Summary: I am a big fan of school choice and I thought it was a standard plank in most Republicans’ platforms. Thus I was disappointed to hear that my GOP representative in the Texas House, Justin Holland, voted against funding the recent school choice bill when he joined with Democrats to defeat the measure (1). […]
Joseph Smith once said that “a man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race” (letter to the Twelve, Dec. 15, 1840). In that spirit, I want to share with the world, or at least the […]
Recently, I had a particularly meaningful and spiritual experience at the temple, so I thought I would attempt to share some of the things I learned. It will be difficult to convey everything I was taught and understood, and this writing will probably only scratch the surface. As I wrote this, I tried to channel […]
Election day is around the corner and there are many troubling trends in our society that are motivating me to go vote. I certainly don’t want to look to government or politicians to solve all of the society’s problem because that can cause more harm than good. But I do want elect representatives who share […]
The following is a presentation, and the text from that presentation, of a Family Home Evening lesson I put together for my kids to keep them informed on Critical Race Theory (CRT), which they are likely to come across in their schooling and other avenues of life. In part 1 of this presentation, I review […]
Summary: The speed and transparency of the application and interview process was a breath of fresh air. I wish I could have gone all the way but making it to the third round, the top 6% of applicants, for UX Specialists at NNG is still pretty good. At least I learned some good lessons that […]
There has been much discussion, among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, about the statement from President Russell M. Nelson, a man we uphold as a prophet, from Aug. 12, 2021 in which he discussed ways to “limit the spread of these viruses [COVID-19 and its variants].” He said, “We urge […]
I recently took my family to Mobile, Alabama to take a tour of the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship, where my grandfather, Callis Lee Thompson, served during World War II. We spent about three hours walking around the battleship and it was really cool. I could have easily spent twice that much time looking around and reading […]
Our oldest is leaving for college soon and the following is one of the final Family Home Evening lessons we had with her with parting advice from me and my wife. The points are directed primarily to our recently graduated high school student heading off to college, but the principles are applicable to our whole […]
Author C. Paul Smith, an accomplished attorney, city councilman, and county commissioner (and, for full disclosure, my father) has released an updated edition of his book, The Fetal Right to Life Argument. The book provides the legal and moral arguments in favor of recognizing the unborn baby’s right to life and examines the impact the […]
The following is a presentation I put together for a Family Home Evening for my children. It contains quotes about the divine inspiration for the U.S. Constitution from the scriptures, Joseph Smith, other modern prophets, the Founding Fathers, and the living prophets. In this our world today where the founding fathers are often denigrated and […]
Summary: This is an analysis of the similarities and differences of the two main political parties, at least on paper according to their platform statements. Both parties are for a strong economy, education, and healthcare. Democrats stand out in their support for clean energy, the climate, minority rights, and opposition to the other party. Republicans […]