Some Suggested Questions for Your Autobiography

I used a small, spiral bound book that had 365 questions about my childhood to write a short autobiography. Answering over 300 questions can sound a little overwhelming, so why don’t you start with five(-ish)? Type these questions up and then take some time to type up the answers. You can save your work in

I Usually Don’t Know it’s Revelation…

Personal revelation is a tricky thing. Too much of it and our agency may be infringed upon. Too little of it and we’re literally on our own, rudderless in a sense. Receiving direction from the heavens when needed in quite a blessing–a miracle in any sense of the word. The problem is, I’m not expert,

When You List Your Personal Strengths, Are You Remembering This One?

We really, really look forward to Mondays. That’s “Email Day” around here. Each week I update our missionary-son, Landon, on our lives and share a short gospel principle that’s, hopefully, encouraging. I also ask him three to five questions about himself and his mission experience. Last week one of my questions invited him to list

The Gift of Tongues, Courage, and Our Son the Missionary (a letter to Landon)…

I wrote to Landon today and sent the letter through the Church’s “pouch” system, which is great but slow. Not knowing exactly when the letter will arrive in Mexico, I tried to share some ideas with him that will not be “old” no matter when the letter arrives. Here’s part of the letter: “Dear Landon

2017 Goals, Projects, Challenges, and Zuckerberg…

I set almost the same goals every year. Basically they have to do with journal writing, scripture study, prayer, and exercise. At this point they’re not really goals or New Year’s resolutions. They’re just reminders of things I’m already planning on doing. And that’s kind of lame but I get stuff done every year so

A Letter to Our Missionary Son…

Our oldest son has spent 6 weeks in the Missionary Training Center in Mexico City and recently flew to Guadalajara where he will spend the next 22 months or so. We email him each week and I try to write a letter to him each week as well…Here is a recent letter I sent, hoping

One last “Dad Time”…

Kinda weird to recognize “lasts” before they happen. Usually we don’t think of something as being our “last time” until after it has happened and then there is a death or something and we don’t get the chance to do it again, whatever “it” is. Not this time. I’ve known this “last” was coming for years.

Finding My Own Happiness

The 25th Anniversary of Starting My Mormon Mission…

It has been 25 years, today. July 3, 1991…I was 19 years old and my parents and brothers and I were at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah, saying our goodbyes. They were going to drive off and leave me there… I had never lived away from home up to that point since

What is Happening When God Doesn’t Answer…

Typically, when I text someone with a question and I don’t get a response, I assume that either they didn’t see the text or they’re dodging me. I sometimes feel a bit impatient and I suppose there have been moments when I’ve felt a little offended. Same with a voice message. Or a Facebook message.