"Efficiency" isn't that important to God

As a software engineer, it's my job to find the optimal way to do things. I'm constantly looking for the most efficient method to sort a list, store stuff in a database, and speed up a program. And once my brain is set to "optimization mode," it's hard to turn it off.

For example, recently, as I waited for a temple session to start, I found myself mentally inventing ways...

The last calling we receive

Three weeks ago, my wife and I received a phone call. Hope, my 57-year-old mother-in-law, had run out of chemotherapy options and was starting in-home hospice. Doctors estimated she had only a few weeks left. Hope wanted to hug her grandchildren again while she could, so we loaded the kids in the car and began the eight-hour journey to North Carolina.

Two hours away from my in-laws' house, we received...

The work that is prayer

Like everyone else, my heart is broken watching Ukrainians stand alone against an evil dictatorship. Political leaders are debating about how involved we will be collectively, but God-fearing believers already want to be involved personally. But we individuals can't send military aircraft or fight alongside the Ukrainian soldiers. What can we do? We can follow our Prophet's example and pray.

If you think that sounds like a cop-out answer,...

The gift of our calling

It was five years, almost to the day, but if you saw a picture of that Bishop from the start of his term, you'd be forgiven for thinking 15 or 20 years had passed. The marital disputes, the midnight runs to the chapel to forestall eviction, and the last-second interviews had taken their toll on both his hairline and his beltline. "Busy as a man can be," indeed. But...

Lessons on revelation from the five Nephite runners

Who were the Nephite runners?

Remember that time the Nephite chief judge was murdered? No, I'm not talking about the murder of chief judge Pahoran. Or his brother Pacumeni. Or Cezoram. Or Cezoram's son. Or Lachoneus. I'm talking about Seezoram.

Work changed the Lamanites

My previous post was inspired by Alma 53:5. This one is, too. Specifically this part of the verse:

Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor.

To us this may seem like no big deal. After all, in our modern day the Geneva Convention makes clear that this is perfectly fine as long...