Church Handbooks—the Written Order of Things
Elder Rafael E. Pino recounted that his son became frustrated assembling a jigsaw puzzle. The boy succeeded once he realized each piece had a specific place in the final picture. The story illustrates how seeing the big picture enables effective action.
During general conference in April 2015, Elder Rafael E. Pino of the Seventy related the story of how one of his sons became frustrated while putting together a jigsaw puzzle. “He finally learned to do the puzzle,” Elder Pino recalled, “when he understood that each small piece had its place in the final picture.”18
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Parents
👤 Children
Children
Family
Parenting
Patience
The Time Shall Come
In 1898, Wilford Woodruff recounted attending an 1834 priesthood meeting in a small Kirtland schoolhouse where the Prophet asked the elders to bear testimony. After they spoke, the Prophet declared that although the group was small, the Church would fill North and South America and the world. This account highlights the bold prophetic vision for the Church’s destiny.
In 1898, President Wilford Woodruff recounted an experience he had as a new member in 1834 at a priesthood meeting in Kirtland. He related: “The Prophet called on all who held the Priesthood to gather into the little log school house they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet [4.3 m] square. … When we got together the Prophet called upon the Elders of Israel … to bear testimony of this work. … When they got through the Prophet said, ‘Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it. … It is only a little handfull of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world.’”4
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Joseph Smith
👤 Church Members (General)
Joseph Smith
Priesthood
Revelation
Testimony
The Restoration
Stowaway
A narrator slips away across yards and fences, through corn and into the woods to a favorite hidden place. Following a winding path, they reach the center of the woods and climb a tree as high as possible. From the top, they sit and look over the world below, finding solitude and perspective.
Across the yard and over the fence
and through the corn grown green,
another fence and into the woods
and at last I can’t be seen.
Down a winding wild flower path
with the thistles growing tall,
I reach the center of the wood—
my favorite spot of all.
I climb a tree, branch by branch,
just as high as I can go,
and there I sit
and look around
at all the world below.
and through the corn grown green,
another fence and into the woods
and at last I can’t be seen.
Down a winding wild flower path
with the thistles growing tall,
I reach the center of the wood—
my favorite spot of all.
I climb a tree, branch by branch,
just as high as I can go,
and there I sit
and look around
at all the world below.
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👤 Other
Children
Creation
“I Can’t Go Back to My Church”
Following his baptism in 2009, he became very active and began visiting his friend with the missionaries. He also invited missionaries to teach his mother, who was baptized in 2014. He later served a full-time mission in the Nigeria Benin City Mission and bore testimony of the restored gospel.
After my baptism on 30 January 2009, I was so active in Church, even more active than my friend who invited me, so I started to visit him with missionaries. I asked the missionaries to visit my mother also. I wanted her to be blessed by the gospel I had received.
On July 4, 2014, my mother was also baptised, to my greatest joy. I went on to serve a full-time mission in the Nigeria Benin City Mission. I stood as a witness of the truth. I testify that the gospel is true. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ, and he was a true prophet. I know with all my heart that if we read the Book of Mormon daily and ponder and pray about it, we will know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.
On July 4, 2014, my mother was also baptised, to my greatest joy. I went on to serve a full-time mission in the Nigeria Benin City Mission. I stood as a witness of the truth. I testify that the gospel is true. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ, and he was a true prophet. I know with all my heart that if we read the Book of Mormon daily and ponder and pray about it, we will know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Parents
👤 Friends
👤 Other
Baptism
Book of Mormon
Conversion
Family
Joseph Smith
Missionary Work
Prayer
Testimony
The Restoration
Royal Commoners
In 1840, Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and Willard Richards visited the Herefordshire Beacon following successful baptisms at Benbow’s Farm. They prayed and discussed printing thousands of copies of the Book of Mormon and a hymnbook for British Saints.
This historic point contains the ruins of a fortress apparently built by ancient Britons. It was to this spot in 1840 that Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and Willard Richards came, following the work of Brother Woodruff at Benbow’s Farm, where many were baptised. On top of the Beacon, prayers were given, and they discussed publishing the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon and 3,000 copies of the hymnbook for British Saints.
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👤 Early Saints
👤 Pioneers
Apostle
Baptism
Book of Mormon
Missionary Work
Music
Prayer
Q&A:Questions and Answers
Feeling unable to compete, a student began cheating little by little and rationalized it. A teacher caught her and wouldn’t count her test, forcing her to admit the truth to herself and her parents. It took the rest of the year to regain their trust.
Not long ago, I had an experience with cheating. Like you, I felt unable to compete, and so I gave in little by little until I rationalized myself into thinking I wasn’t really cheating at all. I have never been more embarrassed than when my teacher informed me that she wasn’t counting my test. But that was just the beginning. I then had to admit to myself and to my parents that what I had been doing was cheating. It took me the rest of the year to regain that teacher’s trust as well as my parents’.
Don’t take that first step because it gets easier every time. Remember my experience. No amount of success is worth the heartache of not liking yourself.
Name withheld
Don’t take that first step because it gets easier every time. Remember my experience. No amount of success is worth the heartache of not liking yourself.
Name withheld
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👤 Youth
👤 Parents
👤 Other
Agency and Accountability
Education
Honesty
Repentance
Sin
Temptation
March Wind
The personified March Wind blows forcefully through a town and countryside, boasting that he will spare nothing. Upon discovering baby foxes in a den, he chooses to be gentle and leave them undisturbed. He departs, and the baby foxes peacefully go to sleep.
March Wind came romping, full of glee,
And he shook the shutters and bowed each tree.
He whistled past steeples, and puffed clothes out,
And tossed the dogs’ hair all about.
He swept through Main Street and rattled the glass
Of every window he chanced to pass,
And then he whizzed through a country lane
And spun every windmill and weather vane.
“Aha!” he cried in a blustery tone,
“Not a single thing will I let alone!”
Then he flew and blew up a craggy hill
And for just a moment paused—stopped still.
And he saw, in a den nest, crouching low,
Baby foxes. “I’ll not blow
On anything so young,” said he.
“Small baby things are safe from me!”
So he flipped about and spun around,
And down the hill with a gusty bound
He sailed and slithered, and off he blew;
And the baby foxes, fuzzy and new,
Cuddled together with soft fox sighs
And quietly closed their sleepy eyes.
And he shook the shutters and bowed each tree.
He whistled past steeples, and puffed clothes out,
And tossed the dogs’ hair all about.
He swept through Main Street and rattled the glass
Of every window he chanced to pass,
And then he whizzed through a country lane
And spun every windmill and weather vane.
“Aha!” he cried in a blustery tone,
“Not a single thing will I let alone!”
Then he flew and blew up a craggy hill
And for just a moment paused—stopped still.
And he saw, in a den nest, crouching low,
Baby foxes. “I’ll not blow
On anything so young,” said he.
“Small baby things are safe from me!”
So he flipped about and spun around,
And down the hill with a gusty bound
He sailed and slithered, and off he blew;
And the baby foxes, fuzzy and new,
Cuddled together with soft fox sighs
And quietly closed their sleepy eyes.
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👤 Other
Creation
Kindness
Mercy
Peace
Hide and Seek
A narrator searches various locations for a missing blue shoe. After checking many places, they finally spot and find the other new shoe.
Inside the closet,
In the big chair,
Under the table—
Nope, nothing’s there!
Not in the basement,
Nor down the long hall—
Behind the curtain?
Nothing at all.
Ah-ha! Spotted something
The right shade of blue!
At last I have found it—
My other new shoe!
In the big chair,
Under the table—
Nope, nothing’s there!
Not in the basement,
Nor down the long hall—
Behind the curtain?
Nothing at all.
Ah-ha! Spotted something
The right shade of blue!
At last I have found it—
My other new shoe!
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👤 Other
Children
Happiness
Elder Valeri V. Cordón is Called to Serve
At 15, Elder Cordón and his brother left home to study technology in another city. Remembering his mother’s counsel to serve, he immediately asked his bishop for a calling and served in several roles while young. At 19, he was called to serve a mission in El Salvador.
In 1984, at the age of 15, Elder Cordón and his older brother left their home to attend school in another city where they could study technology. Living on their own, Valeri recalled his mother teaching him to always serve, so once they were established in their new home, he went straight to the bishop and asked for a calling. Since he was very young, Elder Cordon served in several callings, as a member of Aaronic Priesthood quorum presidencies, Sunday School president, auxiliary secretary to the bishopric, then at age 19, he was called to serve a mission in El Salvador.
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👤 Youth
👤 Parents
👤 Church Leaders (Local)
👤 Missionaries
Bishop
Education
Family
Missionary Work
Priesthood
Service
Young Men
“What should I do if my friends have different standards from mine?”
Brandy, a 19-year-old in Maine, shares that most of her friends are not LDS. She sometimes struggles when discussing her faith, but she prays to Heavenly Father for strength and for her friends to understand. Despite different standards, she continues to love and respect them, emphasizing love, respect, and understanding.
Most of my friends are not LDS. Sometimes I struggle with my faith when I talk about it to them, but I pray to Heavenly Father to give me strength for them to understand my faith. I love them and still respect them even though they might have different standards from what mine might be. Love, respect and understanding are the key for a good friend relationship.
Brandy D., 19, Maine, USA
Brandy D., 19, Maine, USA
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👤 Young Adults
👤 Friends
Faith
Friendship
Kindness
Love
Prayer
Helping My School
A young person noticed friends using language that felt wrong and asked them to stop. Although they didn't expect success, the friends agreed and refrained from using the Lord’s name in vain and other inappropriate words thereafter. The youth felt good for helping make their school more Christlike.
One time my friends were saying words that I didn’t feel comfortable with. I asked them to stop. I didn’t expect them to stop, but they did. After that, my friends didn’t use the Lord’s name in vain or the other words that I don’t use. It made me feel good that I could help make my school a little more Christlike.
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👤 Youth
👤 Friends
Courage
Friendship
Jesus Christ
Reverence
The Value of the Veil
The author imagines a music school where piano students learn only theory and never practice. After years of study, the first graduate attempts a concert debut and would clearly fail because he never developed the skill through practice. The point is that some knowledge can be gained only by doing.
Imagine a music school with a revolutionary approach, in which the piano students did not have to practice. The school would teach in a purely theoretical way all the rudiments; describe in detail how to move one’s fingers; go deeply into music theory and history; teach thoroughly how to read music. The students would memorize all the best books that have ever been written on how to play the piano. The course could last for four years. The students would each have a project, such as memorizing the score of a major piano concerto. They would be able to close their eyes and see the manuscript for both piano and orchestra flow through their minds. They could tell you everything about it.
Then, when the first graduate of the “Do It without Practice Piano Course” walked onto the stage of a concert hall to make his debut with the orchestra, what do you suppose would happen?
Not much. Why?
Then, when the first graduate of the “Do It without Practice Piano Course” walked onto the stage of a concert hall to make his debut with the orchestra, what do you suppose would happen?
Not much. Why?
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👤 Other
Education
Music
They Spoke to Us
During a family home evening, family members drew names to be a 'secret friend' for the week. Later, the father came home intending to sweep the garage but found it already clean with a note from his secret friend, filling him with love.
Elder W. Douglas Shumway of the Seventy: “I shall never forget the family home evening, years ago, in which the name of each member of our family was placed in a hat. The name you picked from the hat would be your ‘secret friend’ for the week. You can imagine the love that filled my heart when I came home that Tuesday after work to sweep out the garage, as I had earlier promised, and found it cleanly swept. There was a note attached to the garage door which read, ‘Hope you had a good day—your secret friend’” (p. 94).
Read the rest of this fun family experience. Think of a secret service you can give to each family member during the next two weeks.
Read the rest of this fun family experience. Think of a secret service you can give to each family member during the next two weeks.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Parents
👤 Children
Family
Family Home Evening
Kindness
Love
Service
Beyond Provo
Elder Jacob Calvert contrasts language study in Provo—where missionaries could fall back on English—with full immersion at the Brazil MTC, where companions, teachers, and staff speak only Portuguese. The constant challenge increases missionaries’ commitment to learn the language.
When English-speaking missionaries enter the Brazil MTC, they have no choice but to speak Portuguese—their roommates, teachers, and support staff are Brazilian. “In Provo we’d practice our Portuguese, but we could always fall back on English. Now, we’re with people who don’t speak any English at all,” says Elder Jacob Calvert. “Every day we realize how much farther we’ve got to go, so people are a lot more committed to learning the language.”
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👤 Missionaries
Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Education
Missionary Work
You Can Get There from Here
The speaker notes that many drug abusers struggle to return, often meeting indifference. After a three-hour visit with a young woman battling drugs, she thanks him for not scolding her. Two visits later, she expresses a desire to teach, commits to try, and is now progressing toward her certificate, having been encouraged that she can make it back.
Many drug abusers are desperately trying to find their way back today. The road is difficult, the challenge tremendous. I am pleased to report many are making it, thanks to friends and volunteer members, priesthood bearers, who are concerned, care, and understand. Very often our glances, our indifference, our hasty comments and lack of patience convey the message, “You are hopeless. You can’t get back from here. You are too far down the road.”
After visiting with one of our young women who has been lost to drugs for many months, her only encouraging remark after more than three hours of sincere communication was, “Thanks for not chewing me out.” Two visits later she asked, “Do you think I would make a good schoolteacher?” To a sincere yes, she said, “Thanks, I’ll try. I’m only three semesters away from getting my teaching certificate.” This girl is making it back. Someone believes in her. Someone has convinced her she can get there from here. The trip she is on this time will bring her back home.
After visiting with one of our young women who has been lost to drugs for many months, her only encouraging remark after more than three hours of sincere communication was, “Thanks for not chewing me out.” Two visits later she asked, “Do you think I would make a good schoolteacher?” To a sincere yes, she said, “Thanks, I’ll try. I’m only three semesters away from getting my teaching certificate.” This girl is making it back. Someone believes in her. Someone has convinced her she can get there from here. The trip she is on this time will bring her back home.
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👤 Young Adults
👤 Other
Addiction
Charity
Judging Others
Ministering
Priesthood
Walls Come Tumbling Down
Simon Noble describes a stake play centered on the plan of salvation. Youth invited non-LDS friends to attend and learn what members believe. The play served as both performance and missionary effort.
Simon Noble of the Holywood Road Ward describes a stake play that was a missionary play, too. “It was all about the plan of salvation, and we invited non-LDS friends to come and learn about what we believe,” Simon says.
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👤 Youth
👤 Friends
Friendship
Missionary Work
Plan of Salvation
Teaching the Gospel
Hold On to the Church
An 11-year-old girl and her brother were roller-skating past their ward meetinghouse. She told him to hold on to the church building for balance and then realized the phrase applied spiritually too. She concluded that holding on to the Church helps us stay balanced and happy, while letting go can lead to a fall.
When my brother and I were roller-skating past the ward meetinghouse today, I said, “Hold on to the church for balance.” Then I thought, “Hey, that’s right. If we hold on to the Church, we’ll keep our balance and be happy. If we let go, we might fall.” So hold on!Britney Whipple, age 11Minersville, Utah
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👤 Children
Children
Faith
Happiness
Testimony
Heros and Heroines:Sir Winston Churchill—Defender of Liberty
Encouraged toward a military path, Churchill twice failed the Sandhurst entrance exam before barely passing. He then devoted himself to military studies. Two years later he graduated with honors, eighth in a class of 150.
One of Winston’s favorite pastimes was maneuvering his collection of fifteen hundred toy soldiers in battle formation and playing out his strategies of war. Lord Randolph decided that if nothing else, Winston could become a soldier. However, Winston twice failed the entrance exam to Sandhurst, the famed military college, before barely passing it.
After two years of learning about military tactics and law, fortifications, map making, and riding, Winston graduated with honors, eighth in a class of 150. After leaving Sandhurst, he participated in various wars in Cuba, India, and Africa, often as a foreign correspondent for newspapers.
After two years of learning about military tactics and law, fortifications, map making, and riding, Winston graduated with honors, eighth in a class of 150. After leaving Sandhurst, he participated in various wars in Cuba, India, and Africa, often as a foreign correspondent for newspapers.
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👤 Parents
👤 Other
Adversity
Education
Employment
War
Bedtime Brothers
At bedtime, family members tell Dax good night. When Dax begins to cry, Kyler offers to help and says, "I am a child of God." He is thanked for being a kind big brother.
Good night, Dax.
We love you.
Uh-oh, I think I hear Dax crying.
I’ll help him, Mom.
I am a child of God, and He has sent me here …
Night, Kyler.
Good night, little buddy.
Thanks for being such a kind big brother!
Thanks to Kyler and Dax L. for sharing their story!
We love you.
Uh-oh, I think I hear Dax crying.
I’ll help him, Mom.
I am a child of God, and He has sent me here …
Night, Kyler.
Good night, little buddy.
Thanks for being such a kind big brother!
Thanks to Kyler and Dax L. for sharing their story!
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👤 Children
👤 Parents
Children
Faith
Family
Kindness
Love
Parenting
It Is a Privilege
A missionary expelled from his home found direction with another family who introduced him to the Church. He became one of the best players on a college football team before deciding to serve a mission. Before entering the MTC, he distributed over 200 copies of the Book of Mormon to people at his school.
The privilege of serving the Lord on a mission is felt and demonstrated in many ways. One missionary had struggled with family problems since he was a boy. While still young, he was expelled from his home and went to live with another family who introduced him to the Church. The gospel gave him direction in life where his natural parents had not. A few years later, after becoming one of the best players on a college football team, he decided to serve a mission. Before leaving on his mission, he gave copies of the Book of Mormon to his friends at school. This included his team coaches, fellow players, and teachers. He distributed more than 200 copies before entering the Missionary Training Center.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Parents
👤 Friends
Adoption
Adversity
Book of Mormon
Conversion
Family
Missionary Work
Teaching the Gospel