Marie's Sunday Message - June 28th, 2026

This Sunday, I’d like to share a quote that has shaped the way I look at life.

“God left us the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon… He left the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.”
—President Thomas S. Monson

But there’s still that question: why doesn’t God remove some of the tough and painful obstacles from our path? Well, I have learned over time that failure is also a part of creation. He isn’t trying to create an easy life for His children—He’s trying to create us.

From this knowledge, I have learned to pray less for God to remove the mountain and more for Him to help me climb it, and somewhere along the ascent, He almost always gives me the strength, wisdom, and peace I was searching for. The miracle isn’t always that the mountain disappears—it is that we become someone capable of standing on its summit.

So here is what is in my toolbox…

First prayer.  I pray for direction. I used to pray for a solution, then I discovered that God wants me to put in the work; then I will know the joys of creation, and I will always uncover the solution along the way.

I pray for clarity. I want to be able to see the solution unfold as He teaches and builds in me a desire to see His will in it.

I pray for patience. I know it’s going to take time because none of the answers I really want and need come easily.

I pray for focus. Being intentional is my go-to word. I pray to filter out the noise of the world...

I pray to hear the words of the Lord.  People wonder all the time if they’re hearing God or their own mind. All I can say is pray to hear the words of the Lord and then have faith that you will.

Faith is another tool in my toolbox. I believe the Lord will answer my prayers. For me, the word faith basically means to choose to think positively, and that's a choice!

There is one more tool in my toolbox, fasting. We fast to be closer to God and seek spiritual strength. It’s also a way to support those in need. For instance, if a family member has an accident, we fast and pray that they will recover, and the family will find comfort, or we will know how to help. Fasting gives our personal spirit an opportunity to become stronger while the physical side takes a seat. Fasting tops off my toolbox, helping with focus, listening, and enlarging my faith.

As many of you may know, members of my faith fast on the first Sunday of each month. On this coming July 5th, people of many faiths have been invited to unite in fasting and prayer, giving thanks for the priceless blessing of religious freedom and asking that it may continue to bless people throughout the world.
I’ve had the privilege of standing before and entertaining thousands of our military men and women over the years. I’ve looked into the eyes of those who willingly sacrificed so that others could worship freely, speak openly, and choose their own path. My father, my father-in-law, and my brother Alan all served this country, and their examples remind me that freedom is never free.

Perhaps one of the greatest blessings we often overlook is that we still have the privilege of kneeling in prayer without fear, opening the scriptures without hiding, gathering with those we love to worship God, and choosing the course of our own souls. Millions throughout history have longed for those simple gifts. Today, we have them.  

I hope you will join me in this fast and remember that the greatest masterpiece God is creating is not found on a canvas, in a concert hall, or in a towering city. It is found within the human heart. Every unanswered prayer that teaches patience, every trial that deepens compassion, every disappointment that strengthens faith, and every act of forgiveness quietly shapes us into something more eternal. Looking back, many of the blessings I treasure most first arrived disguised as difficulties. As we keep the Lord by our side, may He bless us with eyes to recognize our blessings, hearts willing to follow His direction, and faith to continue creating even when we cannot yet see the finished masterpiece. Then someday we will discover that while we were busy trying to create our lives, God was quietly helping us all along.

Marie’s Sunday Message - June 21st, 2026

This is truly a noisy world. Our phones are by our sides 24 hours a day. TVs are blasting news that just makes us anxious. We try to set limits on when we look at emails and texts, and then end up on reels for three hours. Then, we wonder where the day went.

In this noisy world, we often forget to find a quiet place, our own special Sacred Grove, as you will, where we can simply sit and think so we can commune with our Father in Heaven.

On this Father’s Day, and because He is a real person to me and IS our real Eternal Father, I’m choosing to specifically pray to Him and thank him for the gift of life He has given me. I pray all the time in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe He thinks I’m a chatterbox.🥰 My Heavenly Father knows everything about me, and I truly feel there’s not one time throughout this life of mine that He put his hands to the sides of His head and said: “Boy, I didn’t see that coming”. There’s a scripture that basically reads: "Come to Him with all your worries and concerns, and ask for what you stand in need of, and then God knows." He plainly says that He already knows; He’s just waiting for us to ask.

He has given us amazing common-sense directions that will keep us safe during our time on earth. I like to call them commandments or covenants. Some people call them moral codes, common sense, thank yous, etc.  Whatever you call them, they are there in the scriptures, waiting to be read, studied, and pondered upon because they are His word.

Throughout the Old Testament, the New Testament, and other profound scriptures and inspirational books, we see Jesus Christ everywhere. The reason for that is that our Heavenly Father loves us, no matter what! He loves us all so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, His precious Son, to get us through this time in mortality. The Savior went through EVERYTHING, so when you worry… stop! It’s a gift from our loving Eternal Father so that we do not have to worry or fear! Satan wants you to think that it is important to be afraid and hopeless, so you give up. And some people worry to the point that they even hurt themselves. But you don’t have to listen to those discouraging minions in your head. You get to choose the positive and throw away the negative. Our Father is taking the worry away. Do all you can, then stand back and watch for the miracles.

Moses led an enormous group of people out of Egypt, and then guess what they got stuck at…the Red Sea with no way to get through. That would be daunting, right? But our loving, Heavenly Father parted the Red Sea. He did that so his people could escape, but also to show them He would always save them if they just asked. I’m sure there were a lot of people in that group without hope—they had gotten to the Red Sea, looked at it, and must have said, “What the heck!!  That would be trying your faith, wouldn’t it? 🤣

What do we do now?

I know that feeling of being saved I’ve had— the many miracles and tender mercies in my life—lots of them big and small, so I have no doubt that God loves us ALL deeply! Think about it, we are on this incredible Earth. Our Father gave us this beautiful world for us to live in. A world where we can enjoy rivers and rocks, oceans and deserts, to name a few.☺️ We can enjoy big cities, small cities, and just the absolute rapture of ice cream. I realize there are a lot of people in this world who prefer to focus on the sharp edges of life, but we don’t have to do that. Read your scriptures. In them, you'll find the Savior every day on each page and remember he is a gift to us. Keep your eye on him. He will lead you through this world. He will take us around the potholes so we can walk hand-in-hand with Him up and down the mountains, through the valleys, and then, one day, our journey ends and we get to be with Him eternally! For now, as the song says, “get up every morning with breath in your lungs and thank your Heavenly Father for another day, another day to serve His children, another day to enjoy this life”.

I wish I could hug you all and tell you that you are loved. But in the meantime, be happy with the knowledge that our heavenly Father knows each of us individually and hears your prayers.

On this Father’s Day, Heavenly Father, we all love you so very much!!!!!

Marie's Sunday Message - June 14th, 2026

My husband and I just got home from visiting our grandkids in California. They grow up soooo fast! What precious babies they are! One night, as I was putting my granddaughter to bed, she said, "Grandma, tell me a bedtime story from the scriptures. But before you do, I have a question: Do you still sing on stage? I said yes, but I’m not doing that right now.  She said, "Why?" and I replied, "Well, my sweet baby girl, if I were on stage right now, I couldn’t tuck you into bed and tell you a story, could I?” She gave me a great big hug and said, "Oh, Grandma, I love you so much." OK, seriously… my heart!!!!

I love telling these beautiful children stories I loved from the Bible. It helps them see that they can learn lessons about good and bad, and how their choices can affect their lives. It teaches them to see themselves, their family, and their friends in the stories.

I have had the best time studying the Old Testament this year. Each time I re-read a new story, I think… this so relates to me! Then I read the next situation or story… this is my life! So helping my grandchildren see that all scripture can teach them great life lessons is a gift I want to give them, just like my parents and grandparents taught me. When I was young, that’s what we heard when we would go to sleep at night—these great Bible stories. I loved the story of Ruth and Naomi, and of course, Hannah. Her faith touched me so deeply. These great women taught me how important it was to be loyal to family, and that through hard times, we always needed to stick together.

Of course, I kept these stories on a level my granddaughter could understand. But that week before i went to California, I was speaking to a friend of mine (my age) who told me how much she loved the story of Ruth and Naomi, and also Hannah (like I said we’re studying at in church)☺️ She shared with me that when she was leading a group of women at church, how she would often visit each one at their homes to check up on them, and many of these women would say, “I never thought my life would turn out this way.”  Some had harder lives than others, but the common denominator was that each life experience was unexpected. Some would say I did everything I was supposed to do, but why didn’t my children follow the Lord, or why did my husband leave me? Why is my child so ill? Why would someone so close to me take advantage of me financially? And she said the list would go on and on with every heartfelt question you could imagine. That IS the story of Naomi and Ruth. Naomi lost her husband and both sons; she was in a land that was not her own, and the people worshipped a God she didn’t understand. I cannot imagine her despair. I know she had to wonder, “Why?” How could she not?

Hannah prayed for years to have a child, and when she did, she kept her promise and gave him over to the Lord. ‘

Why?

I know it’s ok to mourn the loss of an expectation. To grieve what we thought would occur. But in my experience, there just isn’t always a straight line with the Lord. So we switchblade through life, going from one impossible situation to another, each time rescued by the grace of our Lord.

That is His plan!

Earth life is for us to depend on our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, which basically means exactly what you fear. Life will be filled with unexpected situations. Events we cannot foresee, Naomi couldn’t control the famine or the loss of her husband and sons. But she could control how she reacted and whom she could depend on. Ruth completely gave all of herself to the Lord and followed Naomi and the God she learned loved her. Ruth's response to Naomi, who tried to persuade her to return to her people, is one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Bible. “For whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and they God my God.”

Doing life the Lord's way will never be easy. As a very wise man once said, “If you are having a bad day, you are in very good company.” I know he was being funny, but isn't it true?

The Lord gave us a Savior because He knew we would make mistakes, we would fall, and need the Savior to help us get back up and try again. When Ruth and Naomi went back to Bethlehem, it still wasn’t easy. The Lord's covenant people wouldn’t accept Ruth.  But then Boaz, the Christ figure in this story, not only accepted her but also married her. And look what came through that line….the Savior of the world! And in this situation, this beautiful daughter of God was a convert; the Savior’s bloodline includes all of us!! I can only tell all of you what I said to my granddaughter, but in much simpler terms.😉 That we have no idea what the future brings, except for one thing…You will always have the Lord. He loves you and will never leave you.

That is His plan!!!

Marie's Sunday Message - May 24th, 2026

After my brother Alan’s funeral services (which I know many of you were able to watch over the internet), so many things were said about my amazing brother. And wasn’t it an amazing tribute that his sons gave him? ♥️ I know my brother was very happy watching from the other side of the veil.  

A few days later, I spent some time with my son Matthew. He’s retiring from teaching at the seminary. Matthew is finishing up school to get his master's degree!!🎓 I’m so proud of him! But he is also concluding his teaching after four years, which is bittersweet for him. He has loved helping these incredible teenagers understand and love their Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have been blessed to be a part of my son's teaching in a very small way over the years.  From time to time, Matthew has invited me to visit with his students and tell stories about my life.  From these pictures, you can tell what amazing kids they are! That’s me soaking up their spirit and loving their light and all their questions.😁

Interestingly, there is always a theme among the young women and men I talk to. This time, their questions from each of the different classes seem to follow a pattern: “How do I know and feel the spirit?”

I believe everyone, at different times in their life, wants to know whether they are getting an answer to a prayer or just heartburn from too much pizza the night before.🤣 The truth is, we all feel it differently! But we all can feel it. We want to know that God loves us, hears our prayers, and is directly involved in the details of our lives.

I told them that most of the amazing stories in my life always seem to lead back to the lessons I learned from the Parable of the 10 Virgins (Matthew 13:1-13).  It's about the oil in their lamps. The oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit lighting our path in this life, and that we need to fill our lamps daily (drop by drop) through prayer, study, and obedience to God's laws to feel it. It’s about our:

• Spiritual preparedness

• Individual faith

• Conversion, and

• Testimony

I told them the Holy Ghost is like a muscle: the more you listen and act on the promptings, the stronger it becomes, and you will recognize it! That sweet voice/feeling has protected and guided me throughout my life.♥️

I told them that recently, I was prompted to step away from the world of entertainment, not knowing why.  I have learned over the years that the Savior is in the details of my life! I know He can be in the details of your lives, too. He doesn’t care what we do for a career. He doesn’t care about our status. He doesn’t love one of us more than another … how could a loving parent even do that? He just cares about how we treat each other at home and at work, and that we listen to His promptings so He can guide us through life's obstacles. I’m so grateful that, as a young girl (at these kids’ age), I learned the necessity of adding daily drops of oil to my lamp so I could learn how the Holy Ghost speaks to me. And I’m SO grateful that I listened to His prompting recently to step away for a bit! I thought I knew why, but it was so much more! He asked me to have faith to be on a different kind of stage. It’s quite the story, but that’s for another time.❤️

On Temple Square, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently placed a beautiful statue of the 10 virgins. There’s great symbolism here.

The parable of the 10 Virgins is about spiritual survival in the last days. All 10 virgins heard the same teachings. But the five wise ones were not wiser because they understood more; it was because they “acted” upon their impressions from the Holy Ghost rather than be “acted upon.”

The 5 wise virgins received truth with humility and obedience. They were wise because they listened to the Holy Ghost and were not distracted or deceived by the world's confusion.

Hearing the Spirit requires humility and obedience. It requires the humility to be taught and corrected. It requires the ability to trust and obey God's revelation over personal desires, cultural assumptions, private habits, intellectual vanity, and all prideful ways. In scripture, foolishness is often tied to pride.  Though the foolish people in this parable do not deny the truth or information, or even necessarily act wickedly, their efforts end in procrastination, as they make excuses instead of acting or following through with what they know they should do.

The Savior taught the same principle in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew chapter 7:24-27.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

As you read this story in the Bible, notice from these verses that both men heard the sayings of Jesus. Once again, the wisemen were not wise because they heard more words; they were wise because they “acted” and built on the rock (Jesus Christ), which requires humility and obedience to the word or gospel. It requires submitting to the pattern the Lord set for us to follow before the storm arrives, which is a theme very similar to the 10 Virgins. Spiritual oil cannot be borrowed. It requires our daily effort, drop by drop, to keep our lamps filled. This helps our houses, built on a sturdy foundation, survive life’s storms. Not on sand to crumble and fall.

We can’t rely on others' testimonies or their opinions to know the truth. We need to know for ourselves what God desires for us! These kids' testimonies are strong!  And as the Spirit conveyed to my heart to encourage them to dig deeper every day to know their Savior and feel the Spirit guide them, I know they will survive the world's confusion.

As we ask ourselves whether our relationship with Christ is real enough that, before He comes and while there’s still time, have we all gathered enough oil for our lamps so we can go through the doors and humbly enter into the wedding feast when He comes again!

We’ve been given the instructions, and as we stay on His lighted path homeward, to study His words and the words of the prophets and keep them, we can repair our lives and our homes, making them holy places where we forgive and become peacemakers.  And as we strive to do this, we will become more holy, guided, and have the faith to let Jesus be our rock!

I believe our Savior is preparing all of us now, in profound ways, for what is coming so that we can be filled with His light.

Well, there you have it, that’s basically what we talked about.☺️ I would love to hear from you! To hear how you have felt the Spirit in your life recently.  I enjoy reading your messages back to me. I miss connecting with all of you on stage, but I can still connect with you this way. I have known many of you for six and a half decades. Life is short, so today, I just wanted all of you who have been so kind to me through the years to know that I love you all very much!!! I hope you all have a wonderful Sabbath day.♥️😘

By the way, I’m studying the Old Testament this year, and I am just concluding the book of Daniel. It’s so good! If you get a chance, just read the Book of Daniel.

Marie's Sunday Message - April 5th, 2026

I have missed all of you! I have especially missed writing my #Sundaymessage about my love for God. This Easter week, I felt prompted to share my love for our Savior once again… with all of you! 

Life is a unique journey, and we are all on our own individual path as we strive to become more like our Savior. My journey the last year and a half or so has definitely been unique! Eventually, I will share more about it, but today I felt impressed to share my love of Jesus Christ and His infinite atonement. 

When I was growing up, my Mom would say to me, “Life was never meant to be easy, but it’s all definitely worth it”. Then she would add, I could do anything and get through anything as long as I kept gratitude in my heart for the Savior. She then assured me that as I kept Him as the focus of my life, He would always be by my side. My Mother was a very smart woman! 

I have been studying the Old Testament in depth this year. I’m more and more convinced of the power that comes through the divinity of Jesus Christ on every single page! With daily study, my faith and love for Him have continually grown. Only the truth could do that. 

This Easter season, I’ve found how uninterested I am in coloring eggs, candy, or bunnies (after all, do I need a reason to buy chocolate?) I am instead focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ. The gratitude I have felt for our Savior’s sacrifice cannot be measured, nor can it be repaid….He just asks for my heart, which I willingly give. 

A few years ago, I was blessed to stand at the tomb, where Christ broke the bands of death and Easter took on a whole different meaning… now it’s a joyful season because it’s a time to celebrate the Savior’s Atonement and Resurrection. And yet, even during Easter, many people don’t feel joy for various reasons. In my study of the Old Testament this year, the question was asked: “What can I do to spread the Savior’s peace and joy this Easter?” So today I share with you my testimony that I know He lives! He knows us individually and can comfort us in our times of need, during pain, sorrow, afflictions, and trials of every kind. He is there! All we need to do is humbly pray and ask for His help. His peace will come, lift our burdens, and help us endure.  We find hope and the comfort only He can provide. The scriptures speak about the peace and joy Jesus Christ offers. These are just a few of my favorites: Psalms 16:8–11⁠; 30:2–5⁠; Isaiah 12⁠; 25:8–9⁠; 40:28–31⁠; John 14:27⁠; 16:33⁠; Alma 26:11–22⁠.

So on this special weekend, I sincerely hope you all have a blessed Easter! I pray too that we all find His peace and joy as we strive daily to learn of Him. I love you all deeply, please remember that, and may God bless you all! 

How to watch General Conference.

The link above is for those who’d like to join me once again for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conference. Two times a year, we hear uplifting messages and guidance for the times we’re living in. I think you would really enjoy it! Join me in watching or rewatching the talks you might have missed.

Old Testament - Zechariah 9:9

New Testament- Matthew 21:1–11

Old Testament - Zechariah 11:12–13

New Testament - Matthew 26:14–16⁠; 27:3–8

Old Testament - Isaiah 53:4

New Testament - Matthew 8:16–17⁠; 26:36–39

Old Testament - Isaiah 53:7

New Testament - Mark 14:60–61

Old Testament - Psalm 22:16

New Testament - John 19:17–18⁠; 20:25–27

Old Testament - Psalm 22:18

New Testament - Matthew 27:35

Old Testament - Psalm 69:21

New Testament - Matthew 27:34, 48

Old Testament - Psalm 118:22

New Testament - Matthew 21:42

Old Testament - Isaiah 53:9, 12

New Testament - Matthew 27:57–60⁠; Mark 15:27–28

Old Testament - Isaiah 25:8

New Testament - Mark 16:1–6⁠; Luke 24:6

Old Testament - Daniel 12:2

New Testament - Matthew 27:52–53

Marie's Sunday Message - April 19th, 2025

My dear friends, sorry this is a bit long, but I haven't been on social media in a while!  I have always tried to follow promptings, and stepping away for a bit was one of them. This personal deep dive has given me the opportunity to experience different paths. My family has always been my first priority, and this season has provided some wonderful and unique experiences with them. It's funny how we think we know why God is asking certain things from us, but then...ah, nooo… my perceptions were not correct at all! With trust in His infinite love and knowledge, miracles begin to unfold and appear. God is so amazing!

My experiences over the last year have truly been life-changing! Too much to write about here, and this is already too long.😂 Maybe I’ll write another book! 😂 But seriously, the best parts have been being available 24/7 for my sweet little family.🎁 After all, isn’t that what this life is all about? Family! 

Yes, I have missed connecting with you, and I hope you always know how much you all mean to me! Many of you have been with me for over six decades!!! Your support and love throughout my life have touched my heart so deeply. You’re “family” to me! I have read your sweet comments from time to time and appreciate your love and support with this adventure I’m on. Thank you!!!😘

I have never experienced anything quite like this version of my life right now! 😂 Giving full attention to what I’d say is the most “normal” life I have ever lived is definitely unique and different.😂 I have performed since age 3, and I’d say.. that’s not what I'd call normal! 😂 But I know nothing truly is “normal”! No matter how life changes, when you boil it all down, it’s the simple daily choices that make the greatest eternal impact in our lives. And THAT’S what matters most!

Throughout my life, I have always had great faith in trusting and following the paths the Lord has placed in front of me. Like you, we all have many different kinds of experiences. Some are incredibly wonderful and profound, while others can be challenging and even extremely dark. I believe… no, I KNOW, these difficult times, if we “choose” to let them, can teach us how to change into becoming a better person. They also help us have greater humility, love, and compassion for others who might be going through challenges. They bring us to our knees! And I'm so grateful for each one as the Lord reaches down and picks me back up!

By striving to “Hear Him,” we grow daily in faith and see how God’s unconditional love creates daily miracles for us! Those tender mercies move us from believing in Him to knowing Him personally! His blessings automatically come when we exercise faith and love in Him. By following His example and keeping His commandments, miracles will happen. However, maybe not always how we want, 😂 but definitely when we need them! I’m more grateful than ever this Easter season for His infinite love and atonement. He lives! He’s real! He knows us each individually. After all, we are His children, His “Family,” and isn’t that what this whole life is truly all about!🥰

I won’t be posting as much as I used to; my daily posts are now focused more on my cute family’s group texts.🥰 I love my husband, children, and grandbabies! It’s been wonderful to be able to give them my undivided attention! Like many working women, our children understand the demands of our lives, but to now be consistently available for them has meant so much.  For example, the other day, there was a little emergency. My daughter called in a panic to ask if I could pick up my granddaughter at school. Relieved when I said yes, she said, “Mom, it’s so nice to have you here and available. Thank you so much for helping me out today; it means the world to me.” Now, I don’t know about you, but these words meant more to me than any award or accolade the world could ever offer! Once again, “Family”… ❤️ it’s everything!!! 

My post today is definitely leaning towards a Sunday post😆 mainly because of Easter! Also, I usually ask every year if you’d like to join me in listening to General Conference. These talks always lift my soul and give beautiful insights into our Savior’s life and teachings. They are great to ponder upon and then apply to our daily lives. It has also been a great way for me to celebrate Easter and its true meaning! If you’d like to listen, you can find them on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website. I will also post two of my favorite talks if you want to listen. Camille N. Johnson gave the first one; it’s wonderful and has a beautiful message! The second was given by my dear friend Tammy Runia. (Our husbands played basketball together at BYU 🥰) Her talk is amazing and a must-listen! I loved these talks and others, but I believe you’ll find there are great messages in them, and I believe they are worth your time to listen to and ponder upon! 😘

In the spirit of love and family, which seems to be the theme of this post ☺️ I just returned from Orlando for our 42nd anniversary of Children’s Miracle Network! As one of the founders of this organization, these “Miracle Kids” fly into Orlando from Canada and the US and were chosen to represent their State or province and our 170 Children's Hospitals. I love seeing these beautiful children; they are my heroes! Their individual stories are miracles, and they touch many hearts as we highlight their strength for all they’ve been through. They go around all week sharing their stories with our corporate sponsors; it’s amazing to watch! I also want to thank our incredible corporate partners for their commitment and generosity! These companies' hearts are dedicated to blessing the lives of children and their families in their local communities. It’s life-changing to be there with them. If you go to cmn.org, you can see who these companies are and how you can have fun helping them raise money for your local Children’s Hospital.

I must also post about my dear friend, “Family” to me, Joe Lake. He was one of the four of us who founded the Children's Miracle Network. Joe passed away a few days before our event in Florida. He was a man full of love and compassion for others and had a heart totally dedicated to service. I love him dearly, and I know he was welcomed home into the arms of our loving Savior. I’m sure it was a marvelous reunion! I send my deepest love and prayers to Marta, his wife, and their beautiful family. He will be greatly missed!!! 

I “know” the key to getting through life successfully is service, and there are so many ways to apply it. When we help someone, it always seems to help us forget our own problems. By focusing on others, it helps us see and work through our own shortcomings and imperfections. Serving others is simply life-changing! My parents taught this through their example. As they would say, “Loving one another is the greatest quality we can learn from our Savior’s exemplary life.” I hope you have felt my love for all of you through my life’s work. To see you in the audience laugh, smile, remembering happier times, and sometimes even crying with me, has brought great joy to my heart. Honestly, you have blessed me so much more than I could ever have done for you. You’re “Family,” never EVER forget that and how much I love you!😘 

So today, I wish you a blessed Easter. May we take the time to truly understand and find joy in the ultimate gift bestowed on us by our Savior Jesus Christ: His infinite mercy given through His atonement because He loves us. We are His “FAMILY!”

All my love, 

Marie ♥️❌⭕️😘

Marie's Sunday Message - December 26th, 2021

Happy Christmas Eve! It’s always so interesting to me what happens when you sincerely pray and then really listen. I felt very strongly this year to wrap up my Christmas tour a bit earlier than usual. I was so grateful I did because my children and some dear friends really needed my help. I could not have assisted them if I had been out on the road like I usually am.  I love these tender mercies of listening to the Spirit. 

Having a bit more unhurried time at home to prepare and assemble gifts has also been nice. I especially enjoyed doing some of this with my son, Matthew, as you can see in the photo my husband took of us while we were assembling one of them. One toy that needed to be put together was a wooden pirate ship and its home base for my grandkids. I was left alone with this one! Can I just say… why do they make these tasks freakishly complicated!? It was soooooo frustrating!!! Although I thought I had followed the directions perfectly, I had to take it apart four different times!🤦🏻‍♀️😂 After the last time of disassembling because I realized I had put one of the walls in upside down🤦🏻‍♀️ the thought came to me how God has given us instructions, too.  These directions help us live our lives in the best ways possible if we follow them. Things like the commandments, how Jesus lived His life, His example, and the parables, etc. They were given to help us know the safest way to return home. And even when we think we are following them correctly, we make mistakes! So, we need to take things apart, reassess, and strive to reevaluate the directions to fix things metaphorically. It’s not fun, but by not giving up, we learn it is worth it in the end. 

Christ's atonement is the help needed when we error, and His mercy intervenes to help us get back on track. This remarkable gift, which He gave freely, helps us fix, reassess, and gives us hope never to give up! He is always there for us because He knows the end product of our efforts, and it’s eternal and glorious. 

I know this may be a silly analogy, but it helped me see another way to look at how the atonement works and why it is so amazing! 

Understanding the depth of the atonement has helped me throughout my life to get back on track, fix errors, and heal from sorrows, hurts, and even bad choices.  Especially the bad choices others have made towards me and those I love. I have learned, too, the absolute importance of forgiveness not just towards others but myself included. 

Every decade, don’t you find, we reevaluate our lives. Those things we thought were so important in our 20s just don’t mean as much in our 50s, etc. I'm finding that aging is actually a beautiful gift we've been given. I believe it was designed to keep us humble, grateful, and reevaluating our choices. 🙌🥰 It helps us see those flaws in our armor to keep working on ourselves to be our best. We are continually humbled to evaluate throughout our lives what truly matters, and I’m grateful for this. 

Christmas is wonderful in every aspect. Seeing all of you on tour at the shows brought joy to my heart as I saw you laugh and smile and even teared up as you felt God's love through music. I'm also grateful to you all for this opportunity because serving this way gives me the Christmas Spirit. 

With Christmas being tomorrow, I’m grateful to be home with my husband, precious children, and grandchildren, as I know you are. Family is everything to me, and you are my extended family. I won’t be writing a Sunday message until after the new year, so I wish you all the best Holiday Season ever! Let’s find His love and joy and strive to see Christ at Christmas, especially as we look into each other’s eyes and share His light and love. Remember, I love you all. Have the best day ever, and Merry Christmas!!! 🌟🙏

Marie’s Sunday Message 

December 26, 2021

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas. As I pondered what to write today, I thought to show you what I got myself for Christmas. When I was out on tour, I took some time on our last day off to go to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. That’s where I saw this. People ask me, if I’m a Christian, why I don’t wear a cross? It's not that I don’t love them; I do. The real reason is that I don’t like to think of our Savior that way, suffering and bleeding.  I prefer to think of Him as overcoming all…as the risen Christ who made it so we will, too! Celebrating Him alive heals my heart, gives me hope, and heals me when I am broken and sorrowful. When we have faith to believe, that faith moves us to know so we can always be full of peace even in our trials and distress. We gain the knowledge of His grace, understanding that He will embrace us in His arms with mercy, comforting us and empowering healing through His infinite atonement. That’s why I wanted this figurine set in my home this Christmas.

So today, my Sunday message is simple: my testimony, my faith in God, and His son, Jesus Christ, who gives me strength through all things.

I know He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come. He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift on behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

I know that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world. He rose from the grave to “become the first fruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10). This is what I believe.

He said, “I am the first and the last,” I know He lives, and He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend, and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him.

This Sunday, I share my testimony that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on His Father’s right hand. He is the world’s light, life, and hope. His path leads to happiness in this life and eternally. May we thank God this season for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

I love you all!!!! #HappySunday