Lately, there have been a number of times when I feel like I’ve “toiled all the night” on one worthy goal or another and had nothing to show for it. Similar to how Christ’s disciples felt in Luke chapter 5 when they fished all night and “caught nothing.” But, at Christ’s word, the disciples let…
Category: Scripture Insights
Team Firstborn
Since I am the third child in my family, I never thought much about the significance of being the “firstborn,” because obviously that doesn’t apply to me, right? However, in Exodus 4:22 the Lord describes the house of Israel as “my firstborn.” Thus, as a member of the House of Israel, it’s important for me…
When Disciples Cut Off Ears
When I feel discouraged and confused about certain types of mistakes that I (or others) have made, I gain strength and understanding by relating to a particular story of Peter that is found in all four Gospels. When the Savior was arrested by an armed mob in the garden of Gethsemane, the disciple Peter drew…
Hurrah for Israel!
“Hurrah for Israel!” is what Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball shouted as they bid farewell to their sick families (in 1839) and departed on their mission to England, despite being ill themselves. While this story is often used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an example of optimism…
The Jaredite Voyage and the Year 2020
The Jaredites knew what it was like to have a year of uncertainty and limited social interaction, but they also knew three important keys to not only surviving but also thriving. While discussing the book of Ether (part of the Book of Mormon) in Sunday School the other day, I was struck by all the…
Adventures in Isaiah: Part One
As I’ve searched for ways I can center my life on Christ, I never expected the answer would be to change the way I see Isaiah. I’ve read the Book of Mormon many times, but in my most recent study I finally noticed just how blatantly we are commanded to study Isaiah. Of course, I’ve…
15 Ways to Increase our Capacity to Receive
In the fall of 2017, I went to General Conference with the question, “How can I stop being weighed down by the feeling that I’m not good enough?” My answer came when Elder Holland said, “Our only hope for true perfection is in receiving it as a gift from heaven. We won’t earn it.” Since hearing…