During the winter months of 1856, my 4th Great Grandfather Joseph Mckay found himself near death traveling in the Willie handcart company while crossing Rocky Ridge, and he collapsed on the frozen ground waiting to die. He had trekked thousands of miles from Europe, eagerly awaiting for the arrival to the Salt Lake Valley. He, … Continue reading The miracle at Rocky Ridge: How Andrew Young Smith saved my 4th Great Grandfather
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The surprising reason Christ chose John, not His own brothers, to take care of Mary after His death
We all know the scenario: Christ has endured suffering, pain and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, is taken before unrighteous judges to be punished, is spat upon and ruthlessly hung on the cross. Amidst this pain, His thoughts turn to His mother, worrying about her well being- "Now there stood by the cross of … Continue reading The surprising reason Christ chose John, not His own brothers, to take care of Mary after His death
Why we shouldn’t judge “Doubting Thomas”
Most Christians, without having to look him up, are familiar with the biblical apostle "Doubting Thomas". He needed to see for himself the resurrected Lord, feel the prints in His hands and feet to know for sure it was Him. Multiple accounts recall the events leading up to, during, and after the last week of … Continue reading Why we shouldn’t judge “Doubting Thomas”
The lesson I learned in sacrament meeting from a crying child
During the sacrament hymn at church today, a young child in our congregation started getting fussy, something not unusual on Sundays. He started quietly, and grew increasingly louder in frustration. By the time the blessing for the water came around, he was still crying with his full, tiny lungs. The parents to their patient credit, … Continue reading The lesson I learned in sacrament meeting from a crying child
How do we minister to loved ones who have left the church?
There's a phrase in the LDS community that's used almost too casually these days- "Oh he left the church a long time ago." Or-"She doesn't want anything to do with the church anymore." We may know someone who has either talked about a family member who does not go to church anymore, we may have … Continue reading How do we minister to loved ones who have left the church?
Elder Holland-Thank you for saving my life
I want to start by saying that I have not had the great privilege of meeting Elder Holland-one of the Lord's apostles, but his powerful and encouraging spirit has been a guiding and comforting light throughout my adulthood. As mentioned before in other blogs briefly, I have expressed my encounters with adversity and turmoil. The … Continue reading Elder Holland-Thank you for saving my life
President Monson, I will sustain you
This past weekend, the 185th Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints commenced to its more than 15 million members across the world, as well as to the general public. It was a momentous occasion because 3 new apostles were called, which that number of new ones called during Conference had … Continue reading President Monson, I will sustain you
When I could no longer walk, the Book of Mormon gave me the strength to stand
When I was 2 months old, my parents started to notice that my skull was growing at an abnormal rate. They took me to the hospital to figure out the issue. Upon my arrival and after numerous tests were done over the course of a few months, I was diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus-a condition in … Continue reading When I could no longer walk, the Book of Mormon gave me the strength to stand