"Sunday Sermon" Birth: Born June 1, 1801 in Whitingham, Vermont, the ninth of eleven children. Marriage: He married Miriam Works in 1824. She died in 1832. He then married Mary Ann Angell in 1834. He later entered into polygamy and had dozens of wives and children. Occupation: He had only 11 days of schooling. He … Continue reading Brigham Young: Life and Legacy
"Fun Facts Saturday" The Good Old Days of the 50s I’m old. But as Jesus said, “The old is better!” (Lk. 5:39) We “seniors” often reminisce about the “Good Old Days” of the 1950s. What a grand time to grow up! We spent long summer days playing outside with the neighbors We had wholesome TV … Continue reading Were the 1950s really the “Wonder Years?”
D&C 11:11 warns: “Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin.” The Lord is alerting us to the dangers of being naïve, gullible, and too trusting. “There’s a sucker born every minute.” (P.R. Barnum, 19th Century American showman.) Sadly, not every enough Latter-day Saint follows this counsel. For example, Utah has the … Continue reading “Be Wise as Serpents” (D&C 111:11) “Don’t be a Victim”
In 2019, a Utah woman called 911 to report a drunk driver. The caller sounded intoxicated. She had slurred speech, and she was burping, and laughing uncontrollably on the phone. The dispatcher asked the woman for a description of the drunk driver. The caller gave a description of - herself. She also gave a description of … Continue reading Drunk Driver Calls 911 to Report — Herself
Praying for Relief from Drought, then Flooding, then Drought, then Flooding Utah Drought In 1978, while I was at BYU, the state was coping with a severe drought. The saints were asked to pray for rain. They did, and the Lord answered their prayers. Sure enough, it started to rain. And then it rained, and … Continue reading Watch Out What You Pray For!
Peter Mortensen, husband of my 2nd great aunt, was tried, convicted, and executed for the murder of James Hay. The personal revelation of a witness played a role in his arrest and conviction. The Crime In 1901, Peter Mortensen owed the Pacific Lumber Company $3800. His Ogden, Utah neighbor, James Hay, was an officer in … Continue reading “Personal Revelation” Used as Evidence to Convict and Execute a Man for Murder
I was presiding over my heavy high-volume misdemeanor arraignment calendar, handling around 150 criminal cases each morning. (According to our computers, I deal with 25,000-30,000 cases each year. A few judges call me "Big Lots," for "high volume, big discounts.") I called an assault and battery case. The man standing in front of me looked very … Continue reading U of U Football Player vs. BYU Judge
The London Edition 