The New Testament Come Follow Me lessons have recently focused on many of the parables Jesus taught to his apostles and disciples during his mortal ministry. Those same parables have helped each of us learn lessons that are easily applied into our lives. I would like to expound on a little known, and recently learned, parable that I refer to as the Parable of the Jell-O. The Parable of the Jell-O by Daylen Bushman There was in our neighborhood a... Read more
I read the following story about strengthening bridges in my family book group’s book (The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald Lund). I wondered if I would fortify spiritual bridges or just give up in the face of such obvious opposition. Could I rely on the Lord for strength and ideas of how to make a way? Fortify Spiritual Bridges Gerald Lund shared the following story: “A Christian missionary couple was called to Africa to serve deep in the... Read more
During April 2023 General Conference, we received very clear direction to study 3 Nephi. As I perused the talks, I found that 17 talks directly or indirectly, through scripture references, referred to 3 Nephi. There may be more that I missed. There is not time to speak of all the remarkable events of that glorious day and the days that followed [when the resurrected Christ appeared to His people on the American continent.] But it is clear that 3 Nephi... Read more
Cultivating a Christ-Centered Home | Dionna Chiarolanza I was asked to share some thoughts on cultivating a Christ-centered home. President Nelson has said: My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to make time for the Lord! … Nothing invites the Spirit more than fixing your focus on Jesus Christ. So what does it mean to fix our focus on Jesus Christ? How do we “cultivate” a Christ-centered lifestyle individually and with our families? Obstacles, Warnings, and Light In the... Read more
This experience at the BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers concert impacted me so much. I’m amazed by the woman I met. I’m humbled to see the hand of God working in our lives. BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers I went to see the BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers on their Spring 2023 Tour which luckily stopped in Lubbock. St. John’s Methodist Church provided the venue. While looking for seats, my friend Becky spotted her dad who thought we could squeeze in by them on the short... Read more
Today is Easter. As I partook of the sacrament, I felt the significance of the day so profoundly. I partook of His flesh and His blood commemorating my redemption by Jesus on the anniversary of that complete redemption! As I basked in that truth, I felt that familiar knowing fill me from head to toe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and Holy One of Israel. The Holy Ghost posed a question: Because you know that Jesus is the Christ... Read more
Celebrating the good things Jesus has done by Roxy Kimokeo My children amaze me constantly by the things they are learning and what they teach me, and I love my calling as primary music leader because I get to be with all the children and hear their sweet testimonies, and I really feel the truth of the scripture that “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise” Matt 21:16 or in other words from honest and... Read more
While studying Jesus Christ’s final week, I looked for general steps on the covenant path to conversion in His journey from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem to His triumphant exit from the tomb. I found the steps to conversion in faith to accept Jesus as the Messiah, various opportunities for repentance in the money changers and Peter, and ordinances of the Gospel in His discussion of baptism, initiation of the sacrament, and great discourse on the Holy Ghost. And I... Read more
Earlier this week I talked to a friend about my desire to pray more mightily and with faith to do God’s will every day. She knew my schedule and some of the daily demands on my time and asked if I was worried about getting an answer. Yes! We laughed about how funny that seemed. But I’d recently listened to a devotional by Elder David A. Bednar that flitted by on a YouTube suggestion. Elder Bednar promised that if... Read more
The Savior’s wheat and tares parable acknowledges the opposition in all things as good and evil seeds grow together until a harvest of sifting and burning. Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned. (Doctrine and Covenants 86:7) Through beautiful introspection,... Read more
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