Real Life in Jesus Christ's Church

Maybelle at age five was shy. Lydia at four was self-assured. One day their aunt came to visit. Maybelle would not leave her room. Lydia, sensing it was important for Maybelle to be social and visit with their aunt whispered, “Be brave, Maybelle, be brave.” (She actually said, “Be brabe, Maybelle, be brabe.”) I wonder what “brabe” means to a four-year-old. How did she even know the word? Had she heard  Brené  Brown define being brave as “soldiering on,” “showing up and being willing to try,” and “the courage to be vulnerable”? Had she read in scripture what Moses counseled his successor Joshua: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid… for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Did she know about King David’s advice: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart” (Psalm 27:14). Had she been taught that Zoram (1 Nephi 4:35) and Zeezrom “took courage” (Alma...

 I enjoy exchanging texts with my sixteen-year-old granddaughter, Mariah: Mariah :  Grandma, I found a quote I thought you would like. “The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.” Me :  True. Thanks for sending quotes to me. How are you? Mariah :  Good and u? Me :  Same, and it is good to be good. Mariah :  Yep. And it’s fine to have problems too.            I was shocked. How could she think it is fine to have problems? Doesn’t everyone try to avoid problems at all costs? Aren’t problems ugly and messy and painful and sad and totally unwanted complications to life?              I am sure you know that Mariah is okay with problems at such a young age because of personal experience. She has had many health problems, requiring multiple surgeries. She also suffers with severe allergies. By working through problems, sh...