Gospel Story Finder

We know at least one artist had the Prophet himself pose for paintings and drawings. That artist, Sutcliffe Maudsley, produced art that was not particularly realistic in style, but his profile drawings fit very well with the measurements from the Prophet’s death mask. Maudsley’s drawings of the Prophet have since been copied and used as inspiration for other artists.

A number of examples, typical of mothers and mothering everywhere, come readily to mind. In Lima, Peru, a mother showed me pictures of her four sons and two daughters. With great pride, she told me of their accomplishments. Despite limited opportunity for advanced education, each of her children has gone to college because of her efforts and determination. Her goals from them are more than material goals. She has trained them to give of themselves, to be contributors in the Church and the community. In that land where new members are coming into the Church at such a rapid rate, each of these children is now able to help significantly as a leader in the Church.

The young men also fellowship the members of their own quorums. On Saturdays they meet for a Young Men activity and to work on Duty to God. Then they visit the less-active members of their quorum. They encourage them to attend church and then invite them to come back to play sports or participate in another activity.
In this way and many others, these young men are preparing to be lifelong missionaries. Two of them (at right) share how they feel strengthened and inspired by their experiences.

During these months of lockdown, our family returned to the basics of life, and our testimonies about the importance of abiding by the principles of self-reliance have been strengthened. We experienced what it was to be spiritually self-reliant as we did our best to live the home-centered gospel study program, offered our prayers, and regularly held our weekly sacrament ordinance. We even experienced a “home-centered and school-supported education.” We were grateful to see the windows of heaven opened because of the law of tithing, as we had everything we needed, and to have enough food from our food storage when, during certain weeks, many basic food articles disappeared from grocery shelves.

What saved Brother Robert Wallace from getting his leg shot off in the Korean war?
(His Book of Mormon in his hip pocket. February 1976, p. 18.)

Dieter F. Uchtdorf feels the influence of the Holy Ghost as he ponders the restoration of Dresden, Germany, after World War II.

Once, while Elder Vinson was walking with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Holland draped his arm around Elder Vinson’s shoulder and told him he loved him. Elder Vinson said, “I believe that if we could have the privilege of walking physically with the Savior, that we would feel His arm draped over our shoulder just like that.”

One night my mom asked me to go into my two-year-old brother’s room and say prayers with him. I folded my arms and began to say the prayer for him, and he soon began repeating what I was saying. He was so happy! I felt good, and when I said my own prayers I thanked Heavenly Father that I could help my little brother say his prayers.

President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency: “As our youngest son, Clark, was approaching his 12th birthday, he and I were leaving the Church Administration Building when President Harold B. Lee approached and greeted us. I mentioned that Clark would soon be 12, whereupon President Lee turned to him and asked, ‘What happens to you when you turn 12?’
“… Clark, without hesitation, said to President Lee, ‘I will be ordained a deacon!’
“The answer was the one President Lee had sought. He then counseled our son, ‘Remember, it is a great blessing to hold the priesthood.’”

Young Women from the Mesa Arizona North Stake decided to devote some of their time at girls’ camp to performing a service to others. For the three days they were at camp, the girls devoted some of their time each day to sewing teddy bears to be given to local fire departments. Firefighters can give the bears to children who have been in traumatic situations, to comfort them and keep them occupied.
Just one week after giving their phenomenal gift of 650 teddy bears (all sewn in patriotic red, white, and blue), the girls were able to see their gift in use. A local paper showed a picture of a child who had been involved in an accident. In his arms, he was holding a small bear, hugging it tightly around the neck.

My association with the General Authorities has been filled with many great experiences. A few years ago while Elder S. Dilworth Young was caring for his first wife who was very ill, he invited Sister Burton and me to their home to sample his homemade bread. He is an excellent cook, and we enjoyed not only a fine meal, but excellent company. After the meal he showed us a picture he was painting, and we expressed our admiration for his talent.
“I wish I could do that,” I said.
“Why don’t you then?” he asked.
I told Elder Young that I had bought some paints, brushes, and canvases just for fun but didn’t even know how to mix colors, let alone paint. He then offered to show me how and suggested I learn by actual experience. He said we could take a day off sometime when we were both free and go up into the mountains together and paint.
I thought he was just making conversation, but he soon followed through. Free days are rather rare for General Authorities. Their busy schedules often conflict. But finally we did find two such days before winter came. I didn’t learn to paint, but I did learn to love that great man. We sat together, ate lunch together, and talked a great deal. Between brushing away flies, we even did a little painting. During those hours together I learned to appreciate Elder Young as a fine storyteller, a warm companion, a great friend, and a man of God.

The Lubbock Texas Stake youth got a real workout recently at what leaders dubbed the “Stake Youth Health Spa.” They “toned up their muscles with an aerobic workout and used special weight-lifting equipment (hoes, rakes, and shovels) at the South Plains Bank Garden.”
The garden helps provide fresh produce for many needy families in the area. Afterwards, the youth cooled down by “doing laps” in a neighborhood pool. Those involved said they got a spiritual workout as well as a physical one by helping the community.

At this critical point in her life, Minerva had two experiences that took her out of the art world. The first experience crystallized her desire for life with a family—specifically, for life with Herman. In a testimony meeting she was listening to a sister speak on the joys of marriage and motherhood. “I thought of all the men I had met in my search for ‘the right one,’” wrote Minerva later. At that moment, she realized that “back on the Idaho desert, herding his cattle and branding his calves was a man more nearly meant for me than anyone else in the world” (unpublished autobiographical sketch, 1937, transcription from handwritten manuscript). Never one to doubt her own judgment, Minerva returned home to Idaho and married Herman.

In his senior year he finished 15th in the cross-country nationals. Then came the golden indoor season that was to vault him into the aristocracy of the running world. He somehow managed to talk his way into the Sunkist Invitational meet, even though his times really didn’t qualify him for that level of competition. There he went head to head in the two mile with the great Suleiman Nyambui, the University of Texas at El Paso star. Doug had never beaten Nyambui, the silver medalist in the 500 meters at the Moscow Olympics, although as members of the same college athletic conference, the two had competed many times. This time Doug stayed right behind Nyambui throughout the race.
“When Suleiman moved out to take the lead, I stepped right out behind him. I stayed right on his tail. I decided that what I needed to do was surprise him when I went around him. It’s twenty-two laps on the indoor track for two miles. So I said, ‘with two laps to go, I’ll make my move.’ So that’s what I did. I made it right at the top of the turn. I cut a little close, and I just brushed him with my arm, and I think that kind of surprised him. I brushed by him on the outside just as he looked to the inside to see where everybody was. I think he was kind of startled, and by the time he recovered I had six or seven yards on him. And then I just ran like crazy. He never caught me. Indoors the race is often won by the man who makes the first move and doesn’t die. The crowd was amazed that Suleiman could be beaten, especially by me.”
This was a victory that any athlete could treasure for life, even if it was followed by no others, but in this case both Doug and most knowledgeable track people sensed that it marked a great turning point in his career, the beginning of something big, a rite of passage from just another good college runner to something different. Doug was edging into that elite circle of athletes who can be described as “world-class.”

As a young man, Ezra Taft Benson (or “T” as he was called) was an assistant Scoutmaster in Whitney Ward in Whitney, Idaho. One of his duties was to prepare a young men’s choir for a stake competition.
Ezra: Tenors, you’re a little bit flat.
They won and moved on to compete against winning groups from six other stakes. It was a big challenge for a small ward, but T knew how to inspire boys.
Ezra: If you win this competition, I’ll take you on a thirty-five-mile hike over the mountains to Bear Lake.
Scout: Hurray!
Scout: Let’s win it!
They sang their hearts out and finished in first place! A promise is a promise, and they met to plan the hike.
A promise is a promise, and they met to plan the hike.
Scout: Mr. Scoutmaster, I’d like to make a motion. We should all clip our hair off so we won’t be bothered with combs and brushes.
The motion passed, which was all right with T—until another Scout spoke up.
Scout: How about the Scoutmasters?
They all went to the barbershop together.
Barber: I’ll tell you what, T. If you and the Scoutmaster will let me shave you bald, I’ll cut everyone’s hair for free.
Twenty-four short-cropped boys with their bald Scoutmaster and his bald assistants had a wonderful time on the hike.
Ezra Taft Benson stayed in touch with those boys his whole life, inspiring them to make right choices.

When Josh got older, he received the priesthood. He passed the sacrament, and he learned the importance of service. Members of his priesthood quorum learned a dance to an ’80s music video with Josh and performed it at a ward party.
Our ward was wonderful to Josh. Members smiled when he would pass the sacrament while doing a few ’80s dance moves.

President Thomas S. Monson quietly celebrated his 90th birthday in Utah, USA, on August 21. He reiterated a birthday wish he has expressed before, that the best gift he could receive would be for people to “find someone who is having a hard time or is ill or lonely and do something for them.”

Some years ago, I was traveling in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with other Church leaders. We had been driving in complete wilderness when we suddenly hit a big bump in the road. Our driver struggled to steady the truck, but it landed on its side.
After we pulled ourselves from the wrecked truck, we said a prayer of gratefulness that no one was seriously injured. Then we set out on foot to find help. We came to a small village and explained our predicament. The villagers told us that sometimes it was possible to make a call on a cell phone by climbing one of the tall anthills nearby.
We climbed one of the anthills, but there was no signal. We tried again with the same result. Finally, on the eighth or ninth anthill, we were able to detect a small signal by raising the cell phone high in the air. We were able to get help.

When I was a full-time student in England from 1948–1950 at the University of Nottingham, I did not have the good fortune to be a Latter-day Saint. I did not have the understanding of my purpose in life, and of the pattern of progress and effort required to fulfill my purpose. Academically, athletically, and socially, I did reasonably well. Spiritually, I was somewhat lacking, for I had a form of religion without real substance. I had been active in my church all my life, but could not have answered basic doctrinal questions if challenged to do so.
My real progress commenced when I was almost twenty-four years old. I had just graduated with honors in economics and law, and had started my career in industry as a management trainee with a large textiles, chemicals, and plastics company.
Within weeks, Mormon missionaries were led—and I repeat were led—to our door. As a matter of fact, the Lord sent three missionaries to our door. (He knew it might be tough.) Furthermore, my wife informed me they all had the same first name—Elder.
Everyone who has seen the excellent filmstrip in which President Kimball shows us how to be member missionaries knows there are certain circumstances which make friendshipping easier. We were an excellent example of changed circumstances making us more receptive to the gospel message. Not only had I just commenced my first civilian employment, but we had moved into a new home and, to top it all, our second baby had just arrived.
Yes, many of our circumstances in life had changed; but through the missionaries, our whole outlook on life subsequently changed. We were taught the plan of salvation, God’s plan for our eternal progression—God’s plan to help us reach full development, which is true maturity.
Our values changed, and therefore our standards of measurement changed, as we realized the truthfulness of the message the missionaries taught. Our lives started to become fuller and more purposeful, to ripen and mature. That message I declare to you in all solemnity and power. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father, is our personal Savior and Redeemer. He has restored his church and gospel as was prophesied and has once again spoken through holy prophets, beginning with the Prophet Joseph Smith.

I did not live the law of chastity, and because of that decision I conceived a child out of wedlock and ended up placing him for adoption. The consequences of my decisions were hard on me, even though I have now repented and know that my son is in the family he belongs with. If you are living the law of chastity, be pleased with yourself. You’re doing the right thing.
Name Withheld