Idaho
‘God is not silent,’ testifies Elder Clement M. Matswagothata to BYU–Idaho students
Clinging to one’s faith in Jesus Christ — no matter how much or how little faith — can help weather questions and doubts, said Elder Clement M. Matswagothata, a General Authority Seventy, at a BYU–Idaho devotional Tuesday, March 10, in Rexburg, Idaho.
Elder Matswagothata shared his experiences, teachings and testimony about navigating doubts and questions while still continuing to build faith.
He also emphasized the importance of building upon one’s faith and taking questions and doubts to the Lord. With patience in the Lord’s timing, these questions will be answered because “God is not silent.”
“Do not let one unanswered question cancel a hundred answered prayers,” Elder Matswagothata said. In times of trouble, “keep walking with Christ.”
‘Does God still speak?’
Growing up in Botswana, Elder Matswagothata had been raised in a place where heaven had “often felt close.”
Though Elder Matswagothata was not born into the Church, his family members had always been committed to the Lord. Through their firm faith, he learned his own.
With this conviction, Elder Matswagothata sought to deepen his knowledge of God. Reading passages from the Bible about prophets that spoke to their people, he wondered, “Does God still speak?”
This questioning resulted in an urgent search, leading him to contend with religious leaders about personal belief. But his faith was not won with words. ”I always walked away feeling empty inside,” he recalled.
While Elder Matswagothata was warned against meeting with missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he saw an opportunity.
“I asked them the same question I had asked many in the past: ‘Do you believe in a God who speaks — like He spoke to Adam, to Moses, to Isaiah, to Elijah and to my favorite prophet, Samuel?’”
The missionaries then relayed the experience of Joseph Smith, another young boy who had the same question.
Elder Matswagothata received a “settled, confident, personal witness” that “God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith and called him to be a Prophet.”
Learning by the Holy Ghost
Elder Matswagothata explained that testimony is “spiritual knowledge placed into a person’s heart and mind by God,” and it is not perfect knowledge.
“The Lord has never required omniscience as the price of discipleship,” he said.
To wondering disciples, he assured them that “faith and questions can coexist,” but they still require “some steps of faith.”
The real enemy to faith in Christ is not questioning, Elder Matswagothata said, but to “drift.”
This slow, turning away from the Savior happens when people “decide to skip once, then twice, then often — until what used to feel normal and natural, like praying daily and searching the scriptures, starts to feel distant,” he said.
To counter drift, covenants “keep us connected to Jesus Christ,” even when faced with spiritually turbulent times.
Elder Matswagothata then shared his own faith-testing experience.
As a missionary, he met with a man that pressed him on the Church’s restriction on priesthood and temple blessings, noting that Elder Matswagothata was of African descent. He had never heard of the restrictions before.
“It felt as if everything I had known about God, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the witness of the Holy Ghost was suddenly harder to reach,” he said.
Seeking comfort, Elder Matswagothata met with his mission president, who invited him to return and bear testimony to the man. He did.
In that moment, “I felt the Lord’s reassurance fill me — almost from head to toe — with ‘peace … which passeth all understanding,’” he said, citing Philippians 4:7.
This experience taught him that unknowns should “not erase what the Holy Ghost had already taught.”
Anchoring faith
“The adversary will always raise questions faster than we can answer them,” said Elder Matswagothata.
“A resilient testimony isn’t built by collecting perfect answers — it’s built by staying with Christ” through study, prayer and acting in faith “and allowing Him to teach you according to His will and timing.”
Elder Matswagothata offered three “anchors” of faith in Christ.
First, stay close to the Savior.
Second, stay grounded in truth by looking for it in “trustworthy places,” such as teachings of living prophets and apostles and scriptures.
And third, stay with the Spirit by choosing “music, media, friendships and habits that invite the Spirit to be with you.”
Elder Matswagothata cited Jesus’ words in John 6. When Jesus taught “a hard saying,” many disciples went away.
Jesus asked the twelve apostles, “Will ye also go away?”
“Everyone faces a ‘Will ye also go away?’ moment. How will you answer yours?” asked Elder Matswagothata.
God’s work will move forward–on a worldwide and personal level.
“Here I stand — a simple man from the African continent — bearing witness of eternal truths and watching that inspired prophecy unfold.”
There’s something special and timeless about the Costco food court.
Having a Costco Card doesn’t just mean you unlock your grocery shopping there but you now get to go to the best food court known to man: The Costco Foodcourt.
Everyone loves their great prices and great options. Whether you’ve wanted to get a pizza to share with your family or one of their beloved giant hot dogs everyone’s got a good reason to go to the Costco Foodcourt.
Costco has been adding a lot of new menu items recently including fun ice cream flavors. Now they have yet again added something new to their menu.
Idaho Costcos
Where to find Costcos in Idaho.
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
Costco has added a new menu item that everyone is already going crazy for. In a new viral Instagram reel an influencer revealed that Costco food courts around the country would be adding chicken strips to their menu! This feels like the perfect addition to the already extremely popular Costco food court and we can already see everyone going crazy over this new menu item.
Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds
As of right now it appears the chicken tenders are going to be 6.99 and include 5 chicken strips. They also seemingly have a new sauce that is going to be paired with these chicken strips and it looks delicious!
Credit: Instagram/costcohotfinds
You’ll have to check out all of the local Idaho Costcos for when these hit stores because they just look delicious!
Look at those chicken tenders:
Costco Foodcourt’s New Item
It’s a Caramel Brownie Sundae!!!
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
Change Complete at Costco’s Food Courts
Who would have thought that an age old debate would bring out such a reaction in Costco shoppers!?
Gallery Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
You’ve heard that our federal Constitution was made for a moral people. The line is attributed to the founding father and second President, John Adams. Notice he said “moral,” not “Christian.” One of my friends was a graduate of Liberty University, a prestigious Christian school. His mission in life was to evangelize, but he always cautioned his listeners that our founders spoke of a Creator, and not Jesus. Some of our early leaders were devout Christians. Many of them were also womanizers, drinkers, and gave religion no more than lip service. They were people who wanted to be left alone, and if they practiced faith, it was personal, and they didn’t believe it was the government’s role to dictate morality.
They Mock Good People of Other Faiths
I’m reminded of a story about the 2024 Republican National Convention. Harmeet Dhillon, a rising star in the party, spoke. She referenced her Sikh faith, and someone in the crowd felt compelled to shout “Jesus is Lord!” Now, maybe a majority believes that, but are you sure He wants you to taunt good and moral people? Or would God prefer a gentler approach? For instance, you could pray for conversions.
Where does the Great Commission instruct you to be rude to people of good moral character?
Idaho’s Glenneda Zuiderveld was an alternate delegate, and when a seatmate said the man was rude, the state senator dismissed the argument. “We’re all going to be judged,” she said. What’s a Senator’s purpose in politics?
The Pot Calling the Kettle Black
A few days ago, a local church had a men-only event for candidates. A group of liberal women demonstrated outside. I don’t know why they can’t organize their own event instead, but apparently, they would rather be confrontational. They’ve accomplished nothing more than preening and making a claim that they’re more virtuous, but the church is within its rights to hold a men-only event. If you want a women’s only event, I’m not bothered. Let me add a caveat. Some of the men involved believe that it’s okay to berate members of the LDS Church as they enter the temple. I wouldn’t say screaming at someone that they’re going to hell is a sign of moral people. Again, if you think they’re wrong, then pray for them.
Some people wonder why they’re called Christian nationalists. Do we need to draw them some pictures?
Brad Little Through The Years
Gallery Credit: Kevin Miller
KUNA — A sister-duo is filling baskets with blankets, snacks and handwritten notes to spread some extra love to moms spending Mother’s Day in the hospital with their newborns.
The effort is led by “Helping Hands for NICU Moms,” a nonprofit co-founded by sisters Tiffany and Alyssa Higbee. The organization was born from Alyssa’s own experience spending months in the NICU with her firstborn.
Alyssa’s son was initially in the NICU for about two weeks, then was put back in for about 3.5 months. During that time, several holidays passed, making it especially hard as a first-time mom.
“There was people in companies who would bring us stuff and try and cheer up your day, and it really helped, and so when my son was about 6 months old, we decided that it would be best to try and help moms in the NICU somehow,” Alyssa Higbee said.
That inspiration led the sisters to create Mother’s Day gift baskets filled with items to bring comfort and encouragement to moms facing the same journey.
WATCH: Learn more about “Helping Hands for NICU Moms”
Local non-profit fills Mother’s Day baskets for NICU moms across Idaho
The sisters have a 12-year age gap. Tiffany was fresh out of high school when they started the nonprofit in 2023, which meant she had more time to dedicate to the project. Alyssa noted that because of the age gap, they didn’t get to spend a lot of time together growing up, so the project has brought them closer.
“Hopefully, this can bring some hope that you can get out of it … that NICU period, that scary initial phase, it does get easier,” Alyssa Higbee said.
ALSO READ | Fragile beginnings to bright futures: NICU ‘Wall of Hope’ inspires families with stories of strength
Alyssa’s son, who was born in the NICU at St. Luke’s in Twin Falls, is now 3-years-old and healthy. Tiffany said watching her nephew go through the NICU was hard, but seeing him now — jumping, tackling her, and doing everything a little boy does — makes the work even more meaningful.
“It’s cool to see the difference because I know that some kids don’t make it to where he is when they’re in the NICU, and it’s just cool to see that he did,” Tiffany Higbee said.
This year’s baskets are packed with items donated by nearly 25 local companies — up from just 5 donors in the first year. The baskets include soaps from Wild Highland Soaps, claw clips, bibs, hair bows, chapsticks, socks, lotions, hand sanitizers, coloring books, colored pencils, snacks, minky blankets, and stuffed puppies from Scheels.
Gift cards and coupons are also included from Dutch Bros, Flying M Coffee, a pizza company, Wendy’s (free meal coupons for breakfast and lunch), Albertsons, and a $10 coupon to a baby store.
Tiffany started collecting donations for this year’s baskets as early as November of last year, spending a few hours every week for the past 6 to 8 months to prepare — reaching out to companies, picking up donations, and organizing everything.
The assembly process includes last-minute tasks like ironing vinyl onto bags, opening boxes, and putting together gift card envelopes before the full baskets are assembled and delivered.
“We start putting the bags together, making sure we have everything in there, and then we deliver them on Mother’s Day,” Alyssa Higbee said.
The baskets are delivered before noon on Mother’s Day to avoid missing moms who may be discharged after doctors do their rounds. Currently, the organization delivers to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in downtown Boise.
Tiffany said delivering the baskets is one of the most rewarding parts of the work.
“I love seeing the moms sometimes we get to watch them come out with their baskets, and they’ll be going through it, and they look really excited and happy,” Tiffany Higbee said.
“Seeing how happy they are or knowing how I cheered them up a little bit for their Mother’s Day because it’s a big holiday, it’s their first with that baby at least,” Tiffany Higbee said.
The first year, the project was funded mostly out of their own pockets. Three years later, as an official nonprofit, they said they no longer have to rely heavily on their own funds thanks to their new partnerships.
The organization accepts both monetary donations via Venmo and their website, as well as in-kind donations of physical items like soaps, claw clips, and other basket items — year-round.
The organization’s future goal is to expand to all the different NICUs in the area, and potentially the PICUs (Pediatric Intensive Care Units) as well, since that was also part of Alyssa’s experience.
To learn how you can donate or get involved with “Helping Hands for NICU Moms,” you can visit their website by clicking here.
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