I love living in Idaho Falls. Can there be any better place on God’s green earth? No way in my humble estimation. In fact, this past Sunday, I met a family in church who recently moved here from Florida. In talking with them, my wife said that through an online application and search, Idaho Falls became the number one place in America for this couple to raise their family. Vindication of my home town is sweet!

Well, this Monday night, I relished the time with my family. I have been married to my beautiful wife for almost fifteen years. How she ever saw fit to make me her husband, I don’t know. I didn’t deserve to be the spouse of this gorgeous, bright, cheerful, bi-pedal creature. Thirteen years ago, she graduated as a “top ten scholar of Boise State University.” Back then, I was introduced to the mayor of Boise as the “husband of Kristie”. Today, whenever I visit my wife, an R.N. working once a week at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, I am still known as just the husband of such a caring nurse. She’s a rare find. I thank God for His providential care in my life. The Lord knew I needed this gal.

We have four children: Elon Joshua (10), Hannah Marie (8), Mariah Noelle (7), and Micaiah Todd (5). Outside of my wife, these four, crafted by the Lord’s power, have become my greatest joy and stewardship.

For Monday evening, we went rollerblading, a bold spontaneous move for a crisp November night. We cruised the greenbelt along the moonlit Snake River, starting from the chiseled mountain man sculpture on Memorial Drive. Our family of six looked like a traveling circus in the evening dark, our shadows and voices bouncing all over between the trees. Crazily whizzing past the war memorial, the fluttering American and POW-MIA flags, and the granite block inscribed with the ten-commandments, we finally reached the gleaming-white LDS temple, stacked seven stories high, Moroni on top facing toward the east.

Having survived our evening at the river (with only one major crash by dad), back home at the kitchen table, we drank big mugs of hot chocolate, topped with piles of mini-marshmallows. And then we discussed Scripture, John 1 to be exact. The insights of little ones are always choice, winning in categories of humor and simplicity.

I love John’s Gospel. Of course, any biblical book that I find myself embroiled in study very soon becomes my all-time favorite book. As the Gospel of John not only provides brilliant stories, one after another, for my little ones, it stretches my mind to the point where I feel like I am drowning in the deepness of its ocean swell as I seek to trace the footsteps of God.

Thank the Lord for the freedoms we still have in America to enjoy such Family Home Evenings.

Which brings me in conclusion to share an exciting idea, I want to spark discussion about John’s Gospel in as many homes as I can in Ammon, Idaho. In fact, tomorrow, I will share my first weekly installment of “Neighborhood Survey over John’s Gospel” with many more yet to come, Lord willing. Here are the first two questions I have been asking the neighbors: 1. Is it “Bethabara” or “Bethany” in John 1:28? 2. In John 1:9, does “Lamb of God” mean Jesus as a lamb sacrificed as a substitute for the penalty of our sins or does the title speak more of His meek and gentle nature?

Thinking of heart issues for LDS . . .