By David Armstrong

The weather at the beach was especially beautiful that day, drawing an exceptionally large crowd of swimmers, surfers, and sunbathers. The lifeguard in his tower glanced periodically at the happy children building sandcastles and splashing in the shore break. He swept his eyes across the rolling surf and admired the style of an accomplished wave rider.

Most of the time, however, he focused his attention on the game on his cell phone. In three hours, he had advanced fifteen levels. Only three levels to go and he would beat the game. He reclined in the shade of the tower, his thumbs moving with lightning speed across the screen.

A commotion on the beach briefly caught his attention. Yells reached his ears, but he kept his eyes on the game as the action on the screen intensified. Calls for help interrupted his concentration for a moment, but he doubled down on his attention to the game, determined to pass the present obstacle and reach the next level.

Continue reading →

Outwardly, people’s adherence to Church teachings may look very similar, but their motives may be at different points across the spectrum. And that can change over the course of life for any one person. We may even go back and forth on a given day, making individual choices based on different motives. It’s important to not judge others’ motives; at the same time, it’s at least as important to understand our own and if we need to change them.

It’s probably the analyst in me that’s looking at this as a spectrum. But as our progress in life is often gradual, and our closeness to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ increases or decreases frequently by small amounts, I think a spectrum is fitting. So I hope you’ll bear with me for a moment.

Continue reading →

Dierdre quickened her step as she climbed the stairs from the subway to the sidewalk. The concert hall was only two blocks away. While the show was sold out, every ticket specified a reserved seat, so she wasn’t worried about not getting to see it. But this was the first time these performers had done a show in her city, and hundreds would be converging on this street today for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them. So Dierdre was trying to avoid the worst of the crowds.

But apparently, many had the same idea. She saw dozens of people hurrying the same direction, and she picked up her pace. In spite of her haste, though, a massive line had already formed in front of the entrance to the show’s venue. Well, “line” was being generous—it was more of a disorganized swarm forming a funnel shape in the courtyard, narrowing toward the doors. Dierdre fell in with everyone else.

Continue reading →

Recently, to support her homeschooling curriculum, my wife procured a telescope that has a companion mobile app. The telescope had to be calibrated, and the process brought with it an unexpected parable.

My wife downloaded the app and followed the instructions, which directed her to point the telescope at an object at least 100 meters away. Our backyard is much too small for that to work; across the street is a short slope leading to a field and a manmade stream, but nothing out there is large enough to focus on. With the telescope standing on its tripod in our driveway, my wife saw the perfect object to use.

Continue reading →

Eva took the car keys from her dad with a shaking hand, causing them to jingle a little. Anxiety felt like a stone in her stomach at the same time as her chest fluttered with excitement.

“Are you ready?” Dad asked.

She almost said she wasn’t sure, but she’d been looking forward to this for a long time. No sense in putting it off. So she nodded.

They took their seats in Dad’s car, Eva behind the steering wheel and Dad riding shotgun. Eva slipped the key into the ignition and turned it. The engine awoke, and Eva gripped the wheel hard. The car seemed much bigger when she was the one sitting in the driver’s seat.

This was for real.

Continue reading →