He's My Favorite... Most of the Time

H. Wallace Goodard in his book, “Drawing Heaven into Your Marriage,” asks readers to recognize that the teachings of Jesus taught in the doctrines of the gospel are the only way to be truly successful in marriage.  In the first chapter, he uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate the roles each of us can take on in our relationship. It is simple to see ourselves as the wounded man in need of healing.  Living in a fallen world often leaves us bleeding and alone on the side of the path.  The wounded man was healed because he allowed the Samaritan to help him. How often do we fight against those who would help by withholding forgiveness, waiting to repent, or not turning to the only source of true healing. What isn’t so simple, in the mess of day to day living is to see our spouses as the wounded one.  Mr. Goodard in his book said, “The surest test of our spiritual maturity is the way we react to those who are imperfect physically, spiritually, ...

Jesus warned us to be aware of wolves in sheep's clothing.  We should watch out for things or people that don’t appear to be harmful but in the end can lead us to destruction.   One of these wolves is the idea that finding our true selves and learning to be the best that we can be is the ideal goal of life. Elder Bruce Hafen said that excessive individualism is hurting marriages today.   He said: “ The adversary has long cultivated this overemphasis on personal autonomy, and now he feverishly exploits it. Our deepest God-given instinct is to run to the arms of those who need us and sustain us. But he drives us away from each other today with wedges of distrust and suspicion. He exaggerates the need for having space, getting out, and being left alone. Some people believe him—and then they wonder why they feel left alone.” The  American concepts of the self made man (a phrase coined by Senator Henry Clay in the 1830s) or self reliance (a philosophy p...

I am one of those who struggle. The struggle isn’t with the doctrine as much as my fear of being perceived as unkind.  From my earliest memories, I was taught to be kind and I still hold at my core that kindness counts. My little primary heart still sings very loudly to me,  “I want to be kind to everyone. For that is right you see. So I say to myself remember this; Kindness begins with me.” This is a picture of me, my friend Nicole, and her son Sam at the symphony in December. Nicole is raising Sam with her ex husband Doug and her wife Shannon. Nicole is active in her church, volunteers in the community, She is a great mom who has always strived to put the needs of her son first. So how do I follow the counsel of President Nelson and be a vocal proponent of traditional marriage and not have NIcole and the other LGBTQA people in my life feel that I am unkind?  This is not a rhetorical question.. Will someone please tell me? Pretty please! I love the prophe...

My husband loves modern art so when we were making a list of things to do over spring break of course he added going to The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s not that the boys and I don’t like modern art, I’m just not sure I get it. Most of the time I just just look, laugh, shake my head, and make jokes with the kids. For example when I saw this giant ball and chain hanging from the ceiling I obviously made my husband stand by it so I could take a picture. Then when I show people the picture I can say,”Hey look at the ball and chain.”  (I think I am so funny.) The hilariousness of my marriage jokes doesn’t stop with modern art. Any time that Meghan Trainor song ,”Dear Future Husband”, plays on the radio my boys know I will make some jokes about what my next husband will be like. (My boys insist that I am not  as funny as I think I am.) Maybe all my joking is why I felt so called to repentance when I read this quote from President Dallin H. Oaks, “The weak...