Continued from Part I There was more More than the singing voices More than the upturned faces More than the shining eyes But it’s more than the shining eyes More than the steaming breeze More than the hidden hills More than the concrete Christ My flight home left at 11:00 P.M. Carlos and …
Category: Issue 163–June 2011
Special Status
As a boy, I was puzzled (and disappointed) that God seemed to impose deserty country on his chosen peoples. Palestine? That parched land hardly seemed like bargain real estate. The Great Basin? Who’d want that passed-over, sagebrushy parcel? Did the great Promiser-in-the-Sky think dry hardship would be desirable for those he loved most—or was he …
Right Where We Stand
During my childhood, family home evening was always a sporadic event that coincided with bursts of belief within my parents—not belief in the gospel, but belief in their own ability to actually establish some sort of household structure. During these optimistic times, they would schedule home teaching visits or family home evenings—fueled by the same …
Calling an Apostle
This regular Cornucopia column features incidents from and glimpses into the life and ministry of Elder James E. Talmage as compiled by James P. Harris, who is currently working on a full-length biography of this fascinating Mormon apostle. The column title is adopted from the statement inscribed on Elder Talmage’s tombstone: “Within the Gospel of …
VERY Social Lives!
In this regular Cornucopia column, Curt Bench, owner and operator of Benchmark Books (BenchmarkBooks.com), a specialty bookstore in Salt Lake City that focuses primarily on used and rare Mormon books, tells stories—both humorous and appalling—from his 35-plus years in the LDS book business. Being a Mormon bookseller may not mean I get regular paychecks, …
The Core of the Matter
Recently I heard a speaker in church say, “You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples in a seed.” The remark got me thinking way beyond the intent of the truism (a bad habit of mine). The aphorism does say something nice about a person’s potential and how big …
Jesus and Nietzsche on “Becoming a Child”
In this regular column, Michael Vinson, a master’s graduate of the Divinity School of the University of Cambridge and a frequent devotional speaker at Sunstone symposiums, delves into personal and scholarly aspects of scripture. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And …
In Defense of Polygamy — Well, Sort of…
I was very surprised. Sister Price was known not only for her dynamic, superbly organized Relief Society lessons, she was also a voice of authority in the ward. People rarely questioned her on points of doctrine or opposed her opinions. Sister Price meticulously prepared each lesson. Being a scriptorian and a Church history buff, she …
The Wedding Ring
On a summer evening in 2001, I got on one knee in a park near my parents’ home and asked a wonderful woman if she would marry me. She said yes, and in that moment, we were engaged. She intended to marry me, and I intended to marry her. I did not know what her …
Letters to the Editor: Issue 163
Still on the Plains What a lovely surprise to see a short piece from No More Goodbyes printed as “An Olive Leaf” in issue 162. By way of synchronicity, the mail carrier who brought the magazine today took with him a copy of No More Goodbyes that I had signed and placed on my mailbox …