If we follow up, the Lord will not let us down. I have seen the unspeakable joy that accompanies testimony-driven inviting and faithful follow-up among members of the Church the world over. While in Argentina recently, I encouraged members to invite someone to church before this general conference. An eight-year-old by the name of Joshua listened and invited his best friend and his friend’s family to an open house at their ward in Buenos Aires. Let me read from a letter I just received that explained Joshua’s invitation and his faithful follow-up:
“Every few minutes [Joshua] would run out to the gate to see if they were coming. He said that he knew they would [come].
“The evening wore on and Joshua’s friend did not come, but Joshua did not give up. He faithfully checked the front gate every few minutes. It was time to start putting things away when Joshua started to jump up and down announcing, ‘They are here! They are here!’ I looked up to see an entire family approaching the church. Joshua ran out to greet them and hugged his friend. They all came in and seemed to enjoy the open house very much. They took some pamphlets and spent lots of time getting acquainted with some new friends. It was great to see the faith of this little boy and to know that Primary children can be missionaries too.”11
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Following Up
In Argentina, an eight-year-old named Joshua invited his best friend and the friend's family to a ward open house. He repeatedly checked the gate in faith until they arrived. The family enjoyed the event, took pamphlets, and made new friends. The story highlights the faith and missionary potential of Primary-aged children.
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👤 Children
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Other
Children
Faith
Friendship
Missionary Work
Testimony
The Art of Trying
At age 11, Brad watched a televised race where team manager Derrick Walker was severely injured in a pit fire. Brad mailed him a hand-drawn race car as a get-well card, and Walker replied with thanks, beginning a long-lasting friendship. Walker and Roger Penske later flew Brad to major races annually, showing how one thoughtful act opened meaningful opportunities.
His love of drawing has given him a chance to cheer others and has helped him gain some interesting friends as well. When Brad was 11, he was watching a car race on television. He was stunned to see a car crash and burn in the pits. One of the men severely injured was Derrick Walker, the manager of a racing team.
“I drew a race car and sent it to him in the hospital as a get-well card. After that, he sent me a thank-you letter. We’ve been friends ever since,” says Brad. That simple correspondence has blossomed into a special relationship. Since then, Walker and Roger Penske, another racing friend, have flown Brad and a guest to major races each year. Brad’s thoughtfulness as a young boy proved that caring and concern are not limited to the physically able.
“I drew a race car and sent it to him in the hospital as a get-well card. After that, he sent me a thank-you letter. We’ve been friends ever since,” says Brad. That simple correspondence has blossomed into a special relationship. Since then, Walker and Roger Penske, another racing friend, have flown Brad and a guest to major races each year. Brad’s thoughtfulness as a young boy proved that caring and concern are not limited to the physically able.
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👤 Children
👤 Friends
👤 Other
Children
Disabilities
Friendship
Kindness
Service
How Can We Sustain Our Leaders?
After the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires, Elder Ronald A. Rasband traveled to minister to affected Latter-day Saints. He and Sister Melanie Rasband comforted members in meetinghouses and at the edges of burned homes. Members repeatedly approached to shake his hand, expressing gratitude and the shared message, “I sustain you,” illustrating mutual lifting through sustaining support.
In the tearful days after a wildfire devastated entire neighborhoods in California’s Sonoma County in October 2017, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles traveled to affected communities to be with the Latter-day Saints.
He was on a mission of ministering. He and Sister Melanie Rasband comforted fire-weary members in their meetinghouses and at the edges of their charred homes.
And wherever he went, members came forward to shake his hand. It was a gesture of appreciation. They thanked the Apostle for his support. But each handshake communicated a common sentiment: “I sustain you.”
This means that just as members deeply impacted by the Santa Rosa fires offered sustaining support to Elder Rasband, members worldwide can be lifted even as they lift each member of the Twelve.
He was on a mission of ministering. He and Sister Melanie Rasband comforted fire-weary members in their meetinghouses and at the edges of their charred homes.
And wherever he went, members came forward to shake his hand. It was a gesture of appreciation. They thanked the Apostle for his support. But each handshake communicated a common sentiment: “I sustain you.”
This means that just as members deeply impacted by the Santa Rosa fires offered sustaining support to Elder Rasband, members worldwide can be lifted even as they lift each member of the Twelve.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Other
Adversity
Apostle
Charity
Emergency Response
Grief
Ministering
Service
Eight-year-old cousins Hallie and Mckinley, from Colorado and South Carolina, were baptized on the same day in Idaho. They were grateful to share that special day together with their family.
Hallie K. and Mckinley G., 8 and 8, Colorado and South Carolina, are cousins. They were baptized on the same day in Idaho. They are thankful that they got to share that special day with each other and with their whole family.
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👤 Children
Baptism
Children
Family
Gratitude
Ordinances
Emily relates to Elder Maynes’s talk about trials because she lives with type 1 diabetes and its daily demands. She sometimes wishes for the trial to be taken away but trusts that Heavenly Father knows she can handle it.
I liked Elder Maynes’s talk because he talked about trials, and I have something hard in my life—type 1 diabetes. I have to be careful what I eat, prick my finger to test my blood sugar, and get insulin every time I eat. And when my blood sugars are low, I feel tired and confused. Sometimes I wish that I could pray to Heavenly Father and say, “Heavenly Father, can you just take the diabetes away?” But He knows I can handle this trial.
Emily W., age 7, Texas, USA
Emily W., age 7, Texas, USA
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👤 Children
👤 General Authorities (Modern)
Adversity
Children
Disabilities
Faith
Health
Prayer
“Let Me See That Book!”
A missionary and his new companion in Medellín are approached by a college student who recognizes the Book of Mormon from a vivid dream he had seven years earlier. Remembering the powerful feeling that the book was true, he eagerly learns the gospel, reads the Book of Mormon in a week, and is baptized. Months later, he is serving as elders quorum president, showing how the long-remembered dream led to lasting conversion.
I was walking with my missionary companion down a shaded residential street near the University of Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia. Having had my fair share of challenges in that city, I braced for the worst when a young man stepped away from a group of college students and called out to us. We stood motionless as he ran up to us.
“Let me see that book!” he demanded, pointing to the Book of Mormon in my hand.
I held it up, showing him the cover, which featured a golden statue of the angel Moroni against a blue background. “It’s yours if you want it,” I said nervously.
He took it.
His next question unnerved us entirely: “I know you guys. Where did you get this book?”
My companion had been in the mission field only three days, so I gathered courage and answered the young man’s question as forthrightly as I could. When I finished he was in tears.
“I’ve seen this book before,” he said. “I’ve seen you guys before. But it was seven years ago in a dream.”
He began to tell us about his dream. “I saw a simple blue book, paperback, with a golden figure on the cover. The man was wearing a robe and blowing what appeared to be some sort of trumpet.”
But it was the feeling that he remembered best. He’d had an overpowering impression that the book was important, essential, and true. He had never seen the book again until he saw it in my hands there on the street.
We soon began to teach Juan Guillermo Mejía the discussions. To each principle, he responded that he “already knew that” and that we were just confirming what he had learned long ago. He finished reading the Book of Mormon that week and was baptized on Saturday.
When I completed my mission months later, he was the elders quorum president in his branch. After seven years, the book of his dreams had changed his life.
“Let me see that book!” he demanded, pointing to the Book of Mormon in my hand.
I held it up, showing him the cover, which featured a golden statue of the angel Moroni against a blue background. “It’s yours if you want it,” I said nervously.
He took it.
His next question unnerved us entirely: “I know you guys. Where did you get this book?”
My companion had been in the mission field only three days, so I gathered courage and answered the young man’s question as forthrightly as I could. When I finished he was in tears.
“I’ve seen this book before,” he said. “I’ve seen you guys before. But it was seven years ago in a dream.”
He began to tell us about his dream. “I saw a simple blue book, paperback, with a golden figure on the cover. The man was wearing a robe and blowing what appeared to be some sort of trumpet.”
But it was the feeling that he remembered best. He’d had an overpowering impression that the book was important, essential, and true. He had never seen the book again until he saw it in my hands there on the street.
We soon began to teach Juan Guillermo Mejía the discussions. To each principle, he responded that he “already knew that” and that we were just confirming what he had learned long ago. He finished reading the Book of Mormon that week and was baptized on Saturday.
When I completed my mission months later, he was the elders quorum president in his branch. After seven years, the book of his dreams had changed his life.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Young Adults
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Baptism
Book of Mormon
Conversion
Missionary Work
Revelation
Testimony
Because of Jesus Christ, I Found New Life
After moving to Scotland in 2023, she and her husband faced many challenges. Church members helped them find shelter, and through faith and prayer they found joy despite adversity. She received a visa just before stricter rules took effect, enabling them to stay permanently.
In 2023, my husband and I moved to Scotland, where we faced many challenges. Yet God never abandoned us. Church members helped us find shelter and, through faith and prayer, we found joy in adversity. I obtained a visa just before stricter rules were enforced, allowing us to stay in Scotland permanently.
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👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Other
Adversity
Faith
Happiness
Kindness
Ministering
Miracles
Prayer
Service
Knowing the Lord’s Will for You
Her husband was called as a mission president in a distant, unstable country, and she felt overwhelming fear and inadequacy about leaving family and facing uncertainty. She re-read her patriarchal blessing, wrestled with concerns, and sought peace by attending the temple and pondering covenants, ultimately determining to serve. Reflecting on Joseph Smith’s unique calling strengthened her resolve and gave her courage.
Then my husband was called to be a mission president in an unsettled, chaotic country in the developing world. It was 10,000 miles from home and light-years away from the culture and communication I knew. But, in the instant of my call as a full-time missionary, I felt a little like Alma and the sons of Mosiah—that I was called to be an “[instrument] in the hands of God to bring about this great work.” I also felt something I am not sure they did—overwhelming fear!
Over subsequent days I pulled out my patriarchal blessing and read it again and again, searching for deeper understanding. Even knowing I was going to live out a promise I had received from a patriarch decades earlier did not alleviate my concerns. Could I leave my married and unmarried children and my aging father and mother-in-law behind? Would I know the right things to do and say? What would my husband and I eat? Would I be safe in a country that was politically unstable and dangerous? I felt inadequate on every level.
In my quest for peace, I redoubled my efforts to attend the temple. I pondered the meaning of my covenants in a way I had never done before. For me, at this defining crossroads in my life, my temple covenants served as a foundation and catalyst. Yes, I feared, but I realized I had chosen to make personal, binding, sacred commitments I meant to keep. When all was said and done, this wasn’t someone else’s service to perform. This was my mission call, and I determined to serve.
Joseph Smith’s father pronounced this blessing upon his son’s head: “The Lord thy God has called thee by name out of the heavens. Thou hast been called … to the great work of the Lord: to do a work in this generation which no other … would do as thyself, in all things according to the will of the Lord.” The Prophet Joseph was called to his unique part of “the great work of the Lord,” and as overwhelmed and unprepared as I felt, I knew I was called to my portion of the work, too. This insight was helpful and gave me courage.
Over subsequent days I pulled out my patriarchal blessing and read it again and again, searching for deeper understanding. Even knowing I was going to live out a promise I had received from a patriarch decades earlier did not alleviate my concerns. Could I leave my married and unmarried children and my aging father and mother-in-law behind? Would I know the right things to do and say? What would my husband and I eat? Would I be safe in a country that was politically unstable and dangerous? I felt inadequate on every level.
In my quest for peace, I redoubled my efforts to attend the temple. I pondered the meaning of my covenants in a way I had never done before. For me, at this defining crossroads in my life, my temple covenants served as a foundation and catalyst. Yes, I feared, but I realized I had chosen to make personal, binding, sacred commitments I meant to keep. When all was said and done, this wasn’t someone else’s service to perform. This was my mission call, and I determined to serve.
Joseph Smith’s father pronounced this blessing upon his son’s head: “The Lord thy God has called thee by name out of the heavens. Thou hast been called … to the great work of the Lord: to do a work in this generation which no other … would do as thyself, in all things according to the will of the Lord.” The Prophet Joseph was called to his unique part of “the great work of the Lord,” and as overwhelmed and unprepared as I felt, I knew I was called to my portion of the work, too. This insight was helpful and gave me courage.
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👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Parents
👤 Church Leaders (Local)
👤 Joseph Smith
Adversity
Courage
Covenant
Faith
Family
Foreordination
Missionary Work
Patriarchal Blessings
Peace
Temples
Book Reviews
Professor Sherman decides to take a year off from teaching arithmetic and fly across the Pacific in a hot-air balloon. His relaxed trip goes off course. The narrative invites readers to follow his exciting adventure.
The Twenty-One Balloons*, by William Pène du Bois. Professor Sherman is tired of teaching arithmetic, so he decides to take a year off and fly across the Pacific Ocean in a hot-air balloon. But his leisurely trip goes far off course. Follow him on his exciting adventure!
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👤 Other
Education
Employment
Friend to Friend
As a boy, Elder Wirthlin followed his father across a meadow during a fishing trip on the Provo River. His father fell into a deep pond and briefly disappeared under the water. The young Wirthlin helped pull his father out, learning that children can meaningfully serve their parents—even in lifesaving ways.
When Elder Wirthlin was young, he loved to go fishing with his father, Joseph L. Wirthlin, who would later become the Presiding Bishop of the Church.
“When I was a boy, I spent a lot of time with my father and loved to be with him. One time we went on a fishing trip on the upper part of the Provo River, southeast of Heber City, Utah. We were walking through a meadow, and I was some distance behind him. Father disappeared over a rise in the meadow, and he fell into a deep pond of water!
“When I came over the rise, there was his hat floating on the surface of the water. He finally came up gasping for air, and I reached down and helped him get out of the pond so that he didn’t drown.
“Even though I was young and very small, I learned in a dramatic way that there are many things that we can do to help our parents on a daily basis, or even in a lifesaving situation. We should always be willing to reach out to help our loved ones, regardless of the situation.”
“When I was a boy, I spent a lot of time with my father and loved to be with him. One time we went on a fishing trip on the upper part of the Provo River, southeast of Heber City, Utah. We were walking through a meadow, and I was some distance behind him. Father disappeared over a rise in the meadow, and he fell into a deep pond of water!
“When I came over the rise, there was his hat floating on the surface of the water. He finally came up gasping for air, and I reached down and helped him get out of the pond so that he didn’t drown.
“Even though I was young and very small, I learned in a dramatic way that there are many things that we can do to help our parents on a daily basis, or even in a lifesaving situation. We should always be willing to reach out to help our loved ones, regardless of the situation.”
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Parents
👤 Children
Apostle
Children
Family
Love
Service
I Wanted Proof
Seeking stability, the narrator turned to the Book of Mormon and Moroni 10:4, praying nightly with real intent. After days of study, tears, and extended prayers, a quiet realization confirmed the book’s truth and the reality of God and Jesus Christ. This peaceful remembrance restored testimony and brought meaning and peace.
As the desire for stability and truth grew in my life, this great desire caused me to turn to the scriptures. It was then that I found a new meaning in Moroni 10:4 [Moro. 10:4]:
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would ask God, the eternal Father in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
These were words of hope and comfort to me. I began to read the Book of Mormon with a new purpose. The writings of the prophets found a new place in my heart. I read with the desire to learn and know.
I longed for the comfort, purpose, and perspective that the gospel had always given to my life. Each night before I read, I would pray with a great desire to know the truth. I felt that the scriptures were true, but I wanted to know. When I read, I often found scriptures that gave me inspiration on how to live my life better. Many tears were shed as I felt the power and truth of the Book of Mormon.
I began to regard prayer more seriously. My relationship with my Father in Heaven became much closer. I prayed to him with a new enthusiasm. I desired to know if he was there. I prayed for a remission of my sins. I prayed for forgiveness because of my lack of faith.
After reading the Book of Mormon, I knelt in prayer. I had a great desire to know of its truth. I hoped it was true, knowing what joy this would bring me. That night I prayed for hours desiring to know. The following nights I continued in my prayers and began to wonder if I would receive a witness.
My determination in waiting for a witness was a trial of my faith. After many days I came to the realization that I knew the Book of Mormon was true. It came not as a sign or a voice. I knew because in the center of my being I could not deny that it was true. I also knew that God existed and that he is my Heavenly Father, that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God.
This came to me, not as new knowledge, but as a peaceful remembrance of that which I already knew. I did not need a further witness. I had always known the truth. My pride in my own knowledge had caused me to forget my testimony.
With this new understanding my life received meaning and peace. Although I still question some of what I hear, I do it for my own good and a desire to learn the truth.
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would ask God, the eternal Father in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
These were words of hope and comfort to me. I began to read the Book of Mormon with a new purpose. The writings of the prophets found a new place in my heart. I read with the desire to learn and know.
I longed for the comfort, purpose, and perspective that the gospel had always given to my life. Each night before I read, I would pray with a great desire to know the truth. I felt that the scriptures were true, but I wanted to know. When I read, I often found scriptures that gave me inspiration on how to live my life better. Many tears were shed as I felt the power and truth of the Book of Mormon.
I began to regard prayer more seriously. My relationship with my Father in Heaven became much closer. I prayed to him with a new enthusiasm. I desired to know if he was there. I prayed for a remission of my sins. I prayed for forgiveness because of my lack of faith.
After reading the Book of Mormon, I knelt in prayer. I had a great desire to know of its truth. I hoped it was true, knowing what joy this would bring me. That night I prayed for hours desiring to know. The following nights I continued in my prayers and began to wonder if I would receive a witness.
My determination in waiting for a witness was a trial of my faith. After many days I came to the realization that I knew the Book of Mormon was true. It came not as a sign or a voice. I knew because in the center of my being I could not deny that it was true. I also knew that God existed and that he is my Heavenly Father, that Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God.
This came to me, not as new knowledge, but as a peaceful remembrance of that which I already knew. I did not need a further witness. I had always known the truth. My pride in my own knowledge had caused me to forget my testimony.
With this new understanding my life received meaning and peace. Although I still question some of what I hear, I do it for my own good and a desire to learn the truth.
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👤 Youth
👤 Jesus Christ
Book of Mormon
Conversion
Doubt
Faith
Forgiveness
Holy Ghost
Hope
Humility
Jesus Christ
Patience
Peace
Prayer
Pride
Repentance
Revelation
Scriptures
Testimony
Truth
Feedback
Before leaving on her mission, a student asked her poet friend to write her a poem. Near the end of her mission, her companion found that very poem published in the New Era, coinciding with her final month in the field. The timing made the experience a special surprise for her.
I have recently returned from a mission in the Florida Ft. Lauderdale (Spanish) Mission. Before my mission, while in a Sunday School class at Brigham Young University, my friend Laurel Stowe and I were trying to pay full attention to the teacher. But my attention was dwindling fast because I was excited. I was preparing to leave on a mission. A little later I leaned over to Laurel (my attention being almost gone) and asked her to please write me a poem, knowing her special talent. She did, to my delight! One day near the end of my mission, while in the office, my companion picked up the latest edition of the New Era and promptly asked me if this was my friend who wrote poetry. It was, and to my surprise, the poem was the one she had written for my mission! It was extra special because it appeared in October, which was my last month in the mission field. Thank you for this special surprise!
Claudia WaiteLas Vegas, Nevada
Claudia WaiteLas Vegas, Nevada
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Friends
Friendship
Gratitude
Missionary Work
God Helps the Faithful Priesthood Holder
Assigned last-minute to speak at a Minneapolis conference of ministers about the need for the Restoration, the speaker feared unpopularity and called President Hinckley, who counseled him to use his best judgment. After praying through the night, he felt to declare forthrightly what happened to Joseph Smith and why. Ministers later lined up to thank him, recounting positive experiences with Latter-day Saints and community-serving stake presidents, and attendance increased over three days as people were drawn by the goodness they had seen.
Another time I was sent to speak to leaders of churches in the United States and ministers of those churches who had met in Minneapolis to deal with the problem of competition among churches.
When I arrived, I found that I was assigned to be a speaker. My subject was to be: Why there was a need for a restoration of the true Church through Joseph Smith. I was a last-minute substitute for Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
When I arrived in the city the night before the meetings and looked at the program, I called President Hinckley. I told him that the meetings were to last three days, that many talks were to be given at the same time, that the crowd could choose which one to attend. I told him that I thought if I told the truth, I feared that no one would come to my second session and that I might be coming home very quickly. I asked him what he thought I should do. He said, “Use your best judgment.”
I prayed through the night. Somewhere near dawn, I was sure I was to say about the Restoration not, “This is what we believe happened to Joseph Smith and why we believe it happened,” but, “This is what happened to Joseph Smith, and this is why the Lord did it.” In the nighttime I was given no assurance of the outcome, just a clear direction—go forward.
To my amazement, after my talk the ministers lined up to speak to me. Every one of them, one after another coming to me, told essentially the same story. Each of them had met a member of the Church somewhere in their lives that they admired. Many of them said that they lived in a community where the stake president had come to the aid of not just his members but of the community in a disaster. They asked if I could take back their greeting and their thanks to people I not only didn’t know but had no hope of ever meeting.
By the end of the three days of meetings, larger and larger crowds were coming to hear the message of the Restoration of the gospel and the true Church of Jesus Christ not because they believed the message but because they had seen goodness in people’s lives—the fruits of that restoration.
When I arrived, I found that I was assigned to be a speaker. My subject was to be: Why there was a need for a restoration of the true Church through Joseph Smith. I was a last-minute substitute for Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
When I arrived in the city the night before the meetings and looked at the program, I called President Hinckley. I told him that the meetings were to last three days, that many talks were to be given at the same time, that the crowd could choose which one to attend. I told him that I thought if I told the truth, I feared that no one would come to my second session and that I might be coming home very quickly. I asked him what he thought I should do. He said, “Use your best judgment.”
I prayed through the night. Somewhere near dawn, I was sure I was to say about the Restoration not, “This is what we believe happened to Joseph Smith and why we believe it happened,” but, “This is what happened to Joseph Smith, and this is why the Lord did it.” In the nighttime I was given no assurance of the outcome, just a clear direction—go forward.
To my amazement, after my talk the ministers lined up to speak to me. Every one of them, one after another coming to me, told essentially the same story. Each of them had met a member of the Church somewhere in their lives that they admired. Many of them said that they lived in a community where the stake president had come to the aid of not just his members but of the community in a disaster. They asked if I could take back their greeting and their thanks to people I not only didn’t know but had no hope of ever meeting.
By the end of the three days of meetings, larger and larger crowds were coming to hear the message of the Restoration of the gospel and the true Church of Jesus Christ not because they believed the message but because they had seen goodness in people’s lives—the fruits of that restoration.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Other
Emergency Response
Faith
Holy Ghost
Joseph Smith
Kindness
Prayer
Revelation
Service
The Restoration
The Funniest Thanksgiving Day Ever
A snowstorm cancels everyone's Thanksgiving travel plans, leaving Grandma Featherbone and her apartment neighbors stuck at home. Grandma decides to host a Thanksgiving party using what she has in her pantry, preparing pies, rolls, and other foods. She sets a festive table, dresses her teddy bear Fuzzball, and happily anticipates surprising her guests.
Grandma Featherbone stood at the _________ and sadly watched as great flakes of _________ still fluttered to the ground. The storm had started early yesterday and had continued all night. There would be no traveling this day. It was going to be the worst Thanksgiving Day ever.
Grandma was not the only one who felt grumpy. No one in her small _________ building would be able to attend the family feasts they had each so happily looked forward to. Whatever would they all do now?
Suddenly Grandma clapped her hands with excitement. “Why there’s plenty and enough in my own pantry,” she said to her stuffed _________, Fuzzball. “We’ll have our own Thanksgiving party!”
Grandma picked up the _________ and called each of her five neighbors. “Will you come to my Thanksgiving party?” she asked.
“Yes, yes, yes!” everyone said. “We’ll be there promptly at two o’clock!”
Grandma Featherbone began to scurry about. There was no time to lose. She opened the _________ and took out two large packages of _________ and set them on the counter to thaw. “It’s too bad we don’t have a _________ to eat,” she told Fuzzball, “but we must be thankful for what we do have. At least we won’t have to go without some delicious _________ pie.”
Grandma got out the _________, _________, and _________ and was soon rolling out the pie crust with her _________. Pull and push, roll and smush went Grandma. The pie crust was ready. But where was the filling?
Grandma searched through the pantry shelves again. “Oh bother!” she finally sighed. “I was sure that I had one more can left. Oh well, this big box of _________ will just have to do.” A pair of hot pies were soon cooling on the cupboard next to the dish of _________.
Happily Grandma Featherbone worked. She sang to the _________ as she kneaded it for hot rolls. She hummed to the _________ as she peeled them. The _________ bubbled as they simmered on the _________.
Fuzzball watched everything from his _________ in the corner. The grandfather _________ swiftly ticked the hours away.
Just before two o’clock Grandma carefully placed her delicate _________ on her best lacy _________. She folded the _________ next to the _________ and lit the red _________ standing brightly near each end of the table.
Grandma put a fresh _________ on Fuzzball, then placed him in the middle of the _________. “What a perfectly lovely day this has turned out to be,” Grandma said as she gazed triumphantly at her feast, “and won’t our guests be surprised!”
Grandma was not the only one who felt grumpy. No one in her small _________ building would be able to attend the family feasts they had each so happily looked forward to. Whatever would they all do now?
Suddenly Grandma clapped her hands with excitement. “Why there’s plenty and enough in my own pantry,” she said to her stuffed _________, Fuzzball. “We’ll have our own Thanksgiving party!”
Grandma picked up the _________ and called each of her five neighbors. “Will you come to my Thanksgiving party?” she asked.
“Yes, yes, yes!” everyone said. “We’ll be there promptly at two o’clock!”
Grandma Featherbone began to scurry about. There was no time to lose. She opened the _________ and took out two large packages of _________ and set them on the counter to thaw. “It’s too bad we don’t have a _________ to eat,” she told Fuzzball, “but we must be thankful for what we do have. At least we won’t have to go without some delicious _________ pie.”
Grandma got out the _________, _________, and _________ and was soon rolling out the pie crust with her _________. Pull and push, roll and smush went Grandma. The pie crust was ready. But where was the filling?
Grandma searched through the pantry shelves again. “Oh bother!” she finally sighed. “I was sure that I had one more can left. Oh well, this big box of _________ will just have to do.” A pair of hot pies were soon cooling on the cupboard next to the dish of _________.
Happily Grandma Featherbone worked. She sang to the _________ as she kneaded it for hot rolls. She hummed to the _________ as she peeled them. The _________ bubbled as they simmered on the _________.
Fuzzball watched everything from his _________ in the corner. The grandfather _________ swiftly ticked the hours away.
Just before two o’clock Grandma carefully placed her delicate _________ on her best lacy _________. She folded the _________ next to the _________ and lit the red _________ standing brightly near each end of the table.
Grandma put a fresh _________ on Fuzzball, then placed him in the middle of the _________. “What a perfectly lovely day this has turned out to be,” Grandma said as she gazed triumphantly at her feast, “and won’t our guests be surprised!”
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👤 Other
Adversity
Emergency Preparedness
Gratitude
Kindness
Service
Meet Elder Ronald A. Rasband
As a child in Primary, he learned to love the scriptures. His teachers often asked him to read because he had a good reading voice.
He learned to love the scriptures when he was in Primary. His teachers often asked him to read because he had a good reading voice.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Children
👤 Church Members (General)
Children
Scriptures
Teaching the Gospel
The Cornerstones of Our Faith
Since the last conference, three temples were dedicated, including Boise, Idaho. In Boise, twenty-four dedicatory services were held, and each experienced a great outpouring of the Spirit. Many participants expressed appreciation for the experience.
Three new temples have been dedicated since last we met—one in Boise, Idaho; one in Sydney, Australia; and, most recently, one in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints have participated in these inspiring dedicatory services. In the Boise Temple, twenty- four individual services were held, with a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord in each. Numerous were the expressions of appreciation. In Australia it was the same. People came to the temple from as far away as Tasmania in the south, and from Thursday Island in the far north; they came across the entire continent, from Perth on the west coast, many of them at great sacrifice, to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of that significant occasion when fourteen dedicatory services were held.
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👤 Church Members (General)
Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Gratitude
Holy Ghost
Temples
Self-Denial
The Yale University swimming team was breaking many world records. When asked how they were doing it, the coach said he had taught them to break the pain barrier. The anecdote illustrates self-denial through enduring discomfort for a higher goal.
Self-denial is one of the grand and great character traits visible in the best men I know. It is a trait that many young men have acquired. Some years back the swimming team at Yale University was breaking many world records. Someone asked the coach how they were doing it. He said, “I have taught them to break the pain barrier.”
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👤 Other
Courage
Sacrifice
Young Men
A Good Night’s Sleep
A tired student at school is offered an energy drink by a friend. One choice is to take the drink, which only helps briefly and is harmful. The better choice is to decline and plan to get sufficient sleep that night.
You’re falling asleep at school and your friend offers you an energy drink to help you wake up. Do you take it?
Yes?
Energy drinks will only keep you awake for a little while. They are harmful because they contain lots of caffeine and sugar.
No!
You decide to get more sleep tonight. Depending on your age, your body needs 9–12 hours of sleep each night.
Yes?
Energy drinks will only keep you awake for a little while. They are harmful because they contain lots of caffeine and sugar.
No!
You decide to get more sleep tonight. Depending on your age, your body needs 9–12 hours of sleep each night.
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👤 Youth
👤 Friends
Agency and Accountability
Children
Education
Health
Temptation
“I’ve been praying for something important, but I don’t know if I have received an answer. How will I recognize it?”
A young woman prayed daily for guidance about an important decision but did not receive a distinct answer. She chose a course of action anyway and immediately felt the Spirit confirm it would help her grow. She learned that God honors agency and that answers can come after we act in faith.
One summer I didn’t feel like the Lord had given me an answer about an important decision. I had prayed sincerely every day to know His will for me, and I told Him what I desired to do. Still without a distinct answer, I made my decision. I immediately felt the Spirit witnessing to me that the decision I made would help me grow and become more like my Father in Heaven. Sometimes we need to act to receive an answer—Heavenly Father respects our agency and our righteous desires. If we are living worthily, His Spirit will guide us through our desires because they will be aligned with His.
Amanda H., 16, Utah, USA
Amanda H., 16, Utah, USA
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👤 Youth
Agency and Accountability
Faith
Holy Ghost
Prayer
Revelation
Masao Watabe:
Committed to daily missionary efforts, Brother Watabe tracted on trains to and from work, sharing pamphlets with interested passengers. Fifteen years later, his son, serving a mission in Brazil, baptized a man who first heard the gospel from Brother Watabe on a train in Japan.
When Brother Watabe learned that each member of the Church should be a missionary, he committed himself to go tracting every day. He began by tracting in the train on the way to work, giving pamphlets to those who were interested. While serving a mission in Brazil, his third son, Masakazu, had the unusual experience of baptizing a man who had first heard of the gospel from Masao Watabe on a train in Japan fifteen years earlier.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Parents
👤 Children
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 Other
Baptism
Conversion
Family
Missionary Work