life in color

I've been out of the dating game for a while now, and to be honest, I don't miss it much. It's hard to bear your soul to someone only to find out your personality, hopes and dreams don't match someone's checklist. I've heard of possible relationships going south for a variety of reasons: "He's just not tall enough." "She wants a career and that intimidates me." "He didn't serve an LDS mission." "She has an annoying laugh. I couldn't get past it." "He made some poor choices as a teenager, and that really bothers me." There isn't anything wrong with striving to find the best partner. However, I find it detrimental to judge individuals based on societal, cultural, or even personal ideals. In the New Testament, we read about Joseph. I'm sure that he had fantasized about his future wife and the life they would lead: They would marry and live in the house that Joseph built. They woul...

I am taking a New Testament class from Hank Smith, a religious educator and prominent youth speaker. For an assignment, we read about the historical background of the New Testament. From my reading, I learned that Israel, a common word in the Bible, means "one who prevails with God." I looked up the definition of prevail and discovered that is has three definitions: 1. Prevail - to persuade someone to do something To be part of the House of Israel, we must give our will to God. We must let our Heavenly Parents guide us in our lives and persuade us to do good. 2. Prevail - to exist, to be prevalent We exist because our Heavenly Parents created us in Their image. We exist because They wants us to become like Them. To achieve Their plan for us, we must exist with Them. They must be prevalent in our lives. 3. Prevail - to prove more powerful than the opposing forces Evil exists in our world. It strives to influence our choices and our viewpoints of the world and our...

Christmas has come and gone, and it's back to the work and class grind. I enjoyed making memories with family and feeling the spirit of giving that comes each December. I've taken some time in the days following December 25th to reflect on the birth of our Savior. We talk frequently of His life, ministry, and atonement, but we don't focus as much on His birth -- except at Christmastime. I find it remarkable that Christ, who led legions of angels and created worlds without end, left His throne at the right hand of God to come to earth as a baby. A helpless little baby. He who gave direction to so many mortals came to receive direction from two imperfect human beings. Though He was all-powerful, as a baby He was wholly dependent upon Mary and Joseph. Not only did He experience a mortal birth, but He was born among the most humble of circumstances. The Prince of Peace's first experiences in mortality were among dirty hay, manure, and noisy livestock.  I wo...