I was riding my bike a few mornings ago listening to the soundtrack from "Frozen" because that's the only album I was able to get to play thru my app for some reason. I do love the movie and the songs, but I wouldn't normally listen to them for a workout.

While going through the book of Isaiah, I've realized that there are so many verses that have made me see things differently in my world today.

One of my favorite chapters is Isaiah 52 because the message of the chapter to me is "Leave Your Captivity."

What are we held captive by?

What keeps us back?

What inhibits us from living a free life?

Recently, I took my daughter and a couple of close friends out to celebrate her thirteenth birthday. Both girls arrived with their cell phones Velcroed to their hands. As pizza was served, they did not even notice because they were constantly interacting with texts on their phones rather than with each other. In the meantime, my daughter decided to read the menu and explore other offerings.

She would have probably joined them in "texting world;" however, her phone does not have texting capability due to our parental judgment. In any case, one of the girls commented, "I cannot even eat because I keep receiving texts."

Today's Miracle Monday was submitted to us by the IMOC Venezuela team.

During a meeting at the Valle Guanape Mission in 2007, Sister Carmen Quiero arrived in severe pain. Her right foot was badly swollen, she could not put on her shoe, and she was wearing a slipper.

Here is something for you to ponder today.

It happens every year. As our family vacation week approaches, I assemble a playlist of perfect beach music. Inevitably, I never seem to reach for my earbuds as I drag my chair toward the water's edge. Am I leery of sand or water damaging my device? Truth is, I am utterly mesmerized by the sound of the ocean.

Suddenly that great music list pales in comparison to the majestic orchestra in front of me. For me, the sound of waves crashing on the shore is one of the most relaxing sounds on earth.

Why go to church? That's a loaded question, isn't it?

Depending on who I ask, I get a wide swath of opinions.

A few weeks ago, an article was posted on the Gospel Blog about the life-saving station. I think it is safe to say anyone who read the story knows that the life-saving station is a metaphor for a church. With that said, if I ask the people in that story why they went to the station, I would get many answers.

Have you ever been driving down the highway and someone cuts you off and you just want to give them the "What are you doing?!" hand flip? Have you ever been at work, home, or church and wanted to share a juicy piece of gossip? Have you ever left somebody out of the group because they didn't quite fit in?

I know that I'm not the only one who struggles with these daily encounters. I strive to be the hands and feet of God in all things, but I'd be lying if I said that I don't come up short in fulfilling that role.

Today's Miracle Monday was submitted by Brother Larry Watson. After you've read this experience, check out how you can be part of our next Summer Reading Challenge Giveaway THIS Friday!

I had recently moved to the Navajo Reservation after having accepted my first full-time teaching position at a nearby school. Young and single, I was full of idealism about my new profession and my recent calling into the ministry.

But I had a problem. Well ... actually it just seemed like a minor irritation at first, but it soon blossomed into what — to me, anyway — seemed like a major crisis.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July, dear brothers, sisters, and friends!

And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions [...] he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it — In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children — and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land

Alma 46:11-13

Recently, I heard a minister deliver a sermon, and he said something that I've heard him say many times before, and no matter how often I hear this saying, it still rings true. He asked, "How does a child spell love?"

The answer: T-I-M-E.

When we give children time, it shows that we care enough about them to set aside our many important "adult" tasks. It's one way that we can demonstrate that they are a priority in our lives. It also communicates that we enjoy their company and actually like being around them — there are plenty of kids who I like hanging out with, even though I'm nearly a quarter of a century older than them.

I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning for some reason and couldn't go back to sleep. I tend to be a worrier, so, of course, I immediately start thinking there's a reason I'd woken up — because something is wrong.

I calculated what time it was on the East Coast and figured it's too early to hear if something actually is wrong over there. Now my heart was pounding, and I was a wreck, and there was no way I could even think about falling asleep. So, I decided to scroll through my Facebook feed, check my email, read the daily blog, and read my news feeds.

As of 2012, the truth is that there are 143 million orphaned children and 11 million who die from preventable diseases or who starve to death. There are far more than the estimated 8.5 million children who work as child slaves, prostitutes, and in other such conditions. And there are 2.3 million who live with HIV.

These numbers add up to approximately 164.8 million children with greater needs than any of mine.*

Today's Miracle Monday was submitted by Sister Renee Scolaro. If you have an experience you want to praise God for, please share it with us.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

Almost one month to the day after my father passed away, my heart was very heavy with sorrow. I realized that I was feeling overwhelmed and going about my responsibilities with a long face.

The evening of June 22, 2013, Saturday, as I was preparing to retire for the evening, I stated to my husband that I needed to laugh, I wanted to laugh, but could not find it within myself to laugh because I felt so heavy hearted. I thought to myself, "I should be anointed tomorrow," and wondered if I should express a spiritual or natural need. I said my evening prayer and went to sleep.

Talk, rejoice, preach, prophesy! Here is a verse for you to ponder this weekend.