New heart

Until this year, I’d never “given up something” for Lent. I’m not going to tell you what I walked away from and I’m not hinting anything with the above photo. Initially, it was a difficult change, until just a few days went by and I experienced positive results.

The effects of this life change have been the quieting of my mind and the softening of my heart.

I see people in my faith working to have a more holy approach to Easter. Looking back over my first year of taking 40 days to prepare for Easter, I’m glad I made the effort. I’m a river of emotion about Jesus this week.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 36:26-28

Overcome

Unknown artist. I found this image in an April 2021 General Conference talk by Sister Reyna I. Aburto.

The Come Follow Me curriculum for Easter has a beautiful scripture activity under the heading, “Because of His Atonement, Jesus Christ has the power to help me overcome sin, death, trials, and weaknesses.” There is a list of scriptures to study, write about, and help you reflect upon the Savior’s power. It brought a lot of peace and reassurance to me as I did this.

Interested? Here is a LINK. (Once you click the link, you will need to scroll down to find the activity and its scripture list.)

Lights in a dark time

In Exodus 1, we read about two Hebrew midwives who defied the order of Pharaoh to kill all male children born to Hebrew women. Their names were Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1:15) and they have spectacular meanings*:

Shiphrah🌟: “Brilliant,” from the Hebrew word that means “to shine”. It also connotes “pleasing, calm, composed, beauty or loveliness; a canopy under which peace and stability may be achieved.”

Puah 🪩: “To glitter,” also, “splendid, radiant.”

These women were lights in a dark time because they feared God more than Pharaoh.

Therefore God dwelt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

And it came to pass, because the midwives feared [revered] God, that he made them houses [households].

-Exodus 1:20-21

Here are two takeaways,

  1. God dwells with those who love Him and serve Him. He blesses them well, along with the people they love.
  2. Be a light to somebody today! Like Shiphrah, your light can be a place of peace and stability to a friend. Like glitter (Puah’s name meaning), your trail of righteous influence can remain long after you leave the room.

*Name meanings taken from the Abarim publications website. Emily Belle Freeman also contributed to my appreciation of this passage of scripture.

On my mind

This was my Austin seminary class on the last day that I taught them in May 2001. Our house was their classroom for 3 years, from 6:00-7 am each school day.

As I study the Old Testament, a few of these kids come to mind like a reflex as I read the “scripture mastery” verses we rapped and sang together to help with memorization.

My heart aches for a few of them. If I could teach them all over again, knowing the things they would face in the future, we would sing even more. I’d have them share their impressions and testimonies more often. I wouldn’t lose touch with them during their adult years.

Even if I had been a better teacher, it was never my job to save them. It’s a comfort to know that the true Savior is still reaching out to them and helping them. I trust Him.

The ladder

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel by J. Ken Spencer

Grief lurks beneath the routines of life and finds its way out from time to time. This week I experienced a resurgence of some grief for Richard’s sister and my grandmother who both passed away 5 years ago, one day apart, during the first week of March.

As I studied Jacob’s dream recently, the detail of the angels stood out to me, perhaps because I have been living with these memories of loved ones. I like the imagery of the Lord directing and overseeing the comings and goings of angels.

Perhaps this dream is my reminder that the spirits of loved ones are busy, still progressing, and are allowed to minister to us from time to time, according to our needs and their life experiences, all under the direction of the Lord.

Jacob is experiencing a rough time. I like in this painting that more angels are coming toward Jacob than are walking away. He has a long path ahead, but it’s an ascent that leads to the Lord.

Maybe you’re discouraged about a loved one’s path and this image could be helpful to you.

Or, you might be the one in a wilderness, sleeping on a rock, looking for personal hope. I have seen that keeping my covenants with God really helps during these times.

As we keep our covenants with God, He promises great things,

  1. I am with thee.
  2. I will keep [protect] thee in all places whither though goest.
  3. I will bring thee again [home].
  4. I will not leave thee…
  5. Until I have done [all things promised to you].

-See Genesis 28:15

Our silent piano

Serve a mission! Anyone who wants a blessed and happy future should consider it. The Lord knows and understands even better than you what you sacrifice and you are compensated for it.

Elder Mark Ross, February 2026

Our temporarily silent piano means that pianos throughout the world have been played by our sons. Our silent piano stands in contrast to their missionary voices sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others. What a privilege to have a silent piano for a few years while a child serves a mission!

Still a Monday girl

Almost without exception, I know that if I put something on my To Do list on a Monday, I’ll get it done. Monday is a blank canvas, a clean slate, and fresh powder on the ski slope. I thrive in new starts.

Maybe you’re a weekend person or you thrive on a different day of the week.

When, besides Sunday, is my list the shortest? Saturday! It’s just a decision based on current priorities. I don’t plan to clean, shop, or organize on that day because I’m not alone. I like to be flexible and adapt the day according to who stops by and what Richard would like to do. You may be in a different season where house tasks are the right thing to do on a Saturday. That’s just not my stage of life.

Once I learned when I’m at my best and identified my priorities, my To Do lists became manageable. Oh, and in case you forgot this advice, I think To Do lists should always be written in pencil. With an eraser, an unfinished list becomes an instrument of grace instead of an instrument of shame.

Richard!

We celebrated Richard’s birthday this week. We love the way he gathers our family on vacations and takes advantage of every minute. I’m thankful for his kind and gentle parenting of our children and his delight in our grandson. He works hard in a difficult field and I’ve noticed that he takes a lot of calls from people who need his expertise. He also gets calls from people who want his advice on ATVs and he’s the navigator when his friends go on 4-wheeler rides. He is a planner and an engineer, through and through. He has a church calling that demands a lot of time and self, and in this service, he shows us what it looks like to keep covenants with God. We love him!