Even as a child who had been born a slave, Booker T. Washington always had a great thirst for knowledge. When the slaves were freed, he worked as hard as he could while a young boy and saved all his money to get an education. Then he walked alone for days to a school that he had heard about for black children, Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia, and worked his way in. After many years of sacrifice and a great deal of hardships, he graduated from this school.
Read MoreIf we want to really know Jesus Christ, we must study His life. When we study and ponder His life, we begin the process of becoming like Him. It becomes easier to love, forgive, and serve others as He did. Through reading (or listening to) the scriptures, good books, other articles about Him, and also viewing Jesus through the modern technology of film, we can see how He might have walked with, talked to, and served the people who were around him.
Read MoreThe role of “aunt” in our family has always included nurturing newborns, playing with young children, overnight babysitting, cutting, styling, and/or braiding hair, painting fingernails, playing all kinds of games including baseball, basketball and football, helping with homework, assisting with cooking, cleaning, and house organization, being available to help family members with moves from coast to coast, and sneaking their nieces and nephews some candy and treats when their parents weren’t looking!
Read MoreWhen Dallin H. Oaks was called to have a leadership role in our church in 1984, I was delighted to begin hearing him speak again at every General Conference. In doing a little research about his life, I came across a cute anecdote by his sister Evelyn O. Moody:
“Whenever we got together for family parties, it was funny to watch because Dallin . . . was always the leader. He would tell who were the cops and who were the robbers . . . Before anyone else could turn two wheels in his brain, Dallin had the whole thing organized.”
Read MoreA few years ago, while pondering about setting a specific goal, this encouraging thought came to me, “A goal is not a cane to beat yourself with—it is a walking stick to help you climb the mountains in your life.”
Yes! Let’s not beat ourselves up for what we haven’t done. Let’s set a small goal and achieve it! Enjoy that sweet feeling of accomplishment for a few minutes and then set another small goal. Step by step we can climb all the mountains in our lives.
Read MoreWe all can be inclusive with other people as we reach out with kindness, caring, and real love to our friends, neighbors, co-workers, community organizations, church groups, and even strangers on the street. We all need to ask ourselves this question: How can I help others feel that they are important, needed, and appreciated—that they truly have a safe place of belonging with me?
Read MoreI always admire people who are willing to change for the better when they gain more experiences that point them toward true principles that govern life. When people have an unwavering faith in God, they courageously seek and do God’s will. George Washington was a person who was willing to admit when he was wrong.
Read More“. . . These four unique gifts will bring us more and more joy as we accept them. They were made possible because Jehovah condescended to come to earth as the baby Jesus. He was born of an immortal Father and a mortal mother. He was born in Bethlehem under the most humble of circumstances. His was the holy birth foreseen by prophets since the days of Adam. Jesus Christ is God’s transcendent gift—the gift of the Father to all of His children. That birth we joyfully celebrate each Christmas season.” —President Russell M. Nelson
Read MoreEvery year as December comes again, I always reflect on how I can bring the real spirit of Christmas—Jesus Christ’s humble birth—into our home. This year, I decided to collect the online videos of my favorite musical performances, songs, and stories about Christmas. I want to share these with my family and friends, which includes all of you!
Read MoreFor the past few years, I’ve been writing posts about each letter of the alphabet, A-Z, from my book, ABC’s for a Happy Marriage. I didn’t write these posts in alphabetical order—I just randomly wrote whatever I felt like writing at the time. I wanted to have all twenty-six posts written by the end of 2020, but I realized this month that I was only up to twenty-four letters of the alphabet. So, I decided to combine the last two letters, “K” and “S” together.
Read MoreLife is unpredictable. Once in a while, everything is instantly turned upside down. When it happens to you, what do you do? Do you give up hope that you can survive this crisis, or do you fight back with the conviction that you will do the best you can under the circumstances?
Read MoreI learned to get up each morning, put a smile on my face, and leave the past in the past. Everybody was given a “clean slate.” I tried to focus on today and expect the best in everyone. If a new problem occurred today, I tried to deal with it today and not bring up or recite a long list of grievances that had happened in the past.
Read MoreOf course, the hard work of being parents is a 24/7 commitment, but the joy that each of our eleven children has brought us is well worth the effort. We learned that we had to always keep an eternal perspective on the hard/sad times. We also learned to sit back and simply enjoy the delightful/happy times. As David always tells people who are overwhelmed with the number of children we chose to have, “Even having one child is a wonderful gift.”
Read MoreEach of us can define the woman we want to be today, tomorrow, and forever. This is my definition: “WOMAN—
BRIGHT. BEAUTIFUL. BRAVE. BOLD. BENEVOLENT.”
In 1983, Barbara B. Smith gave a talk entitled, “A Season of Strength” that inspired me when I first heard her speak when I was a young mother. Now, as a grandmother, I still find her words inspiring today. Whether we are single or married, young or old, the nurturing work we do as women can provide true friendship to the lonely, bring joy and love to a child, and instill hope into the hearts of discouraged souls.
Read MoreUnity doesn’t come all at once, but it will come. Sometimes, you will need to “agree to disagree” on a certain subject, and that’s okay, too! Let time go by. Not all issues need to be resolved right now. Be loving. Be kind. Be patient. Keep your eye on the goal of unity as you each progress in your individual lives. Marriage should always be a “win-win” relationship.
Read MoreI want to encourage everyone who is reading this right now to make a commitment to not even think about suicide. Whenever the thought pops into your mind, immediately stop that thought and do something different. Get up, go outside, take a walk, call someone. Find something—anything—you can do to remove yourself from your current, depressive environment. Do everything it takes to get rid of the negative energy around you, which is bringing those suicidal thoughts into your mind.
Read MoreMy husband David and I are continually saying, “Thank you!” to each other throughout the day. Around our home, we are always noticing what the other person is doing and try to make a point of showing our appreciation. It only takes a few seconds, but it reminds us to never take each other for granted.
Read MoreWhen I first read about Covid-19 in other parts of the world, it was hard to imagine it coming to the United States and doing the same type of severe health damage and imminent death that was going on elsewhere. When I became aware that it had arrived here, I started reading the daily updates in America and in other parts of the world. I was shocked at how quickly everything shut down as “quarantine, social distancing, face masks, and hand sanitizer” became part of our daily vocabulary.
Read MoreIf you aren’t currently doing any family history, begin now. Your life will be enriched by what you learn. I have gained much strength from reading the journal of my great, great grandfather Isaac Hill (1806-1879). As I reflect on all the trials and hardships he endured, it inspires me to never give up during my own trials.
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