Safety for the Soul

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Safety for the Soul, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


Shortly after going to bed last night, our eldest awoke, frightened because he had seen "a ghost." As I put him back to bed and calmed him, he said, "That's okay, Daddy; I know there's no such thing as ghosts."

However, my reply may either classify me as a good parent or a bad parent. I said, "Why do you think ghosts aren't real? What about the Holy Ghost?" After he asked if anyone can see the Holy Ghost, I told him that the Holy Ghost gave Nephi a tour of the dream his father had originally had.

I was happy that this helped him to calm down, and he quietly went right back to sleep. Now, I realize that saying, "Ghosts are real," to a frightened child may not be the wisest idea, but backed with scriptural evidences (and referring to the favorite of ghosts), it turned out fine.

After this experience, I did some thinking on Lehi's dream (see 1 Nephi 8), and then, on my morning commute, I listened to Elder Holland's talk where he revisited aspects of the dream again.

Interestingly, I was riding at 5am, against a stiff wind, in the dark, through palpable mists (that left me quite wet) as Elder Holland reminded that in the dream, "an already difficult journey gets more difficult when a mist of darkness arises," obscuring the view of safety. This was fitting as my glasses, fogged and marked by countless water droplets, did nothing to aid my vision, but rather hindered it!


Putting my commute experiences aside, Elder Holland reminded of the universality of opposition, as well as the way to overcome it:

It is imperative to note that this mist of darkness descends on all the travelers—the faithful and the determined ones . . . as well as the weaker and ungrounded ones. The principal point of the story is that the successful travelers resist all distractions.

I had a missionary companion who had as his motto a phrase from Lehi's account of his dream: "But we heeded them not" (see 1 Nephi 8:33). Come what may, he was determined to not be discouraged or distracted from his ultimate goals.

This tenacity has been evidenced by countless individuals who face persecution, even staunch religious oppressive persecution. Elder Holland poetically reminds of two people who did this beautifully: Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum. They maintained their testimonies of the truthfulness of the work they helped to usher in (including the veracity of the Book of Mormon) to the very end, staring death in the very face.

I agree with Elder Holland that this is an evidence of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. In addition, if I may, I would like to add my name to the list of those who testify of its truth:

Now, I did not sail with the brother of Jared in crossing an ocean, settling in a new world. I did not hear King Benjamin speak his angelically delivered sermon. I did not proselyte with Alma and Amulek nor witness the fiery death of innocent believers. I was not among the Nephite crowd who touched the wounds of the resurrected Lord, nor did I weep with Mormon and Moroni over the destruction of an entire civilization. But my testimony of this record and the peace it brings to the human heart is as binding and unequivocal as was theirs. Like them, “[I] give [my name] unto the world, to witness unto the world that which [I] have seen.” And like them, “[I] lie not, God bearing witness of it” (see The Testimony of Eight Witnesses).

My wife finished reading the Book of Mormon yesterday for the who-knows-how-many-times. I love each instance of completion and the return to my knees to pray of its truthfulness (as Moroni directs, link). And even though I know I don't need to pray anew (because I feel the witness of truth each time I read its pages), it's still wonderful to experience, again, what I felt the first time I prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

I know that the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is the word of God.

I'm grateful that I can find safety for the soul amidst mists of darkness.

What Have I Done for Someone Today?

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

What Have I Done for Someone Today?, by President Thomas S. Monson


I loved the accounting of birthday gifts that President Monson received from children around the world. Their gifts were acts of service, rendered in response to his statement that an ideal birthday gift would be to "find someone who is having a hard time or is ill or lonely, and do something for him or her."

We all loved the image shown representing "warm fuzzies," where each fuzzy represented a child's act of service.


Occasionally I notice discrepancies between what is recorded in the Ensign and what was said during conference. Regarding the warm fuzzies, there was a nugget that was, for some reason, omitted from the printed account; imagine President Monson, the King of Warm Fuzzies, saying upon hearing of the service and its effects, "I wouldn't have known what a warm fuzzy was!"

Despite either not being familiar with the phrase, or not making the connection to its physical representation, President Monson inspires warm fuzzies in my heart each time I hear him, read his messages, or try to be like him. For example, often at the dinner table, we take turns saying something that we did to help someone during the day. When one child cannot remember, someone seems always ready to offer an observed act of service to refresh their memory (when Rebecca forgets, David will say something like, "Remember, Becca; you helped me find my shoes this morning!").

Each time we do this, I feel warm fuzzies in my heart.

I'm ashamed to admit that we've been falling out of practice—even with the associated warm fuzzies! I've loved when we've recounted our service, and I want to continue to. In fact, President Monson asked me to (I guess he asked you to, too):

May we ask ourselves the question . . . each evening at dinnertime: “What have I done for someone today?”

While I didn't hear of his birthday wish (until this conference), and I wouldn't have been creative enough to send in a jar of warm fuzzies if I had, I know that I can help my family lift, love, and serve—everyday!

Warm Fuzzies!

Ask, Seek, Knock

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Ask, Seek, Knock, by Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


Chances are that you're reading this on a computer through the magic of electricity, computer processing, and Internet technologies. We've come a long way in a few short years. I remember times not ten years ago when I would go more than 24 hours without checking my email or getting news or other information from the Internet.

Isn't modern technology amazing?

"Even more amazing than modern technology," Elder Nelson argues, "is our opportunity to access information directly from heaven, without hardware, software, or monthly service fees."

Without monthly service fees?! How can something so wonderful be free? Or, is it really free?

Of course, there are qualifications to participate in personal revelation, as even the title of his talk implies. But we still don't receive a bill!

Elder Nelson outlines the guidelines using D&C 4:5-7:

The Lord asks you to develop “faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God.” Then with your firm “faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, [and] diligence,” you may ask, and you will receive; you may knock, and it will be opened unto you.

Elder Nelson gives an example of the change that is possible to all who ask, seek, and/or knock. As interesting and touching as the story is, there is more that can be learned by looking in the footnotes. Each conference, I love to read Elder Nelson's footnotes because he not only cites references, but gives clarification and additional information as well. In a footnote for this story of conversion, he references the classic hymn "Amazing Grace," which, interestingly enough, is rarely (if ever) sung in LDS congregations:

Such conversions are complete. John Newton (1725–1807), for example, changed his life from that of a slave trader to a devoted disciple of the Lord, summarizing his conversion when he wrote: “Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound!) / That sav’d a wretch like me! / I once was lost, but now am found; / Was blind, but now I see”

I think the reason this song isn't echoing off the walls of LDS chapels is the inclusion of just one word—and, No, it's not "grace" (see these great Book of Mormon scriptures, for starters: 2 Nephi 2:6-8, 4:17, 9:8, 53, 10:24-25; Moroni 10:32-33). In my opinion, the word that keeps this hymn out is "wretch." Although Nephi refers to himself as a "wretched man" (see 2 Nephi 4:17), we focus on the joys of Christ, and that because of His grace, we are no longer wretches (as long as we ask, seek, and knock).

Hold On

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Hold On, by Ann M. Dibb
Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency


In a recent post, I shared a video that a municipality in the UK uses to stress the importance of wearing seat belts. I really like the video. According to the NHTSA, 17% of people in the U.S. don't wear seat belts (link). Paraphrasing Sister Dibb, these people have the necessary safety equipment, they just choose not to wear it.

Here's the video, in case you missed it (link to blog post).

In her talk, Sister Dibb spoke of a construction crew who were, literally, left hanging after their scaffolding failed. For more than an hour, they clung to the underside of a bridge, 125 feet in the air—without safety equipment. Apparently, "they had the equipment; they just chose not to wear it."

It's understandable why people don't use safety equipment, particularly when statistics enter the discussion—they just don't think "it" will happen to them. But when emergencies or perilous situations come, we all wish we had buckled up, used more care, or fastened that necessary clip.

Here is the connection from one aspect of life (everyday things), to another (the important things):

Heavenly Father has not left us alone during our mortal probation. He has already given us all the “safety equipment” we will need to successfully return to Him. He has given us personal prayer, the scriptures, living prophets, and the Holy Ghost to guide us. At times, using this equipment may seem cumbersome, awkward, and horribly unfashionable. Its proper use requires our diligence, obedience, and persistence. But I, for one, choose to use it. We must all choose to use it.

I always wear a seat belt in the car, but do I likewise use the other "safety equipment," which may, ultimately, be more important?

I may think I'm safe, but so did those construction workers on the bridge. I don't want to wait for opposition and difficult times to see if I have the necessary equipment on hand—that would be like trying to buckle a seat belt as your car careens off a cliff. Rather, I want the courage to choose to use the provided safety equipment, even, and especially, when times seem easy and happy. For when the scaffolding fails, I want to be secured, and not have to dangle precipitously.

Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts, by Bishop H. David Burton
Presiding Bishop


"We believe in being honest, true, chased by elephants..."

This is how I used to think the thirteenth Article of Faith started (it's really, "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent." - link). Bishop Burton reported that he, too, had difficulty with this one. He continued to describe virtues that end in "ity," calling them the "ity" virtues. Examples include: "integrity, humility, charity, spirituality, accountability, civility, fidelity, and the list goes on and on."

I stumbled upon a short film that used a certain effect called tilt/shift (or the Scheimpflug principle for you fellow nerds out there) that makes reality appear miniature. My brother-in-law has used this effect in his photographic explorations (link), so I shared it with him.

Watching this film produced some interesting thoughts. First the film:



This effect gives an interesting perspective on humanity and reminds me of Linus' quote (from Charlie Brown): "I love humanity; it's people I can't stand!"


People look so cute and even adorable when seen from this view—if only I could like [and love] all people when they're close-up!

Basically, what I experienced in my inner reaction to this film was a desire for me to have more "ity" virtues.

In testifying of their importance, Bishop Burton reminded both what the "ity" virtues are, and how we can develop them:

Heavenly Father expects His children to exercise integrity, civility, fidelity, charity, generosity, morality, and all the “ity” virtues. May we have the humility to take the opportunity to act upon our responsibility to demonstrate our ability to do so.

I agree wholeheartedly that the development and cultivation of the "ity" virtues can and will bring needed changes to individuals and society.

I hope I can lose my security blanket of separation (from people, similar to Linus) and "let virtue garnish [my] thoughts unceasingly" (see D&C 121:45).