If your Lenten resolve has failed, know that you are not alone. This past week I have slipped back into pre-Lent habits and not done as much as I have been in the way of personal prayer, contemplation, and scripture study. This is mostly why I have not been keeping up with my Lent posts, but it also has to do with me returning to Twitch and streaming and engaging with other streamers and viewers.

When we were children, we thought we had it all figured out. Life was about good vs evil. We wanted to be the “good guys” and to triumph over the “bad guys.” So all we had to do was learn the difference between the two, choose the good, and we'd be all set, right? But as we grow up and work our way through adulthood, we come to realize that it's not that simple.

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 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 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.

I need to do better at recognizing the tremendous blessings in my life and acknowledging God's hand in all of them.