Author Archives: S.D. Sorensen

GCBC Week 8: The Blessing of Scripture

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General Conference Book Club Week 8:


“The Blessing of Scripture” by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Elder Christofferson summarizes the history of scripture and how blessed we are to have such a great quantity of holy words within our reach, more so than any previous generation.

“The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ—faith that They exist; faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know ‘the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent’ (John 17:3).”

This talk makes me grateful for the abundance of truth and guidance that sits right on my nightstand table.  It makes me realize how much more I can do with what I’ve been given.  What does Elder Christofferson’s talk say to you?

Go here to find the media versions of the talk (audio, video, mp3, etc.).  If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club,  click here to learn more about it.

If a blogger falls down in a forest of bloggers, does she have a voice?

Posted in About Blogs, Diapers, Divinity by

I haven’t been producing many quality posts lately, and I have no real reasons except that life has seemed a little busy.  And when life is busy, my brain goes a tiny bit frenzied and most of the stuff I have to say is barely comprehensible, much less inspirational.

Oh, I did start taking a Zumba class at my gym.  It’s an exercise class that’s kind of a cross between latin dancing (which I love, mostly because I really like latin music) and jazzercise (or whatever those dancy-type cardio workout classes are called).  Anyway, it’s kind of fun even though it makes muscles that I’ve never even met before cry out in pain for several days at a time.  And it’s also fun if you don’t consider the fact that I look like the biggest, most ridiculous, uncoordinated fool this side of the Tex-Mex border.  Continue reading →

GCBC Week 7: Mothers Teaching Children in the Home

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General Conference Book Club Week 7:

Elder Perry testifies of the mother’s crucial role in raising up children to the Lord, and he gives several different examples of things his mother did that helped him to learn throughout his life.
I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation . . .
Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility.
What inspires you in this talk?  What are you motivated to do by studying it?

Go here to find the media versions of the talk (audio, video, mp3, etc.).  If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club,  click here to learn more about it.

Poetry tiara, and a little laundry inspiration.

Posted in Diapers, Divinity by

Congratulations to the winner of the poetry contest:  MaryAnn!  Her laundry limerick won almost 50% of the votes, and several people asked permission to hang it up in their laundry rooms.  🙂

It’s a blessing to do everyday,
To serve my family this way.
I have to repeat it
Until I believe it,
For laundry will not go away.

And for her masterpiece, MaryAnn wins this lovely crown and a spot of honor on my sidebar over there —–>

For your own inspiration, here are a few quotes I found about laundry:

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.  — Thomas S. Monson

“How in the world can I do everything I know I should be doing when I am barely managing the basic tasks of my day?” I wondered. By early evening I was exhausted, but I set aside discouraging thoughts during dinner, family home evening, and the boys’ bath and bedtime routine.

Finally, with the children in bed, I sat down to do what I had not had time for earlier. I picked up the May 2006 Ensign, which was open to a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled “As a Child.” My eyes fell on a passage I had previously marked: “To keep the blessing of [changed natures] in our hearts will require determination, effort, and faith. King Benjamin taught at least some of what that will require. He said that to retain a remission of our sins from day to day we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally” (Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 17).

Immediately, I again felt that I wasn’t living the gospel fully. I wondered, “How can I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and help people spiritually and temporally when I can scarcely take care of my own family?”

That’s when I experienced an overwhelming feeling of divine approval. It was so clear, precise, and tangible that I knew I had to write it down so I wouldn’t forget. I could see my day replay in my mind—full of feeding the hungry, doing laundry to clothe the naked (I changed Caden’s outfit multiple times), gently caring for our sick baby, helping our five-year-old prepare a family home evening lesson on missionary work, and then discussing the power of example with my family—in other words, helping people spiritually and temporally.  — Carolynn Spencer

Try to think of the unexciting tasks not by themselves, but in terms of their larger significance. As she matches socks on laundry day, a woman might say to herself, “I’m overqualified for this job. My family scarcely even realizes this work goes on. It’s trivial.” But doing the laundry and cleaning the house leads to a greater end than simply clean socks and dusted furniture. Put small tasks into the framework of their larger goal. … Enjoying life is often more a matter of adopting the right perspective and so living that you experience peace at the center of your soul. Real excitement is knowing that, whatever your tasks, you have the Lord’s approval and love.  —Karen Davidson