Gospel Story Finder

If it seems unusual to use the word practice in this way, consider this: In a reverent setting, a father might help his children prepare for the ordinance of baptism by showing them how they will stand together in the water and by sharing the words of the baptismal prayer. He doesn’t perform the ordinance in that setting. In a sense, he helps his children practice. That way, they will not worry about what will happen when they enter the waters of baptism. I believe that mothers and fathers can also help children practice making and keeping the baptismal covenant. Each sacrament meeting can be a sacred practice session for little children as they partake of the emblems of the Savior’s Atonement.

Later on, during the testimony meeting, a little seven-year-old boy, with his five-year-old sister by the hand, walked up to the pulpit. He helped fix a little stool there for her to stand on, his five-year-old sister, and he helped her as she bore her testimony. And as she would falter just a little, he would lean over and whisper in her ear, this little loving seven-year-old brother.

After she finished, he stood on the stool, and she stood watching him, and he bore his testimony. She had that sweet expression on her face as she watched him. He was her older brother, but you could see that family love and relationship with those two little children. He stepped down from the stool, took her by the hand, and they walked back down to take their seat.

I loved playing soccer on my school team. But I couldn’t go to many of the games because they were on Sunday. I wanted to keep the Sabbath day holy.
One day my coach asked why I did not come to games on Sundays. I explained that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I told him that Sunday is a special day for me. I only do things that help me remember Jesus Christ and get closer to Him. Later the coach said that there was a game the next Sunday. I told him that I would not be at the game. The coach said that was fine and not to worry.
A few minutes later the coach asked for everyone’s attention. The game had been changed to Saturday! I felt so happy.
After practice, a boy came over and said, “Thank you very much!” I asked him why he thanked me. He said, “I go to my church on Sundays too. I am grateful you told the coach about your beliefs. I would not have gone to the game either.” After that day, the boy and I became very good friends.
From this experience I gained a new friend and the chance to go to the game. The next year, I became the captain of my school’s soccer team. But the best thing I learned is to always be faithful to the Lord. If I am faithful to Jesus Christ, He will always bless me.

Recently, I was planning to move from Mtwivilla Street into a new apartment in Ikonongo, few blocks away in my home country of Tanzania. A few days after I paid for the first month’s rent, I started hearing stories about thieves. The lady next door told me about how her cell phone had been stolen few days ago. The stories made me feel uncomfortable and I thought maybe it was not a good idea for me to move. Thoughts of fear kept on ringing in my mind, to the extent that they interrupted and ruined my daily scripture study.
After battling with this for some days, I chose to keep up with my schedule and continue with my study of the Doctrine and Covenants. While reading section three, my mind was caught up to verses 7 and 8 where the Lord admonished Joseph Smith after he gave the 116 manuscript pages to Martin Harris, and the pages were subsequently lost. We know that Joseph Smith greatly relied upon the assistance of his friend Martin Harris, and he was thus eager to meet his friend’s request. However, the Lord told Joseph Smith: “For behold, you should not have feared man more than God . . .

“You should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.”2
That assurance melted all my fears and I realized that I had wasted much of my precious time trying to think about what thieves can do to me in the new place instead of trusting in what the Lord can do for me. The clear thought came to me that all I needed was to do my part in locking the windows and the door at night, and then keep the Lord’s commandments and He would provide peace and protection in my new place.
I am glad I chose to read my scriptures. The solution to my concern was there waiting for me: to just act on the prophet’s invitation to read the scriptures every day. I am very grateful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost that enlightened my mind to understand that precious truth from the Doctrine and Covenants.
I finally moved, and all has been well as I have continued to do my part and let the Lord do His. The peace, calm and comfort that I receive from my daily scripture study keep me going and increase my faith in Heavenly Father and in His Son Jesus Christ.

A combination of socializing and spirituality means that meetings and classes are a blend of laughter and tears as members speak, teach, and bear testimony of the gospel. Missionary and member-missionary work also benefit from this active spirituality. The Muñoz family of the Arecibo Branch have been outstanding member missionaries since their own baptisms in 1986.
“After we were baptized, everyone tried harder in our family,” says 21-year-old Gissette Muñoz. “We were united. The teasing stopped. We were kinder to each other, and we talked to each other more often. Since the gospel helped us so much, we all wanted to share the gospel with others.”
By March 1995, two families in their neighborhood had been baptized and so had several members of Sister Muñoz’s family, three of Brother Muñoz’s friends, and two of Gissette’s friends.

After spending several days taking care of a problem while serving as president of the Colombia Cali Mission, Elder Jay Edwin Jensen, recently called to the Presidency of the Seventy, recalls opening his scriptures on the flight back to the mission home.
A line from Doctrine and Covenants 3:5 caught his attention: “Remember also the promises which were made to you.”
“Throughout life we face difficulties, but the Lord seemed to be reminding me that the promises are always greater,” Elder Jensen says.
What he has learned from a lifetime of service is illustrated by that early experience he had with the scriptures as mission president. “There is power in the word of God,” he says (see Alma 31:5). He hopes, as Gideon did in the Book of Mormon, that his words “have been of service” to the King and the members of His kingdom (Mosiah 22:4).

Dusty began playing the piano when he was three. His parents first recognized his natural talent one day when they came home from church. “Dusty ran into the living room,” his mother explained, “scooted the piano bench up to where he could reach the keys, and began playing ‘I Am a Child of God’ by ear from memory. His fingers were barely long enough to reach more than one key at a time.”

The essential nature of witnesses was brought forcibly to my mind some years ago while seeking permission from a man for his wife and children to be baptized. Our missionaries had taught the family of the divinity of Christ, the sacred appearance of God the Father and His Beloved Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820, and the Restoration of the true Church upon the earth. To each point, the missionaries bore fervent testimony, and the Holy Ghost confirmed to the mother and children that it was all true. They wished to be baptized.
The father, however, was skeptical. He felt no such spiritual confirmation. Long-held beliefs and traditions filled his mind with doubt. I met with him to discuss his misgivings and the desire of his wife and children to be baptized. Though he did not wish to keep them from making their own choices, he was deeply troubled by the conflict he felt between his beliefs and family traditions and this message of the Restoration. As our conversation drew to a close, I bore my witness to him. It included my testimony of what the missionaries had taught. When I was explaining the divine nature of this Church, the Lord’s words from the Doctrine and Covenants came into my mind, and I testified that this is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30).
My friend was startled. This declaration troubled him, and in disbelief he said: “How can you possibly claim such a thing? My church has many more members than yours; my church is much larger and more influential than yours; and furthermore, the history and traditions of my church go back much further than Joseph Smith. How can you possibly claim that yours is the only true church?”
Now for the rest of the story. You recall that my friend asked: “How can you possibly claim such a thing? How can you possibly claim that yours is the only true church?”
The answer came, not from me but through me: “I am not claiming it,” I said. “I am quoting it. Jesus Christ said it. Don’t argue with me. If you wish to take issue, pray and talk with Heavenly Father about it.”
The conversation came to a close, he gave permission for his family members to be baptized, and we parted.
Some weeks later, as I was leaving a stake conference, I saw two men coming toward me, shouldering their way through the crowd. One of them was the same man of whom I have spoken. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “Oh no, here comes an argument!”
As he approached, he extended his hand and asked, “Do you remember me?”
“I certainly do,” I said, “and I want you to know that this is still the only true and living Church.”
Before more could be said, his handshake tightened and he replied: “I know! I have prayed about it as you said. The Lord has told me by the power of His Spirit that it is all true. I was baptized last weekend and ordained a priest. Today I am baptizing my friend here, for he also knows it is true.”

The Church had established roots in Czechoslovakia in an era of peace, but a portent of change had occurred as early as 1933. One missionary recorded: “Tracting was very difficult today. No one cared to listen to my message. Everyone wanted to talk about a man named Hitler who became Chancellor of Germany yesterday. They all seem to be extremely apprehensive of how this may affect Czechoslovakia.”

I was living up in Canada. I had purchased a farm. It was run-down. I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet (two meters) high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and clipped it back until there was nothing left but stumps. It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying. I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven’t entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it and smiled and said, “What are you crying about?” You know, I thought I heard that currant bush say this:
“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me because I didn’t make what I should have made. How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”
That’s what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered. I said, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down. Thank you, Mr. Gardener.’”

The magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck the Hawaiian Islands early in the morning of Sunday, October 15, 2006, caused minor damage to the Kona Hawaii Temple and several meetinghouses, according to early estimates.
The Kona Hawaii Temple, located in Kailua-Kona, had some chandelier damage and other minor damage, but the temple was open for patrons two days later, according to Elder Eric B. Shumway, an Area Seventy and president of BYU–Hawaii. No members or missionaries were hurt, but all the meetinghouses on the Big Island received some damage, Elder Shumway added.
Elder Shumway noted that emergency and disaster plans quickly fell into place after the quake. “How wonderful it is to see members of the Church rallying together,” he said.

(88) Russell M. Nelson and his daughter Wendy talk “of things that matter most” during their “farewell daddy-daughter conversation.” A police officer helping people escape from a wildfire wonders, “Where is my family?” A friend of Russell M. Nelson refuses to make changes to qualify for gospel blessings.

A few years ago our oldest son, Matt, was serving a mission in California while my parents were serving in Virginia. I noted that Matt never once wrote a letter home complaining about how tough missionary work is. I have to credit his grandparents for that. How can a young elder in his physical prime think of complaining when his grandmother—in her late 60s with lung problems, back pain, and numerous allergies—is knocking on doors in another state?

“When I joined the Church, I didn’t have confidence to talk to people,” Shinnah says. “When I was given a calling to serve as a Young Women class president, I was so surprised. I had never been a leader before. I had to practice how to talk in front of other people and how to share my testimony. Then one day my bishop called me to his office. He told me that I am so loved and that Heavenly Father will strengthen me in everything I do.”

AnnaLee Bloomfield of the Londonderry Ward, Edmonton Alberta Bonnie Doon Stake, was awarded first place in the Edmonton community league youth competition. One girl and one boy from each of the 138 community leagues were nominated. They were judged on poise and personality, speaking ability, and volunteer experience.
Giving church talks helped AnnaLee remain calm during her speaking presentation. Her volunteer work included working with Parks and Recreation, volunteering in a nursing home, and teaching a preschool activity class.
AnnaLee is also an honor student.

Have you noticed how our surroundings can influence our actions and affect our behavior? I recall, as a young college student, participating in a discussion with an instructor who made reference to research concerning the effects of environment on productivity in the workplace. He reported that some environments encouraged employees to work with greater energy and industry while other environments had an adverse effect. The thought that these seemingly simple things could have such an influence was of great interest to me.
He also spoke of an experiment conducted with a group of people sitting at a table ready to enjoy the meal that had been placed before them. Though each of the participants was hungry and expressed a desire to eat the food, their appetites were affected dramatically by changing the lighting in the room. Following a change in the lighting, many did not eat at all, others ate very little, and, surprisingly, none of the participants enjoyed the meal.
To think that appetizing food would lose its appeal simply because the room lighting had changed indicates the possible impact and influence of the environment on our behavior.

Once there was a bird whose feathers were beautiful. He sang lovely songs and flew very fast. He was proud of all he could do, and he thought no one was better than he.
One day a flea heard the bird singing. “Oh, I’m the best, the very, very best, the very best creature in the forest.”
“Are you sure?” asked the flea.
“What?” questioned the bird.
“Are you sure that you’re the very best creature in the forest?” the flea asked again.
“Of course,” answered the bird, as he looked all around. “Who’s talking to me, anyway? I can’t even see you.”
“Down here,” replied the flea.
Then the bird saw the flea and laughed. “Why you’re no bigger than a flea!” he snorted.
“That’s because I am a flea!” shouted the flea.
“What do you want?” asked the bird.
“I know that you’re more beautiful than I am,” the flea responded. “And I know that you can sing better than I can. But I wonder if you’re really faster than I am. Let’s have a race.”
“A race?” repeated the bird, hardly believing what he had heard. “You must be addled! I’m sure I’ll win.”
“Maybe,” said the flea. “Let’s try it anyway.”
“All right,” agreed the bird. “Where will we race to?”
“The pond on the other side of the forest,” the flea suggested, for the flea knew that the bird often went there to admire himself.
“Fine,” said the bird. “But who will start us off?”
“I will,” croaked a toad that was sitting nearby. “I will count to three, then you can go.”
The bird and the flea got ready …
“One, two, three!” cried the toad.
Just an instant before the bird took flight, the flea hopped onto the bird’s back and snuggled down among its feathers. But because the flea weighed so little, the bird did not feel it as they flew high over the trees. The flea was enjoying the ride. It had never been up so high. The flea was pleased that it had been so easy to hop on the bird. Just then they saw a big tree loaded with fruit.
That flea is so slow, the bird thought, it will take it all day to get to the pond. I have time to stop for a few minutes. Down flew the bird to the tree and ate and ate until he was full. Becoming sleepy, the bird’s eyes closed.
Nuts! worried the flea. I don’t want to sit here all day. Maybe the bird will forget about the race and never go to the pond. I must get there myself.
The flea jumped off the bird and scuttled down the tree. Hopping along through the forest, he became tired. “Oh, dear,” he sighed. “The pond is still far away. I should have stayed on the bird—he might wake up anytime.” Then the flea heard a dog barking. It was chasing a rabbit, and they were running toward the pond. “Aha!” cried the flea. “This is just what I need.”
First the rabbit sped past. Then, unnoticed by the dog as it ran by, the flea jumped onto its back. Away they went through the forest.
Good! thought the flea. I’ll beat that bird yet.
The dog ran on and on until it was quite close to the pond. Then suddenly it tripped on a stick and rolled over and over. The flea fell off, and before it could jump back onto the dog, the animal had run away.
“Oh, dear!” wailed the flea. “Why did I ever hop off the bird?” He looked up and could see the bird high in the sky.
Suddenly the flea saw a cat. This was its last chance. “Hello, cat,” said the flea. “I hope you can help me.”
“Oh?” replied the cat. “Why should I help you? I don’t like fleas.”
The flea told the cat about the race. “I see,” said the cat. “I’d like to teach that bird a lesson or two myself. Hop onto my back. I’ll take you to the pond.”
“Hurry!” urged the flea. “We want to surprise the bird.”
Soon they came to the pond where the toad was waiting. It was surprised to see the flea first. “Where is the bird?” asked the toad.
“He should be here soon,” replied the flea, hopping to the top of a tall bush.
“Here he comes,” said the cat. The bird flew down to the pond.
“I won!” declared the flea.
The bird did not know what to say. “How could you—” he began.
Suddenly the cat jumped … but not fast enough. Just in time the bird got away. The flea had won, and the cat had taken his beautiful tail feathers. The cat went away without supper.
“Come down from that bush,” the toad said to the flea. “I can’t see you very well.”
“No, I’ll tell you my story from here,” said the wise little flea, not to be tricked by the toad. And the toad hopped away without any supper either.

Just off the road on the far end of the island of Tubuai, Ronny Harevaa and his wife, Sandrine, tidy up the ground around a small stone monument. It is dedicated to the memory of Elder Addison Pratt, the first Latter-day Saint missionary to visit this island 450 miles (700 km) south of Tahiti. Addison Pratt grew up in New Hampshire in the United States of America, but at age 19 he became a seafarer. He traveled to what are now the Hawaiian Islands, then sailed the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean before marrying and settling in New York. In 1838 he and his wife joined the Church. By 1841 they had gathered with the Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. In May 1843 Addison Pratt was called by the Prophet Joseph Smith to help begin missionary work in the Pacific. On April 30, 1844, he and two other elders, Noah Rogers and Benjamin Grouard, arrived on Tubuai.
The islanders were eager to have a missionary among them, and Elder Pratt remained. He began learning Tahitian and preaching. The first convert was his interpreter, another American. Six of seven sailors on the island were also baptized and confirmed. Then on July 22, 1844—three years before Latter-day Saint pioneers arrived in Utah—the first Polynesian converts were baptized. By February 1845, 60 of the 200 inhabitants of Tubuai had joined the Church. From these beginnings and from the work of Elder Rogers and Elder Grouard on other islands, the Church spread throughout what is now French Polynesia.

Alan looked at his watch. It was 5:00. “Sherry will be getting home from Primary with the kids about now,” Alan thought, wishing a little he had brought the whole family. He was missing Sherry already.
“Todd, I hope you find a wife as wonderful as your mother,” Alan thought.
Alan’s thoughts wandered back to the day before his wedding. He’d spent the day getting traveler’s checks, changing the oil in the car, confirming reservations for the honeymoon. At night he went over to see Sherry. They went outside and walked hand in hand around her parent’s backyard, admiring the flowers and neat rows of vegetables.
“What will it be like to be married to you?” Sherry asked him thoughtfully.
“What’s the matter?” he kidded. “You change your mind?”
“It’s just that I’ve never been married before.”
“Me either,” Alan said.
“And tomorrow night at this time, we’ll … we’ll be married.”
“That’s right. Are you nervous?” Alan asked.
“I guess so. You’ll be my man. What kind of man are you?”
“What kind of man do you want me to be?”
“Oh, like my dad, like the stake president, like the prophet.”
“You mean old?” he asked with a grin.
“Oh, you know,” she said, taking his hand. “I want a priesthood man.”
“What kind of man is that?”
“D&C 121:41–46.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“You’re the returned missionary; look it up. Okay?”
“Okay. Well, I’d better go.” He leaned over and they kissed. “Do you realize,” he whispered in her ear, “that this is the last time I’m ever going to kiss a single girl? It’s an auspicious occasion.”

The Liahona (English) is my constant travel companion—as my work requires that I travel all over the Philippines. Alone in a hotel room, instead of watching television, I turn to the Liahona and feel the comforting presence of the Holy Ghost. Reading through the messages of our Church leaders and the narratives and testimonies of members inspires and revitalizes me. I know my family and I are all safe and secure because our Father in Heaven and our Savior are looking out for us.
Julie B. Odra,Masagana First Branch, Antipolo Philippines Stake