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Posted in Education Faith Family Family history work freedom Gospel of Jesus Christ Gratitude marriage Media Miracles poetry Prayer Priesthood Restoration Service

Help for My Mother’s Funeral From the Best Priesthood Lesson Ever, Courtesy of Latter-day Saint Poet Elaine W. Christensen

My mother, Mary Lyon Miles Lindsay, passed away a few days ago at the age of 91 years. Many blessings, even small miracles, made it possible for my wife and…

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Posted in Ancient Near East Antiquity Arabia Arabian Peninsula Book of Mormon Evidence Faith Problems Scholarship

Further Thoughts on Nephi’s Three-Day Journey: Going the Distance with Google Earth

My recent post on Nephi’s three-day journey, the leg of Lehi’s Trail that reaches the River Laman in the Valley of Lemuel, discussed the significance of Exodus themes in Nephi’s…

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Posted in Atonement Book of Mormon Doctrine Grace Missionaries Repentance Stories War

The Glue of Forgiveness and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (the People of Ammon)

As I ponder the many messages of Christmas, one in particular comes from a dramatic story in the Book of Mormon about a large group of Lamanites, the “Anti-Nephi-Lehies” or…

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Posted in Arabia Book of Mormon Evidence Origins Problems Scholarship

Nephi’s Three-day Journey into the Wilderness: The Natural vs. the Naturalistic Reading

Of the many interesting details in Nephi’s description of his journey through the Arabian Peninsula, one of the first comes after his mention of reaching the “borders” of the Red…

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Posted in abortion Book of Mormon Christianity freedom Problems Secret Combinations Social Issues Society War

The Rapid Fall of Nephite Society: Another Book of Mormon Weakness Begins to Make More Sense

  As I saw troubling reports and videos this week of students at the once-great Harvard University and other major universities harassing Jewish students for being Jewish or chanting in…

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Book of Mormon
Posted in Atonement Book of Mormon Doctrine Gospel of Jesus Christ Grace Jesus Christ language Problems Salvation

Saved by Grace “After All We Can Do”? Nephi’s Context of Reconciliation

2 Nephi 25:23 has the statement, “for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Does this mean that salvation is a chore in which we do much of the work, or a transaction in which we pay as much of the price as we can, and Christ only steps in after all we have done or paid to make up the difference? Or does this actually mean that salvation is completely “apart from” if not unrelated to all that we can do? Or something else? I think a plausible answer comes through considering the context. 

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Posted in Africa Christianity Events Friends Gospel of Jesus Christ International Provident Living Society The Church

I Saw Zion, and It Was in Africa (a Dream)

It’s 4:15 AM, but I had to get up and write. I just saw Zion, and it was in Africa. But not just Africa. Parts were from Asia, maybe Mexico,…

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Posted in Books Christianity Doctrine Education Family freedom gender government LGBTQ Media mental health Movies Social Issues Society Surviving

No, WHO Is Not a “Secret Combination” for Corrupting Children, in Spite of Their Sex Ed Guidelines for Ages Four and Younger (But Being Public Doesn’t Make WHO Safe)

For people losing faith in local or national government over abuses regarding free speech, excessive spending, corruption, or other misdeeds, it’s easy to be even more skeptical of global agencies…

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Posted in Antiquity Asia Book of Mormon COVID language Scholarship Translation

Exciting News on an Apparent Breakthrough in Deciphering the Indus Valley Script: A Great Way to Turn the Hearts of the Children to Their Ancestors

The closing words of the Old Testament are a prophecy about the Lord sending Elijah, who “shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of…

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The Last Supper
Posted in Bible Book of Mormon Christianity covenants Doctrine Faith Greek Restoration

“That Thy Faith Fail Not”

  In studying the final days of Christ’s life, I was struck by the implications of Christ’s kind teachings to Peter to prepare him for what was to come. He…

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