Author Archives: Candace Salima

The Divinity of Jesus Christ

With the advent of many books into the market, such as The DaVinci Code (which I enjoyed), The Last Templar (which I mostly enjoyed) and on and on and on, the divinity of Christ has been called into question so much that some Christian sects are backing off, they are now saying that Jesus Christ is not God. I am deeply saddened by this. Our Lord and Savior condescended to come to this earth as a mortal babe. He grew into adulthood with parents that loved and accepted Him and brothers who struggled with that same knowledge. At thirty years … Continue reading →

Recognizing the Holy Ghost

“The light from the sun breaks through space, bathing our planet as it encircles the sun with life-giving warmth and light. Without the sun, there could be no life on this planet; it would be forever barren, cold, and dark. “As the sun gives life and light to the earth, a spiritual light gives nourishment to our spirits. We call this the Light of Christ. The scriptures teach us that it “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Thus, all mankind can enjoy its blessings. The Light of Christ is the divine influence that allows every man, woman, and … Continue reading →

And Peter Wept Bitterly

There are many situations in life where we are asked to stand for our beliefs. In the easier situations – it would be standing for school colors, fellow students and the football team. In a twisted situation – standing for gang colors. But with all this devotion and loyalty, how many of you, in a dangerous situation, would stand and say, “I am a follower of Christ.” More important, to Latter-day Saints, would you stand and say, “I am a Mormon. I know Joseph Smith to be a prophet.” Would you, could you say it if your life were threatened … Continue reading →

Joseph Smith: Prophet, Seer and Revelator

So much controversy swirls around one of the greatest men, save Jesus Christ, to grace this planet. For a man so humble, he was purported to have created a religion to fulfill his own greed and lascivious desires. In truth, he was a humble boy who sought truth. Just as the Fall had to occur, so too, did the Restoration. For at the meridian of time, our Lord and Savior came to this earth and paid for the sins, sorrows, grief and illnesses for all of the children of God. He paid the price so that man would have hope. … Continue reading →

Sacred Cows

I was talking to my brother last night and we were discussing the LDS culture’s sacred cows, so to speak. You see, my brother taught at the same writer’s conference I did a few weeks ago. He was privileged to attend Robison Well’s class on Humor in LDS Fiction. (I was teaching my screenplay class at the same time so missed the whole thing.) Somehow, the topic of sacred cows came up. It got me thinking. It is often too common for Latter-day Saints to deify the culture rather than absorb, internalize and utilize the doctrine. In other words, just … Continue reading →

As a Man Thinketh

“I believe that words and actions are rooted in our thoughts and that our thoughts determine our deeds. Our daily decisions, planned or spontaneous, are the result of our thoughts, and we are responsible for them. Although we as individuals might think that we are and can act independently of God, we cannot escape the realization that we are subject to eternal laws. Our happiness and our peace in this life, as well as in the life after, depend on our readiness to base our thoughts and actions on God-given laws. True peace of mind and everlasting happiness come from … Continue reading →

2nd Nephi — Stopping the Bullet

Nothing, but nothing beats Mormon humor. Did you know I Googled “LDS Humor” and came across a number of websites. So I started cruising through all the jokes, most brought a smile to my face but this one made me outright laugh. “During the Vietnam War, a group of soldiers were ambushed. Fire was exchanged and during it all, a young LDS soldier was hit in the chest. The others had no choice but to retreat, leaving their friend’s body in the tall grass. Later that night, back at the camp, they saw a figure moving towards them. One of … Continue reading →

A Review of “Rules of Engagement” by Stephanie Fowers

I’m not particularly fond of books written in first person, but I have to admit, Rules of Engagement would be one of the exceptions. Stephanie takes us to the world of LDS singles and the often insane courting and dating rituals which are unique to Mormons. She launches the first salvo with a WARNING. “This book will scare you—scare you silly— that anyone could be as irrational as I am. But the fact is, maybe you need an irrational perspective. Just about everyone is irrational when it comes to the dating game, the LDS dating game to be more specific … Continue reading →

Where Do I Turn for Peace

In a world so filled with chaos, sorrow and danger, where is it we can turn for peace? Where may we find surcease from Satan’s fiery darts, the constant whispering of his minions and indeed the complete influx of sin, degradation and evil coming at us in waves? Dotting the land, we find temples, the houses of the Lord. We are taught, from as early as we can begin to understand, that going to the temple, completing the ordinances and taking additional covenants is our firm goal. But until you’ve been to the temple you can’t really understand what treasures … Continue reading →

Brother vs. Brother

Hello from Texas! I’m here for my niece’s baptism and am having a wonderful week with my brother and his family. As I pondered this morning what to discuss in my blogs, the upcoming Sunday School lesson came to mind, Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors, my ancestor. I thought back to where my earliest knowledge of brother vs. brother began, it was Jesus Christ vs. Lucifer, a former son of the morning. Then my mind jumped ahead to Abel and Cain, where Cain’s ultimate jealousy brought about the murder of his brother, Abel. Moving ahead in time came … Continue reading →