What is the True Spirit of Christmas? December comes just once a year. If we’re not careful it can pass us by in a frenzied whirlwind of ribbons, packages, and parties. Or, for some, it may seem like a month just like any other. Nothing special. Neither of those scenarios sound like a fun Christmas! […]
8 Ways to Find the True Spirit of Christmas Read More »
Worldwide Prayer of Gratitude It’s been exactly two years since President Russell M. Nelson offered his monumental prayer of gratitude to the world. We stood at the cusp of a global pandemic. The collective heart was full of fear, anxiety, even panic. And then, the prophet spoke. Of course! The healing power of gratitude. “Does
Three Reasons to #GiveThanks this Year Read More »
The Camp of the Poor Travel back with me 176 years. The year was 1846. The October morning was cold and biting. Imagine over 600 people camped out right here on this riverbank. They were sick and shivering. They didn’t even have blankets. Food was scarce. They were starving. This group of Saints included the
Riverside Service Honors ‘Miracle of the Quails’ Read More »
Nauvoo is a magical place in the summer. Suddenly, the main street is crowded. The pioneer village wakes up, stretches its limbs, and begins to dance. Costumed pioneers wave. An orchestra plays. Wagons packed with tourists lumber past. You can almost see it: the ghosts of the past awaken and you capture a glimpse of
A Forgotten City Comes to Life Read More »
Memorial Service This summer my family and I participated in a memorial service at Smith Family Cemetery in Historic Nauvoo for the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith (June 27, 1844).1 The service included prayer, music, scriptures, and quotes all crafted into a dramatic retelling of that fateful June-day when
Battles with Grief: Then and Now Read More »
I’ve experienced some defining moments in my life—discovering my testimony of the Book of Mormon, meeting my husband for the first time, experiencing the deaths of my beloved mother and grandmother—the list goes on. Joseph Smith also had many defining moments, but it all began with what has come to be known as his “first
The Truth About Joseph’s Smith First Vision Read More »
192 years ago the Church was organized with six members. Now, Church membership soars above 16 million across the globe.1 I love the description of this momentous day found in “Saints.” The day began with the meeting formally organizing the Church, which included the administration of the sacrament and the Prophet Joseph Smith receiving a
‘His Joy Was Full’: 192 Years of the Restored Church Read More »
180 years ago today a group of twenty women gathered with the Prophet Joseph Smith in the upper room of the Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois.1 Three of them would later become Presidents of the Relief Society.2 “I now turn the key to you in the name of God,” the Prophet said.3 “We are
Extraordinary Women in the Temple Read More »
Happy first anniversary to On this Day in Church History! I wrote my first post on this day one year ago. To celebrate, I took a look back at my posts from last year. Here are three stories that inspire us to master the mountains in our lives: Fearless Faith “Where is your faith? Where
Mastering Mountains Read More »
Last weekend my family participated in what’s called the Nauvoo Exodus Commemoration. Hundreds of people met on this freezing Saturday morning to remember something remarkable—beginning in February 1846 thousands of Latter-day Saints began their journey west in search of religious freedom. At the event we all wore name tags honoring our ancestors whose footsteps led
