In fact, we have been commanded to do so. But how?In Power to Become, Elder David A. Bednar explores how the Savior makes possible His divine commission, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48).Chapters in this thought-provoking book highlight the importance of the Atonement, the spiritual gift of personal peace, the importance of priesthood ordinances, and the responsibility we have to obey willingly and endure valiantly."As we increase in learning about the Savior and His gospel," Elder Bednar writes, "as we strive with ever greater consistency to act in His doctrine, ordinances, and covenants, then we are blessed with power through His Atonement to increasingly become like Him." Power to Become introduces vital tools we all can use to invite these eternally significant blessings into our lives.

    THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT, AND THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS. WHEN they had offered their gifts, the wise men would naturally have returned to Herod, but being warned of God in a dream, they returned to their own land another way. Neither in Scripture, nor in authentic history, nor even in early apocryphal tradition, do we find any further traces of their existence; but their visit led to very memorable events. The dream which warned them of danger may very probably have fallen in with their own doubts about the cruel and crafty tyrant who had expressed a hypocritical desire to pay his homage to the Infant King; and if, as we may suppose, they imparted to Joseph any hint as to their misgivings, he too would be prepared for the warning dream which bade him fly to Egypt to save the young child from Herod's jealousy. Egypt has, in all ages, been the natural place of refuge for all who were driven from Palestine by distress, persecution, or discontent. Rhinokolura, the river of Egypt, or as Milton, with his usual exquisite and learned accuracy, calls it,— " The brook that parts Egypt from Syrian ground," might have been reached by the fugitives in three days; and once upon the further bank, they were beyond the reach of Herod's jurisdiction. Of the flight, and its duration, Scripture gives us no further particulars; telling us only that the Holy Family fled by night from Bethlehem, and returned when Joseph had again been assured by a dream that it would be safe to take back the Saviour .to the land of His nativity. It is left to apocryphal legends immortalized by the genius of Italian art, to tell us how, on the way, the dragons came and bowed to Him, the lions and leopards adored Him, the roses of Jericho blossomed wherever His footsteps trod, th...

    Set amid the museums and cathedrals of Europe, the book purports to identify the Holy Grail and describes mysterious rituals and secret religious beliefs that have been kept hidden from the world by an ancient conspiracy. The most sensational claim made in the book is that Jesus was married and that his bloodline has been perpetuated in a princely line of unidentified descendents. That premise has captured the imagination of readers of all faiths and caused Latter-day Saints to wonder how much of the book is factual and how much is the product of the author's imagination. In this lively conversation, three Latter-day Saint scholars discuss The Da Vinci Code, examining the plausibility of the "facts" presented by the author and comparing those to the teachings of the scriptures. Whether you have read the book or just been caught up in the world's current fascination with Christ, you'll find these informed opinions both interesting and faith promoting.

    The resulting Senate investigative hearing featured testimony on every peculiarity of Mormonism, especially its polygamous family structure. The Smoot hearing ultimately mediated a compromise between Progressive Era Protestantism and Mormonism and resolved the nation's long-standing Mormon Problem. On a broader scale, Kathleen Flake shows how this landmark hearing provided the occasion for the country--through its elected representatives, the daily press, citizen petitions, and social reform activism--to reconsider the scope of religious free exercise in the new century.Flake contends that the Smoot hearing was the forge in which the Latter-day Saints, the Protestants, and the Senate hammered out a model for church-state relations, shaping for a new generation of non-Protestant and non-Christian Americans what it meant to be free and religious. In addition, she discusses the Latter-day Saints' use of narrative and collective memory to retain their religious identity even as they changed to meet the nation's demands.

    But in her book, Wildly Optimistic, she explains that being optimistic doesn't mean you're happy all the time or that bad days don't come! It means that even on hard days, you know that it won't last, and better ones are coming. It means you're proactive in your moments of crumbling and look for lessons and opportunities and light. With her trademark honesty, optimism, and love for the Lord, Al shares how we can be hopeful even when He is silent, when too much time passes, when it's not what we wanted, when things don't work out, and when we want to give up. When we remember that we have the most powerful Being in existence on our side, even during our struggles, we can have peace. It turns out, with God, we have every reason to be wildly optimistic!

    Struggles, discouragement, and John's improper expectations of what God was "supposed" to do for his life caused John to leave his faith and the Lord's body, the church. John went back into every form of sin imaginable: alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery, and pornography - just as a dog returns to its vomit. John's shame and guilt, his failure to provide for his family, and the loss of all hope that God could ever forgive him brings John to a terrifying moment... holding a shotgun to his chin. He starts to pull the trigger. Can God forgive this wretch of a man? Is it possible for John to be restored and to be able to return to Jesus Christ? This raw, gritty, true story grabs the reader from beginning to end. It is a story about the real life of a discouraged Christian, and it is a story of hope, love, and the redemption found through the grace of God!

    In this companion volume to Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, Beverly Campbell examines the lessons from Eve's mortal journey and suggests practical applications for our own paths and choices in life. The book includes chapters on seeking a personal connection with God, applying the principles of the Plan of Happiness on a daily basis, defining and working within the seasons of our lives, coping with inevitable trials, giving and receiving love, and creating sacred spaces where our souls can be nurtured.About the AuthorBeverly Campbell served for twelve years as director of International Affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a former director of the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation and recipient of the prestigious Presidential Medallion from Brigham Young University. Her first book, Eve and the Choice Made in Eden, was on the Deseret Book bestseller list for 40 weeks.

    Smith was so long in the public service of the Church that his published sermons and writings would fill many volumes. The difficult problem of the compilers of this volume has been to make a collection of extracts that would do full justice to the man and that, at the same time, could be contained in a volume of moderate size. Every reader who knows Church literature will note the shortcomings of the work; and none more than the compilers. However, incomplete as it may be, this collection is well worth while, for it contains a wealth of gospel wisdom, to instruct, comfort, and inspire the Saints. The literature of the Church has been carefully and systematically searched to discover all of President Smith's public writings and sermons. Those of a historical nature have not been used in this collection, as they may well be made into another volume.

    

    Judd writes: 'The issues I have selected for inclusion in this book are representative of the difficult questions I have grappled with over the last several years in my work as a professor, a therapist, a bishop, a stake president, and a father.' Those 'hard questions' included: Is divorce the answer to a faltering marriage? Is anger a sin? What justifies and individual or nation to engage in armed conflict? How can I best understand those who are sexually attracted to the same sex? The author shows that the most meaningful answers to all our questions lie in the counsel of prophets and the miracles of the Atonement.Published: April 2004

    But while on vacation with her family in Mexico, she meets Ed, a seventeen-year-old Baptist from Illinois who is spending his vacation building houses for the homeless. Laurie returns to Utah determined to make a difference through her actions and weekly editorial in the student newspaper.Unfortunately, she finds her best friend, Roz, has also changed. Their strong-willed personalities collide as they stand on opposite sides of a heated battle involving popularity and Church standards. As Laurie writes impassioned pleas in the student newspaper for how things ought to be, she seems to further alienate herself from her peers, leaving her with only her new-found friend in Illinois. In the end, Laurie discovers how difficult and terrifying--and absolutely worthwhile--it is to truly stand for something.

    Here the trials and triumphs of the early Muslims as individuals are well-portrayed. Their various paths to Islam - sometimes direct, sometimes long and tortuous, their devotion to the noble Prophet, their endeavours in peace time and their exploits in war - all serve to cast them in a heroic mould. This is the first of two (formerly published as a series of three) books based on original Arabic sources and written in a style that is lively and often gripping. The lives of the Sahabah or Companions of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, is a rich storehouse of knowledge, guidance and inspiration. The men and women whose stories are told here helped to lay the foundations of a new world order, and it is only fitting that they should be more widely known.

    This definitive volume brings the most unique, most compelling, and most insightful comments on the Book of Mormon all to one place to help you get more out of your personal scripture study. As we ask inspired questions and seek a deeper understanding of the scriptures, we invite personal revelation to help us in our ever-changing journey of life.

    These were passionate relationships which also had some longevity, except in cases such as that of two young sisters, one of whom was discovered by Joseph’s first wife, Emma, in a locked bedroom with the prophet. Emma remained a steadfast opponent of polygamy throughout her life. The majority of Smith’s wives were younger than he, and one-third were between fourteen and twenty years of age. Another third were already married, and some of the husbands served as witnesses at their own wife’s polyandrous wedding. In addition, some of the wives hinted that they bore Smith children—most notably Sylvia Sessions’s daughter Josephine—although the children carried their stepfather’s surname. For all of Smith’s wives, the experience of being secretly married was socially isolating, emotionally draining, and sexually frustrating. Despite the spiritual and temporal benefits, which they acknowledged, they found their faith tested to the limit of its endurance. After Smith’s death in 1844, their lives became even more “lonely and desolate.” One even joined a convent. The majority were appropriated by Smith’s successors, based on the Old Testament law of the Levirate, and had children by them, though they considered these guardianships unsatisfying. Others stayed in the Midwest and remarried, while one moved to California. But all considered their lives unhappy, except for the joy they found in their children and grandchildren.