Good morning, friends and neighbors.
I stand here today as a Kirton Kid, raised in the faith, raised in family, raised with a deep respect for land, Law, and God.
My roots go back to the Joe & Audrey Kirton's Place of Draper, Utah since the 1930's—a Place my Auntie still lives, on the very ground where she was born and raised with her Brothers (my Father John, her second of 3) and Sister.
That land holds memory. It holds story. It holds Dignity.
In the early 1970's, my Parents and older Siblings lived just down the way. Life carried them out of Draper, as life does—but family never leaves the soil behind. And more that my Kirton Family lives in the area, my Fitzgerald Family does too.
And today, here in Cave Creek, on an Unincorporated Patent piece of the United States of America, this land has become our Draper like Place. A Mother Creeker's Place. A place of remembering. A place of responsibility.
I speak as a Daughter of my King Daddy and our Eternal Family, as a Steward of 2.5 acres held whole, and as a woman who believes—deeply—in the words In God We Trust.
Soberness: As the Scriptures Mean It
In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin teaches parents to raise their children to walk in truth and soberness, to love one another, and to serve one another.
Soberness, as Mosiah speaks of it, is not about appearances and it is not about judgment.
Soberness is about clarity. It is about self-governance. It is about measured living under God’s Law.
Soberness means I am present, not reckless.
It means I am accountable, not indulgent.
It means I choose peace over reaction, service over ego, dignity over destruction.
Soberness is not numbness. Soberness is strength under control.
Why I Speak About Cannabis
I want to be very clear and very respectful here.
I am not telling anyone else what to do.
I am not redefining doctrine.
I am not encouraging imitation.
I am bearing personal testimony—the kind rooted in honesty, stewardship, and lived experience.
For me, cannabis is not intoxicating.
For me, it is sobering.
And I know those words sound backward to some ears—but let me explain plainly.
What “Sobering” Means in My Body and Spirit
Intoxication removes agency. Soberness restores it.
When something intoxicates me, I lose clarity, patience, discernment, and restraint.
What I experience instead is this: a stronger awareness of my tone, a gentler response, deeper reflection before speaking, reduced reactivity, and a greater capacity for forgiveness and restraint.
It slows me down—not away from responsibility, but toward it.
It does not pull me from God. It quiets the noise so I can hear Him better.
Soberness Is Measured by Fruit
Christ taught us to look at fruit.
Here is the fruit in my life: I protect my family. I honor my neighbors. I steward land, animals, and water.
I show up when it is hard. I tell the truth even when it costs me. I do not steal, vandalize, trespass, or destroy.
I work. I serve. I remain accountable.
Soberness does not look like chaos. Soberness looks like consistency.
The Difference Between Excess and Stewardship
The scriptures warn us about excess, not about every plant God put on this earth.
Soberness is not prohibition—it is discernment.
Anything used without wisdom becomes excess: anger, sugar, power, pride, even righteousness wielded without love.
Soberness asks:
“Is this bringing me closer to God, or farther from Him?”
“Is this making me more loving, or more harsh?”
“Is this helping me govern myself, or escape myself?”
For me, the honest answer is: self-governance.
Land, Lineage, and Law
Our family holds this land with dignity and honor—in the names of Ormond, Peters, Niner, and the Kirton children yet to come.
This ground is not just acreage. It is inheritance. It is responsibility.
It is a place where children learn how to live, not just how to comply.
Unincorporated land teaches something sacred: you must govern yourself, you must respect boundaries,
and you must answer to God before bureaucracy.
Soberness is required for that.
Why I Speak Openly
I speak because silence creates shame—and shame does not come from God.
I speak because too many good people have been misjudged by labels instead of lives.
I speak because my faith taught me to walk in truth, not hide from it.
And I speak because I want my children—Kirton kids—to inherit not only land, but integrity.
Closing
I love this community. I honor faith. I respect difference.
And I believe with my whole heart that God looks at the heart first, the fruit second, and the label last.
May we love one another. May we serve one another. May we walk in truth and soberness.
And may we steward what God has placed in our care—our land, our families, and our souls—with dignity and honor.
Amen.
Good morning, brothers and sisters.
I’ve been asked to speak about self-care in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the world, “self-care” can sound like spa days and screen breaks. Those can be fine, but the gospel invites us to see something deeper: self-care is sacred stewardship. Heavenly Father has entrusted us with a body and a spirit. How we care for them is part of how we love Him and follow His Son.
The Apostle Paul taught, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost… and ye are not your own? … therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20.) When I remember that my body is a temple and my spirit is a child of God, self-care becomes discipleship—not selfishness.
The Book of Mormon helps us live this kind of discipleship in three simple ways:
1) Be Self-Aware—Listen to Body and Spirit.
King Benjamin taught, “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.” (Mosiah 4:27.) Self-awareness means noticing limits without shame. If we’re exhausted, we rest. If we’re overwhelmed, we simplify. If we’re spiritually dry, we seek the living water. The Lord doesn’t ask for burnout; He asks for a willing heart and wise effort.
2) Practice Self-Governance—Choose Daily Patterns with the Lord.
Alma counseled, “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.” (Alma 37:37.) Self-governance looks like small, steady choices:
- Body: Eat food that fuels, move your body, and get consistent sleep.
- Mind and Heart: “Bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love.” (Alma 38:12.) Set boundaries with screens and music; protect your thoughts so love can grow.
- Spirit: “Feast upon the words of Christ.” (2 Nephi 32:3.) Pray morning and night; read a little scripture daily; repent quickly.
3) Rely on the Savior—Let His Care Heal Your Care.
Alma taught that Christ would “take upon him… pains and sicknesses” so He could “succor his people.” (Alma 7:11–12.) We’re not meant to carry our struggles alone. When we come to Him, He strengthens both body and spirit. Nephi promised that if we keep the commandments, the Lord will nourish, strengthen, and provide a way (see 1 Nephi 17:3).
Now, a simple analogy: your phone and your spirit.
Most of us charge our phones every day. We watch the battery, close the apps, and connect to a strong signal so things load quickly. Spiritual life works similarly:
- Charging: Prayer, scripture, and the sacrament recharge us. No charge, no power.
- Closing Background Apps: Worry, constant noise, and tempting media drain us. Turn some of them off. Quiet makes room for the still, small voice.
- Strong Signal: Obedience and repentance strengthen our “spiritual Wi-Fi.” As we “watch and pray always” (3 Nephi 18:15), the Holy Ghost’s signal is clearer and our choices load faster with peace.
A brief example: This past [week/semester/season], I felt stretched—school, work, and family all at once. I tried a simple pattern: I set a bedtime, kept a short nightly prayer, read even just a few verses, and took a 10-minute walk each day. Nothing dramatic—but my “battery” stopped flashing red. I felt more patient at home and more focused at church. That experience taught me that true self-care is not escape; it’s preparation. When we care for the body and feed the spirit, we’re finally ready to care for others.
This matters especially on the Sabbath. The sacrament is the Savior’s invitation to start fresh. As we remember Him and take His name upon us, He renews our covenant power (see Moroni 4–5). He gave His body and His blood so we could be healed—physically, emotionally, spiritually. If He cared for us that completely, then surely we can care enough for ourselves to treat our bodies and spirits with respect.
Let me offer a simple invitation for this week:
- Choose one act of body-care (like a consistent bedtime, a water bottle that actually gets emptied, or a short walk).
- Choose one act of spirit-care (like one chapter from the Book of Mormon each day, or a real kneeling prayer).
Write them down. Counsel with the Lord about them (Alma 37:37). Then notice what changes—more peace, more strength, more love to share.
Brothers and sisters, self-care, self-awareness, and self-governance are not separate from the gospel; they are how the gospel shows up in our Monday through Saturday life. Built on Christ, the Rock (Helaman 5:12), our small, steady patterns will hold—especially when the winds blow.
I testify that as we care for our bodies as temples and our spirits as children of God, we will feel the Savior’s healing, and we will be more ready to lift the people around us. We will find that gospel self-care turns outward into Christlike service.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.