Somewhere on the front of every Mormon church sits a plaque that reads, “Visitors Welcome.” I sort of wish that there could be another saying on that plaque that would read, “Doubters Welcome.” Of course I want visitors or “non-members” to come to church, check it out, and be part of our great church family….
Category Archives: Faith
So about 12 years ago, I had one of the coolest experiences and then one of the worst experiences of my mission… both within about 20 seconds of each other. My companion and I were in our car, sitting at a stop light in Michigan. We saw some people in the car next to us…
About 2 years ago, I started to write about the things that were important to me. I wasn’t cool, or popular (I’m still not.) I don’t know how to sing, or dance, or play an instrument. I’m not a celebrity or a billionaire. I lead a very normal life, a life that is perfect for…
For some reason, our society has determined that real men are supposed to be pigs. Men aspire to it. Women have come to accept it and many times expect it. People say that men just can’t help it. That it’s in their DNA to be that way…and that there’s really not much anyone can do about it….
On March 10th of 2014, I started a blog and began writing. But I had just one problem. I stink at writing! I didn’t figure anyone would ever read what I wrote. High school language arts was the only class in which I got a D. It was embarrassing. Although my grades improved in language arts,…
In my not too distant past… I found myself standing at an intersection with 4 different churches, one on each corner. I thought it would be fun and interesting to go in and talk to a couple of the priests and pastors of those churches about various aspects of their doctrine and beliefs. A couple of…
People say lots of things about Mormonism. Unfortunately few of them come close to accurately describing what it’s all about. Mormonism at it’s core is about helping people. Not just Mormons…but everyone, from any congregation. Recently, I was able to observe the people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their best. While it was…
On June 16th 1844 Joseph Smith gave what is known as the “Sermon in the Grove.” It was one of the last things we’d ever hear from the prophet and it got cut short on account of the rain. He was only eleven days away from his martyrdom at Carthage and he knew that his time was…
There was really only one thing that Jesus truly hated and that was hypocrisy. But not just any kind of hypocrisy. Jesus couldn’t stand religious hypocrisy. Empty acts of piety that were calculated to further one’s own political and monetary goals. “Ye hypocrites…” Jesus says to the “religious” politicians, “draweth nigh unto me with their…
Recently I passed through Nauvoo, and it reminded me of an interesting story told by a member of a past Nauvoo temple presidency. Personally, I’ve always wondered what an apostle prays for on a daily basis, so my ears perked up when this man mentioned what Elder Holland said in Nauvoo that he prayed for every day. …