Tag Archives: obedience

Marriage Fights: Kids

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One of the last big thing that couples fight about is children. This becomes especially true when one person brings in kids from a previous marriage. Even when both children are “ours”, parents can often find themselves disagreeing about how to raise their kids. The most important thing to realize is that mom and dad are a team. You are both working together. Sit down, just the two of you, and discuss your goals for your children. You might have exact things you want them to accomplish, such as serving a mission and being sealed in the temple. You might … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: The Marriage of the King’s Son

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In Matthew 22:1-14, the Savior gives a parable regarding a wedding feast. The king invited many to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of his son, but those who were invited sneered and scoffed. Some went so far as to murder the servants bearing the invitation! The king then chose to invite people from the highways, who attended the joyous occasion. The Savior then states a phrase oft-repeated in the church: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, the Savior teaches four truths: “(1) His own divine Sonship; (2) the impending destruction of Jerusalem; (3) the … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: The Rich Young Man

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The story of the rich young man, as found in Mark 10:17-30, is one that is fairly well known. The youth asks the Savior how he might obtain eternal life. When told to give up his riches, he declines and leaves the Savior. Often, we focus on the negatives of the story, but today, I’d like to point out a few positive aspects that might be missed. The first thing that struck my eye was the eagerness the youth had when it came to Jesus. If you look at verse 17, you read “there came one running.” This young man … Continue reading →

RS/EQ: Technology, Blessings, and Scriptures

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Circumstances did not allow for posting these lessons the weeks they were completed. However, it is my hope that you will still be able to take something from them. This week’s Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum lesson from the Spencer W. Kimball manual focuses on the scriptures. This entire lesson was wonderful; when I read it in December, it strengthened my resolve to study and ponder the scriptures, and put me on the road to a more in-depth study program, despite the tugging of small children on my skirts. In the beginning, President Kimball refers to a talk he heard … Continue reading →

Relief Society Presidents: Bonnie D. Parkin

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The third in a family of five children, Bonnie Dansie was born on August 4, 1940 to Jesse and Ruth Butikofer Dansie. She grew up in Herriman, Utah, and attended Utah State University. A year after graduating, she met James L. Parkin, and the two were married in 1963 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have four sons. Bonnie served on the Relief Society general board from 1990 to 1994 under Elaine L. Jack, and then was called as second counselor in the Young Women general presidency. In 1997, her husband was called to serve as mission president of the … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: Christ’s ‘Straightway’ and ‘Immediately’

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Most of us are familiar with the story found in John 6:15-21 and Matthew 14:22-33. However, as I studied these verses, I was impressed by how quickly the Savior responded in several instances. In this portion of the lesson, the Savior sends the Twelve on a boat alone while he disperses the multitude that sought after them. He then goes up to a mountain to pray and commune with the Lord. While the disciples were on the ship, a storm came up, and they were afraid. In the fourth watch – between three and six in the morning, according to … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: “I Am A (Spiritual) Child of God”

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When I studied this week’s lesson, something jumped out at me that I just had to share, despite my intention of taking it easy after the recent birth of my baby. Studying John 8, I became intrigued by the Savior’s dialogue on being a child of God rather than a child of Satan. Since I had previously struggled with the idea of being a child of Christ, as put forth by King Benjamin in Mosiah 5:7, as well as the reverse of being a child of Satan (see Alma 5:39-41), today’s scripture study seemed to be an ideal time to … Continue reading →

Relief Society Presidents: Barbara B. Smith

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As the first Relief Society president born in the twentieth century, Barbara Bradshaw Smith found her ten year term filled with unrest as the proposed Equal Rights Amendment was discussed and finally defeated. Her time as President was marked by her determination to stand for women’s rights, albeit not in the same manner viewed by the world. Born on January 26, 1922 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Barbara’s attending physician was her maternal grandmother, a woman whose example highly influenced her granddaughter. She was the third of six children born to Dorothy Mills and Dan Delos Bradshaw, parents who taught … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: The Sermon on the Mount Audience

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As they Savior traveled and ministered, two basic groups accompanied Him. Each group was composed of individuals, motivated by their own purposes. When Christ delivered the Sermon on the Mount, he addressed one portion to one group, and another to the other. The first group was “the multitude,” and was composed of several different types of people. Some sought after the man from Galilee. Some saw the crowd and wandered in. Some sought to challenge and criticize. Some took the teachings they heard home with them and applied them to their lives. Some followed for several days, seeking to hear … Continue reading →

General Conference From the Past: “Anonymous”

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In April of 1983, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a wonderful talk entitled “Anonymous.” In it, he expressed the joys of giving solely to give, of doing good for the sake of goodness. He particularly cites the happiness that comes with anonymous works of righteousness. Throughout the scriptures, Christ did many miracles. At various points, He asked those healed to “tell no man”. Sometimes they obeyed; sometimes they did not. Either way, Christ did not do His miracles to impress or to convert. He did not do them to be lifted up and … Continue reading →