The Secret to Happiness

As human beings we seem to be made to want happiness. Joseph Smith taught that ‘happiness is the object and design of our existence’ so it must be divinely intended as a pursuit of our lives. Mostly, however, we tend to seek for it badly, or at least in ways that fail to satisfy our …

The Lamb of God

In the musical presentation, “Lamb of God*,” at the very darkest moment of the last week of Jesus Christ’s life-the death of Jesus on the cross, his mother, Mary, sings: He who healed our sorrows, here was bruised and broken. He whose love no end knows, here was forsaken, left all alone. Here despair cries …

‘Comparison is the Thief of Joy’

Nearly every time I ponder writing something on this blog, I fight against the voices of doubt in my mind. It’s a stretching experience and that is uncomfortable. I often don’t know what to say or the best way to say it. What if nobody cares? What if I fail and others see that? The …

Burdens That Become Blessings

Burden-the very word indicates heaviness and dread. And while we may know intellectually that burdens provide the resistance that make us stronger, few of us would choose to carry them if we could avoid it. Perhaps, however, our burdens become blessings depending on how and with whom we carry them. The people of Alma, who …

In a Manger Lay

The Christmas season is full of wonder and joy. I love the excitement and anticipation it brings to children and families, the increased desire to serve and help others, the emphasis on Christ and His meaning in our lives. His birth was rich in beautiful symbolism that helps me know and appreciate Him in my …