Imagine that our bishop, in an attempt to encourage sacrament meeting attendance, began handing out candy bars after meeting. He also hinted that there would be steak dinners and late-model automobiles available for the regular attenders. Attendance might increase. Yet … Read more
Several years ago I was invited to be a discussant for a controversial presentation given on our university campus. The presenter represented extreme and simplistic views. One of the statements made by the presenter was, “We must keep our children … Read more
The battle really hasn’t changed. In the premortal life, the fight was over agency, and it is here as well (see Moses 4:1–4). Satan promised success in delivering all pilgrims home again with some costs in the area of agency. … Read more
Editor’s Note: The books mentioned in this column connect the line of reasoning in the last two Myths of the Month with specific book recommendations.
There are almost as many different kinds of parenting books as there are different kinds … Read more
As you begin a new year in a still-youthful century, you may be interested in resources to strengthen yourself and your family. As the quality of research has improved, so the conclusions have gotten closer and closer to God’s recommendations. … Read more
In my last Myth of the Month, “Charitable Parenting,” I described the central importance of love in raising healthy children. Love is simply the first law of parenting— just as it is the great commandment in the law. Nothing matters … Read more
There is a nationally syndicated columnist who regularly gives advice to parents on managing their children. Many parents appreciate his no-nonsense approach. He observes that many parents in our society fail to enforce reasonable limits with their children. For many, … Read more
May I tell you about my wife, Nancy? I wish I could be objective, but I cannot. She is mild in temperament—we laugh in the family that she is constitutionally and dispositionally unable to yell. She is compassionate—she seems naturally … Read more
Perhaps the most pernicious sins are those that make us feel virtuous while we devastate our fundamental Christian professions. For instance, the Pharisees were famous for painstakingly observing the law while failing at basic compassion.
There is a modern and … Read more
Almost twenty years ago Nancy and I were planning the landscaping around our new house. A landscape architect had recommended a cluster of three fruit trees at the corner of our property. We wondered if that was too many trees … Read more