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Over 150 years ago, when the pioneers arrived in what would become Salt Lake City, they were greeted by a barren desert. The air was dry, and so was the valley floor. At this first view, some pioneers were disappointed. Their land of promise seemed a desolate haven for crickets and snakes—surely not for people […]
The first broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word was on a hot summer afternoon in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, July 15, 1929. The announcer climbed a ladder to speak into the one and only microphone, suspended from the ceiling. He stayed perched on the ladder throughout the half-hour program. An audio engineer was […]
On September 7, 1774, as the British were attacking Boston, the First Continental Congress met in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia. The Congress voted to open that meeting with a prayer. In a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams described that first prayer and the disagreements surrounding it. He wrote, “We were so divided in […]
We often joke that a baby born with little hair has his father’s forehead. Sometimes going through photographs of our ancestors bears out the same jokes about oversized ears and noses and curly hair. While there may be a physical resemblance between children and their parents, there is also a deeper connection—a shared spiritual DNA. […]
At a recent funeral for a woman in her eighties named Elda, the speaker asked all of her relatives to stand. A sprinkling of children and grandchildren rose. Next he asked those who were members of her church to rise. Several dozen more stood. “How about members of her ladies’ lunch club?” he asked. About […]
Charles Francis Adams was the grandson of United States President John Adams. He was a successful lawyer, a member of Congress, and an ambassador to Britain. A busy man with little free time, he was also a father. One day he wrote in his diary, “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted!” On that […]
Charles Francis Adams was the grandson of United States President John Adams. He was a successful lawyer, a member of Congress, and an ambassador to Britain. A busy man with little free time, he was also a father. One day he wrote in his diary, “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted!” On that […]
One of the most common complaints marriage counselors hear from couples is that they consider themselves incompatible. This discovery of difference is a tremendous shock to those who marry in a swirl of romance, enchanted by the happily-ever-after endings depicted in movies, novels and fairy tales. When reality finally parts the clouds, many newlyweds find […]
We all look for heroes in our lives. They give us the strength to push through the mundane. We esteem them as though they were above the insecurities we feel, beyond the vulnerabilities we have to accept. In our youth, the hero may be a comic book character with no weaknesses or flaws. But in […]
There’s an old saying that, families who pray together, stay together. This simple wisdom of inviting God into our family life can make a big difference in our hearts and homes. When we pray as a family, we verbalize our love. We communicate our values, our concerns, our aspirations. A sacred bond forms between husband […]
For over 40 years, Richard L. Evans was the voice and writer of the Spoken Word. Shortly after he was born in the spring of 1906, his father died from a streetcar accident. Richard’s widowed mother was left behind with nine children, all under 18 years of age; Richard was the baby of the family—just […]
Much has been said about being loyal to the cause. There’s a monument to a stockman’s dog in Victoria, Australia. The stockman was working in the rugged outback when he fell ill. He decided the only way he would make it out alive would be to leave his box of gear and travel light. He commanded […]
Each of us seeks inspiration in different places, sacred places in our own unique ways. We have our quiet retreats, our favorite passages in scriptures and books, even that certain chair at a certain time of day when the sun bathes our thoughts with a reminder of where all good things come from. The disciple […]
To those who mourn, to those whose hearts are weighed down there is peace—there is hope in the renewal of the season. There is joy in the sowing of new seeds. The Creator of the earth assembled the seasons as a reminder of the seasons in our lives, of the renewal He grants us if […]
At the beginning of the last week of His life, the Lord entered into Jerusalem amid waving palm branches and shouts of adulation. He made His triumphant entrance riding upon a colt over the carefully placed clothing of believers.1 In His honor the great multitude cried, “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh […]
One cannot think of Jesus Christ without pondering His supernal inner peace, His meekness, His courage and strength. And while these might appear contradictions, or qualities impossible to be embodied in one person—Jesus encompassed them all. This is the child, born in a lowly stable, who would change the world. The angel’s words to the […]
There’s something so forgiving about freshly fallen snow. No longer visible are the unraked leaves, brown patches of lawn, and roofs in need of repair. In one merciful swipe of winter’s wand, the snow falls and all is white and wonderful. A blanket of freshly fallen snow has long been a symbol of forgiveness. The […]
There are many who sit on the sidelines of life, who stare at the dance floor from a dark corner never imagining themselves with a partner who takes them by the hand and leads them to a better place. A place where smiles abound and social judgments don’t exist. We all want to be chosen […]
Perhaps no other event tears at the hearts of parents more than the loss of a child. Life is fragile enough for adults; but seeing the innocent disappear is often more than we can bear. News of abductions carried throughout the media only spread the anxiety to a wider audience. We feel a part of […]
In 1908 while still a young Harvard graduate student, Edward Sheldon’s first play became a Broadway hit. The series of successes that followed made Sheldon the most promising playwright of his time. Indeed he was known as Broadway’s “Wonder Boy.” But just as he was approaching what should have been the pinnacle of his career, […]
Life has its share of stormy weather. And while we welcome peaceful sunny days, the stormy ones also bring their blessings. It was during such a stormy day on the Sea of Galilee that the Lord rebuked the wind, calmed the waves, and spoke the soothing words, “Peace be still.” As Master of all […]
The first annual family reunion that took place in June of 2000 in Pikeville, Kentucky, looked like any other. But this reunion was actually quite unusual. It was held for two families—two families famous for their ancestors who were entangled in one of the longest and most lethal family feuds in history: the Hatfields and […]
Professional basketball is a game of giants. It’s a game where seven-foot-tall players are the rule rather than the exception. Professional basketball is also the setting for a most unlikely success story. In 1987, the Washington Bullets drafted an outstanding player named Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues. He was a first-team, all-conference star at Wake Forest University, […]
Now with silver hair and careful steps, the couple slowly walks the lane that leads from their home. It’s time for their daily stroll. Their steps are unhurried, their eyesight dimmed, but beating in their hearts is a love and commitment that passersby can almost feel. They walk hand in hand, as they’ve done since […]
From time to time, the local newspaper features a letter to the editor that expresses thanks for random acts of kindness. The other day a grandmother whose car had stalled wrote in. She didn’t get the rescuer’s name, and so she sent a letter of thanks hoping it would somehow reach her good Samaritan. Most […]
One of the biggest surprises in parenting is how varied the results can be. No other field of endeavor is as hard to predict. Most parents relish the opportunity to have children to teach and guide, to nurture to adulthood. But despite their best efforts, some parents find their children departing from the values and […]
The dusty paths that crisscross Africa have been accommodating footsteps for thousands of years. Here the shepherd, the teacher, the mother, the child, even the warrior slowly make their way in the heat of one season and the rains of the other. And yet, this path, so familiar to locals, was very unfamiliar to Albert […]
It’s been said that an eagle knows when a storm is coming long before it breaks. The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the great bird sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. […]
Marie, the mother of seven-year-old Sara, had been learning the value of listening without interrupting with solutions of reprimands. The opportunity to user her newfound communications skills came when her little girl ran into the house from school in tears. “What’s the matter, Sara?” she asked. Sara was so upset she could hardly talk. Through […]
Many a cowboy song has been sung about mending fences. Perhaps the beauty of the American West inspired so many dusty poets. Or maybe earning a living under a harsh sun or a winter wind constantly reminded them of how valuable a trusted friend really was. It could get pretty lonely if the only two […]