I was having dinner with a friend recently. He and I have known each other for a number of years; every time we talk, we explore different aspects of religion. This isn’t as odd as it sounds as we met when I took my students to his place of worship to discuss his faith. He … More God is love
I am mindful that how we study the scriptures is a deeply personal experience. In this post I am not suggesting a one-size fits all approach but just some initial thoughts that help me as I strive to study rather than read the scriptures. I always find the scriptures have a deeper impact when I … More The how of scripture study
I have only ever turned down a speaking assignment at Church once. A number of years ago I was approached to give a devotional about healthy living- I was rather large at the time and felt it would be hypocritical to speak about something I don’t live. I feel that in a Gospel sense it … More Worship through music
In April 2026 General Conference Elder Michael Jon U. Teh shared some thoughts about the Gospel and Culture: When my parents joined the Church, little did they know that they were embracing yet another set of values and traditions—even the gospel culture, based on the plan of salvation, God’s commandments, and the words of living … More The Gospel and Culture
“The Lord Was with Joseph” Genesis 37–41 In moving forwards in our Come Follow Me study we actually skip Genesis 34-36 in which there are some dodgy goings on (as there is in chapter 38), and also elements of genealogy and family connections in chapters 35 and 36 (Chapter 36 focuses on the descendants of … More Come Follow Me Week 11
“Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord” Genesis 6–11; Moses 8 This is an interesting study for me this week- in many ways it’s one of those things that I ‘park.’ What do I mean by that? I mean that I know there was a prophet called Noah who built an ark and … More Come Follow Me Week 7
This post reflects on lessons of discipleship learned from Elphaba in Wicked, contrasting her nuanced character with the one-dimensional villain in The Wizard of Oz. It emphasizes responding to social injustices and embodying Christlike love toward all. The call to serve extends beyond comfort zones, advocating for integrity and compassion in every action. … More Lessons from Elphaba: Discipleship Through Wicked
Over the last couple of months I have received messages from two friends. Both have them have asked me very similar questions. Essentially, the question is “We have a loving Heavenly Father, why would he insist that we participate in ordinances and engage in covenants? Surely, his love is enough to save us without the … More The importance of covenants
What do The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints think about freedom of religion and belief? At the heart of the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lies the belief that every person is a child of God. The Family: A Proclamation to the World outlines: All human beings—male and female—are created in the … More Freedom of Religion and Belief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
This post originally appeared as part of the Email a Believer blog at RE Online As a Latter-day Saint I partake of the sacrament every Sunday. The sacrament is the term that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use for the eucharist, or the bread and water that we eat and … More The Sacrament
