Gospel Story Finder

My boyhood home was surrounded by alfalfa fields. When I was nine years old, I cleared a small plot on the edge of the fields to plant a garden. In early spring, I planted a single pumpkin seed and cared for it each day, eager for it to sprout. Within days, to my delight, small green leaves pushed through the soil. Over the days and weeks that followed, I marveled at the rapid rate of growth of my small, single pumpkin seed. With divine components of seed, soil, sunlight, and water, my small seed miraculously transformed into multiple vines stretching out in all directions.
A short time later, green bulbs appeared where orange and yellow flowers had just bloomed. And over the course of the summer, the bulbs transformed into large, orange pumpkins. When the harvest arrived, I cut open my pumpkins. I was astonished! Each pumpkin had produced hundreds and hundreds of seeds.
You might be thinking to yourself, “That’s great, but what does this pumpkin seed have to do with me as a young adult?” Well, in observing the seemingly endless supply of seeds from my harvest, I suddenly understood how, with God’s help, the finite (one seed) could be transformed into the infinite and eternal. I saw that “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). I experienced the truth of the scriptural words “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).
Those who know me well know that I still often carry a pumpkin seed in my pocket to remind me of the important life lesson learned: Heavenly Father can take something as small as a seed of love in our lives and transform it into powerful, never-ending, and eternal love and service of God, neighbors, and self.

When my husband and I got married, I quickly learned that we needed to change some of the ways we communicated. The communication styles that had worked in my family were not the same ones my husband had learned, and those differences led to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and a sometimes strained relationship.

My husband and I still have a lot to learn. But as we’ve tried to implement these ideas, we’ve come to understand, respect, and love each other so much more. I know that all our relationships can improve as we learn a healthier, holier, more Christlike way of communicating.

As I came to the age of accountability and understood and experienced the effect of personal sin, the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ gave me the peace and courage to go forward in the knowledge that my sins could be forgiven and that there is always hope and the possibility of mercy for those who fall short.

Sundays are always hard for me at home. I’m the only member of the Church in my house, and my parents and brothers watch TV and listen to their music on the Sabbath. I want to show my love for Heavenly Father by keeping the Sabbath day holy. I’m able to go to my room and read scriptures, listen to Church music, and go on visits with my friends or with the missionaries. I am so grateful to have the Lord’s help to observe the Sabbath day diligently and for the strength He always gives me.
Lais de Jesus M., age 19, Sergipe, Brazil

I recently visited with youth in Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina during their For the Strength of Youth conferences. Thousands and thousands of young men and women spent a week strengthening their love of the Savior and then returned home to their families and friends, radiating the light and love of Christ.

Committee members also give up some of their own celebration time at Christmas and Easter so that, under adult supervision, they can participate in a 24-hour watch. “We do this because these are the days when a lot of people get into accidents or have trouble because they are drinking,” Brother Núñez says. That fact has taught committee members, in a very practical way, the value of living the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89).

In conferences we can receive the word of the Lord meant just for us. One member testified: “As I listened to your address, I was astounded. … Your talk was personal revelation directly from the Lord to my family. I have never experienced such a strong manifestation of the Spirit in my life as those minutes when the Holy Ghost spoke directly to me.”

The young daughter of Donald L. Hallstrom writes in a school paper that she will be with Heavenly Father if she dies.

The growing success of Lucifer’s efforts was emblazoned on my mind when in Salt Lake City I turned my car in front of a pickup truck loaded with attractive young women. Their vehicle then swerved in front of me, cutting dangerously close. The girls vented their displeasure with multiple vulgar comments and obscene gestures. They were dressed predominantly in male attire, yet some had immodest clothing that left little to the imagination. My heart sank. These are daughters of God. I resolved that if I ever had the chance, I would enlist the righteous priesthood of God to help such misguided young women. Brethren, we can and must help them. I fear that much of their plight comes from our own neglect or misdeeds. As a priesthood husband, father, son, or brother, each of us absolutely must help each daughter of God we can to realize what sacred characteristics Father in Heaven has given her. Many are being cheated of the rich, full life and the blessings God would have them receive. Will you help them understand what they are sacrificing as they are led as innocent, blind sheep by those who, for personal gain and self-justification, would rob them of their priceless womanhood? Because it is their nature to give and please others, many women do not realize their intrinsic worth. That loss makes them vulnerable to those who would convince them that their major role is to be physically appealing.

But during these ten years that I have served in the Presidency, I have also experienced much of sorrow. It is out of this experience that I wish to speak a little further. For a full decade now I have participated in the task of sitting in judgment on the worthiness of those who plead to come back into the Church after having been excommunicated. In every case there had been a serious violation of Church standards of conduct. In most cases there had been adultery, and in the majority of cases, husbands were the offenders. Disciplinary action had been taken against them. As months passed they longed for what they previously had. A spirit of repentance came into their hearts.
As one of these men said to me, “I really never understood nor appreciated the gift of the Holy Ghost until it was taken from me.”

Karl Frederick Rytting moved to Utah with his family in 1880. Thirteen years later he returned to Sweden as a missionary and met his old friend Joey, who was then Elder Hoagland.
Karl’s early studies with his grandfather served him well on his mission. On one occasion he was arrested and taken before an archbishop and 12 bishops of the state church. They questioned him until one of the bishops said it was useless to try to catch him, for it was “obvious that he had the Bible memorized.”

Dan was born too early and had to fight for his life. As a result, he is a little shorter than other young men his age. But his determination is gigantic, and so is his sense of humor. When the family watches a funny movie, he laughs so hard that everyone else has to join in. He is faithful in his Aaronic Priesthood duties and is an avid Scouter. He has earned his Chief Scout Award and plans to earn his Queen’s Venturer Award before he turns 16.

Like many new converts, I struggled to live the Word of Wisdom and the law of tithing. Tithing was for me the most difficult. How could I possibly take something away from the little that was just barely enough? The Lord helped me understand how I could do just that by teaching me a wonderful lesson.
As I began to pay tithing, I realized I would have to put my finances in order. I immediately began to budget my money better. I made a list of all my monthly expenses, starting with tithing. I compared the list to my monthly income. To my astonishment, there was enough to live on and even a small amount for savings. I was also surprised to see how much money I had previously spent on alcohol and coffee. The Lord blessed me financially and spiritually as I worked to live His law.

Galina Russell, a volunteer and translator at the Ukrainian Aid Centre shared, “My father was brought up in an orphanage and I know from him how hard it was to live without parents. He often said to me, ‘I survived in the orphanage because of the kindness and donations of many people I never knew.’ Donations from your church reminded me of his words and I couldn’t hold back my tears. Your kindness will be remembered always.”

I heard what I needed to hear in President Monson’s talk about how all doctrine is still for us today. I thought about it, and now I have downloaded his talk so that I can listen to it whenever I feel that Nephi didn’t know what I am going through.
Emma F., Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

In Moscow, Russia, sisters in one Relief Society wanted to focus on strengthening their families and homes by learning basic homemaking skills. They began classes on cooking, sewing, and making their homes lovelier.

Listen to the words of three young women as each had experiences that provided a chance to exercise her faith.

[A video segment was shown in which several young women spoke of events and challenges in their own lives and the effect of those things on their faith.]

Each of these young women had a different kind of experience, but each chose to exercise and increase her faith. Sarah disregarded a feeling that what she was doing was wrong because of her eagerness to learn to drive. After a bad experience, faith gave her the motivation or the courage to evaluate her very frightening experience and make changes. Did you notice that at first she felt unworthy and unloved because she had made an unwise choice? She said she felt kind of worthless. Those feelings are normal after making a mistake, but she wisely evaluated what had happened and why it had happened that way. She reminded herself of her Heavenly Father’s love and what He would have wanted. She learned to listen to parents and acknowledge the feeling of warning. She recognized how she might use this understanding in another situation. This way every experience can become a growth experience. Our Heavenly Father wants us to overcome bad experiences and not remain stuck in our feelings of being unworthy.

“Sister Sorensen was always talking about how the world needs more organ players,” says Emily Holbrook, 17.
Emily decided to learn the organ when Sister Sorensen was tutoring her in math and mentioned she would be teaching the organ. Emily thought it sounded exciting and wanted to learn how to play.

London-born Jack Tyndale-Biscoe, pianist, and Rachel Youngberg Payne, mezzo-soprano, presented a commemorative concert in honour of William Tyndale (1494–1536) at the Guild Church of St. Dunstan-in-the-West on 7 October 2022.
The concert was a celebration of the work and life of William Tyndale, who pioneered the translation of the Bible into English and was a lecturer at St. Dunstan’s. Tyndale was later martyred in Vilvoorde, Belgium on 6 October 1536 for his Protestant beliefs.
“It was Tyndale who gave us beautiful biblical phrases such as, “Let there be light; seek and ye shall find; ask and it shall be given you,” commented Jack as he guided attendees through the concert.
The compositions chosen for the commemorative concert included those with a spiritual content. “’The Mendelssohn Prelude and Fugue’ contains a triumphant hymn-like chorale and was inspired by Martin Luther, another great name of the Reformation,” says Jack.
Led by Rachel and accompanied by Jack, guests were invited to an interactive part of the concert by standing and singing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” This hymn of praise was composed and written by Martin Luther.
“The messages found in Rachel’s vocal pieces from Handel’s Messiah, Gounod’s ‘O Divine Redeemer’ and Rossini’s ‘Agnus Dei’ all point towards the Saviour and connect us to the life, work, and faith of William Tyndale,” says Jack.
Rachel adds, “This was such an incredible gift. Performing beautiful music with a wonderful collaborator to honour the life of someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice to bring the world more of God’s truth was an inspiring experience.”
Concluding the musical tribute to Tyndale, guests were privileged to listen to an original composition of Jack’s entitled, “When the Saviour Comes” to which Rachel sang words of introspective evaluation.
Jack Tyndale-Biscoe and Rachel Youngberg Payne are members of the Church. They consider it “a privilege to be able to share such incredible music as they remember a truly courageous soul in William Tyndale.”

It takes a very long time for the Friend to get to my house because my family lives far away, but I am always glad when it comes. I love to read it because it makes me feel happy!