Dinner in a Pumpkin

This is our family's traditional Halloween dinner.  I know I've posted a recipe for this before, but it's been a couple of years so I've tweaked a few things here and there.

Some good tips to follow:

First, choose your pumpkin carefully.  If you plan on eating the flesh of the pumpkin, you may want to consider a variety that is grown specifically for eating.  Traditional Jack-o'-lantern type pumpkins are typically very bland.  I like to use the "Fairytale" variety we grow in our garden.  Not only is it beautiful, it's pretty tasty too. That said, I have used just regular ordinary pumpkins too.  You just may want to up the spices a bit to compensate.

Second, when you cut your pumpkin, try and make sure you cut straight across the top.  If you cut the same way as you would a carving pumpkin you run the risk of your top caving in while the pumpkin bakes.  Not good.

And lastly, this recipe calls for condensed soup-- like a lot of down-home type casseroles.  If you'd prefer not to use the canned stuff, you might try giving a recipe like this a chance.  I use only one can, unlike most recipes that call for two.  If you are a fan of the condensed soup, you might like to throw the extra can in.  For our family, one is just about right.

• • •

Dinner in a Pumpkin

2 pounds pork sausage (or whatever mix of ground meats you'd prefer-- for a once-a-year treat, we're all about the sausage)
1 medium onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 apples (we typically use Jonathans or Golden Delicious)
2 T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t chile powder
1/4 t cloves
1 1/2 cups brown & wild rice blend, uncooked
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 sugar pumpkin

1.  Brown the sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Drain meat, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the drippings in the pan.  Set meat aside and keep warm.
2.  Sauté onions and mushrooms in drippings until they are just starting to brown.  Add garlic, apples, sugar, salt, pepper, and all spices, continue cooking just a couple of minutes longer.
3.  Add rice and stock to pan, stirring well.  Cover, and cook until rice is done.
4.  While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400°.  Prepare pumpkin by cutting off the top, straight across.  Remove seeds and pulp.  Rub the inside of the pumpkin with additional salt, pepper, and spices.  This will help add more flavor to the pumpkin flesh.
5.  When rice is finished, add the sausage back to the mixture as well as the condensed soup.  Stir well, and fill pumpkin with sausage and rice mixture.  Replace top to pumpkin and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.
6.  Bake at 400° for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until pumpkin is tender and flesh scoops away from rind easily.  Serve by scooping rice mixture with a little of pumpkin flesh onto plates and enjoy!

Yield:  One pumpkin will easily serve 10, likely more.

Of Salt & Sunrises: Discerning the Holy Ghost

In the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni extends this invitation to all who might read his words:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
(Moroni 10:4-5)

As a young girl, I often wondered just how the Holy Ghost would speak to my soul.
How would I know that the Book of Mormon was true?
I was pretty sure I wouldn't hear a voice. And an angelic visitation seemed pretty improbable.

But over time, I did discover for myself that the Book of Mormon was indeed the word of God.  I learned how the Holy Ghost communicates with my Spirit.  It was not in a dramatic physical manifestation, but in a quiet peaceful feeling that spoke to my soul.  Unlike my own emotions, the warm presence of the Holy Ghost seemed to wash over me almost as a wave from some unseen external Source.  Although it is sometimes difficult to describe exactly how I know, there is little doubt in my mind that I do know.

President Boyd K. Packer, of our faith's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once related a story that describes this experience perfectly.

While sitting on an airplane next to a self-professed atheist, President Packer felt prompted to bear his testimony to him that God does indeed live.  When the gentleman pressed him to explain exactly how he knew, President Packer found himself at a loss of words to effectively communicate.  The words prayer, faith, and discernment meant nothing to his companion.

He said, somewhat mockingly, "You see, you don't really know.  If you did, you would be able to tell me how you know."

At that moment, the Holy Ghost brought a sudden insight to President Packer's mind, and he then replied with a question.

Speaking to the atheist he said, "Let me ask if you know what salt tastes like."

"Of course I do," was his reply.  "I know what salt tastes like as well as I know anything."

"Then," President Packer countered, "assuming that I had never tasted salt, explain to me just what it tastes like."

After several attempts, he found that he could not do it.  While he would explain what it did not taste like, there were no words for what it did taste like.  He simply could not describe in words alone the everyday experience of tasting salt.

President Packer recommenced, "My friend, spiritually speaking, I have tasted salt.  I am no more able to convey to you in words how this knowledge has come than you are to tell me what salt tastes like.  But I say unto you again, there is a God!  He does live!"
(President Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, "The Candle of the Lord", Jan 1983) 

Similarly, those of us who have received the answer to Moroni's promise may not always be able to articulate the sacred impressions that have brought us to the knowledge we hold dear.  But that does not mean that the experiences we share are any less valid.

Much like the rising sun gradually illuminates the sleeping earth below, reading the Book of Mormon (as well as the Bible!) brings light and warmth into my life.  It imparts clarity and insight that I wouldn't otherwise possess.  Like salt, it adds depth and a richness to my life.  Something would certainly be missing without it. 

I know that God lives.
I know that He speaks to us in the pages of holy scripture, including the Book of Mormon.
And do you know what?
I know that you can know too.

And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
(Moroni 10:7)

• • •

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!
To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website.

Pumpkin Pancakes

It's been a long time since I posted a new recipe, so I thought I'd break the streak with some seasonal pumpkin recipes.  Prepare yourself.

These pancakes are really yummy.
I know that because Taylor tells me so.
He actually says that they are the best pancakes ever.

I don't know if they're that good, but considering that he is our toughest food critic that must be saying something.

The combination of the pumpkin and whole grains lends itself to a wonderfully hearty breakfast.  Our family loves them traditionally served with butter, maple syrup, and a side of bacon.  I'm tempted to try them with sweetened whipped cream with a hit of cinnamon, topped with pecans.  I'm pretty sure that would be positively divine, but also am pretty certain that the kids wouldn't touch them that way.

On the other hand, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

• • •

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 1/4 cups milk
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 cup pumpkin purée
3 T molasses (brown sugar or sucanat may be substituted)
1 egg
2 T canola oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground allspice
1/4 t ground cloves

1.  Pour milk into measuring glass and stir in vinegar.  Let stand ten minutes in a warm environment.
2.  In a large bowl combine milk mixture, pumpkin purée, molasses, egg, and oil.  Mix well.  Stir remaining ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add to wet ingredients.  Stir just until combined.
3.  Ladle batter onto a hot griddle and cook individual pancakes until edges are starting to set and bottoms are browning.  Flip and cook until desired level of doneness.

Yield:  16 medium-sized pancakes

Thy Will Be Done

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear-- not absence of fear.  Except a creature be part coward, it is not a compliment to say it is brave; it is merely a loose misapplication of the word.

- Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson [1894]

• • •

Sometimes, doing what God asks of us is a joy.
It may stretch us, naturally, but we understand that this is so and walk ahead with confidence in His plan.

Other times, well...
It's not always easy.

In the summer of 2009, things were going fantastically well for me.  I really felt that I was starting to come into my own.  I was in great health, achieving many personal goals I had set for myself, balancing the demands of motherhood relatively well, and finally making peace with my deeply ingrained (and completely unproductive) perfectionism. 

Of course, it is in those moments of absolute complacency that the Lord decides to introduce opportunities for growth.

Now at the time, Bryson and I were fully aware that our family was not complete.  We knew that there was at least one more spirit meant to bless our family.  I was just hesitant to subject my body to the rigors of pregnancy again.

I was stalling.
And to be perfectly honest, I felt justified in that mindset.

You see, pregnancy and I are not exactly on good terms with one another.

It is not always the most simple thing for me to conceive, and when I had in the past, each of the nine months spent developing those precious little babies were a physical nightmare for me.  I experienced toxemia (preeclampsia) with both, and my health suffered tremendously.

With Reilly in particular, I was especially ill.  I gained weight at an uncontrollable pace despite a balanced diet.  My blood pressure jumped to a much higher level than is normal for me.  The swelling was absolutely unbearable.  Even after my sweet girl was born I continued to suffer from these maladies.  The blood pressure increased.  The swelling increased horrifically as well, making breastfeeding physically impossible.  I was rendered fairly incapable of caring for myself, much less my family.  

My sister & I just after Reilly's birth the summer of 2006; us again the summer of 2009

I was terrified of going through that again.

I did not want to suffer through nine months (or more) of illness.
I did not want to feel that I wasn't adequately nurturing my two children who were already here.
I did not want to be dependent on the good will of others to take care of the responsibilities I felt were my own.

Seriously.
I did not want to.

It was at this time that Bryson and I had the opportunity to take Taylor and Reilly to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.

There was a tremendous spirit there, and as our little family entered one of the sealing rooms we took a moment to gaze into the beautiful mirrors together-- our reflections echoing endlessly in beautiful symbolism.  As I stood there with my family, the Spirit spoke very clearly and directly to my heart.

It was time.

I felt very strongly that I needed to pull myself together and trust in God's plan. 

However, just an hour or two later I was starting to waver again.  After leaving the sacred halls of the temple, reality set in.  Chatting with Bryson as we began the drive back home, I casually mentioned that I thought we should start trying for another baby at the beginning of the upcoming year-- several months into the future.

Keeping his eyes on the road as he drove, Bryson frowned slightly.

"Really?"  he postured carefully, "I was kind of thinking that now was the right time.  We'll certainly do whatever you think is best, but that's just the impression I felt in the temple."

I groaned inwardly.

"You felt that too?" I asked, a tinge of shame entering my voice.  "Well, if the time is right now, then I guess we'd better take Heavenly Father's advice to heart."

And a few short weeks later we were expecting.
And a few short months after that we learned we were expecting double.

Twins!

My head began to spin.  I actually laughed at my physician when he mentioned the possibility.  A nervous laugh.

But after the confirming ultrasound, I was filled with such peace and joy.  I knew we were following God's will for us and that we would be sustained-- come what may.

Now, I wish I could tell you that the months that followed were full of sunshine and roses, but that isn't the case.

It was an enormous challenge.

Although I managed to avoid the complications of toxemia, I was still ill throughout most of the pregnancy.  But there were many tender mercies also.  Unlike before, where I was so nauseous and fatigued that just getting out of bed was a challenge, I was at my best in the morning-- enabling me to tend to my children and get them to school with little incident.  While the exhaustion I felt was significant, Bryson's work schedule enabled him to be home to help in the evenings when I was most sick.  Those small but substantial blessings reconfirmed to us that the Lord was there and mindful of our needs.  That He was pleased with our willingness to listen to the promptings of the Spirit-- even with my initial hesitancy.

Sometimes it takes courage to step forward in faith when the way is fraught with uncertainty.
I don't presume to put myself up as an example of bravery, but for me it was an enormous turning point in my own personal spiritual growth.

It would have been so easy to say, "Certainly God would not wish for me to put my life and the well-being of my children at risk to go through another complicated pregnancy."  To take those trusting steps into the dark before the way is lit-- it's challenging at best.  But despite our misgivings, we know in Whom we can trust.  And we need not be afraid.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
(2 Tim. 1:7)

And yet, following God's will does not necessarily equate to being led down the proverbial primrose path.

Just because we are doing everything we are asked to does not mean that the way will not be filled with difficulty, discouragement, and despair.  But as we trust in His infinite wisdom and love for each of us individually, we discover a resilience and inner strength that will see us through the storms of life. 

President Thomas S. Monson has said:

Life's journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares.  Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings.  Decisions are constantly before us.  To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say "No," the courage to say "Yes."  Decisions do determine destiny.

The call for courage comes constantly to each of us.  It has ever been so, and so shall it ever be.
("The Call for Courage," Apr. 2004 Conference Report)

With the determination to move forward in faith, we can take courage in the fact that the Lord will not forsake us.  Even in the midst of adversity He will ever be there.  
And by His endless grace, we shall become more than we were before.

• • •

This post is part of a Wordfull Wednesday link-up hosted by Chocolate on my Cranium! 

Dandelion Days

A few days ago, as I was working in the kitchen, I heard a tap-tap-tap on the sliding glass door which leads to our backyard.

Turning around, I saw Reilly grinning ear to ear with a single red hollyhock blossom in her cupped hands.

"Here, Mom," she exclaimed, "this is for you!"

After much fuss and fanfare over her beautiful offering I sent her back out the door to play.

It wasn't but a few moments later that the tapping recommenced.

This time I opened the door to a single white rose she had picked off one of our climbing vines.

And again a short while after that, the final blossom and pièce de résistance-- a sunny yellow dandelion.

"Isn't it beautiful, Mom?"  she implored, "I picked them just for you!"

I assured her that I had never loved a bouquet more than her beautiful hand-picked treasures.  And that I loved her more than I could say.

 She glowed and gave me an enormous hug.  Scampering off, she turned to give me a final quick smile and then raced back outside-- most likely for a climb in her beloved apple tree.

a treasured bouquet

I smiled as I arranged my beautiful blossoms in a shallow glass bowl, and considered how I treasured that little dandelion just as much as the other flowers.  It may not have been as showy or fine a bloom as the others, but I knew it had been given to me in love.  And that was all that mattered.

I love these words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

"...Sometimes with smudges on our cheeks, dirt on our hands, and shoes untied, stammeringly but smilingly we present God with a dandelion-- as if it were an orchid or a rose!  If for now, the dandelion is the best we have to offer, He receives it, knowing what we may later place upon the altar." (That Ye May Believe, [1992], 100)

As I move through life, I've come to recognize that some days are just going to end up better than others.  Sometimes I feel that things are going pretty well and think that maybe, just maybe, my offerings might reach rose or hollyhock caliber.  But many times-- perhaps more often than not-- I feel perfectly inadequate, and lament over how weak and ridiculous I can be.  Still I press forward, presenting my dandelions to the Lord with all of the love in my heart.

And He loves and accepts my humble offering all the same.

~ ~ ~

I fear you sisters do not realize in the smallest part the extent of your influence for good in your families, in the Church, and in society.  Your influence for good is incalculable and indescribable...  Occasionally, however, you are too hard on yourselves.  You think that if your offering is not quite perfect, it is not acceptable.  I tell you, however, that if you have done your best, which you usually do, your humble offering, whatever it may be, will be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord.
(President James E. Faust, "Instruments in the Hands of God," October 2005 General Relief Society Meeting) 

He Heals the Broken Heart

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?  Then he is not omnipotent.  

Is he able, but not willing?  Then he is malevolent.  

Is he both willing and able?  Then whence cometh evil?  Then why call him God?

- attributed to Epicurus, Greek Philosopher (341-270 B.C.)

• • •

This seeming paradox presented so long ago still rings true to many people in the world today.

Why is there suffering in the world if God is all-loving?
Why do bad things happen to good people?  (And good things to bad people?)
Why are some prayers answered and yet others seem to be completely ignored?

In other words:

Where was God when we needed Him most?

This is a question I have considered over the years as I have lived through heart-wrenching experiences in my own life.

A couple of years ago I wrote a post that touched on some of my thoughts about this topic, and many of those same thoughts have resurfaced this week as I read touching blog posts by my cousins Robin and Melanie about the loss of their brother Scott to an aggressive form of cancer that took his life just six short weeks after diagnosis.   He was twenty-eight years old. 

I remember sitting in church just a couple of weeks after Bryson and I lost one of our best friends to brain cancer, listening to a lesson on spiritual gifts.  Much time was spent in discussion of the gift of healing and story after miraculous story was shared about friends and family members who had been saved from injury and death.  It was like a knife to the gut.  

I clearly remember thinking, "If faith is all it takes, then where was our miracle?"

Jen was twenty-eight years old, too, just like my cousin Scott.  She left behind her devoted husband and adorable three-year-old little boy. 

And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I reflect upon those close to me who struggle with real pain.  Deep pain.  Not just physical, but emotional too.  Trauma from the horrors of past abuse, chronic and unrelenting physical pain, debilitating illness, crippling depression... and the list goes on.

The question echoes, "Why would a benevolent God allow such suffering?"

The short answer is that this life was never meant to be an exercise in constant pleasure and frivolity.  Though God loves each of us completely and perfectly, we were not placed here just so we could enjoy ourselves and bask in that ever-present love.  Life is meant to be a learning experience, a training ground.  We are taught that opposition is a necessary part of mortality.

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.  If not so... righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.  (2 Ne. 2:11)

President Joseph Fielding Smith had this to say on the subject:

The simple fact is that we came here to partake of the bitter as well as the sweet, to gain knowledge and wisdom through the experiences which mortality affords...  It is a mistaken and foolish notion to think that mortality should be a place for the children of our Eternal Father that should be free from any pain, sickness, or trial of our faith, and eventually mortal death.  To come face-to-face with pain as well as pleasure, sickness as well as health, and eventually death-- we came here definitely to obtain these experiences.  They will be essential to our progress in the world to come, which progress would have been retarded if we had been freed from all these things.  It is absolutely essential that every soul should partake of these experiences.  They help to make us strong.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 57, 60-61.)

Our trials can lead to a deepened humility that is conducive to greater spiritual growth.  If we do not allow ourselves to become closed off and bitter, suffering can be a purifying fire.  We can emerge from the difficult life experiences stronger and wiser.  We are filled with greater compassion and empathy for others.  We are more aware of the joyful and tender moments in our lives.  And along with a deeper spirituality comes a greater awareness of who and whose we really are.

But it is absolutely crucial to remember that even in the midst of our pain, God has not left us to suffer alone.

Always, our Savior stands ready to carry us when we feel we can go no further.

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
(Alma 7:11-12)

He will bind the broken hearts, and strengthen the feeble knees.
He knows how, because He has been there before.
His miraculous Atonement not only paid the price for our sins but also all of our pain and suffering.

And in ways we are unable to comprehend, He can lift our burdens and heal our wounds.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks elaborated:

Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best.  Sometimes a 'healing' cures our illness or lifts our burden.  But sometimes we are 'healed' by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.  The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ-- whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the apostle Paul-- is available for every affliction in mortality.
("He Heals the Heavy Laden," October 2006)

Our Savior Himself explained, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

And also, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

I like the sound of that.

Solace amidst the suffering in this troubled world can be found in the all-encompassing embrace of our Savior.

He has not forsaken me, and He will not forsake you.
Of that, I am certain.

• • •

If your curiosity is piqued, and you would like to have a free copy of the Book of Mormon of your own, without any expectations or strings attached, please let me know and I will personally mail a copy to you.  

(Of course, if you want to have a couple of cute 19-year-olds hand deliver it to your door and answer any questions you may have, I am happy to arrange that too!  But that isn't necessary.)  

You can leave me a comment, message me on Facebook or email me at tiffanatee(at)gmail(dot)com, and I would be sincerely thrilled to do that for you.

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a Blog Hop hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!  Please feel free to link up any posts you might wish to share on the post below:

Book of Mormon Forum Blog Hop • 2

Link up your posts about the Book of Mormon to our Forum Blog Hop!
All are welcome.

{five things • vii}

This past week, the kids and I took the opportunity to drive up the canyon one sunny afternoon to luxuriate in the natural fireworks display put on by the beautiful autumn leaves.  For my five things this Friday, I thought I would share a few of the photographs I was able to take from the car.  (Logan hasn't been feeling well, so we kept ourselves confined within-- away from the cool mountain breeze.)

Nature in its splendor always reminds me of the scripture found in the book of Alma:

...And all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion...and also the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.  (Alma 30:44)  

- one -

- two -

- three -

- four -

- five -

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth over and around us lies

Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

(Foillot S. Pierpoint) 

• • •

And those are my five things for Friday!

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!

Repost: Small and Simple Things

This is a post I originally wrote in September of 2009.
Reilly had recently turned three, and I was just a few weeks pregnant with my twins.
It will be a familiar story to those of you who know my family, but even two years later, it still clearly articulates my thoughts on faith and receiving answers to prayer.

• • • 

Truly, God answers prayers.
And not just the big ones.

One of my personal goals in life is to rely more on my Heavenly Father and to understand more fully the promptings of the Spirit.

It is most definitely a work in progress.

I have learned to act on certain feelings and impressions I have concerning friends and family-- although I wouldn't have necessarily considered them inspiration at the time-- and through these experiences have become increasingly aware that the Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts much more often than we might think.

Over the past few months I have tried to seek out a little more time for quiet meditation-- to turn off the TV, computer, music (that is a tough one for me!) and just reflect. I'm not always consistent with it, and I'm definitely not great at it, but over time it has made a considerable difference in my life.

This year there have been a lot of things to pray about on the grand scale. A dying friend. A newborn nephew's struggles. A beloved aunt having heart surgery. A favorite uncle suffering a horrible spiral break of his arm. A sister getting married. A horseback riding accident that seriously injured my mom.

It is easy to pray when the heavy trials of life come knocking.

Our faith tells us that God will hear our prayers during these times of adversity.
But-- for me at least-- sometimes it is difficult to remember that God stands ready to answer all our prayers.

Even the seemingly insignificant ones.

Last week we had the misfortune of Sheepie going missing again.
(Yes, again.)

It was late.
I was not feeling well and was completely drained of all energy.

Reilly was beside herself with grief for her missing friend, and Bryson could not find her anywhere despite his extensive search efforts both within and outside the house. He crashed on the couch, telling me that he simply couldn't look anymore.

There was nothing left in the tank.

He put Reilly to bed without Sheepie, and she continued to cry inconsolably in her room. I knew we would be in for a long night if we were unable to locate her. To complicate matters further, the next day promised to be long and hectic even without a broken night's sleep.

Not finding Sheepie just wasn't an option this night.

Feeling slightly silly but not knowing what other options we had, I took to my knees.
I prayed for the insight to find Sheepie.

Afterward, I got to my feet and instantly knew she was in Bryson's & my room somewhere. I had felt that impression previously, but now the thought was all-consuming. I knew she was in our room. I walked in our bedroom and immediately my eyes were drawn to Bryson's laptop briefcase. I couldn't help laughing to myself as I unzipped one of the compartments and rescued the poor, trapped Sheepie.

It was just so like Reilly to put her in a small zippered compartment (purses are actually one of her favorite hiding spots), but we would have never checked the laptop case in a million years. The kids *never* touch it. We had walked past it several times in our previous searches.

After that evening, I pretty much learned my lesson.

Our Heavenly Father is mindful of us, and knows our needs-- even the small heartfelt desires of a little child. So when the same thing happened just a couple nights later, my faith was already in place. After we did all that we could do, I said another simple prayer on Reilly's behalf.

However, this time I didn't get an impression of where Sheepie was; only that I needed to do a load of laundry. Tired and grumpy, I had no desire to do laundry-- and did not grasp the concept that my stray thought just might be related to the ongoing search for Sheepie.

We went to bed. Just after midnight, I awoke to Reilly's cry for her beloved friend. She went back to sleep on her own after a couple minutes, but I was left wide awake. I could not sleep. After deciding that lying in the dark staring at the ceiling was pretty pointless, I got up. I decided to get that load of laundry in the washer while I was at it. After the cycle was over, I opened up the washer, and much to my chagrin discovered Sheepie right on top of the clothing. I still have no idea when or how she arrived at that location.

Faith isn't something that has come easily to me all the time. I have a tendency to over-think, over-analyze, and rationalize that my emotions are just messing around with me. I wish I were more like Bryson, whose faith is an unshakable gift. I have difficulty not knowing all the answers to the questions that perplex me. It has taken practice to let go of that and simply hold on to the seed of faith.

I have a deeper appreciation for the words of Alma in the Book of Mormon:

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. 

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
 (Alma 32: 26-28)


In today's society, it can be easy to dismiss God as an active participant in our lives. Some even doubt whether He exists at all. Religion is rejected as merely the opiate of the masses, and spiritual experience is believed to be nothing but a series of chemical reactions in the brain. However, I truly believe if even the smallest part of you wants to believe in Him-- if you work at it-- you can feel His continual presence in your life. Faith will replace doubt, and His love will flood every aspect of your life. Even the small and simple parts.


Take it from someone who's been there.

• • •

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!

Miraculous, Not Ridiculous

"We love the goofiness of Mormon stories.  Some of them are incredulous, and we loved almost all the Mormons that we had ever met.  So this was sort of this conundrum that we like to talk about-- we think what they believe is really, really ridiculous, and yet they seem like pretty happy people."

- Trey Parker, creator of the irreverent Broadway musical 'The Book of Mormon'

• • •

In the past when people have discovered that I am a Latter-Day Saint, I have often been met with open curiosity.

The look on their face more times than not has seemed to say-- in a similar vein as Mr. Parker:
"Um, seriously?  But you seem pretty well-educated and normal.  How could you believe such an unbelievable story?"

Would you like to hear my honest answer?

To me, believing that Joseph Smith truly had a vision and received golden plates is no different than believing Moses spoke to a burning bush and received the Ten Commandments.  Both accounts are-- upon first glance-- unbelievable.  To the believer, however, both accounts are simply miraculous.   

Unlike a 2006 article from Slate Magazine which asserted, "One may object that all religious beliefs are irrational—what's the difference between Smith's "seer stone" and the virgin birth or the parting of the Red Sea? But Mormonism is different because it is based on such a transparent and recent fraud," I don't see why I should be branded as an imbecile for believing God spoke to a prophet in 1820 or even that He still speaks today in 2011.  What difference should a date in time make?  If God spoke in Old Testament times, I personally don't see why He would be incapable of speaking today.

(Many thanks to my friend Bryce for the quote from Slate, please visit his blog for an interesting post on this subject.) 

Critics of my faith would have you believe that Joseph Smith was a charismatic con man, seeking fame or power, or some other worldly accolade.
That the five hundred and thirty-one pages of the Book of Mormon, which were transcribed in approximately 75 days, are a complete and utter fabrication. 

Now, I like to think of myself as a writer of sorts, and that statistic alone boggles my mind.
75 days?!?!

In fact, as someone who writes fairly compulsively, there are many things about the Book of Mormon that cause me to take it seriously, even just from an authorial standpoint.  (Chiasmus, anyone?)  Acclaimed science fiction novelist Orson Scott Card has even written a pretty extensive article on this topic, which I have found incredibly fascinating.  

However, all these interesting little tidbits are not the why of my core belief in the Book of Mormon.  

My testimony comes from a spiritual confirmation that can only result from reading its pages and humbly petitioning the Lord in prayer.  I have read the Book of Mormon, every word.  And, like the Bible, I know it is an inspired book.  The peace I have felt while immersing myself in its pages has been life-altering.  It has answered prayers, and led me to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with my Savior.

That is why I believe.

And although many may scoff and wonder at the implausibility of the Joseph Smith story, I can only stand and wonder at the miracle of it all.  

“All the ingenuity of all the men under heaven could not compose and present to the world a book like the Book of Mormon. Its principles are divine—they are from God. They could never emanate from the mind of an imposter, or from the mind of a person writing a novel. Why? Because the promises and prophecies it contains are being fulfilled in the sight of all the earth.”


- President Wilford W. Woodruff  (1807–98), Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff (2004), 119.

• • •

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!

{five things for friday • vi}

I was inspired by Kimberly's post last week (and guest post today at We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ!), so for my Friday Five today I'm happy to present five of my favorite verses from the Book of Mormon.

- one -

Helaman 5:12

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

This has been my favorite scripture ever since I memorized it for my early-morning high school seminary class.  

Although we may encounter seemingly insurmountable trials in this life, if we can remember to build our foundation on Christ we will not fail.  

I also love the use of the word "remember."

I have always been inspired by President Kimball's words, "When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is?  It could be 'remember.'  Because all of [us] have made covenants... our greatest need is to remember.  'Remember' is the word."

- two -

2 Nephi 4:15-35

This section of scripture is more commonly referred to as the Psalm of Nephi.

As it is quite lengthy, I won't quote it in its entirety, but here are some of my favorite snippets:

Awake, my soul!  No longer droop in sin.  Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness!  O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies!  Wilt thou make my path straight before me!

O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.

 (That line has become my daily mantra.)

Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.  Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness.

I completely relate to Nephi's lamentation of his own weakness, and his absolute dependence on the Savior for mercy and grace.  It is a beautiful chapter of scripture, one I turn to again and again.

- three -

Alma 5:14-15,19

Have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?  Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this moral body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?  I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

These questions which Alma the Younger poses to the people of Zarahemla are no less applicable to our day.  The idea of having the image of God engraven on our countenance is beautiful and poignant.  To me, it is a perfect description of what we should be striving for as we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.

- four -

Ether 12:6

And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because you see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

This is counsel I need to hear over and over again.

I like to have all the answers laid out ahead of me, but most of the time the Lord doesn't work like that.  We have to have faith enough to take a few steps in the darkness before the way is lit before us.  But eventually, the light will come.  It always does.

- five -

Alma 37:6-7

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

This counsel given by Alma the Younger to his son Helaman reminds me that it is often the small moments in our lives that are the most meaningful.  Especially as mother, I find comfort in knowing that the little teaching moments we find daily, the small acts of service I try to accomplish all add up in the long run.  This verse also encourages me to get back to basics when our family's schedule seems so very chaotic.  Having a perfect family home evening complete with laminated clip art and clever games is not as important as having the Spirit in our home and teaching our children with love.  The older I get, the more I realize that it really is the small and simple things in life that truly matter.

There are so many other verses that speak to my soul in the Book of Mormon, but those are a few that have great meaning to me in my life at this moment.  I am so grateful to have this beautiful book of scripture in my life.

• • •

And those are my five things for Friday!

If your curiosity is piqued, and you would like to have a free copy of the Book of Mormon of your own, without any expectations or strings attached, please let me know and I will personally mail a copy to you. 

(Of course, if you want to have a couple of cute 19-year-olds hand deliver it to your door and answer any questions you may have, I am happy to arrange that too! But that isn't necessary.) 

You can leave me a comment, message me on Facebook or email me at tiffanatee(at)gmail(dot)com, and I would be sincerely thrilled to do that for you. 

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!

Onward, Christian Soldier!

It is not for us to say who, in the deepest sense, is or is not close to the spirit of Christ. We do not see into men's hearts. We cannot judge, and indeed are forbidden to judge. It would be wicked arrogance for us to say any man is, or is not, a Christian in this refined sense.
 - C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Christus statue at Temple Square in Salt Lake City

My good friend Jeanne reminded me of that quote last night from one of my all-time favorite books. If you haven't read Mere Christianity, you really ought to. It is a treasure trove of beautiful truths.

My thoughts over the past few days have returned again and again to the debate going on in the media about Latter-Day Saints.

Whether we are cultists.
Whether we are Christians.

This always just makes me want to shake my head and sigh. 

What exactly do Latter-Day Saints believe?

The full name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
We profess to be a restoration of the original church founded by the Savior himself.

Not a reformation, a restoration.

For that reason, we do not share some of the same doctrine that evolved over time in the centuries following the death of Christ and His apostles.

We are Christians.

Each and every Sunday that we attend church we make a solemn covenant to take upon us the name of Christ when we partake of the sacrament (communion).
We pray in His sacred, holy name.
We accept Him as our Savior, our Redeemer, our Friend.
We are partakers of His amazing and infinite grace.
To use a phrase from a modern prophet, "He is the Lamb of God to whom [we] bow."

To listen to President Gordon B. Hinckley's beautiful testimony of Jesus Christ, please enjoy the following video clip:



I believe much of the curiosity and concern from the rest of the Christian community comes from our belief in additional revelation and scripture. That we believe a prophet again lives on the earth.

But we do not see how this invalidates our status as Christians.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of our faith's Quorum of the Twelve had this to say on the matter, and since he is infinitely more eloquent than I, he is quoted here at length:

Some Christians, in large measure because of their genuine love for the Bible, have declared that there can be no more authorized scripture beyond the Bible. In thus pronouncing the canon of revelation closed, our friends in some other faiths shut the door on divine expression that we in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hold dear: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the ongoing guidance received by God’s anointed prophets and apostles. Imputing no ill will to those who take such a position, nevertheless we respectfully but resolutely reject such an unscriptural characterization of true Christianity.

One of the arguments often used in any defense of a closed canon is the New Testament passage recorded in Revelation 22:18: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of … this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” However, there is now overwhelming consensus among virtually all biblical scholars that this verse applies only to the book of Revelation, not the whole Bible. Those scholars of our day acknowledge a number of New Testament “books” that were almost certainly written after John’s revelation on the Isle of Patmos was received. Included in this category are at least the books of Jude, the three Epistles of John, and probably the entire Gospel of John itself. Perhaps there are even more than these.

One Protestant scholar has inquired tellingly into the erroneous doctrine of a closed canon. He writes: “On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible? … If the Spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same Spirit does not speak today in the church about matters that are of significant concern?”

We humbly ask those same questions.

Continuing revelation does not demean or discredit existing revelation. The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In considering the additional scripture accepted by Latter-day Saints, we might ask: Were those early Christians who for decades had access only to the primitive Gospel of Mark (generally considered the first of the New Testament Gospels to be written)—were they offended to receive the more detailed accounts set forth later by Matthew and Luke, to say nothing of the unprecedented passages and revelatory emphasis offered later yet by John? Surely they must have rejoiced that ever more convincing evidence of the divinity of Christ kept coming. And so do we rejoice.
(Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "My Words... Never Cease", April 2008 General Conference)

The Book of Mormon stands as a second witness alongside the Bible of the divinity of Christ. It does not supplant the teachings of the Old and New Testaments-- to the contrary, it compliments, clarifies, and confirms them:

Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.
(2 Ne. 2:6-9)

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.
He is my Rock, my Foundation, my God.
I love him with all of my heart.
And though I walk imperfectly in this life, I do my utmost each day to follow Him.

I am a Christian.

• • • 

If your curiosity is piqued, and you would like to have a free copy of the Book of Mormon of your own, without any expectations or strings attached, please let me know and I will personally mail a copy to you. 

(Of course, if you want to have a couple of cute 19-year-olds hand deliver it to your door and answer any questions you may have, I am happy to arrange that too! But that isn't necessary.) 

You can leave me a comment, message me on Facebook or email me at tiffanatee(at)gmail(dot)com, and I would be sincerely thrilled to do that for you. 

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!

His Words Never Cease: Book of Mormon Blog Hop

The eighth and ninth articles of my faith state as follows:

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.  We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

The fact that Latter-Day Saints do not believe in a closed canon is a decidedly controversial topic in the Christian world.  Many reject the notion that it is in any way possible that God could speak through a living prophet today.  Perhaps it was more believable back in Old Testament times, but today in the modern age?  Does God really speak to men even now at the present day? 

Absolutely.

I grew up in a loving Latter-Day Saint home.  As a child I never doubted that the Book of Mormon was true.  Reading its pages never failed to bring a sense of peace into my young heart.  Even though my religion definitely made me unique in my suburban Chicago community, I never questioned that all of the books I considered Scripture were inspired of God. 

Then later as a young adult in my late teenage years, I had a crisis of faith.  Within a short period of time I faced many difficult trials that shook my core.  I dealt with a crippling and utterly debilitating depression.   Suddenly there were few things I was certain of anymore, my faith included.

I began doubting the tender feelings of my youth.  I wondered if they were simply an emotional psychosomatic response to the beautiful teachings I loved.  What if I couldn't trust the things I had felt?

I decided that the only way to proceed was to study, study, and study some more.  I read voraciously, especially within the pages of the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.  I took up the challenge of the Savior found in Gospel of John, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."  (John 7:17)  I chose to "experiment upon the word," as the Book of Mormon prophet Alma taught.  Through a study of these teachings I discovered that the only way to truly gain a witness of the truth of Gospel was through my own action.  A mere perusal of the facts and figures would not suffice.  I resolved to delve more deeply into the Book of Mormon and judge its teachings from that perspective.

That experience changed the trajectory of my life.

As I read its pages, the feelings of peace I felt in my youth returned.  I deeply considered the source of these feelings and came to understand that they were not simply my own emotions running amok.  I gained insights from the beautiful verses found within.  Insights I could never have arrived at with my own limited logic, that answered fervent prayers.  A handful of experiences such of these might be able to be passed off as mere coincidence, but over the past decade since I began my earnest experiment this process has repeated itself over and over again.

God speaks through the pages of the Book of Mormon, as well as the Bible.  This I know for sure.

Over 170 years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson challenged students of the Harvard Divinity School to teach "that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake."  In a real sense, that is the same message of the Book of Mormon.  God lives, and He loves us.  We are His children, and He will speak to us if we choose to listen.   

Some Christians who believe differently than I would suggest that the Book of Mormon is nothing more than a clever hoax, or worse, a diabolic work of evil.  To that, I would challenge you to discover for yourselves.  Did not the apostle Paul teach that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established"? (2 Cor 13:1)  The Book of Mormon stands as a second witness alongside our Holy Bible.  Did not the Savior himself say that "by your fruits ye shall know them?"  (see Matthew 7:17-20)

Here is just a sampling of one of the fruits of the Book of Mormon:

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
(Moroni 10:32)

Despite what you may hear in various media outlets, Christ is the center of our faith.  He is our Rock, our Foundation, our Redeemer.  The Book of Mormon's main purpose, its raison d'être, is to testify of Jesus Christ.  

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ... that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

(2 Nephi 25:26)

God is.  And He speaks.  

And you can know this for yourself.  

For if you desire, He will speak to you.

And that is truly Good News.

• • •

If your curiosity is piqued, and you would like to have a free copy of the Book of Mormon of your own, without any expectations or strings attached, please let me know and I will personally mail a copy to you.  

(Of course, if you want to have a couple of cute 19-year-olds hand deliver it to your door and answer any questions you may have, I am happy to arrange that too!  But that isn't necessary.)  

You can leave me a comment, message me on Facebook or email me at tiffanatee(at)gmail(dot)com, and I would be sincerely thrilled to do that for you.

To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a Blog Hop hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!  Please feel free to link up any posts you might wish to share here: