Does your journey seem long? Does your path seem rugged and steep? Does your hope in relief seem hard to find? Does the journey seem long, The path rugged and steep? Are there briars and thorns on the way? Do sharp stones cut your feet As you struggle to rise To the heights thru the heat of the day? These words were written by a father feeling the stress his travel scheduled create for his wife and children. That…
Several men in our little community of Hyde Park, Utah, were called up to serve in the Great War, that horrible conflict we now called World War I. Of all those men, one of them did not come home and is buried in France. Mervin A. Elwood. This monument anchored in the northwest corner of the Hyde Park Cemetary pays tribute to Elwood as well as naming each who was called up to serve in that Great War. Elwood is…
Elisa and I are on the road visiting family graves and remembering those whose light has helped make us who we are. For today’s Sunday Reflection we share this beautiful rendition of the Last Full Measure of Devotion performed by the United States Marine Orchestra at the funeral services for President George H.W. Bush. The lyrics of this sacred hymn were inspired by this solemn phrase spoken by President Abraham Lincoln. “It is rather for us to be here dedicated…
What an anti-climatic ending 2020 has been for America’s 3 million-plus high school seniors. The figuratively best years of their life has been upended by our new friend Coronavirus. That’s gotta stink! Or does it??? The reality is hard. No question. Yet, so are the opportunities for graduates to discover their greatness and create their own futures. What wonderful opportunities we have as parents and those of us in positions of influence to lead and help our graduates discover how…
When you feel distant from God, who has done the moving… You or Him? As for me, I know it is I who has done the moving. God is steadfast, unmovable, an anchor to our souls. I loved this simple counsel from the Book of Mormon prophet Ether. “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to…
Analyze, if you would please, the leaf diagram pictured. What do you notice? Perhaps you are wondering, as I did, what tree each leaf comes from. Trees are generally classified as either deciduous or coniferous. Deciduous trees change color and lose their leaves in the fall, such as Sugar Maples and Black Walnut. Coniferous trees have needles instead of leaves and do not change color or lose their needles in the fall, such as Fraser Firs and Redwoods. There is…
The world took a turn in the spring of 2020 when a Coronavirus in the form of COVID-19 created a worldwide pandemic. The resulting impact, which we are still in the middle, has the world practicing “social distancing.” The new mantra of the day is “Stay Home–Stay Safe.” Mothers all over the world are rejoicing as kids of all ages have finally learned how to wash their hands! The pandemic health crisis has seen hundreds of thousands of people infected…
Few messages have touched the heart of mothers worldwide as beautifully and as powerfully as did “Behold Thy Mother” by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child,” Elder Holland shared as he paid tribute to mothers in General Conference of October 2015. From their long-suffering love when first bearing their children,…
Elisa and I have both been blessed with mothers who filled our souls with sunshine. Through their abundant love, their forever quest to nurture their children has blessed us, our siblings, their grandchildren, and many others. That blessing extends to you today as we share their love of music. My mother, Carolyn Christiansen Patterson, enjoyed singing and was blessed with the soft beautiful voice of an angel. She and her sisters enjoyed singing together and we’re often compared to the…
In honor of Mother’s Day coming up, I share with you a simple poem I wrote for a friend who was remembering her mother. Actually, it’s kind of a weird poem. If you know me at all, or at least know my writing, it may not seem that weird at all. But, if you don’t know me, don’t say I didn’t give you fair warning! MY MUDDER By Les Patterson Perfectly imperfectly Her voice guided me In life Now from…