The holidays are always an exciting and busy time of year. The activities multiply exponentially as the calendar ticks closer to Christmas. For me, this has been already, and will continue to be an extra busy season. Dave and I and the other four kids welcomed our new baby, Bonnie Sweet Ellis, on November 9th. We are all thrilled she’s here safe and sound, and I am thrilled she came a week early!

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Caring for others, the focus of this issue of Desert Saints Magazine, goes to the very heart of membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Indeed, it is the heart of all Christianity. The idea and the practice of looking out for others’ needs as we all walk through this road of life are a comfort and a blessing.

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This issue of Desert Saints Magazine is our fifth anniversary edition. 60 issues! What a wonderful journey these last five years have been.

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At our house we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our fifth baby, due in November. As we make preparations, consider names and watch my ever-expanding middle, the excitement grows. It is a fun and happy time for our family.

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From its earliest days, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a big proponent of education and ongoing literacy programs. From humble beginnings in places like the Newel K. Whitney Store, whose small upstairs room held the School of the Prophets, to today’s vast campuses at Brigham Young University, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, LDS Business College and more, there is no denying the Church’s commitment to world-class education.

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by Danielle Ellis

I had an unexpected lesson in citizenship recently at my nephew Chris’ high school graduation. Several thousand people packed into the Thomas & Mack center for their kids’ big day. The crowd was well-behaved.

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by Danielle Ellis

In this fourth installment of our series on Provident Living, we take a look at Resource Management. While resources admittedly cover much more than money, it is a major component of our resources, and one many of us struggle to manage well. President Hinckley’s regular comments on financial matters to members of the Church are ample evidence of this fact.

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by Danielle Ellis

As the third part of our series on Provident Living, this issue of Desert Saints Magazine focuses on Physical Health. Since our bodies are the means through which our spirits must work and live on this earth, their functionality is key. If we allow our health to break down, we are unable to learn, grow, serve and find joy in all the ways the Lord has promised to us.

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by Danielle Ellis

On a list of the uncertainties of life, the idea of “emergency preparedness” looms like the elephant in the living room that nobody wants to acknowledge. We all know we should be “prepared,” but what does that really mean? Where do we start, and how do we know when we’ve accomplished the goal?

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