Gospel Thoughts
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Gospel Thoughts

A miscellany of sermons and notes

About the Book

As time goes by it gets harder for me to find old talks, and this is a way for me to keep them at hand. Besides, I have this odd idea that some of my Church talks will be of interest to others. If you find them useful, feel free to use and share them under the terms of the CC BY license, as noted below. I've also included one short story and some essays from the previous millennium.

Please note that in none of these pages do I speak for the Church. Always these are my private views. However, I try hard to cite scripture or the words of the prophets to support my thoughts, and I believe that generally they represent an orthodox viewpoint.

About the Author

Kevin J. Black
Kevin J. Black

I was raised in a Latter-day Saint home, served as a bishop and as counselor to a stake president, and remain active in my congregation in the St. Louis area.

During the work week, I'm a neuropsychiatrist and neuroscientist. My job has very little to do with this book, except for informing the chapters on mental illness and the gospel.

Table of Contents

  •  
    • Preface
    • Permissions
  • Talks
    • Hi. I’m Kevin.
    • Why I believe
    • Mental illness and the gospel of Jesus Christ
    • Mental health resources
    • “Rescuing all that is finest”: The Church welfare system
    • Mother’s Day
    • Full-time missionaries: working with the ward
    • Thoughts on excommunication
    • Caffeine
    • Obedience and Lehi’s family
    • A temple covenant people
    • Recognizing the Holy Spirit
    • Father’s Day
    • A bicycle for the rest of us
  • Fiction
    • “For what is a man profited … ?”
    • Princess Sunshine
  • Essays
    • Mormon: The man and his thought
    • “Out of Zion shall go forth the Law”
    • The peoples of the prophets
    • Latter-day Saints and national defense
  • Scattered thoughts
    • Review of the book Pure Religion
    • The duty of wards and priesthood quorums to support marriages
    • Psalms
  • Quotes I like
  • Notes

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