Book of Mormon – Letters from Home

#Goals

I don’t think we’re using hashtags or saying “#Goals” anymore, but this verse is pretty aspirational for me.

Notice that Nephi says his father Lehi was obedient unto the word of the Lord. End of statement. This is a character trait of Lehi, a long-established pattern in his life. Nephi continues, “Wherefore (meaning because of this, or for this reason), [Lehi] did as the Lord commanded.”

Nephi also says he was born of goodly parents. To Nephi, GOODNESS and OBEDIENCE were defining characteristics of his parents, so (of course) they would do what the Lord asked of them.

I have parents like this, and they have been missing from our lives for a year because they have been serving a mission. This is their second mission together. They served as mission leaders for three years when they were in their fifties, and now they are in their seventies. They have been serving in Puerto Rico where my dad served as a young missionary in the early 1970’s.

I can say of my parents, “They are obedient, so they answered the call for more senior missionaries to serve.”

They come home this week. I have their car in my driveway, a nice bedroom waiting for them because they fly in so late, and flags to wave at the airport. Hooray!

Or, as my dad would say, Hurrah for Israel!

Nominative determinism

Nominative determinism means that our names can influence our interests, personality, and life choices. For example, I knew a girl in middle school named Charisma, and her personality matched her name perfectly. My dad’s name means beloved, and he is! My mother’s name is Carol, and yes, music is a huge part of her life.

My name is Angela Christie. I’ve teased my mom about this in the past, “No pressure with that name, Mom.” When I married Richard, my name became Angela C. Ross. After many years, I noticed that my middle initial and last name spell the word cross. ✝️ (Hopefully the religious kind, not the grumpy kind!)

Sometimes my name stings with the disconnect I see between the real and the ideal. Other days, I am grateful for the reminder of potential and promise.

You and I are called to be better each day, no matter our names or their origins. Those who make and keep covenants become children of Christ and take his name. Nominative determinism suggests that each covenant child is set on a path for a glorious future, and I know that Christ will help us live up to his name if we let him.

Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.

Mosiah 26:18

Weakness to strength

One of the things I did in 2013 was play in the stake musical production. Here I am with Tevye playing Tradition! from Fiddler on the Roof. 🔥

As I paged through a journal I wrote in 2013, I was amazed at the things I did that year. All of our children were still living at home, so beyond the things I recorded in the journal, there were so many meals, so much laundry, and so much driving. One line stands out to me from this journal,

“My favorite sin right now is haste.”

By “haste” I meant that I didn’t take enough time to be still.

In 2025, haste is no longer a favorite sin. I have been given the gift to be still. True, I have less laundry and cooking to do now, but there are a few more dominant forces during the last 12 years that taught me to slow down.

First, the years of decision arrived for our children with college, missions, marriage, and beyond. I realized that the most important thing I can do for my children is pray for them. And when they ask for advice, I need an arsenal of inspired wisdom. I choose stillness so I can feel assurances of peace concerning my children and to help my children.

Second, I had poor health for an extended time which taught me to slow down. I was forced to stop filling my life with non-essentials. I learned to sit on the couch and listen to my family. I didn’t miss being busy, so as my health returned, I remained more present and unhurried.

Third, I had church callings that stretched me to study deeply. We had unprecedented and perplexing issues to handle, so I had to be still so I could see the path forward. I was perplexed so often that stillness became a habit.

This exercise of looking back over 12 years of personal growth shows me that my Father in Heaven works through many means to help me change. He wasn’t the cause of my difficulties, but he helped me to use these obstacles as stepping stones toward rest.

…my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

-Ether 12:27

Mark’s missionary plaque

I enjoy seeing these missionary plaques on display in the hallways of our church buildings. They are one of the cultural threads that make it seem like we are at home when we visit other Sunday services. These plaques are uniform in mood and size, but my mother heart sees them as representing precious children, loved and missed. I really like the scripture that Mark chose. I don’t think I have seen it on a missionary plaque before.

A formula that works

Blue + yellow = green.

Blue=initial reaction to trials

Yellow=God’s response to prayers

Green=courage and determination enhanced as a result of prayer

The formula is clear in Alma 58:9-13. Just read the highlighted words and apply them to a challenge that you are facing. This formula has worked for me my whole life.

Army

I saw this image from the upcoming release of the film about Helaman’s army and it really affected me. This story from the Book of Mormon has found new pockets of meaning throughout the years of my motherhood. Even in these final months with a child at home, this story has fed my courage and resolve to be a valiant mother.

In family life, I have needed to be creative and determined in order to teach the gospel. Even now, as the last child moves outside my orbit, I am trying new methods, hoping to reach him in more effective ways.

Over the years I have learned to be more vulnerable and brief in my teaching, distilling my words to bring the most impact. No lecturing, no ranting, just direct, clear ideas are the goal.

I want my faith to be clear to them because their battles are real.

Just a list today

Enjoyed: an evening at Young Women’s camp with the bishopric.

Finished: 18 pages of visa application forms and instructions with Mark.

Played: a piano and violin duet on Sunday with Mark at church.

Wrote: a song for Primary Day Camp for guitar, voices, and percussion.

Struggling with: sleep while Richard has been away at Young Men’s camp.

Looking forward to: Mark’s senior piano recital.

Preparing: pepperoni rolls for dinner.

Loving: strawberry season.

Reading: The Count of Monte Cristo.

Collecting: so many screenshots of our grandson during video calls. 😍

Procrastinating: weeding the back flower bed.

A current favorite Book of Mormon phrase: “Publish peace.”

And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.
Mosiah 27:37

Purpose of prayer

In Ether 1 of the Book of Mormon it says that the prophet prayed for his family and friends who were refugees looking for a home. The Lord had compassion and told him to prepare to go to a choice land “…because this long time ye have cried unto me.” (Ether 1:43)

So, does this mean that all we need to do to get what we want is to pray long enough and hard enough?

I don’t think this is how things work. Jesus taught in the parable of the unjust judge that a corrupt official will show mercy just to be rid of someone who asks and asks for something, but God is surely better than that. (Luke 18:1-8)

I don’t think that the brother of Jared wearied the Lord or wore him down with requests so he finally said, fine, have what you want. I think this story illustrates how prayer makes us ready to receive the huge blessings that the Lord already has waiting for us.

In other words, prayer doesn’t chip away at the Lord’s iron will to withhold blessings. Rather, prayer chips away at our own wills and our pride, and helps prepare us to level up in understanding and joy.

After all, we pray to a God who knows our needs before they are spoken. (Matthew 6:33) So, prayer isn’t about informing Him of needs, but connecting with Him.

Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list. The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom.
President Russell M Nelson

Prayer is the vehicle for us to understand that God is there. He gets us. He will bless us in ways that will ultimately help us return to Him, and often that means He doesn’t remove every pain right away.

Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses- yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen!
President Russell M Nelson

Pray to have eyes to see God’s hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask him to tell you if He is really there-if He knows you. Ask him how He feels about you. And then listen.
President Russell M Nelson

I pray for an evolving list of people by name, but I have changed how I pray for them. I used to kind of whine and beg. Okay, I still do that sometimes. But, more and more, prayer has become the moment in the day where I can tell God that I trust Him with these precious people and that I trust His wisdom and His power to help. Sometimes during prayer I will quote a scripture of praise. This has been a helpful shift in how I approach my Father in Heaven in prayer.

Ward conferences report

This is my view as I think about my experiences over the past few months. Paige’s watercolors are on one wall. The large canvas print is one I ordered from the Church History Museum gift shop.

We finished a very intense ward conference season on Sunday and I feel a mixture of emotions. As stake Primary president, I have had speaking assignments, teaching opportunities, and ministering visits which have taken my energy and some of my health (cold and flu season stuff), but I miraculously rallied each weekend thanks to the prayers of good friends.

I have felt the love of God for his children, and Primary children in every ward were well behaved and anxious to participate. I have seen a leap in their knowledge and understanding during the past few years because families are teaching them from the scriptures at home. The Come Follow Me program has amazing results!

The passing of my first counselor Anne’s husband in the midst of these conferences has been a source of deep sadness. These words from the Book of Mormon are true of my inspired and faithful presidency, “But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless, they stand fast.” (Alma 58:40)

Here are some words from the song that I taught in each Primary that summarize my thoughts, “I know He lives, I will follow faithfully, my heart I give to him, I know that my Savior loves me.”

War chapters

Sometimes life is going just fine when I arrive at the war chapters in the Book of Mormon and I feel a little inconvenienced. On happy days there is rarely something in these chapters for me, so I read the words and move on.

This time as I have been reading the war chapters, life has been more complicated. “Oh, great,” I thought, “just what I need right now, stories about war.”

I was wrong. I have needed those war chapters during February 2024. I have needed the words of resolve that were uttered during those icky times. Concrete examples of faith. A script for how to face a daunting task. Reassurance that it will all be okay. Heroes. Miracle stories.

The editorial lens of Mormon is fantastic in these chapters.

Joseph Smith is a prophet.

This book brings me unto Christ.

I love it all. Even the war chapters.