A simple statement by her niece restored her perspective: "Aunt Sheri, if life were easy, it wouldn't be hard." The fact is, life is hard-but that's okay. If we learn to turn to the Lord, he can make our burdens light. Distinguishing between burdens (the stuff mortality throws at us) and baggage (the junk we elect to pick up on our own) can help ease our way. So can a correct understanding of basic principles like charity and chastity. This road map to some basic truths about life will make you feel better-even on hard days!

    Why do we make it one and, in the process, make ourselves unhappy and distant from the Lord? Bestselling author Dean Hughes suggests some ways to "get out of the game," shedding a lot of what doesn't matter and focusing on what does. "When I stand before the Lord to answer for my life," he writes, "I'm certain that He is going to ask me a very different set of questions from the ones the world asks me. It seems important, during life, to 'win' at all sorts of contest: better job, bigger house, more important church calling, children with greater achievements. But I think the Lord will want to know whether I was kind and humble and whether I looked out for people in need." Dean offers some practical suggestions that will help us think more clearly about our priorities and act in ways that will make us truly happy because they will draw us closer to Christ.

    Weaving in personal experiences and statements from modern prophets, he bears witness hat the sealing ordinances are a source of great comfort and security, that temples are places of personal revelation, and that unseen faces attend us there. This book will permanently change your feelings about the temple and help you enrich your experiences there.

    We do not love what is holy. Although we might reverence things that are deemed holy- the temple, for example, and the scriptures, and the Sabbath- we do not love them. Not really. Not with our whole souls.The Holy Secret is the story of a man who learns how to love what matters. As he does, he learns another secret: Love for holiness transforms life itself. His realization of what he had been missing may lead you to some discoveries of your own!

    So she decided to run a marathon.Now, years later, she has taken her experiences and insights related to running and woven them into an analogy for an attribute and value she feels passionate about: virtue."I have embarked on a journey to reinstate the word virtue into our vocabulary and our lives," Sister Dalton writes. "We call for a social reform, but what is really needed is a moral reform—a call for a return to virtue." As we run life's race, it is virtue, meaning purity and power, that will sustain us through the long miles.A Return to Virtue is an invitation and a guide to running well the marathon that we call mortality. "Give it 100 percent," says Sister Dalton, "and one day we will be hugging each other and celebrating—victorious—at the finish line!"

    Russell Ballard. He shows that the pattern for government by councils is divinely inspired and points out the wisdom and strength available in properly conducted councils. He teaches:

    Everyone knows that. But when the priest flubs it, what happens? Even though the expectation of perfection cannot be lowered, the person giving the prayer gets a second chance, and a third, and a fourth, if he needs them. No matter how many mistakes he makes along the way, when he does finally get it right, the outcome is counted as perfect and acceptable."God, like the bishop, cannot lower the standard that we ultimately become perfect," writes Brad Wilcox, "but He can give us many opportunities to start again. . . . Perfection is our long-term goal, but for now our goal is progress in that direction - continues progress that is possible only through the continuous Atonement."

    She had put limits on her life that our Father in Heaven had never meant for her to experience. We all do it. But there is a way out—and that way is to have faith."Consider the possibility that God sees the potential for your life in a way that you have not seen yet—or are afraid to see," writes Laurel. "He is ready for you to choose to become the person He has always known you to be." You'll resonate to her stirring invitation to choose faith over fear.

    Church leader and business executive Robert Hales discusses the four stages of life's journey--preparation, decision, serving, and enduring--and considers how each stage prepares us for eternal life.

    Monson is the must-have companion to the bestselling, acclaimed biography of President Monson, To the Rescue. This book will be invaluable to readers because it -provides President Monson's teachings in topical format, and includes statements on more than 130 topics, from a discussion on the Aaronic priesthood through comments directed to the youth. -gives quick, easy access to statements on vital gospel topics covering more than a half century of President Monson's teaching. -is the ideal, reliable source for modern prophetic guidance on a host of subjects. -outlines what we should know and how we should live in our time. -includes a scripture index so readers can find what President Monson has taught about specific scriptural passages. -includes a page at the front of the book for readers to record their testimony about the impact of the prophet's teachings in their own lives. This book will be the authoritative collection of our beloved prophet's teachings and an invaluable resource for all who are involved in teaching the gospel.

    From beloved gospel scholar David Ridges, this valuable book contains the complete text of the Doctrine and Covenants, sections 1-42, including Brother Ridges's classic in-verse notes, and additional insights and commentary. Bring your family together and master latter-day scriptures with this helpful study companion.

    Oaks in the introduction to this unique book. "This is an autobiography of learning and application rather than a compendium of doctrine." Masterfully blending personal experiences with the doctrines of the gospel, Elder Oaks invites us to join him on a journey through some of the turning points in his life and the lessons he has learned through a lifetime of devotion to the Savior. The short but potent chapters offer perceptive observations into such diverse topics as the purpose of adversity, the importance of respecting those with whom we disagree personally or politically, the merits and limitations of law, the blessings of tithing, the seeming conflict between science and religion, the Lord's use of imperfect people to further His work, and the power of the Atonement to recover those who have fallen behind. Elder Oaks also relates the very personal lessons he learned from the death of his wife, June, and from his subsequent marriage to Kristen McMain. Woven throughout the book is Elder Oak's powerful testimony of the Savior and His mission. Life's Lessons Learned is a rare glimpse into the experiences of the heart that have shaped the life of an Apostle of God."

    Now, in Following Christ: The Parable of the Divers and More Good News, Brother Robinson explains what happens after we have entered the gospel covenant. He writes, "Where Believing Christ dealt with entering the covenant, this book will focus on staying in the covenant. If being truly converted is to accept Christ as Lord and to make Him the Lord of our lives, then this must somehow be reflected in our lives -- but how? How does being born again translate into behavior after our conversion?" pIn the same clear, readable style of his first book, Brother Robinson explains what is means to be a member of Christ's kingdom, the relationship between faith and works, what it means to endure to the end (it does not mean "being perfect"), the nature of mortality, hazards we may encounter as we seek to endure in the Lord's service, and, finally, the importance of serving others in love. p bAbout the Author/bp iStephen E. Robinson/i is a professor of ancient scripture in Religious Education at Brigham Young University. He received a B.A. in English literature from the university and a Ph.D. in Biblical studies from Duke University.p Dr. Robinson has taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Hampden-Sydney College, and Lycoming College, as well as serving as department chair in religion at Lycoming College.p Dr. Robinson is the author of iBelieving Christ and Are Mormons Christian?/i He is also the coauthor of a four-volume commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants. His articles have appeared in iJournal for the Study of Judaism, the Ensign, Old Testament Pseudepigrapha/i, and the iEncyclopedia of Mormonism/i.p He and his wife, Janet Bowen Robinson, are the parents of six children.

    Scott. “Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances.”In this exciting book, Elder Scott offers 21 principles distilled from his life experiences. These “concentrated truths” will help you understand more fully how to be guided by the Spirit. Elder Scott's brief explanations open the way for your own discovery and exploration.“I bear witness that Jesus Christ knows you personally,” Elder Scott writes. “He will provide answers to every difficult problem in your life as you trust Him and do all you can to understand and apply His doctrine and strive to live by the Spirit.” 21 Principles will be a valuable tool in that quest.

    Yet when understood, the temple can function in our lives as a modern day Liahona, giving us our bearings in our mortal journey back to our Father. Understanding Your Endowment is packed with insights and keys, which can help you unlock the temple's purpose and meaning in your life.Understanding Your Endowment examines topics such as covenant ceremonies, the initiatory ordinances, the endowment, and temple sealings in a manner that is plain and easy to understand while still respecting their sacred and confidential nature. Whether you are preparing to enter the temple for the first time or already attend regularly, your temple worship will be enriched by reading this book.