One of the things I chose to abstain from for Lent was Twitch – both streaming and viewing other streams. But it has cut me off socially from good friends I enjoy interacting with there, and it occurred to me during a sleepless night last night that I'm feeling socially isolated.

Earlier this Lenten season, I expressed some thoughts and questions I had about the influence of the Holy Spirit. Does He communicate with us through feelings? Thoughts? Reason? I think it's all of the above. Chapter 1 of the book “The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections on the Quest for Faith” by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens helped me understand this.

Sundays are often so busy for me that by the end of the day I'm ready to crash (hence my lack of a post yesterday). But the past few Sundays, instead of feeling overwhelmed as I have every Sunday for the past five months, I've felt gratitude and peace. So what changed? Mostly my perspective.

Today I read a blog post entitled ”'Blessed are the Warriors' Isn’t a Thing” and I can't stop thinking about it.

One of the things we have tried to do as a bishopric is visit people in their homes. We've set aside Wednesday evenings as the time to do this. Sometimes schedules don't line up or we aren't able to arrange to visit with anyone (we don't want to show up unannounced), but when it happens, it's always a wonderful experience.

I finished reading Patrick Stewart’s memoir “Make It So” – a long, interesting read by one of my favorite actors.

I enjoy having long talks with loved ones. It's a wonderful way for us to connect, share experiences and perspectives, and to “think out loud” – to talk through and crystallize thoughts that have been bouncing around in our brains but haven't quite fully formed yet.

I forgot to write a post yesterday. My first church meeting started at 9am and between all the church meetings, phone calls with family, and meals somewhere in there, I wasn't free until about 8pm. Add Daylight Saving Time starting and having to take allergy medicine that makes me sleepy on top of all of that and I was pretty wiped out at the end of the day.

Today I watched “Francis of Assisi” – a 1961 film about the story of Saint Francis. I managed to find a free low-resolution version the film on YouTube. It was difficult to get into because it was very dated “Hollywood” in its style and acting, but when I started thinking of it as more of a grandiose stage play, it became easier to watch in that context.

Today I finished reading a book I have been meaning to read for a long time called “The Crucible of Doubt” by Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens. This is a book I have heard recommended by several faithful LDS who have struggled with doubts and questions.