By Nettie H. Francis

Las Vegas is a wilderness. I know, because I moved here from a comfortable “Jerusalem.” I wasn’t as supportive as Sariah must have been when Lehi announced that they were moving. I’m sure she just said, “Whatever you say, Honey. I’d be happy to leave all this gold behind and go live in a tent.” But, I’m not such a submissive wife. It took a while for my “Lehi” to convince me that the Lord had called us to move; and to the wilderness, no less. Moving was also difficult for me because I was great with child at the time. In fact, I was due the following month. Besides leaving my comfortable home behind, I had to leave my comfortable doctor and familiar hospital as well. Luckily, we found a wonderful new provider to assist us, and my first born in the wilderness arrived the day after we moved into our new home. We named her Sariah.

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by Nettie H. Francis

Oranges remind me of freedom—and of an experience I had when I was sixteen years old.
At the last bus stop the students climbed out, used the clean restrooms, bought sodas and stood around talking and laughing as usual. I walked a few feet away from the group and looked east, toward rolling, green hills. In the distance I could distinguish two faint, grey lines running parallel along the hills. I looked up at the huge, West German flag waving over me. It was July 1990, nine months after the fall of the Iron Curtain, and I was on a student exchange trip to Berlin.

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By Nettie H. Francis

Pilgrims crossed the stormy ocean. Pioneers braved Indians to travel west. Our grandparents survived the Depression and World War II. People of all ages have faced trials of various kinds. I’m convinced that the struggle of our age is different than any conflict before—it is the “Battle of the Stuff.”

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By Nettie H. Francis

“Abracadabra…poof!” What if these magical words, said with the wave of a wand over your home, could instill good manners in your children, insure healthful eating habits and strengthen family ties? Most of us wouldn’t hesitate to cast such a spell. However, while we don’t have a magic wand, there is still a formula for enjoying these benefits: Have a regular family mealtime. Studies show that families who eat together on a consistent basis enjoy nutritional, academic, social and emotional advantages. In addition, recent talks by general authorities of the church have stressed this vital family tradition.

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By Nettie H. Francis

My husband and I moved to Las Vegas six years ago. Coming from a small town in Utah, I felt as if we had transferred to the worst place on earth—the center of Sin City.

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