Gospel Story Finder

“What we do within the four walls of our home is most important to us and to those we can influence for good,” says President Khanakam. “For example, a neighboring couple has been taking the missionary discussions and now permits their son to attend church with us. This has come about because they liked what they saw in us as a family. As a family, as Latter-day Saints everywhere, we can perfect our lives through living the gospel.”

I hated early-morning seminary. I was raised in Boulder, Colorado, and all we had was early-morning seminary. I tried every excuse why I should not go: “Teenagers need their sleep.” “My life is too busy.” “I’m too tired to pay attention, so I don’t get anything out of it.” Nothing worked. Every morning around 5:45, my mom would wake me, push me in the direction of the shower, and get me out the door for seminary.
This was my pattern all four years until the late fall of my senior year. I arrived at seminary, but the teacher had not shown up. A good friend of mine stood up in front of the class and said, “Since the teacher isn’t here, I think we should just take turns reading aloud the assigned reading.”
Someone started reading 2 Nephi 33:10–11: “Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.
“And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.”
As I listened to these words, I thought, “I believe in Christ. If I believe in Him, then these words are true.” As I completed that thought, the Spirit touched me more profoundly. I was so struck by it that I remember looking around the room to see if others were feeling the same thing. They didn’t seem changed or appear as if they were feeling something different. This was a lesson that I was learning privately, just for me. The feeling didn’t go away. I carried it with me for the rest of the day. It was the beginning of a strong testimony for me.
I have often thought about that event and contemplated the act of being diligent. I had been attending seminary reluctantly for almost four years. But because I was diligent and obeying my mother’s desire that I attend, I was taught by the Spirit. If I had been at home in bed sleeping, I would have missed that opportunity. It is often when I least expect it, when I have been diligent day after day, month after month, and year after year attending church, reading the scriptures, or praying that the Spirit whispers to me and confirms the truth of the gospel. I am glad I learned that lesson at 17 while attending early morning seminary.

The man who became one of the Urdu translators was converted to the Church in Pakistan while working as a teacher. As a result of his conversion, he lost his job; he lost his house, which was provided by the school where he taught; and he lost the schooling for his children. A Church translation supervisor approached him about serving as a translator and offered him a modest recompense. After working as a translator for a few months, the man visited with the supervisor and timidly asked if the supervisor would buy him a new ballpoint pen. The one he had been using had run out of ink. Only then did the supervisor discover and fix a clerical error that had resulted in the translator receiving much less than what he should have been paid.

The initial rejections I received in my courtship with Christiane made me a little discouraged. I had just about decided to begin a fruitful career as a young single adult in the Church, but one day I had a special spiritual impression. I was participating in an ordinance in the Swiss Temple when I heard a voice in my heart saying something to this effect: “Erich, if you do not seriously strive to marry and enter into the new and everlasting covenant, all these teachings and promised blessings really make no difference for you.” It was a wake-up call that I received at the young age of 21, and from that moment I tried even harder to be worthy of that blessing.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Randall K. Bennett of the Seventy read a citation, or proclamation, from the governor of New York in December 2020. The citation recognized the bicentennial anniversary of the First Vision and the beginnings of the Church in New York.

For years, Gladys and Dionisio Aguilera of Asunción had seen LDS missionaries around town and had wondered who they were and what they were doing. “They never knocked on our door,” Gladys says, “but we wished they would.”
“I told my wife we should help them, because they were very hardworking and were sacrificing for the people of our country,” says Dionisio, an auto mechanic. “Finally, we went after them; they didn’t come after us!”
They invited two North American sister missionaries to their home—and were baptized a few weeks later, in July 1991. Within another couple of weeks, Dionisio and Gladys were the Young Men and Young Women presidents in the Anahí Branch.
“We had been married twelve years and were happy,” Gladys says. “But we always felt we were missing something. After we were baptized, we started seeing new things in our lives, things we had never seen before.” For example, they remember the awe they felt the first time they fasted—and tasted a spirit they had never known before. And they tell of a blessing that healed one of their sons.
“Now our happiness feels complete,” says Sister Aguilera. They are preparing their sons, Eduardo, 9, and David, 7, to serve missions. A new LDS meetinghouse has been built just a block from their home. “I’m not content with the testimony I had at my baptism,” she says. “I am seeing it grow every day.”

“Laugh at yourself and keep trying” might have been the motto of young Heber J. Grant. His friends thought that he was too little and weak to play baseball, but he saved his money and bought his own ball. Then he practiced many hours and became a much better player. One day, he helped his team win the championship! His uncle challenged Heber and his cousin to read the Book of Mormon and offered a prize to the first one to complete it. Heber knew that if he read fast, he would not understand it, so he read slowly and still finished first!

An example of what has taken place is found in the Boise, Idaho, multiregion where the essential cooperative and coordinating process which forms the basis for the council concept has been operating for the past year. We have witnessed a dramatic increase in local welfare self-sufficiency. They have increased the number of locally grown products from seven to twenty-six, a threefold increase; they have increased the number of locally canned products from three to eleven; and have almost eliminated the cash assessment. It has been reduced from $76,000 to less than $3,000. Furthermore, the 1980 plans call for producing eighteen additional items. This means they will be producing the forty-four basic food products contained on the bishop’s order.

In addition, they anticipate significant increases in the integration of the flow of products between farms. For example, a dairy operation in the welfare program will buy its hay from another welfare farm which produced the hay. Over time, this means they will be selling fewer items on the open market and using more of what they produce within the storehouse resource system. All of this has happened because priesthood leaders in the Boise area caught the vision of what could be done and then developed a plan with the assistance of temporal officers. Plans were then carried out, resulting in substantial progress toward desired self-sufficiency.

A humanitarian project by the Norwich England Stake came to the rescue of the Ukrainian Aid Centre in East Dereham.
The project involved assisting Ukrainian families and orphaned children with two major appeals in November 2023. First, to help 20 Ukrainian families with essential items needed in their homes. Second, the Ukrainian Aid Centre was appealing to the public to collect items for an orphanage in Ukraine needing warm winter clothing, which would bring Christmas comfort and joy to those children in need.
The project value was £8.5K and the money was used to buy the following items: 10 king size beds and mattresses, 6 single beds and mattresses, 20 pillows, 20 vacuum cleaners, 10 irons, 10 ironing boards, 20 liquidisers, 20 slow cookers, 20 microwaves, 20 blenders, 20 kettles, 20 stockpot pans, 10 toasters, 10 hair dryers, 10 clothes airers, 10 hand mixers and 10 food mixers.
For the orphanage, the following items were bought: 40 pyjama sets, 27 neck warmers, 10 hats, 100 pairs of socks, 30 pairs of gloves, and some stationery.
Ian Odgers is co-founder of the Dereham Ukraine Aid Centre and chairman of the trustees, and he works alongside 23 volunteers at the centre.
He stated, “The centre has been supporting Ukrainian families since the sixth May 2022. We are working with families that are wanting to move into their own accommodation; the donations will help enormously for those wanting to make a house a home. The donations for the orphanage will make the children both young and old know that someone, somewhere cares. I can’t thank the Church enough for helping us to help make a difference.”
Members of the Norwich Stake continue forging friendships and links to the Ukrainian Aid Centre, offering service and donations to support those in need. Nuno Côrte-Real, communications director for the Church in Norfolk, said, “In the spirit of fulfilling the divine mandate of loving God and our neighbours, we all feel deeply grateful for the joyful privilege of blessing and helping those in need.”

“My father was strict but had a big heart,” Elder Ringger said. “He was a great teacher and a wonderful example. Whenever we left for vacation on Monday, we always came home by Saturday so that we could carry our Church assignments.

You must be a man of patience, willing to listen and striving to understand. You are the only one to whom some can turn. You must be there when every other source has failed. Permit me to read you a few lines from a letter sent to a bishop.

“Dear Bishop:
“It has been almost two years since I desperately called you asking for help. At that time I was ready to kill myself. I had no one else to turn to—no money, no job, no friends. My house had been taken, and I had no place to live. The Church was my last hope.
“As you know, I had left the Church at the age of 17 and had broken just about every rule and commandment that there was in my search for happiness and fulfillment. Instead of happiness, my life was filled with misery, anguish, and despair. There was no hope or future for me. I even pleaded with God to let me die, to take me out of my misery. Not even He wanted me. I felt that He had rejected me, too.
“That’s when I turned to you and the Church. …
“You listened with understanding, you counseled, you guided, you helped.
“I began to grow and develop in understanding and knowledge of the gospel. I found that I had to make certain basic changes in my life that were terribly difficult, but that within me I had the worth and strength to do so.
“I learned that as I lived the gospel and repented, I had no more fear. I was filled with an inner peace. The clouds of anguish and despair were gone. Because of the Atonement, my weaknesses and sins were forgiven through Jesus Christ and His love for me.
“He has blessed and strengthened me. He has opened pathways for me, given me direction, and kept me from harm. I have found that as I overcame each obstacle, my business began to grow, enabling my family to benefit and making me feel as though I had accomplished something.
“Bishop, you have given me understanding and support through these past two years. I never would have reached this point if not for your love and patience. Thank you for being what you are as the servant of the Lord to help me, His wandering child.”

Yushin is grateful that his parents Pete and Michelle are both returned missionaries. He grew up hearing stories of the wonderful mission experiences of his parents and he developed the desire to serve a mission at an early age.

The same decade that saw two Mormon elders killed by a mob at Cane Creek, Tennessee, also witnessed the publication of the first fair-minded history of our people by a reputable non-Mormon scholar. Hubert Howe Bancroft, for whom the famous Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley is named, wanted to write histories of many western states, including Utah. Therefore, he and his assistants spent years collecting mountains of information about the West, including detailed accounts of Utah history from our Church historians. In 1889, Bancroft’s History of Utah appeared. It has been judged “probably the best and least biased history of Utah written during the nineteenth century,” and in some ways served as an apologia and defense of the Saints.15

“This is a video of my great-granddaughter learning to walk. Those of us who were once in her position occasionally stumbled and fell before we completely figured things out too.
“However, for many of us, when we fell, loving parents were there to encourage us to keep learning because they wanted us to grow and become the people they know we could become. In the same way, our merciful Father in Heaven knows we will fail more than once.
“Our mistakes and shortcomings will sometimes cause us regret or pain. This is part of our mortal experience—often the consequences of our choices. But if we refuse to let our shortcomings discourage us, these mistakes can be a great teacher. Failing to always live up to the best version of ourselves is not a sign of being defective—it’s a sign of being part of the human family. Failure is the price we have to pay to get better.
“Yes, we will make mistakes. But when we fall, we can get up again, because we know that God is there to help us, wherever and whenever that may be. He is our mentor, our teacher, our healer, our strength, our Savior.
“So, wherever you are in life, do not give up. Never lose hope! Be assured, you are never alone. God is with you. Jesus Christ is your strength. I learned in my life that there are many new beginnings, even daily new beginnings. The gospel of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and our willingness to go the path of repentance and forgiveness open up the doors to these new beginnings.
“Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our mistakes will help us learn and grow into better versions of ourselves.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Facebook, Feb. 27, 2023, facebook.com/dieterf.uchtdorf.

When Elder M. Russell Ballard was growing up, his dad owned a peach orchard and kept honeybees. Russell didn’t always like going near the bees with his dad. But years later Russell learned things about honeybees that he thought were really awesome.
Russell was amazed at how much honeybees can get done when they work together. He learned that each bee does only a small part. They have to go to millions of flowers to get even a little honey for their hive, which is like their family. When all of those bees do their best, they help the hive grow.
Russell learned that, like the busy bees, we all need to work together and help each other. We might feel like we only do a little bit to help, but together those little things can make a big difference.

Yes, you may have many humorous experiences on your mission, but those experiences which will be the most joyful and rewarding to you, and which will be with you throughout eternity, will be the times when the Spirit will work through you to touch the lives of others, such as Sister Ciardo from Sardinia, Italy, who joined the Church and came to Scotland on a mission. As Sister Ciardo left for her mission, her mother would hardly speak to her and her father said she would never be welcome back home again. But the faith of this young lady brought forth a miracle.
Approximately a year after Sister Ciardo had been on her mission, she came to see me one day with tears running down her face. She had a letter in hand from her mother. I, too, had tears come to my eyes as I read the letter telling her daughter she had been baptized and that her father was attending church and was going to listen to the discussions.

As members of the Church, we are invited often to sustain people in callings to serve. Years ago an 18-year-old student showed me what it means to sustain the Lord’s servants. I am still blessed by his humble example.
He had just begun his first year in college. He was baptized less than a year before he left home to begin his studies at a large university. There I served as his bishop.
As the school year began, I had a brief interview with him in the bishop’s office. I remember little of that first conversation except that he spoke of his challenges in a new place, but I will never forget our second conversation.
He asked to see me in my office. I was surprised when he said, “Could we pray together, and may I be voice?” I was about to say that I had already prayed and expected that he had as well. Instead I agreed.
He began his prayer with a testimony that he knew the bishop was called of God. He asked God to tell me what he should do in a matter of great spiritual consequence. The young man told God he was sure the bishop already knew his needs and would be given the counsel he needed to hear.
As he spoke, the specific dangers he would face came to my mind. The counsel was simple but given in great clarity: pray always, obey the commandments, and have no fear.
That young man, one year in the Church, taught by example what God can do with a leader as he is sustained by the faith and prayers of those he is called to lead. That young man demonstrated for me the power of the law of common consent in the Church (see D&C 26:2). Even though the Lord calls His servants by revelation, they can function only after being sustained by those they are called to serve.

A dear sister wrote to me of an experience she had decades ago: “As a 17-year-old … , I found myself pregnant with little to no support from my boyfriend. I felt ashamed and alone [but I] never considered [an abortion]. … I [had] my loving family and my bishop, with whom I met regularly for guidance. … I turned to God. I studied the scriptures … and prayed [and] found strength through my Savior and the repentance process. … I received an answer [to my prayers] that I could not deny. … It was heartbreaking, but I knew I would be placing my daughter for adoption. … I prayed for courage [and] felt the Savior’s love so clearly through repentance, I know that God … answers prayers and strengthens us.”

A loving couple adopted the precious baby girl and taught her the gospel. She is now married with a beautiful family of her own.

In his biography on Ralph Waldo Emerson, Van Wyck Brooks relates that Emerson was invited to speak at the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the great poet Shakespeare’s birth. After proper introduction Emerson presented himself at the pulpit and then sat down. He had forgotten his notes. He preferred to say nothing rather than words not well measured. For some, it was Emerson in one of his most eloquent hours.4

Elder Alan and Sister Sheri Erickson, serving in the Liberia Monrovia Mission, enjoyed an inspiring “Light the World” event with the members of the Buchanan 2nd Branch.
For several weeks the sweet Relief Society president, Sister Nagbe, felt inspired to invite the sisters to participate in what she called an “outreach”. Instead of having an end-of-year social for Relief Society, she thought a better use of energy and time would be to invite others throughout the community to come and see.
Elder and Sister Erickson provided 100 “He Is Risen” pass-along cards to be handed out by the Relief Society sisters as invitations to people in the community.
On Dec. 9, one week after the branch moved into its beautiful new meetinghouse, eight sisters excitedly arrived at the church.
Aren’t these sisters beautiful standing outside the front of the new meetinghouse! Relief Society president, Sister Nagbe is in front in the yellow shirt. The sister in orange, Sarah, was baptized the previous Saturday. The sister in rust and white, Sophie, was the most eager and enthused. She is waiting to get married so she can get baptized.
They divided up the pass-along cards and wrote the location and time for Sunday services on the back of each. Then they headed out in groups of two or three to invite people. Some also carried copies of The Book of Mormon.
They had decided upon a target community, but on their way there, they couldn’t wait to start sharing the cards. Soon the idea formed to record the names and contact numbers of those they met.
A usual greeting went something like this:
“Good morning! We are from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We want to invite you to service on Sunday at our new building on God Bless You Hill, next to the auto parts. You are most welcome.”
Almost every person greeted was happy to give their name and number, resulting in a list of 77 names and about 70 numbers (some people did not have a contact number.)
Every card was passed out and a few copies of The Book of Mormon as well, all before 1 p.m. Several of the sisters decided to call those they had met to remind, encourage, and invite them again to come and see.
It was amazing! A true wonder and marvel! All the sisters who came felt so enthusiastic about sharing the gospel. They said:
“We want to do this the last Friday of every month! Soon we’ll be many branches, even a stake!”
With that kind of vision and enthusiasm we don’t doubt but that it will come true.