Category: Unity

“We are here to help, lift, and rejoice with each other as we try to become our very best selves.”

January 27, 2022

A woman named Jen Hatmaker made an observation that I love,  “In the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. They close ranks so that the delivering mama can not be seen in the middle. […] They send a clear signal … More “We are here to help, lift, and rejoice with each other as we try to become our very best selves.”

“To anyone who feels they don’t fit in at church – you truly do. We all have imperfections, and we all need each other’s support.”

December 18, 2021

For those who don’t feel like they fit in the family proclamation… Remember, the most important relationship we will have in this life is with our Savior. As we cling to Him, we can feel peace in any circumstance we find ourselves in. I had a single friend tell me that in her thirty years … More “To anyone who feels they don’t fit in at church – you truly do. We all have imperfections, and we all need each other’s support.”

“The family is the laboratory for love”

December 16, 2021

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” holds up a beautiful, important standard. And it is important to realize, no family perfectly measures up to the standard. Let’s look at the scriptures for examples: Rebecca worked with her son, Jacob, to deceive her husband into giving Jacob the birthright instead of Esau. Jacob then ran … More “The family is the laboratory for love”

“To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside of ourselves.”

July 24, 2021

There was an anthropologist who spent some time in Africa studying habits and culture. On his last day there, he filled a basket with fruit and put a bow on it. He then gathered a group of children. He drew a line in the dirt for them to get behind. He told them they were … More “To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside of ourselves.”

“When we work together in love and unity, we can expect Heaven’s help.”

June 13, 2021

The river was dangerous and the weather was stifling as Joseph and some elders traveled down the Mississippi River coming back from Independence. Some elders were quick to place blame and tensions soon ran high. A few men were so angry with the situation that they refused to paddle.  Consequently, during a particularly dangerous river … More “When we work together in love and unity, we can expect Heaven’s help.”

“We are not obedient because we are blind. We are obedient because we can see.”

May 21, 2021

I know that Jesus was perfect and people were offended by him. But that’s exactly it…Jesus was PERFECT and offended people. I am not. 😉 I dont have the perfect truth, either.I’m not trying to say it’s my job to never offend, but I do think it’s my job to be introspective when I do. It … More “We are not obedient because we are blind. We are obedient because we can see.”

“God does not begin by asking about our ability, but only our availability.”

May 2, 2021

Let’s talk about lichens, shall we? A lichen is actually a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an algae.  Alone, a fungus can survive.However, it cannot photosynthesize.But when it combines with an algae, it can. Together, it becomes something new—a lichen.Together, the algae can gather moisture and nutrients.It provides an anchor for the fungus.But importantly, … More “God does not begin by asking about our ability, but only our availability.”

“When we seek to ‘complete’ rather than ‘compete,’ it is so much easier to cheer each other on.”

April 11, 2021

The Nguni people of southern Africa have an interesting philosophy called “ubuntu.” Ubuntu is the belief that a person thrives when his or her neighbor thrives. In English, it essentially translates to “I am because we are.” Cooperation, not competition, is celebrated. As I was reading more about Thomas B. Marsh’s life, I thought about … More “When we seek to ‘complete’ rather than ‘compete,’ it is so much easier to cheer each other on.”

We need less contests of opinions and more love without condition.

January 9, 2021

“Creating no small stir and division among the people.” Those words from Joseph Smith History weighed on my heart this time around. Joseph Smith described what caused the division, “good feelings […] being lost in strife of words and contests of opinions.” The problem was people cared more about their opinions than their neighbors. We … More We need less contests of opinions and more love without condition.

“Hoorah for differences! Without them, there would be no harmony.”

January 4, 2021

I listened to the song “Spem in Aliem” the other day with my family and loved it. Forty different voices, all doing individual harmonies—absolutely mind blowing. It felt like a Celestial piece. But the best part of it was after the piece was finished. Every person in the room told what they had gotten from … More “Hoorah for differences! Without them, there would be no harmony.”