Improving Our Time

Readers, As part of my own pruning and purging (see A Promise Lives Within You Now ) , I will soon be taking down my website, Improving Our Time. Due to several factors, I've decided this is the right time to transition away from such a public online presence. I still love sharing my thoughts and will continue to write inspiring commentary. However, I will not be maintaining an online blog site anymore. If my writings have added value to your life, please feel free to email m

In bitter-sweet irony, a key principle for life is illustrated by looking to nature. As lonely travelers on this beautiful yet fallen Earth, we have been charged to labor for the support of our families—to eat our bread in the sweat of our own face. We are responsible to utilize whatever resources are available to us to honestly toil, growing stronger in our faith and determination to raise ourselves and others around us to a higher enjoyment of the gifts we receive from abov

My family recently read the Book of Mormon story of Moroni, a great military leader. We were impressed with the clarity of his purpose, and how he inspired his followers toward the same understanding. A prolonged war was beginning, due to wickedness and treachery. Ambitious men sought for power, that they might overthrow the liberty of the people. One among them went as far as joining their enemies, to make himself a king over them. In contrast, Moroni sought to righteously d

The following is a sermon given a Sacrament meeting of the Independence 1st Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on December 28, 2025. ----- Becoming a Zion people in the upcoming new year --- What is Zion? In our time, an understanding of Zion has unfolded line upon line. Very early in the course of the unfolding of this, the dispensation of the fullness of times, the idea of Zion was pressed upon the mind and heart of Joseph Smith. Zion has been, and is

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance" Galatians 5: 22-23 ----- "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel tha

We can sometimes place too little value on "going through the motions" of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's easy to overemphasize the later stages of spiritual growth, and get to feeling like the initial ones don't matter. Satan is good at convincing us that we're wasting our time if we don't see immediate, dramatic, overwhelmingly obvious results. A fully developed testimony of truth is the goal, but before we get there, we're not worthless. Doing things out of a pure

“Good inspiration is based upon good information.” Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives , April 2018 General Conference "It is not in harmony with the Gospel spirit that God, except in special cases, should reveal things that man by the aid of his natural powers may gain for himself." John A. Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist , chapter 1 "[Theology] is the science of all other sciences and useful arts, being in fact the very foundation from

The following questions are an invitation to learn by reflection, a valuable exercise I’ve learned more powerfully through my Jesuit...

There are no true atheists. Everyone worships something. To worship is to ascribe providence—one's happiness, hopes, survival, liberty,...

God allows us to experience opposition in many ways. Though we encounter plenty of adversarial opposition, there are plenty of ways we see complementary opposition in the majestic mastery of the universe our Father governs. Most buildings have perpendicular sides to their foundation. This is formed by an opposing set of opposing sides, or four sides arranged in two sets of two. Why all the opposition? Isn't opposition bad? No, it's not always bad. It's always required for

Imagine an unbroken chain being formed between God, and you, even while walking here on the Earth. Wouldn't it be nice to have such a...

The Lord has promised that He will fight our battles for us. He will protect us from harm, that not one hair of our head be lost. (2...

The following is a comment of mine on the First Amendment and educational environments in America. It is taken from a discussion board in...

In our fallen state, we are not usually given to know the things of God beyond any reasonable doubt . Rather, the burden of proof in...

I gave the following brief address in a fireside meeting on the evening of June 8, 2025. ----- I know that to be the Lord’s, we must be...

In 1829, John the Baptist appeared in resurrected wholeness and conferred the Aaronic priesthood upon two humble seekers of truth. This...

To enhance your study of The Parable of the Train , I suggest a few songs that have increased my enjoyment. I know there are many...

Not all blessings given by the authority of the Priesthood are for the same purpose, or have the same result, though all manifest the...

In my family, we occasionally enjoy watching a television program showing old, unusual or rare items being brought before appraisers who...

(The following is an expanded version of an address given in a sacrament meeting of the Independence 1st Ward, Independence MO, on March...