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The Blessings of Focusing on the Temple

The Rodriguez family has gained a personal testimony of temple covenants by doing vicarious ordinances for their own relatives. Ruth describes performing work for her aunts and uncles and feeling profound peace. Richard testifies of his love for temple work and its central place in their lives.
Through sacred, personal experiences, the Rodriguez family has gained a powerful, personalized testimony of temple covenants and of performing vicarious work for ancestors.
β€œWe have performed the work for my uncles and aunts, siblings of my father,” Ruth says. β€œWe have felt that we should do the work for our family ourselves. I know the vicarious work we do is true. I feel great peace in the work we have been able to do for our ancestors. This has been a most special work.”
Richard testifies, β€œI love doing temple work for those who are waiting. This is the work of our whole lives. This is what we want to do.”
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πŸ‘€ Church Members (General) πŸ‘€ Parents πŸ‘€ Other
Baptisms for the Dead Covenant Family Family History Ordinances Peace Temples Testimony

Keeping Faith Afloat

Tasiana, her daughter Emtalyn, and their family of 12 are preparing to travel over 2,100 miles to the Manila Philippines Temple to be sealed, a lifelong goal due to distance and cost. As they discuss this long-anticipated trip in seminary, other students feel inspired to make temple sealing their own goal.
Sometimes, however, boats aren’t necessary. In one village on the island, for example, Sammyo L., Vanessa W., Desleen L., Carleen M., Emtalyn W., and Jemi A. simply walk to the meetinghouse, where Emtalyn’s mother, Tasiana, teaches seminary. One topic that comes up often in class is the temple.

Tasiana, Emtalyn, and their family of 12 are preparing to go to the temple to be sealed. Because their assigned temple is more than 2,100 miles (3,380 km) away in the Philippines and transportation is expensive, going there has been a lifelong goal. As they talk in seminary about their dream that’s about to come true, the other students reflect on how they’ve made it their own goal to be sealed in the house of the Lord someday.
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πŸ‘€ Parents πŸ‘€ Youth πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Covenant Family Ordinances Sealing Teaching the Gospel Temples

The Mormon Battalion

At Fort Leavenworth the battalion received supplies and pay, and their literacy impressed the paymaster. Parley P. Pratt collected part of the pay to support families, the poor, and apostolic missions. Amid heat and illness, Colonel Allen fell gravely ill and later died.
They first marched to Fort Leavenworth (in present-day Kansas), where they were given supplies, guns, and forty-two dollars each for clothing. Every soldier was able to sign his own name on the payroll, which impressed the paymasterβ€”only a third of the previous recruits had been able to do so. Parley P. Pratt collected part of the Mormon soldiers’ pay to help support their families and the poor still in Nauvoo. The money was also used to help Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, and Orson Hyde on their mission to England.
The Mormon Battalion stayed at Fort Leavenworth for two weeks. The days were extremely hot, and many of the men were ill with fevers. Colonel Allen was gravely ill and did not go with them when they left for Santa Fe. Later, they learned that he had died.
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πŸ‘€ Pioneers πŸ‘€ Early Saints πŸ‘€ Other
Adversity Apostle Charity Death Family Health Missionary Work Sacrifice Service War

β€œMore Purpose in Prayer”

In the Kitchener Stake in Ontario, some visiting teachers pray daily by name for the sisters they teach. One sister reports that this practice changed her feelings and opened her heart and mind to the Spirit, helping her discern the sisters' needs.
Even the simplest prayer can be specific. We can thank our Father in Heaven for specific ways we have been blessed each day. We can seek help regarding each of our children. We can pray for help in our Church callings and for strength to overcome weaknesses and sin. In the Kitchener Stake in Ontario, Canada, for example, some visiting teachers remember by name each of the sisters they teach in their daily personal prayers. One sister reports: β€œI have seen some wonderful changes in my feelings for those I visit. Through prayer, my heart and thoughts are open to the Spirit and to inspiration about the needs of the sisters I teach.”
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πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Children Gratitude Holy Ghost Ministering Prayer Relief Society Revelation Service

Hi, Friends!

When Spencer’s baby sister cries, he brings her special blanket. He does this to help her feel better.
When Spencer’s baby sister cries, he gets her special blanket to help her feel better.
Spencer, age 4, Utah, USA
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πŸ‘€ Children πŸ‘€ Other
Children Family Kindness Service

Elder Ronald A. Rasband Returns for Nine-Day Apostolic Ministry

The Loneza family prepared for a devotional by learning about apostles during family home evening. On the day of the event, Marisol was hospitalized but watched the livestream from her bed while her husband cared for their children. She and her husband felt comforted, and she felt healed as Elder Rasband’s message touched her heart.
To prepare for the devotional, the Loneza family utilized the Meet the Apostle feature of the Gospel Library app during family home evening. After having a fun activity learning about modern-day apostles, β€œwe asked our sons Lou Fredrich and Lourd Frincerich to show us an apostle they knew,” Sister Marisol Loneza describes, β€œand they browsed through the computer screen and pointed to Elder Rasband’s picture.”
Sadly, Marisol had to be hospitalized on the day of the devotional due to breathing problems, and her husband Rico had to leave their children with relatives. But, still desiring to hear the words of the Lord’s representative, Sister Loneza watched the livestream of the devotional using her smartphoneβ€”and from her hospital bed.
β€œHis words were a great comfort to me and my husband,” Sister Loneza states, β€œand I felt I was healed as his message sank into my heart.” As Elder Rasband restated the three things the Lord would want His children to feel (I love you, I thank you, and I need you), Sister Loneza felt an affirming, transforming power: β€œTruly, the message of the Lord has power to heal a wounded soul.”
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πŸ‘€ Parents πŸ‘€ Children πŸ‘€ General Authorities (Modern) πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Apostle Faith Family Family Home Evening Health Miracles

Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit

As a young woman at youth conference, the speaker sang "The Spirit of God" before a testimony meeting and felt the Spirit from the opening notes. By the time they sang about latter-day glory, she knew the lyrics were true. This experience confirmed the restored gospel to her.
As a young woman attending youth conference, I felt the Spirit bear witness to me of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. In preparation for a testimony meeting, we sang β€œThe Spirit of God.” Now, I had sung that hymn many times before in sacrament meetings. But on this occasion, from nearly the opening note, I felt the Spirit. By the time we sang, β€œThe latter-day glory begins to come forth,” I knew that these were more than nice lyrics; they were beautiful truths.
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πŸ‘€ Youth
Holy Ghost Music Testimony The Restoration Young Women

Give Thanks in All Things

At a ward chapel dedication in the Philippines, a bishop shared how the gospel changed his life over the past decade. He said it rescued him from selfish and abusive habits and helped him become a good husband and father. He also testified of the blessings he received from paying tithing.
In the past eight months in the Philippines, I have heard many testimonies of the blessings of the gospel. Speaking at the dedication of his ward chapel, a Filipino bishop expressed his gratitude for the gospel message that came into his life about 10 years ago. He described how it rescued him from a life of selfishness, excess, and abusive practices and made him a good husband and father. He testified of the blessings that had come to him from paying his tithing.
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πŸ‘€ Church Leaders (Local) πŸ‘€ Parents
Abuse Bishop Conversion Faith Family Gratitude Marriage Parenting Repentance Testimony Tithing

Out of the Best Books:Summer Reading Fun

Jannie dislikes recess and feels left out while others brag. A reclusive 'mad hermit' hires her to tame a pony for his grandson. Jannie knows nothing about horses, and the grandson doesn’t want the pony, creating a challenge.
The Snow Pony Jannie hated recess. Marigold bragged about her boyfriend, and Jannie was either left out or laughed at. Then the β€œmad hermit of Winterfield” hired her to tame a pony for his grandson. But Jannie didn’t know anything about horsesβ€”and the grandson didn’t want it.Anne Eliot Crompton9–13 years
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πŸ‘€ Children πŸ‘€ Other
Adversity Children Employment Friendship

Feed My Sheep

During World War II service, the speaker shared the gospel in Japan despite not being on a formal mission. He and another member baptized Tatsui Sato and his wife, Chio, reopening the work in Japan. They performed the baptisms in a bomb-damaged university swimming pool and later exchanged tearful farewells at the train station.
I did not serve a regular mission until we were called to preside in New England. When I was of missionary age, when I was your age, young men could not be called to the mission field. It was World War II, and I spent four years in the military. But I did do missionary work; we did share the gospel. It was my privilege to baptize one of the first two Japanese to join the Church after the mission had been closed twenty-two years earlier. Brother Elliot Richards baptized Tatsui Sato. I baptized his wife, Chio. And the work in Japan was reopened. We baptized them in a swimming pool amid the rubble of a university that had been destroyed by bombs.
Shortly thereafter I boarded a train in Osaka for Yokohama and a ship that would take me home. Brother and Sister Sato came to the station to say good-bye. Many tears were shed as we bade one another farewell.
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πŸ‘€ General Authorities (Modern) πŸ‘€ Missionaries πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Adversity Baptism Conversion Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Missionary Work War

Biking Prayer

While biking with their dad, a child became sick and asked their dad to pray. Afterwards, they found a woman who offered shade, water, and a phone to call the child's mom, who came to pick them up. The child rested at home and soon felt better, expressing gratitude for Heavenly Father's help.
I was biking with my dad when I got sick. I felt awful. It was too far to ride home, so we sat down on the sidewalk and I asked Dad to say a prayer for me. Then we walked down the street and found a lady who gave me a chair in the shade and a glass of water. She let us call my mom on her phone, and Mom came and picked me up. Once I got home I rested for a while and felt fine. I am thankful that Heavenly Father answered our prayer and helped us.
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πŸ‘€ Children πŸ‘€ Parents πŸ‘€ Other
Children Faith Family Gratitude Health Kindness Miracles Prayer

The Covenant of the Priesthood

President Lee related an incident where a stranger asked President David O. McKay if he was a prophet. President McKay replied, inviting the man to look into his face to discern the answer. The implication is that prophetic authority can be spiritually recognized.
I believe that is true. I think that men and boys who magnify their callings in the priesthood have a change wrought in their bodies. This morning while President Lee was talking in the welfare meeting, he told about someone, some stranger, who saw President McKay and said to him, β€œAre you a prophet of God?” President McKay’s answer was, β€œYou look into my face and get the answer.”
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πŸ‘€ General Authorities (Modern) πŸ‘€ Other
Apostle Priesthood Stewardship Testimony Young Men

The Savior Had Not Forgotten Me

After baptism, two elders confirmed the narrator. As their hands touched his head, he vividly recalled the spiritual experience from 20 years earlier and felt something precious restored to his memory. He was overwhelmed to realize the Savior had not forgotten him.
But then I said under my breath, β€œWhat’s the point? There is no such person named Jesus Christ anyway.” Immediately a voice came into my head and said to me, β€œThere is, and you will serve me one day.” The voice seemed so natural, as if a friend were talking to me. The years went by, however, and I forgot about the experience.
I made the commitment to be baptized a week after finishing the discussions. After my baptism, Elder Ross and Elder Fullerger laid their hands on my head to give me the gift of the Holy Ghost. As soon as their hands touched my head, my experience with the Spirit 20 years before came back to me. Something precious that had been preserved within meβ€”but had been suppressed by all the mistakes I had made in lifeβ€”was spiritually reunited with my memory. I was overwhelmed to think that I meant so much to the Savior that He had not forgotten me.
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πŸ‘€ Jesus Christ πŸ‘€ Missionaries πŸ‘€ Other
Baptism Conversion Holy Ghost Jesus Christ Missionary Work Revelation Testimony

The Small and Simple Invitation

A shy young person at their first school dance notices a boy standing alone and feels prompted to invite him to join their group. With a friend's help, they invite him, and after some hesitation, he begins dancing impressively, drawing a supportive crowd. The narrator realizes their small act of kindness led to a joyful outcome and recognizes the Holy Ghost's guidance.
At my first school dance, I felt awkward and out of place until I joined a group of friends on the dance floor and started having fun. Then I noticed a boy I knew standing by himself in a corner. He was shy and a little different, so people avoided him. I felt prompted to invite him to dance with us, but I was shy too. Then I remembered how I’d felt at the beginning of the dance.

I asked one of my friends to come with me, and we went to ask the boy to dance with our group. He seemed unsure and said, β€œI don’t know if I can really keep a beat.” We replied with a laugh that we couldn’t either. He slowly nodded and followed us.

For a few minutes, we were dancing while the boy just stood there. I was starting to doubt whether I’d done the right thing. But then a new song came on, and he smiled. β€œThis is a good one,” he said, starting to dance. He was really good! Other people began to notice. Then the boy started break dancing! It was amazing! Soon a whole circle of people stood around him, clapping and smiling. My friend leaned over to me and said, β€œLook what you started.” I grinned and knew we did the right thing. Like Alma 37:6 says, β€œBy small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” I am grateful that I had the Holy Ghost as my companion that night.
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πŸ‘€ Youth πŸ‘€ Friends
Book of Mormon Courage Friendship Holy Ghost Judging Others Kindness

Big Blowup Turnout

Two elders in Moses Lake spent a week helping nonmembers clean ash from their homes. When asked about payment, they explained they charged nothing and used the opportunity to speak about the gospel. They cleaned twelve homes while sharing their message.
Two elders in the Moses Lake area used an β€œash approach” while spending the entire week helping nonmembers sweep ash from their homes. β€œWe looked at the cleanup we did as missionary work,” said Elder Greg Bluth who with Elder Michael Ostler helped clean the ash from twelve homes. β€œPeople found out we were missionaries when they asked how much we charged, and we told them nothing. We talked about the gospel as much as possible.”
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πŸ‘€ Missionaries πŸ‘€ Other
Charity Kindness Missionary Work Service

Scoring a Touchdown with Service

Rathen reflects on visiting Camp Tatiyee and realizing how blessed he is. The men and women at the camp exemplified facing life’s challenges with love and positivity. This helped him prepare for his mission by focusing on being happy and learning from trials with a good attitude.
Rathen: Going to Camp Tatiyee gave me the chance to reflect on the many gifts I have been given from my Heavenly Father. I had never really thought about how blessed we truly are in our lives. The men and women at Camp Tatiyee were great examples to me of how to take on the challenges of life and truly love it.
In preparing for my mission, this experience has helped me see what is truly importantβ€”to be happy and positive about every opportunity, even in the midst of trials. We can all learn from our trials if we face them with a good attitude and a smile on our face.
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πŸ‘€ Youth πŸ‘€ Church Members (General) πŸ‘€ Other
Adversity Faith Gratitude Happiness Missionary Work

Covenants with God Strengthen, Protect, and Prepare Us for Eternal Glory

The speaker recalls rappelling with young women and being the first to descend when she suddenly began falling uncontrollably. The belayer was pulled toward the cliff but wedged his feet and painstakingly lowered her by hand while another friend below was ready to catch her. She prayed as she dangled, and her friends’ efforts safely brought her to the ground. The experience illustrates reliance on a trustworthy anchor and partner.
Have you ever stood on a high cliff with your toes on its edge and your back to the abyss below? In rappelling, even though you are securely connected to a system of strong ropes and equipment that can deliver you to safety, standing on the edge is still heart-racing. Stepping backward off the cliff and swinging into thin air requires trust in an anchor secured to an immovable object. It demands trust in the person who will apply tension to the rope as you descend. And although the equipment provides you with some ability to control your descent, you must have confidence that your partner will not allow you to fall.
I vividly remember rappelling with a group of young women. I was first in the group to go. As I stepped backwards off the cliff, I began to fall without control. Gratefully, the rope jerked and my too-rapid descent was stopped. As I dangled halfway down the jagged rock face, I prayed fervently for whomever or whatever was keeping me from dropping onto the rocks.
Later, I learned that the anchor bolt had not been securely set, and as I stepped off the edge, the person belaying me was jerked on his back and pulled towards the edge of the cliff. Somehow, he wedged his feet against some rocks. Stabilized in that position, he was able to laboriously lower me, hand over hand, with the rope. Although I couldn’t see him, I knew he was working with all his strength to save me. Another friend was at the bottom of the cliff, prepared to catch me if the rope ceased to hold. As I came within reach, he caught my harness and lowered me to the ground.
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πŸ‘€ Youth πŸ‘€ Friends πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Adversity Courage Faith Friendship Gratitude Prayer Service

β€œAs I Have Loved You”

The narrator had a roommate who seemed annoyed by her, leading the narrator to withhold love in return. Remembering a bishop’s counsel that serving others increases love, she chose to serve her roommate through small acts of kindness. Almost immediately, her feelings changed, and she came to genuinely love and appreciate her roommate.
I once had a roommate who was a lovely person, but almost everything I did seemed to annoy her. I thought, β€œHow could I possibly annoy her? I am so easy to live with. Right?”
Because she wasn’t very fond of me, I used that as an excuse not to love her either. Fortunately, I recalled the advice a bishop had given during a sacrament meeting while I was in college. I vividly remember his counsel: β€œIf you don’t love someone very much, you probably haven’t served that person enough. If you serve a person, you will love that person.”
After thinking about the advice of my bishop, I decided that I needed to serve this roommate and put the bishop’s counsel to the test. I began looking for little ways to help my roommate, show kindness to her, and be more responsive to what she needed and wanted.
Then almost immediately a miracle happened! I learned that I really did love her. She was a wonderful, talented person. It was a blessing for me to share an apartment with her. I was amazed how my view of her changed in such a short time.
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πŸ‘€ Church Leaders (Local) πŸ‘€ Young Adults πŸ‘€ Other
Bishop Friendship Judging Others Kindness Love Ministering Miracles Service

He Hears

A ward member named Travis, who had suffered brain damage as a child, offered a closing prayer in Sunday School. Though his words were garbled and initially prompted the narrator to feel like laughing, the narrator was moved to tears. She realized that even if humans could not understand, Heavenly Father heard and understood Travis perfectly. She concluded she could understand his prayer with her heart.
We bowed our heads as Travis said the closing prayer in our Sunday School class.
I had only lived in the ward for a few months, so I did not know much about Travis. I eventually became aware of his slurred speech and slightly awkward walk. From what I understood, he had been hit by a car when he was a small child. As a result, he had suffered some permanent brain damage.
From my first day in the ward, Travis had always been kind to me. He was happy, outgoing, and sincere. He never hesitated to strike up a conversation with me. Because his speech was sometimes slurred, I found it difficult to understand him at first. But gradually I became a better listener, and conversation became easier. However, every once in a while, Travis’s speech was nearly impossible to understand.
This was the case one day as he began to say the prayer. His words were garbled and incomprehensible. I felt a giggle swell up inside me. I sensed a chorus of laughter about to erupt from my classmates. It seemed hilarious that we couldn’t understand the prayer.
But the inclination to laugh suddenly ceased. Instead I felt tears pushing on my closed eyelids. I still could not understand Travis’s prayer, but I realized Heavenly Father did. Heavenly Father heard each word with perfect clarity. Travis knew this. He knew Heavenly Father understood his prayer. Travis prayed with sincerity and, I believe, a knowledge that he was in communication with God. Then I knew I could not understand Travis’s prayer with my ears, but I could with my heart.
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πŸ‘€ Church Members (General)
Disabilities Faith Judging Others Kindness Prayer Reverence

Introduction to the Proclamation

Church leaders traveled by jet from Salt Lake City to the Whitmer farmhouse to commemorate the Church’s beginnings. On that Easter morning, at the restored site, they announced their intent to issue a proclamation and assigned Elder Gordon B. Hinckley to read it to the world.
My dear brothers and sisters, it is a deeply moving and wonderful experience to stand here today where the Prophet Joseph Smith stood 150 years ago. We came here last night by jet airplane from Salt Lake City. We made the trip in a matter of a half-dozen hours, flying eastward over the broad expanse of this beautiful land where long ago our forebears painfully traveled westward in search of a place where they could be free of persecution and could worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.

We are here, this lovely Easter morning, in the reconstructed farmhouse of Peter Whitmer, Sr. It has been faithfully restored for this occasion to bring to us anew the recollection of the all-important and significant event which occurred here a century and a half ago. In the years to come, it will be visited by good people from over the earth who will wish to stand where I stand today.

Now, my brothers and sisters, with the future before us, and sensing deeply the responsibilities and divine mission of the restored Church on this sacred occasion, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declare to the world a proclamation. We have felt it appropriate to issue this statement from here, where the Church began. Accordingly, I shall ask Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to speak in my behalf and in behalf of my brethren, to read this proclamation to you and to the world.
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πŸ‘€ General Authorities (Modern)
Adversity Apostle Easter Joseph Smith Religious Freedom The Restoration