EMBARK! Review of John Bytheway's new Talk on CD

I love it when Deseret Book releases new products from John Bytheway. I instantly know that I'm going to love them. I loved his most recent book "How do I know if I know?" I quote it all the time. I really hope that someday I'll bump into John, so that I can tell him how awesome I think he is.

If I ever get the chance, I will shake his hand and say..."Brother Bytheway, thank you. Thank you for the time and effort you have put into caring, teaching and loving the youth. Thank you for being creative, following the spirit, and using your unique talents to inspire both young women and young men alike. You have invested  your life in them, and it is paying off!"

Last week I sat in the car driving down a country road with my ten-year-old. We were driving to Violin Lessons which is great and terrible all at the same time. It's great because I love the violin and want my children to develop the skill to play like their father; terrible because they don't always have the same vision and it often feels like a tortuous chore.

As we drove down the road I popped in John Bytheway's new talk on CD entitled EMBARK!

Embark is a motivating talk related to the 2015 youth theme, John Bytheway explains what it means to truly embark — to get fully on board in the service of God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Using scriptures, powerful stories, and his characteristic humor, John explains that with the Savior's help, we can remain on board and eventually stand blameless before God at the last day.

My 10-year old Dylan is a great kid. He is loving, full of life and wants to make good choices. However, he is also a kid. A kid who is learning to navigate his way through good choices and bad choices, a temper, boredom, and an relentless mother who is constantly pestering him. I don't mean to be a pest, but I am his mom...and isn't that sort of my job? Regardless, Dylan gets tired of the constant demands placed on him by his parents. Being a kid can be hard. We have a pretty good relationship for the most part, but I worry about him. Life is hard. The world is scary. Like any parent, I want what is best for my child. Like any parent, I worry that I'm not doing enough.

As we listened to the first few minutes of John Bytheway's talk, I could tell that Dylan was not only becoming engaged (which is saying a lot for a 5th grader listening to a talk on CD), but he was enjoying himself. The giggles and the laughter we both shared back and forth as we listed to Siri and Siral talking to John. (If you want in on the joke, you'll just have to buy the talk. Believe me, you want it.) I couldn't believe it. Dylan and I were enjoying ourselves so much that when we got to our destination, neither one of us wanted to exit the car. We BOTH wanted to keep listening.

Amazing. Did I already say that? John Bytheway is talented. He just gets it. He has the ability to make people listen to what he is saying. But more importantly, he knows how to teach the gospel.

Sitting in the car, feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost mutually with my Son, was so completely thrilling and wonderful that I just started sobbing. I felt so much gratitude to Brother Bytheway for delivering such and incredible message that I just couldn't wait to thank Heavenly Father for him in my prayers that night.

Since listening to Embark, Dylan has asked me if I have other talks by John Bytheway that he could listen to. I don't, but I'm going to. I'm ordering this for Dylan's February Birthday.

Embark is perfect for the youth. Perfect. And to John Bytheway...thank you. Again and again and again.

You can PURCHASE EMBARK here Deseret Book / Amazon

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JOHN BYTHEWAY served a mission to the Philippines and later graduated from Brigham Young University. He has a master’s degree in religious education and is a part-time instructor at the BYU Salt Lake Center. John is the author of many bestselling books, audio talks, and DVDs, including How to Be an Extraordinary Teen; Life Rocks; and his first children’s picture book, The Sacrament. He and his wife, Kimberly, have six children

My Soul Grew Two Sizes Reading Survivng Hitler

Every once in a while you get the chance to read a book that moves you to the core, a book that illuminates truth, displays life's best virtues amidst its worth flaws, and feeds your soul to the point of growth. Surviving Hitler is that book.

Surviving Hitler is the true story of Agnes and Gustav, both victims of a terrible war on humanity. One a Jew, and the other an SS Soldier, this book delivers a beautiful mixture of God's hand at work, incredible mortal courage, unthinkable human sacrifice and uplifting spiritual triumph, even amidst the ugliest reality of pride, greed, power, and death. Through the hand of the Lord, and unlikely situations, both survive the war, meet, marry and join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

During her stay in one of many concentration camps Agnes records,

"I was overwhelmed with gratitude that such greatness and nobility survived in the most degraded situation. I felt that the eternal spirit, which exist is in all people, could be accessible despite the circumstances. Maybe there was still hope for the world, if some could remain untouched and pure in the midst of all the insanity. I learned that the hope that the world will be a place where all people will love their neighbors and themselves is alive as long as there is one person alive practicing it on the earth."

Another of my favorite accounts is a story that Agnes shares towards the end of the war.

"From inside the fence, lots of men still begged for water, and we continued to help them as best we could. Once while running from the hole in the fence back to the truck, I stepped on an arm by a ditch. At first I thought I had stepped on a dead man but then heard moaning. I looked down and saw the man looking at me, stirring something in side me to the marrow. I fell down to my knees, lifted his head, and poured a few drops of water into his mouth. He mumbled in Hungarian, "May Abraham, our Father, bless you." I saw that he was close to death and shouted in his ear that we were liberated, to which he nodded and said, "Thank God!" He looked at me and took one last breath. My last favor to him was to close his eyes so he wouldn't have to stare out into nothing like so many other corpses did. In wet clothes, I continued to alternately walk and run between the tanker and the hole in the fence. Suddenly I thought I heard a voice saying, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Mathew 25:40). I looked around to see who had quoted the Bible but saw no one."



Photo Courtesy of LDSliving

I think the thing that I loved most about this book was the way that while reading it you could actually see the Lord guiding their lives, protecting them from harms way, and strengthening them through their journey. My heart is forever changed thanks to these two brave humans. Two individuals that lit up all of their surroundings, on their very darkest journey, with their faith and humanity. The aftermath of the war was not easy for Agnes and Gustav, and after fighting for so many years to Survive Hitler it definitely took its toll on these two. But the miracle is in the choice that they both deliberately decided not to harbor hate, but to spread love.

To Agnes and Gustav: It is a privilege to know your story. If I could I would hug you both so tight and tell you thank you for blessing my life through sharing yours.

Available at Deseret Book.com

The Standard Of Truth / El Estandar De La Verdad ~ Free Printable





One of my favorite memorized quotes is this one by the prophet Joseph Smith. As a missionary I found great power, strength and faith reciting it daily. I love it dearly and feel strongly that knowing it by heart has greatly blessed my life.

I've made some simply subway art to help you memorize it too.

Free Printables.

The Standard Of Truth in English

The Standard Of Truth in Spanish

Mission Home: New LDS Missionary Resource

I want to tell you about a new tool available for Prospective LDS missionaries. It is called Mission Home and it is an excellent resource for future missionaries. Oh, how I wish this had been available when I was preparing to serve a mission. Of course that was pretty much before we even had the Internet. This could have helped me in so many ways. First of all, did you even know they have an online application for missionaries? What?

Mission Home Website 

Mission Home Facebook Page

And if you look at that book over in the lower right hand side of the picture, you should know that I have read it, and it is WONDERFUL! I wish I had read that years before I served as a missionary. I say buy it for your teenagers NOW.

Look at all the information available in one place.

And as a Returned Sister Missionary, I have been asked this questions hundreds of times. This was a great article and I STRONGLY RECOMMEND it for all Young Women to read. It encourages those willing to serve but also reminds those women who don't feel that serving a mission is for them, that...THAT IS OKAY.

And What could be more important for preparing to Enter The Temple. I still remember going to the temple for the first time. It was February 22, 1997, and I'm so grateful that I remember that day like it was yesterday. There is Nothing like being dressed in white with the people you love surrounding you while you receive the blessings the Lord is waiting to give you.

I hope you find this new page useful. I'm sure it will be getting a LOT of use. I can't wait to hear what our Leaders have to say about the missionary efforts at General Conference. 2 days and counting.

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And here is the OFFICIAL PRESS release for this new website.

MissionHome.com provides new resources for missionaries and their families

Where you serve is not as important as how you serve.

Salt Lake City, UT (September 17, 2013) – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints currently operates over 400 missions with more than 75,000 missionaries serving throughout the world. When the missionary age change was announced in the October 2012 general conference, a new wave of prospective missionaries began preparing for the moment they would receive their call.

After receiving the call, missionaries and families often begin their search for specific information on that mission. Until now, there has not been a centralized site to learn about the culture and people of each mission area.  On October 1^st, 2013 Deseret Book Company will launch an online missionary website, MissionHome.com. MissionHome.com focuses on each phase of missionary service—prepare, serve and return. It includes helpful hints to prospective missionaries including tips for how to pack efficiently and how to prepare to leave as well as inspiring and authentic experiences from former missionaries.  A complete mission directory, created by missionaries who themselves have served in that area, provides information about local customs, food, transportation, safety, and many other insights.

“We saw a way that we could provide a gathering place for missionaries and the families of missionaries to become acquainted with the area where they would be serving as well as provide other unique resources,” said Laurel Christensen Day of Deseret Book Company, “and MissionHome.com was born.”

MissionHome.com is easy to use and provides a library of information for prospective and returning missionaries as well as help to families of those currently serving (a section for senior couples will be coming soon). Familiar LDS authors as well as recently returned missionaries and past mission presidents will be regular contributors to the site. 

In addition to great free content and resources, families will be able to send care packages directly to their missionaries with guaranteed delivery from Deseret Book. Service is available to most missions.

For more information on Mission Home, visit www.missionhome.com.