There have been governments and dictatorial despots who have tried to mold the family into units that would better serve them and/or the state. Where or when food was scarce, they would limit the number of children a couple could have. They have tried to force them to live in communes where several families were…
Author: Emil Hanson
On Love
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.” ( John 13:34) To love everyone, as suggested by that scripture, is to be able to see yourself, your hopes, desires, fears and your ambitions in everyone else. First compassion, then love. My granddaughter, Sarah (missionary), wrote a…
On Family History
“A blind person asked St. Anthony: “Can there be anything worse than losing one’s eyesight?” He replied: “Yes, losing your vision.” In this brief thought, I’m going to try to give readers a vision of family history as a blessing of the Priesthood. “Peter was one of the greatest of men. It is true that the New Testament recounts…
On Carefully
We listen to and read words all of our lives, and at some point some of us begin looking at words beyond their simple meanings. Some words actually sound and look like what they mean, I believe “careful” or “carefully” are those kind of words. Maybe I am a little strange to see words the…
On Flattery
People have sometimes complimented me for something that I have done, and many times, I have had a hard time responding in an appropriate way. It has been embarrassing for me, and even though I know it was an honest compliment, I sometimes fail at an appropriate answer, a simple “thank you!” Even when I…
On The Plan of Salvation
Many religions and philosophies teach the false doc- trine of “Predestination.” To quote from one such teaching, “God misleadeth whom He pleaseth and guideth whom he will aright.” Those who believe that, or in similar doctrine, also believe falsely that man’s life and being are directed by a controlling god. This concept makes it easy…
On Underdogs
Whether it is the smallest greyhound in the rabbit chase, or a fifth grade team playing a sixth grade team, it doesn’t seem to matter. Wherever a contest is about to take place, observ- ers are openly or quietly rooting for the underdog. This has always been an interesting phenomenon to me, but having observed…
On In The Eye of The Beholder
Over the years, I have watched a few TV specials and in regard to “the eye of the beholder,” one of them comes to mind. It was based on a couple who loved each other, but the woman was so extremely heavy that her doctor warned them that she would die if she did not…
On Baptism For The Dead-Historically
Eamonn McCann (not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) wrote an article in August of 2008 entitled, “Baptizing the Dead—What if Mormons are right and…(other Christian denominations) are Wrong?” Interestingly his first statement was, “Given Christian teaching, does it make more sense to baptize dead adults rather than live babies?…What’s…
On Pioneers and Pilgrims
“Of logs we built our houses, of shakes we made the doors, of sod we made the chimneys, dirt we had for floors.” Joel William White wrote that in his journal. He was my wife’s 2nd great grandfather and one of the early Mormon pioneers. Another one stated that “We swept our dirt floors with…