it gave them the strength to press forward and the did so with faith. She and her entire family made it to the Salt Lake Valley.

It is clear that our Father in Heaven loves us and will take care of us as long as we have faith in Him. It's crazy what a little faith can do.

BEING THE GOOD: Lean Into Love

By Wendy K.

This is the second post in a series about "being the good." Read Part 1 here. 

HOW? How do we BE THE GOOD? Our family has broken this theme down into three areas. It’s become our family mission statement.

#1. Lean into Love

In happy times, in sad times, choose love.

“An old Cherokee told his grandson, “Son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy & truth.” The boy thought about it, and asked, “Grandfather, which wolf wins?” The old man quietly replied, “The one you feed.”

My extended family had an experience last year that caused a lot of drama and pain and hurt feelings. We have reflected on this “wolf” concept. It’s tempting to be angry and bitter, especially when you are hurt. But you don’t heal that way. Good doesn’t win that way. The wolf you feed is the wolf that wins. Feed the good. BE THE GOOD.

Some say there are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Why not choose it’s all a miracle? It’s hard sometimes... to look on that bright side and see that cup as half full. It can be hard to count your blessings. But it works! It works every time I put it to the test. The best part? It’s contagious.

We started a new practice this year at our dinner table. Each night everyone gets a chance

to share their BEST of the day. “What’s the BEST thing that happened to you today?” My husband often comments this is his favorite part of the day. This is us, focusing on the love, identifying the blessings, feeding the GOOD.

I’m working on saying nice things. How simple does that sound? We often focus on keeping not

nice thoughts to ourselves. That’s important, and I need to work on that too, but what about the other side? I figured I probably only say 10% of the nice things I think about people. No more! If I think it and it’s nice, I try to say it. Shout compliments! Proclaim admirations! Spread love!

Social media is a great tool for this. Send a quick text right when you’re thinking of someone. You give someone a compliment on their wall on Facebook... not only does it bring the person joy, but other people see something GOOD in that person they might not have noticed. This too can be contagious as they can “like” or agree or want to leave a nice thought of their own on that wall or someone else’s. So often social media is a dumping ground. What if we used it as a place to spread GOOD news, spread love, share the gospel?

I like to keep it old school too, by sending cards and letters in the mail. I love mail! Who doesn’t love mail? I kicked off this goal by sending cards to three people (a relative, a family friend and a woman in the ward who I’ve decided is my local Yoda) telling them how something they said or did shaped me, inspired me and how I appreciate them. It’s brought me great joy to BELIEVE the good is out there. To look for GOOD in people and thank them for BEING THE GOOD.

How do you be the good?

Believe there is good in the world: be the good!

By Wendy K.

2012 was a difficult year for me. There were heartbreaking lows for myself, my family and my friends, not the least of which was my 2 1/2 year old nephew being diagnosed with leukemia. When the year wrapped up with a particularly horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I pretty much felt hopeless. My faith in the world and in humanity struggled to the point I did not BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD. I was too upset to BE THE GOOD. When I heard the news of the Connecticut shootings my first reaction was fear. I was afraid to send my kid to school. I was afraid to raise my kids. I was afraid of evil. Fortunately a second reaction came: don’t let fear win.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” -- Isaiah 41:10

Truth and righteousness will prevail. We know that; we believe that. Now is the time more than ever to have faith in that, to seek that, to identify that and to live that.

We, as Latter-day Saints, BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD.

At the end of last year, I did a lot of thinking and praying about the state of the world and how I fit into it all... and how the gospel fits in and how I could do my part to make the world a better place for me and my children. Here’s what I came up with: I can’t stop violence. I can’t stop terrorists. I can’t stop cancer. I can’t control other people’s actions. What can I do? I can only control my reaction. And I can control my home. Isn’t so much of this about the breakdown of the family?

So I started thinking, “What does our home stand for? When our kids grow up and leave what do I want them to remember most about our family, our home, our message?” I wanted a family mission statement. I wanted a family theme. When I saw this message, I knew THAT’S what I want to teach my kids. THAT’S what I want to live. I want to have faith. I want to live righteously. I can’t keep my kids from school... or movie theaters... or marathons. But I can impact them in the home. That’s a place I have control over. That’s a place I can make a difference. That’s empowering. I can teach my children that THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD. I can teach them to BE THE GOOD.

It is no small task. And it is one that is never done.... which drives the “check things off your

list” part of me crazy. But it’s not something you do. It’s something you live. And guess what?

We can do it! We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him and with Him all things are possible.

“We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. They are the creators of life. They are the nurturers of children. They are the teachers of young women. They are our indispensable companions. They are our co-workers in building the kingdom of God. How great is their role, how marvelous their contribution.” – President Hinckley

We can do this.

This is the first of a series of blog posts about being the good in the world.

What my child's allergies taught me about God's love for His children.

By Corbin C.

My daughter, Colette, is 18 months old. About 6 months ago we discovered that she has quite a few food allergies. She’s allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, dairy, and some beans and legumes. Our son, Daxton, who is 3 ½ will eat anything you put in front of him, and lots of things we don’t put in front of him, too. But one of his favorite snacks, like many kids, is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s hard for his sister to see him eating a delicious sandwich that she can’t have.

We tell Colette, “You can’t eat that. It will make you sick.” But of course she doesn’t understand; she’s only 18 months old. Our son has picked up on this exchange and he’s taken it upon himself to be the self-appointed enforcer of his sister’s dietary restrictions. He is pretty vigilant and I’ve been corrected more than once: “Dad, Colette can’t eat that. It has beans in it.”

However, as long as the list of foods Colette can’t eat already is, I noticed that according to our son, the list kept growing ever so slightly. First it was, “Colette can’t eat chocolate. It will give her a belly ache.” Then it was cupcakes that would make her sick. Finally our son declared that his sister was allergic to all desserts and if she ate them she might die. Smart kid. I’m only jealous that I didn’t think to tell my son HE was allergic to desserts first.

But there is an important lesson to learn from this experience. My daughter sees something that she thinks will taste good and she wants it. I as a parent know that if she eats that peanut butter, she will feel very sick. She could even have an anaphylactic reaction and without treatment she really might die. But she doesn’t know that; all she knows is that her brother is eating a delicious snack that she can’t have. I love both of my children equally, but in that moment, I can imagine my daughter is wondering why I would give her brother a delicious snack and deny her the same pleasure. How often do we forget that our Heavenly Father loves each of us equally as his children and he knows what is good for us better than we know ourselves?

We might consider the situation of a neighbor or friend and wonder why our Heavenly Father loves them more than us. But the truth is that he loves each of us more than we can comprehend and he knows exactly what we need in order to give us the best chance at growing and developing and one day becoming like Him.



In the spring of 1820, a young boy of 14 was curious to know which church he should be attending. He studied the scriptures regularly and found a passage in the New Testament that told him to pray and ask God. “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.” (James 1:5) That young boy, Joseph Smith, knelt in solemn prayer in a grove of trees to ask our Heavenly Father which church he should attend. In one profound moment, the heavens opened and the boy prophet saw God the Father, and Jesus Christ. In that moment, more light and knowledge regarding the existence and nature of God was poured out upon the earth than in all the many centuries since Christ walked the earth combined.

Elder Tad R. Callister taught:

When Joseph Smith emerged from the grove of trees, he eventually learned four fundamental truths not then taught by the majority of the contemporary Christian world. 

First, he learned that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are two separate, distinct beings. The Bible confirms Joseph Smith’s discovery. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). A father offering up his only son is the supreme demonstration of love that the human mind and heart can conceive and feel. It is symbolized by the touching story of Abraham and Isaac (see Genesis 22). But if the Father is the same being as the Son, then this sacrifice of all sacrifices is lost, and Abraham is no longer offering up Isaac—Abraham is now offering up Abraham.

The second great truth Joseph Smith discovered was that the Father and the Son have glorified bodies of flesh and bones. Following the Savior’s resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and said, “Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). Some have suggested this was a temporary physical manifestation and that when He ascended to heaven He shed His body and returned to His spirit form. But the scriptures tell us this was not possible. Paul taught, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him” (Romans 6:9). In other words, once Christ was resurrected, His body could never again be separated from His spirit; otherwise He would suffer death, the very consequence Paul said was no longer possible after His Resurrection. 

The third truth that Joseph Smith learned was that God still speaks to man today—that the heavens are not closed. 

If God loves every one of his children equally, we can be sure that he will give us every aid and help that he gave to his children in centuries past. In days of old, the Lord called prophets to teach the people his gospel. Prophets like Isaiah, Moses, Abraham. The Lord gave them a special charge to teach the people his plan for them.

We know that the Lord still calls prophets in our day to preach his gospel and teach us his plan. In the Lord’s church today, just as anciently, establishing the doctrine of Christ or correcting doctrinal deviations is a matter of divine revelation. In the Bible we find the prophet Amos giving a profound truth: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

The fourth truth that Joseph Smith learned was that the full and complete Church of Jesus Christ was not then upon the earth. Of course there were good people and some components of the truth, but the Apostle Paul had anciently prophesied that the Second Coming of Christ would not come “except there come a falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The Lord called Joseph to restore upon the earth the same church that Christ had established when he walked with his apostles. The 6th Article of Faith states, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. Through Joseph Smith, the Lord restored all the powers, keys, teachings, and ordinances necessary for salvation and exaltation.

Just as in 1820 when Joseph Smith was confused about which church was God’s true church, so today there exist a multitude of different religions and beliefs. There are those today that would say that all religions are equally right, that all paths lead to God. It is true that there are so many good people in all the wonderful religions of the world. And they do so much good in this world. They are serving the Lord according to their light and knowledge. All churches have some truth, and some of them have very much truth. We do not say they are wrong, only that they are incomplete. Our Heavenly Father would give them more. He hopes that they would seek further light and knowledge in whatever place they may find it. Through Joseph Smith and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ all the necessary principles and ordinances that are required for us to return to live with God after this life have been revealed.

Then there is, of course, the opposite view of those that would say all religions are right. They would say all religions are wrong together. I would urge anyone who might have that opinion to first, keep an open mind and an open heart, and second, ask in sincere prayer to God if he exists and if this is his true church. Once you have felt the comfort and peace that comes from the influence of the Holy Ghost, any doubt of the existence of God melts away in a profound experience that may not be easy to explain to others, but is no less real because of that. “…for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10)

Another profound truth that was revealed in this dispensation through the prophet Joseph Smith is that of the gospel being preached to the dead in the spirit world to those who did not have a fair chance to hear it in this life. (D&C 128:5–22; see also D&C 138:30–34). This was not a new revelation; it was the restoration of a biblical truth. The apostle Peter had taught “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6). Those who accept the gospel of Jesus Christ in the spirit world will have every blessing given to those who accepted and lived faithful lives here in mortality.

Again in Elder Callister’s words:

On occasion, some are willing to set aside the precious gospel truths restored by Joseph Smith because they get diverted on some historical issue or some scientific hypothesis not central to their exaltation, and in so doing they trade their spiritual birthright for a mess of pottage. They exchange the absolute certainty of the Restoration for a doubt, and in that process they fall into the trap of losing faith in the many things they do know because of a few things they do not know. There will always be some seemingly intellectual crisis looming on the horizon as long as faith is required and our minds are finite, but likewise there will always be the sure and solid doctrines of the Restoration to cling to, which will provide the rock foundation upon which our testimonies may be built. 

When many of Christ’s followers turned from Him, He asked His Apostles, “Will ye also go away?” 

Peter then responded with an answer that should be engraved on every heart: “To whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66–68).

 Indeed, the words of Jesus Christ are the words of eternal life. His words can be found in the Holy Scriptures. Through the prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ was translated.

Along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon is an indispensable witness of the doctrines of Christ and his divinity. As the Bible relates the events of Christ’s mortal ministry in Jerusalem, we know that the Book of Mormon relates the events of the ancient people on the American continent.

The Book of Mormon was written by ancient American prophets who testified of Christ’s coming just as the prophets of the Old Testament did. The Book of Mormon also highlights the coming of the Savior after his resurrection to the Nephite people. This second witness serves to confirm the truths taught in the Bible and establish the doctrines of Jesus Christ in a clear and complete manner.

Someday, my daughter Colette will understand English. At least that’s my hope. Then I will be able to explain to her that certain foods aren’t good for her. I’ll be able to reason with her. But for now, she has to go on faith that I will take care of her and do what’s best for her.

If any of you find yourself questioning your testimony or doubting that there is a loving Savior who has restored his true and living church again on the earth, then have faith for the moment. Search the scriptures diligently and learn of Him. Your spiritual vocabulary will slowly expand and you will begin to see the Lord’s hand in your life. You will begin to understand his wonderful plan for you and for all of His children. Pray sincerely and ask for that understanding. I know that the Lord lives and that through Joseph Smith He restored his church again on the earth. I know that a living prophet receives revelation and guides His church on the earth today. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.