Shel Silverstein wrote the following rhymed whimsy about a crocodile with a toothache:
The Crocodile went to the dentist And sat down in the chair, And the dentist said, “Now tell me, sir, Why does it hurt and where?” And the crocodile said, “I’ll tell you the truth, I have a terrible ache in my tooth,” And he opened wide, so wide, That the dentist, he climbed right inside, And the dentist laughed, “Oh isn’t this fun?” As he pulled the teeth out, one by one.
And the crocod ...
In one form or another, we reap the consequences of our own wrong doing and our failed integrity, as indicated in this little story told by Elder Hugh B. Brown:
The story is told of a rich man who, before leaving on a long journey, instructed a contractor to build a house for him.
“Dad,” I exclaimed, “There is something a little strange happening out in the garage.”
I was on one of my regular visits to the home of my elderly parents in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. My wife and I made the four hour trip from El Paso a couple of times each month in order to check on them, to take them groceries and to spend time with them.
“Last night when I pushed the button to close the garage door, a couple of swallows swooped in and perched on the garage door rails ...
We open the newspaper, turn on the television, listen to the radio, and we are constantly inundated with bad news. Another person has died in an auto accident. There have been more shootings and deaths. Bombings and assassinations take place throughout the world. Our national government appears to be in chaos.
When I was but a lad, the Cheshire’s lived across the street from us. I don’t recall the name of the man of the family but his wife was one of my mom’s very best friends. Her name was Maude. She was a pleasantly plump woman who was seldom seen without an apron and always wore a broad smile.
He was a retired postal worker and a veteran of the War to End All Wars.
Working at the Walmart service desk I am blessed to observe people from all walks of life, all social strata, the pious and the profane. I deal with people in search of something for nothing as they try to “rip off” the store while, at the same time, I see others try to find the owners of misplaced wallets and purses, cell phones, credit cards, and even children.
I see people with shopping carts piled high with purchases headed for their shiny SUVs in the parking lot while the less fo ...
Herod, King of Judea, was greatly troubled over the report that a Child of Prophecy—one destined to become King of the Jews--had been born. Herod was tyrannical and merciless, sparing neither foe nor friend who came under suspicion of being a possible hindrance to his ambitious designs. He had his wife and several of his sons, as well as others of his blood kin, cruelly murdered; and he put to death nearly all of the great national council, the Sanhedrin.
Johnson City’s Living Nativity Pageant wound up its season of 20 performances Saturday night, drawing a total audience of just under 2,000 for the year.
Not a record, but not far from it.
It was unusual for the multi-generational nature of the cast. Parent-child appearances are nothing new, but there seemed to be more of them than usual.
The couple playing the roles of Mary and Joseph (Kayla Simpson Gostnell and husband Gary) and 8-month-old Cooper Clay Gostnell Saturday night were, o ...
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel.
The book was written by many ancient prophets. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon.
At Christmastime, as I set out the small statuettes of our family’s Nativity scene, my eyes are always drawn to Mary tenderly admiring her newborn Son lying in a manger. We obviously don’t know if the artist’s depiction of this scene is accurate, but I appreciate how it invites me to consider Mary and the enormous responsibility placed on her shoulders.
