Author: Kent Larsen

Like it or not, the vast majority of those attending Church have no control over what happens there. We don’t control the speakers, or the music, or who teaches the classes, and certainly not what anyone says. This past week I frequently heard fears about the 5th Sunday lesson on the Constitution — fears that…

Is inattention a kind of addiction? If we can’t focus on what we want to, is it because we can’t help focusing on something else? Can we substitute an “addiction” to something positive — maybe actually thinking about what’s happening through the lens of the gospel? Addictions are sometimes physical, leading to urges that show…

Are you distracted in Church? I look around and often it seems like distraction is a significant problem. If its not kids (yours or someone else’s), its your phone, which might well be called a portable distraction machine — if, like most people, you can’t get through a meal without picking up your phone, why…

Saturday night I attended a joint performance of the New York Philharmonic along with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. If you don’t know, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra plays Latin music, mostly salsa. As a result, the concert was not classical music. The concert was all salsa, played to a sold-out 3,500 seat 1920s era movie palace.…

Over the past year I have read several parts of Rita Felski’s book, The Limits of Critique, a fascinating look at how the western world has constructed our form of critique. She argues, in part, that we assume that a critical distance is necessary from our subject, and that an adversarial and negative approach is…

In my post earlier today, with poetry for the Come Follow Me readings, I discussed the tension in our relationships between assenting and agreeing with others and differentiating from others (which sometimes appears as rebellion). This tension is a part of all of our lives—every relationship we have is about how much we agree with…

LDS beliefs are firmly based in the idea of continuing revelation — both revelation to the Church as a whole, and personal continuing revelation to each of us. But sometimes we limit this idea by our assumptions. I think many of us assume that personal revelation comes at home, in personal prayer and contemplation. I’m…

LDS beliefs are firmly based in the idea of continuing revelation — both revelation to the Church as a whole, and personal continuing revelation to each of us. But sometimes we limit this idea by our assumptions. I think many of us assume that personal revelation comes at home, in personal prayer and contemplation. I’m…

One of the speakers at Church yesterday suggested that if you find the talk boring, you can make up for it by studying the scriptures later. The speaker also suggested that one way to keep the talks from being boring is to find a way to put yourself into the stories told or ideas presented.…

LDS beliefs are firmly based in the idea of continuing revelation — both revelation to the Church as a whole, and personal continuing revelation to each of us. But sometimes we limit this idea by our assumptions. I think many of us assume that personal revelation comes at home, in personal prayer and contemplation. I’m…

I remember hearing a talk by Boyd K. Packer years ago, in which he spoke about what happens in meetings. As I remember it (I haven’t found the speech — perhaps someone know which one it is) he suggested that many speakers bring just a small thimble full of the spirit to their talks—they simply…

In these posts I am trying to suggest that each of us can have better experiences at Church if we take responsibility for our experiences. We can choose to find ways to learn and benefit from what happens regardless of whether it fits our perception of what is “good.” What we get out of any…

In these posts I may be expecting too much. It’s a big change to react to Church in a new way. I apologize if I haven’t been clear enough. I’m trying to suggest that each of us can have better experiences at Church if we take responsibility for our experiences, and find ways to learn…

Recent events have made me think a lot about one of our hymns. By happenstance yesterday I came across Rudyard Kipling’s “Recessional” in the April 25, 1940 issue of the Millennial Star. Both my coming across it, and its publication in the Star seem like appropriate timing, given the poem’s text. Most LDS Church members…

Who is responsible for your experience at Church? Is our worship passive, dependent on the skill of the speakers, musicians and those organizing the meeting? Or are each of us active participants, trying to pull worship out of what we’re given? We claim that we go to Church to worship, but often members talk about…