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Friend to Friend

Summary: Henry D. Taylor was called to the Eastern States Mission, but typhoid fever delayed his departure. He remembered the cold conditions of missionary life and how a hot toaster under his chair helped him stay warm during early-morning study class. He later testified that the Lord and the people were kind to missionaries, and he closed with an exhortation to young people to live clean, useful lives and keep the Lord’s commandments.
Elder Taylor received a call to the Eastern States Mission. But during the summer before he was to leave, he and a brother had drunk some contaminated water while on a trip to southern Utah. As a result, Henry contracted typhoid fever and was not able to leave until later. He recalls that “when I first reached my mission, our room wasn’t well heated. We had our study class at 6:00 A.M., and I would don my bathrobe and sit there with my teeth chattering. I found that putting a hot toaster under my chair helped a little.”
At that time missionaries often traveled without purse or scrip. Elder Taylor said that during his mission “the Lord was good to us, and the people were kind and provided us with food and lodging. My mission experiences were humbling and inspirational.
“I salute you noble young people. You will be the leaders in your communities and the Church in the very near future. Live clean and useful lives. Happiness comes from keeping the Lord’s commandments. I leave my blessing with you, and pray that our Heavenly Father will guide, guard, and protect you.”
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👤 General Authorities (Modern) 👤 Missionaries
Adversity Health Missionary Work Patience

Experiences in Profound Trust

Summary: After her parents’ divorce and other family struggles, Claire lost confidence in marriage and felt alone. As a teenager she prayed desperately and felt a powerful witness of Heavenly Father’s love. She deepened her testimony through prayer, scripture study, seminary, and keeping commandments, later marrying and choosing to include God in her new family. She now faces challenges with faith, trusting the gospel’s truths.
When Claire (name has been changed) was six years old, her parents divorced. In the years that followed, she witnessed many failed marriages as well as family members struggling with addiction, inactivity in the Church, and depression. Saddened and confused, Claire lost her confidence in family.
“I told myself that marriage was not for me,” she says. “But I was just hiding my fear that my future would be the same as what I had experienced.”
In addition to feeling distressed about her family situation, Claire felt alone. One day as a teenager, she fell to her knees in desperation and prayed, pleading to know if Heavenly Father was there. “When I ceased crying and speaking, I was overwhelmed with a burning feeling that was peaceful, strong, and so direct,” she says. “I knew Heavenly Father was there and would always love me and help me through my trials.”
The answer Claire received sparked a desire to increase her testimony and trust in God and His commandments regarding the family. She not only continued to pray but also read her scriptures, attended seminary, and kept the commandments.
Now Claire is married, and she is learning to face her challenges with faith. “I don’t worry whether it will be impossible to raise a strong family because my husband and I have decided to always nurture our testimonies, include our Heavenly Father and our Savior in our lives, and remember the undeniable truth of the gospel.”
For Claire, building trust in God began with a simple, sincere prayer. But what else can we do to build trust in Heavenly Father? Young adults from all over the world—each dealing with trials—share their experiences on how they have developed trust in the Lord and have learned to rely on His will, His way, and His timing.
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👤 Young Adults 👤 Youth 👤 Parents
Addiction Apostasy Commandments Divorce Faith Family Holy Ghost Marriage Mental Health Obedience Prayer Scriptures Testimony

Faithful Laborers

Summary: Mission president Ransom Stevens died of typhoid in 1894. His pregnant widow traveled home, was met by Church leaders, and gave birth five hours after arriving in her hometown.
At 29, Ransom Stevens was president of the Samoa Mission when stricken with typhoid fever, which was complicated by a heart problem. He died on April 23, 1894.

His widow, Sister Annie D. Stevens, started for home by steamer on May 23. She reached Ogden on Sunday, June 10, where she was met by President Joseph F. Smith and Elder Franklin D. Richards. On June 11, she had an interview with the First Presidency in Salt Lake City and then went on to her home in Fairview, Sanpete County, arriving at 6:00 P.M.

The history states, “The greetings by her friends were necessarily brief for Sister Stevens was ill and had to retire to bed early, and at 11 P.M., five hours after her arrival home, she gave birth to a nice boy.” She had gone through the whole ordeal in the advanced stages of pregnancy.
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👤 Church Leaders (Local) 👤 General Authorities (Modern) 👤 Missionaries 👤 Children
Adversity Death Family Grief Health Missionary Work Single-Parent Families

The Power of the Priesthood

Summary: After a conference, a young man preparing for a mission was to be ordained an elder and had asked other brethren to perform it. The speaker noticed the young man's father and insisted the father ordain his son, coaching him through the ordinance. The experience deeply moved them both, leading to an embrace and the father’s regret that he hadn’t ordained his other sons.
Another time I was in a distant city. After a conference we were ordaining and setting apart leaders. As we concluded, the stake president asked, “Can we ordain a young man to be an elder who is leaving for the mission field?” The answer, of course, was yes.

As the young man came forward, he motioned for three brethren to follow and stand in for his ordination.

I noticed on the back row a carbon copy of this boy, and I asked, “Is that your father?”

The young man said, “Yes.”

I said, “Your father will ordain you.”

And he protested, “But I’ve already asked another brother to ordain me.”

And I said, “Young man, your father will ordain you, and you’ll live to thank the Lord for this day.”

Then the father came forward.

Thank goodness he was an elder. Had he not been, he soon could have been! In the military they would call that a battlefield commission. Sometimes such things are done in the Church.

The father did not know how to ordain his son. I put my arm around him and coached him through the ordinance. When he was finished, the young man was an elder. Then something wonderful happened. Completely changed, the father and son embraced. It was obvious that had never happened before.

The father, through his tears, said, “I didn’t get to ordain my other boys.”

Think how much more was accomplished than if another had ordained him, even an Apostle.
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👤 Church Leaders (Local) 👤 Parents 👤 Church Members (General)
Family Missionary Work Parenting Priesthood Young Men

The Purple Teddy Bear

Summary: Liam is disappointed on Christmas morning when he receives a handmade purple teddy bear instead of the video game he wanted. His older sister Erin shows him their mum’s sewing machine and materials, explaining the time and love their mother put into making each child a gift. Realizing the love behind the present, Liam thanks his mum and feels his family’s love, making it a special Christmas.
On Christmas morning, Liam woke up extra early. He sneaked into the living room with his two younger sisters, Holly and Sarah. There, seven homemade stockings hung in a row. Some were small and wide. Some were long and thin. And some were so old that their colours had faded. But the important thing for Liam was that each stocking was filled with yummy sweets.
Liam grabbed his stocking and turned it upside down. He frowned. There was one candy cane, an orange, and only a handful of sweets.
“Is this it?” he asked.
Holly and Sarah were frowning too. Then Liam grinned. Maybe this meant his present would be really good! He hoped it was that new video game all his friends were playing.
But when Liam finally opened his present, his disappointment only grew. His gift was a purple teddy bear. It was handmade, with black button eyes and a little stitched smile.
“Merry Christmas, Liam,” Mum said with a big smile.
Liam did not smile. This was not the present he wanted.
His little sisters got stuffed animals too, and so did his three older sisters. But that didn’t make Liam feel better. This was the worst Christmas ever!
“What’s wrong?” his older sister Erin asked after breakfast. “You’ve been grumpy all morning.”
“I don’t really like my present,” he said. “It’s just a teddy bear Mum made. Why didn’t she give me something I wanted?”
Erin smiled. “Come with me.”
She took him to Mum’s bedroom and pointed at the old sewing machine on the table.
“It’s Mum’s sewing machine,” he said. “So what?”
“What else do you see?”
Liam frowned. He saw sewing needles, colourful thread, and some folded pieces of fabric. He also saw a bag of stuffing, soft and fluffy like a cloud.
“I know you wanted Mum to buy you something else for Christmas,” Erin said. “But we don’t have the money for that. I love the teddy bear Mum made me. It shows how much she loves me.”
“What do you mean?”
“It takes time to make a stuffed toy. It takes patience. Mum sat at this table for hours making a toy for each of us. She made sure we each got a present. Don’t you think that means she loves us?”
Liam touched the purple fabric that Mum had used to make his teddy bear. Maybe Erin was right. A present didn’t need to be fancy to be a good gift. In Primary, Liam had learned that Jesus was the greatest gift, and Jesus was born in a simple stable.
Liam ran to find Mum. He gave her a big hug. “Thank you for the teddy bear,” he said.
He didn’t think the teddy bear was so silly now. Even if there had been no gifts at all, he felt his family’s love. And that made it a special Christmas.
This story took place in New Zealand.
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👤 Parents 👤 Children 👤 Youth
Children Christmas Family Gratitude Jesus Christ Love Parenting Sacrifice

Increasing Faith by Studying the Book of Mormon

Summary: The speaker recounts visiting Brother Joseph Tembo in Zambia and discovering that, despite being inactive for seven years because of an offense, he had continued reading the Book of Mormon daily. That daily scripture study had kept his testimony alive and made it easy to help him return to Church. The experience strengthened the speaker’s conviction that scripture study should be a daily priority and that the Book of Mormon brings spiritual strength and guidance.
I witnessed firsthand how these blessings—as promised by our dear prophet—changed the life of Brother Joseph Tembo* from the Copperbelt in Zambia. We visited this brother when I was assigned to preside over a district conference a few years ago. Upon entering his home, I noticed in his room a small table on the left with a pile of scriptures. I just marveled as I was informed that he had been inactive for the past seven years and had become somewhat disaffected. As we discussed with him, he said something profound, “I haven’t been going to Church for the past seven years because of some offense. I still know the gospel is true. Reading the Book of Mormon daily has kept me going.” The Book of Mormon had surely comforted, strengthened and consoled him during his greatest time of need. It was therefore easy to help him find his way back to Church again.

This also strengthened my own testimony that scripture study should have a daily set time, not leftover time! And as President Harold B. Lee cautioned, “If we are not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner.”11

As we seek to increase our faith in Heavenly Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement, we need to “press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end.”12 “The words of Christ will tell [us] all things what [we] should do.”13 The Book of Mormon is for our profit and learning. It testifies of Jesus Christ and answers the questions of the soul.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern) 👤 Church Members (General)
Apostasy Book of Mormon Ministering Scriptures Testimony

Called 2 Serve

Summary: Missionaries in the Ilopango Zone created a puppet show to teach children about health and avoiding harmful substances. They presented it at a hospital and a supermarket parking lot. Viewers, including hospital staff, enjoyed and appreciated their efforts.
Some of the full-time missionaries in the Ilopango Zone—(from left to right) Elder Monterroso, Elder Payne, Elder Albino, Sister Rivera, and Elder Cammack—do a puppet show to teach children to eat healthy foods and to avoid tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and other addictive substances.

The missionaries gave the puppet show at a local hospital and in a parking lot of a large supermarket. Those who saw the show, including members of the hospital staff, enjoyed it and appreciated the missionaries’ efforts.
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👤 Missionaries 👤 Children 👤 Other
Addiction Children Education Health Missionary Work Word of Wisdom

Scary Choice

Summary: A young person who likes scary movies faced temptation when a new scary movie was released. Remembering a promise to follow the prophet's counsel, they chose not to watch it despite the difficulty. They felt good about the decision and believe blessings will come from choosing to avoid bad movies now and in the future.
I like scary movies. When a certain scary movie came out, I was really sad because it was the kind of movie that the prophet had said not to watch. I had promised myself and Heavenly Father that I would follow the prophet and not watch such movies. Then I had a chance to watch it. I remembered my promise and didn’t watch it, though it was hard not to. But it was worth it. I know that I will get many blessings for not watching that kind of movie. I’m choosing while I’m young to not watch any bad movies, and so it won’t be hard for me when I am older. It makes me feel good inside when I make right choices.
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👤 Youth 👤 General Authorities (Modern)
Agency and Accountability Children Movies and Television Obedience Temptation Testimony

My Friend Arthur

Summary: Arthur Godfrey was a steadfast friend and mentor who helped shape the author’s life through youth, mission service, and military service. His influence opened the way for the author to serve a mission and later to serve in the army. The story concludes by honoring Arthur as a lasting friend, teacher, and example.
When I returned from the mission, Arthur was president of the Santa Barbara Stake created in my absence. When I was drafted by the United States Army, he suggested strongly that I should now serve my country, although I had been accepted for graduate work and could have obtained another deferment. I did as he suggested, and the army promptly sent me to Korea. There, instead of fighting in war, I had additional spiritual experiences. Today, at 90, Arthur remains my dear and close friend. In a coming day he will depart for a better world, but he will always be my friend, my teacher, and my example.
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👤 Young Adults 👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Holy Ghost Missionary Work Obedience Revelation War

Being Content

Summary: After visiting many churches without feeling at home, the narrator and his wife were suddenly told by their landlady to move out the next day. Seeking help from a friend to find housing, he met the missionaries, who taught about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. He and his wife continued lessons and were soon baptized and confirmed.
Years later I started visiting many churches, but I never felt at home. One day I returned home from work, and my landlady told me that my wife and I must move out by the next day. I could not think of any wrongdoing or problems that would cause her to ask us to leave.
I went to a friend’s house to ask for help in quickly finding a new apartment, and there I met the missionaries. They introduced themselves and said they could answer my questions at the end of the lesson. As they taught about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the gospel, I thought about how I had moved from one church to another without finding the truth. I made an appointment with the missionaries, and they taught my wife and me. Soon we were baptized and confirmed.
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👤 Missionaries 👤 Friends 👤 Other
Baptism Conversion Joseph Smith Missionary Work The Restoration

Finding a Way to Forgive

Summary: Janet’s brother Nathan was killed by a drunk teenage driver, and she wrestled with anger and grief. Through many prayers, fasts, study, and reflection, she eventually felt she had truly forgiven the young men. She chose to respond with forgiveness and love rather than anger.
When Janet’s brother was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk teenage driver and his passengers, she knew she needed to let go of the bitterness she felt, but she didn’t know how.
“It was hard to tell what pained me most—my anger toward these mindless teenagers or my sincere yearning to have my brother back. I couldn’t bear to think of the huge void in my life. I remember praying fervently for what seemed like hours. All I wanted was to have Nathan back.
“I felt pity for the boys responsible for Nathan’s death because I knew that they felt a tremendous guilt. But I also felt anger and resentment. It was easy to blame them. I said in my mind that I forgave these young men, but anger still flooded my thoughts when I dwelt on the accident. I frequently asked myself, ‘How will I ever truly forgive these young men, and how will I know when I have?’
“It wasn’t until after hundreds of prayers, earnest fasts, and much studying and reflection that I finally felt I had truly forgiven them. I remember pondering one day. I thought, ‘I forgive them. How could I not? Everyone makes mistakes, and who am I to judge? I will never solve anything by holding on, so I am letting go.’ The feeling was amazing! I’d constantly yearned to know that I’d truly forgiven the young men, and in time it came. I cannot change what happened to Nathan, but I can choose to react with forgiveness and love rather than anger.”
Janet learned that truly forgiving can take time and effort. The Savior said, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” (D&C 88:63). Janet drew closer to the Lord through fasting, prayer, scripture study, and other efforts. As we do the same, we can let our anger and hurt be replaced with feelings of peace and forgiveness.
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👤 Youth
Death Fasting and Fast Offerings Forgiveness Grief Love Peace Prayer Scriptures

The Brave Airman

Summary: After training, the narrator received a letter from his oldest brother in the Philippines who had joined the Church and urged him to meet the missionaries. Remembering the airman’s courage, he and his wife met with missionaries and were baptized. He then arranged for missionaries to visit his younger brother, leading to his and his wife’s baptisms; their families now thrive in the gospel.
After boot camp and medical training, I was assigned to an air force base in Colorado, USA. One day, I received a letter from my oldest brother stationed in the Philippines. He had joined the air force about a year before I did. He told me that he had become a member of the Church, and he wanted me to meet with the missionaries. I immediately recalled the experience in boot camp with the brave airman. My wife and I met with the missionaries, and we were soon baptized.
A few months later, I had the missionaries visit my younger brother. He and his wife were also baptized. My brothers and I now have large families with grandchildren. We all love the Lord and His Church.
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👤 Missionaries 👤 Church Members (General) 👤 Other
Baptism Conversion Faith Family Missionary Work War

Friend to Friend

Summary: Seventeen years after his mission, the narrator and his wife visited Brazil. A series of providential contacts led to an invitation to the mission home, where he discovered his former Protestant-minister convert was now serving as mission president. The reunion brought great joy.
You are always concerned for the people you have baptized, and you always wonder how they’re doing. About seventeen years after that first mission, my wife, Carol, and I had an opportunity to travel to Brazil. When we landed in Rio de Janeiro, our taxi driver happened to be a Church member. We told him who we were, and I talked to him about being in Brazil on my mission. No sooner did we get checked into our hotel room than our telephone rang. I thought, Who could be calling us here at this hour? It was someone from the mission office, inviting us to dinner at the mission home the next evening. We arrived at the appointed time, the door opened, and there stood my ex-Protestant minister convert. He was the mission president! What a thrill!
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👤 Church Members (General) 👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Baptism Conversion Missionary Work

The Bulletin Board

Summary: Young women in the Mansfield Ward created a stained glass nativity and displayed it at their meetinghouse for all to enjoy. A local nonmember, Martha Kate Downey, helped with the project; in gratitude, the girls gave her a Book of Mormon with their testimonies written inside.
Young women in the Mansfield Ward, Arlington Texas Stake, worked countless hours to produce this stained glass nativity scene. After the work was completed, the nativity was displayed in their ward meetinghouse so that the whole ward could enjoy it. Martha Kate Downey, a nonmember in the area, helped the girls produce the beautiful work. In return, they gave her the gift of a Book of Mormon with their testimonies written inside the front cover.
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👤 Youth 👤 Church Members (General) 👤 Other
Book of Mormon Christmas Missionary Work Service Testimony Young Women

Soren Edsberg:

Summary: Soren Edsberg, a successful Danish artist, joined the Church at his father’s invitation and later gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon, which changed the direction of his life. He devoted his art and service to the Lord, married in the temple, and became deeply involved in Church leadership and family life. The story also tells of his family’s efforts to help his mother join the Church, her miraculous recovery from cancer long enough to be sealed to the family, and Soren’s commitment to keep moving toward his eternal goal.
Soren was also his father’s student in the art of living. When Knud Edsberg joined the Church in 1961, he invited his son to join him in his newly discovered faith. Sixteen-year-old Soren wasn’t particularly interested in religion at the time. But after his father told him how much it meant to him, Soren agreed to be baptized. “I had always loved my father and respected him,” he explains. “Whenever he asked me to do something, I usually did it.”

As a new member of the Church, Soren knew little about the Church or its teachings. For the first month, he did not even attend church meetings. Finally, feeling obligated to learn what the gospel was about, he read a pamphlet about the Book of Mormon. From that small pamphlet he gained a testimony that the Book of Mormon truly is the word of God. That realization forever changed the course of Soren Edsberg’s life.

For one thing, he became devoted to serving the Lord. Just a few weeks after his conversion to the Book of Mormon, he was called to be a regular speaker in missionary meetings. Since then, he has served as a branch president, mission public relations director, high councilor, and Young Men president.

Another event that changed his life occurred in his Copenhagen (Denmark) branch when he met his wife, Johnna—a convert to the Church and a piano student at the Danish Royal Academy of Music. The Edsbergs were sealed in the Swiss Temple and have continued a life of Church service. Soren is now mission leader and Johnna is Young Women president in the Slagelse (Denmark) Branch. The Edsbergs have seven children, ranging in age from three to seventeen. In a country where families average one or two children, you can see the Edsbergs’s commitment to family values by their large family.

One of the most obvious changes in Soren Edsberg’s life involves his artistic course. “Of course, when you learn the gospel, it becomes your whole life,” says Soren, now forty. Now, instead of seeing artistic success as an end in itself, he sees his art as a means of serving the Lord and building the kingdom.

His desire to serve through his art has even transformed his painting style. “I thought about how important it is to be a missionary in everything we do,” Soren recalls. “I felt that if I wanted to do missionary work, I had to paint in a way that would communicate with people today.” Because in Europe realistic painting was not well accepted, he began to paint in an impressionistic style. Later, he turned to abstract art, always trying to make his paintings express positive values and gospel truths.

Brother Edsberg’s work has been exhibited by the Association of National Art in the Charlottenborg Palace, home of the Danish Royal Academy of National Arts. His paintings have hung in several museums in Europe, where his work has been a popular success. But he judges his work by its ability to influence the one who looks at it for good, not by its ability to sell.

He tells about one of his series of abstract paintings that was inspired directly by the scriptures and that had a scriptural “text” inscribed either on the back or below the painting. “My barber told me that he had seen them in a public show,” he recalls delightedly. “Then he quoted a scripture on one of the paintings word for word. It had made an impression on him, even though he didn’t believe in God.”

Soren Edsberg’s personality is warm and engaging, with just a hint of reserve. He becomes enthusiastic when he describes his latest work. It is a series of abstract paintings titled The Course of Life. It was inspired by an aerial view of the earth—looking down at people traveling on freeways and streets, all on various courses. The artist wants people to consider where their course is taking them. “Many times we have a goal,” he explains, “but without realizing we are on a course that is taking us away from that goal. I want people to think in an eternal way.”

The president of the International Association of Art Critics in Geneva, Switzerland, Alexandre Cirici Pellecier, has said that Edsberg’s Course of Life paintings, though truly abstract, are paintings with a positive message that is easy for the viewer to understand. Since Soren’s major goal is to be a missionary, this is high praise.

And missionary opportunities in Denmark—where religion plays little role in most lives—are not always easy to come by. “If you are a member of any ‘sect,’ you are seen either as not very intelligent, or as a weak person who needs something to hold onto, or as a crook who is trying to gain something from it,” says Soren. Even though missionary work can be difficult in such a setting, Soren has had some good experiences—the one closest to his heart in his own family.

Although three of the Knud Edsberg family—Knud, Soren, and Soren’s sister, Birgitte—were members of the Church, their wife and mother, Kirsten Edsberg, remained firmly Lutheran. For years, the family and church leaders had tried to convert her. Finally, Knud Edsberg became discouraged. “One morning my father came to my house. He stood in the doorway crying because he was so sad.”

Soren felt the Spirit come to him. He put his arms around his father and said, “Mother will be a member now. And when I say ‘now,’ I don’t mean in a year or two. I mean now.” After his father had left, Soren went to see his mother. “After I had talked to her for about ten minutes, she said, ‘I would like to be baptized now.’” Father, mother, and son wept together for joy.

A short time after her baptism, Kirsten Edsberg got cancer. As the disease progressed, Soren and his sister became disturbed. Their mother’s patriarchal blessing promised that she would live to fulfill her life’s mission. But she had not yet had her children sealed to her, nor had she had opportunities for church service.

When at last the doctors felt that she would die within days and had withdrawn all medicine except for pain killers, the elder Brother Edsberg called on Soren to give his mother another blessing. After several days of fasting and praying, says Soren, “I felt I had permission to tell the disease to obey the priesthood and to leave so my mother would be able to complete her mission in this life.” Kirsten Edsberg recovered and was able to go to the Swiss Temple to be sealed to her family. She was also able to serve as a Primary teacher. Then, a year after her healing, she became ill again and passed away.

With such experiences, Soren Edsberg’s priorities have become firm: “First, I have my personal commitment to my Heavenly Father. Second, I have my family. Third, I have my church calling. Fourth, I have my job.”

Soren does not consider that his job as an artist puts him in any special category. He feels that there can be artists in any work. “You can do any job poorly. You can do it well. You can do it very well. Or you can do it with genius, and at that level, you start to produce art. That means you can be an artist in whatever kind of work you do,” he explains.

This striving for excellence is something which Brother Edsberg tries to do in his church work. The Edsberg family home—a lovely four-hundred-year-old castle about eighty kilometers from Copenhagen—is often the site of activities for youth of the Slagelse Branch and Copenhagen Stake. Recently, the Edsbergs hosted fifty or so young people overnight at their home. With strong worldly influences in Danish schools, as well as society in general, Brother Edsberg feels that church youth activities need to be as fun and interesting as possible.

The Edsbergs also feel strongly about keeping their own children close to them. Although Brother Edsberg travels quite a bit, his studio is in his home. Since April 1986, one wing of the home has also been a public gallery, where works of many artists are on display. He is planning an exhibition of the works of Utah artists, particularly Latter-day Saints.

Helping their children stay close to the gospel is a continuing challenge. “I don’t think anyone can appreciate how difficult it is to raise children in Denmark,” says Brother Edsberg. “You have to teach them to make the gospel part of everything they do. You have to build their faith and testimony very strongly.” He emphasizes that parents cannot hope to fulfill such a responsibility unless they have the Spirit in their own lives to help them teach and influence their children.

As Soren Edsberg looks to the future, he speaks of artistic goals. He wants to explore his Courses of Life theme in larger mural form and also use such materials as marble, glass, and crystal. He anticipates seeing his children serve missions. In all, he is heading toward his eternal goal and steadily following the course that will take him there.
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👤 Parents 👤 Youth 👤 Church Members (General)
Baptism Conversion Family Parenting Young Men

From Blue Peter to Baptism: Former BBC programme Editor-in Chief Finds Peace in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Summary: In May 2023, Richard Marson initially turned away missionaries but felt a powerful impression that he was making a big mistake, so he called them back and invited them in. Later, he prayed and felt the presence of Jesus Christ telling him he had come back. Through study, he gained a testimony and was baptized four months after first meeting the missionaries.
Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knocked on the door of Richard Marson in May 2023, and he abruptly told them he didn’t have time for them and to go away. After returning inside his home, he recalled that he had a powerful impression conveyed to his heart- “you are making one of the biggest mistakes of your life.” He went back outside and called to the missionaries, apologized, and asked them to come in. He then began his journey to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He said “Not long ago, I was praying and felt the presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ saying simply, ‘You have come back to me’– it was overwhelmingly clear and powerful. I think this is because as a boy I always had firm belief in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ but drifted from them around the age of 13/14”.
His contact with the missionaries in May also changed the direction of his life, and he was baptised four months later. He said, “What is extraordinary to me is the revelation that this is the true church. I might easily have been promoted to re-embrace my (former) Christian faith after the initial contact with the missionaries but as I studied and got to know more and more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I just found it to be right and true– the testimony of Joseph Smith and the early prophets, the glorious nature of the Book of Mormon– and the blessing of our living prophet. I love the accountability which comes with the covenants we are asked to make, the focus on service, self-discipline, and sacrifice.”
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👤 Jesus Christ 👤 Missionaries 👤 Church Members (General) 👤 Other
Agency and Accountability Baptism Book of Mormon Conversion Covenant Faith Holy Ghost Jesus Christ Joseph Smith Missionary Work Prayer Revelation Sacrifice Service Testimony The Restoration

One More Day

Summary: While the speaker was in dental school during severe inflation, his family’s saved money became nearly worthless when buying required equipment. His mother sold a treasured gold bracelet—gifted by her father—to fund the purchase, expressing confidence he would be a dentist. Her sacrifice motivated him to work diligently and finish his studies.
When I was a student in dental school, the financial outlook of our local economy was not very encouraging. Inflation dramatically decreased the value of currency from one day to the next.
I remember the year when I was to enroll in surgery practices; I needed to have all the necessary surgical equipment before enrolling that semester. My parents saved the needed funds. But one night something dramatic happened. We went to buy the equipment, only to discover that the amount of money we had to buy all the equipment now was sufficient to buy only a pair of surgical tweezers—and nothing else. We returned home with empty hands and with heavy hearts at the thought of my losing a semester of college. Suddenly, however, my mother said, “Taylor, come with me; let’s go out.”
We went downtown where there were many places that buy and sell jewelry. When we arrived at one store, my mother took out of her purse a small blue velvet bag containing a beautiful gold bracelet with an inscription that read, “To my dear daughter from your father.” It was a bracelet that my grandfather had given her on one of her birthdays. Then, before my eyes, she sold it.
When she received the money, she told me, “If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that you are going to be a dentist. Go and buy all the equipment you need.” Now, can you imagine what kind of student I became from that moment on? I wanted to be the best and finish my studies soon because I knew the high cost of the sacrifice she was making.
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👤 Parents 👤 Young Adults
Education Family Gratitude Love Sacrifice

Mormonad Night

Summary: Faced with the challenge of a large stake that made traditional road shows impractical, leaders organized a Mormonad night using simple rules and five wooden cubes per ward. Youth took ownership of planning and performing short gospel-themed skits with music and dance. The event drew a large crowd, was enjoyable, and successfully taught gospel messages.
What can you do with five wooden cubes and five minutes?
That’s easy. Create a walking, talking Mormonad.
Instead of putting on road shows, the teens of the Ogden Utah Burch Creek Stake, took on the challenge of doing something different. They had a Mormonad night. The Young Women and Young Men leaders found that with such a large stake (11 wards and 600 young people), it would be impossible to get through regular road shows comfortably in one evening. So another kind of creativity took over.
“We presented the wards with the idea of putting on five-minute skits or commercials about gospel subjects. We got the idea from the Mormonads in the New Era” said Nila Dayton, stake cultural arts specialist. “We gave each ward five wooden cubes that they had to use in some way.” The cubes were big enough to sit or stand on and became the basis for the simple, portable scenery.
There were a few other rules as well. The wards were given just three weeks to prepare. This avoided the lengthy and exhausting preparations that sometimes go with road shows. The curtain would not be closed between skits, so all scenery and props had to be carried on and off with the actors. And each ward was encouraged to include a song and a dance.
How did it go? In most of the wards, the young people really took over. Andrew Noyes of the 74th Ward said, “About ten of us showed up to the planning meeting. We kept thinking of fun commercials and how we could change them. Then we started writing lyrics to go with a song. We were writing new verses right up to the night we had to put it on.”
“We liked being so involved,” said Kathryn Norton of the 77th Ward. “We liked having a say instead of the leaders doing so much of it.”
Nolan Godfrey of the 60th Ward said, “It was a lot easier and more relaxed.” His friend Andy Mair added, “There wasn’t as much stress because we were just doing it for fun.”
These teens know how much a clever jingle can stick in your mind. On this night, a few familiar tunes had new and improved lyrics. The Mormonad night was packed to the back of the cultural hall. The skits were fast and fun, and most important of all, they each made a good gospel point.
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👤 Youth 👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Music Teaching the Gospel Young Men Young Women

Rising Above the Blues

Summary: Melissa struggled with depression, feeling worthless and unable to 'snap out of it.' After opening up to her mother, she was taken to a doctor and began counseling, which she initially resisted. Over time she combined therapy with prayer and scripture study and found strength and support. She now expresses gratitude for her challenges because they strengthen her testimony, and she is doing better after seeking help.
When people told Melissa* to snap out of it, it only made her feel worse. She would try but would still wake up the next day feeling awful. “I didn’t know what to do. I would sleep the day away because I felt totally worthless.”
“I didn’t even realize I was depressed,” she says. “I didn’t even think to turn to my Heavenly Father for help.”
She also didn’t want to talk to her mom about what she was feeling. “I thought my mom would not like me for opening up and letting her know I was hurting. But once I talked to her she was really supportive, and I needed that.”
When Melissa was 14, her mom took her to a doctor. “At first I thought, No way! I don’t need a counselor. I’m fine! But I guess I wasn’t fine. When you’re depressed you don’t really realize there’s something wrong with you. And when you finally do recognize it, you’re so immune to it that it’s hard to deal with.”
Melissa has been in counseling for more than a year, and she looks forward to her once-a-week therapy sessions now. She’s glad she decided to get help. “I didn’t think I would ever need help. I didn’t think I would ever go through the things I went through. After a while I finally realized I needed to get down on my knees and ask for help. And that help came. I turned to my scriptures more often, and there would always be something there I needed to hear.”
Melissa has suffered a lot because of depression, but she feels her reactions to her trials have made her into a better person. “When I say a prayer I thank Heavenly Father for my challenges because they make me stronger and they strengthen my testimony and help me grow closer to Him.”
Things are still not easy for Melissa, Becky, and Anna. But since they have turned to the Lord and requested help from other sources as well, they are doing much better, and they now feel their lives are worth living. Becky says, “Even if you feel like no one else has ever gone through this, Jesus Christ has. He has felt every single thing.”
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👤 Youth 👤 Parents 👤 Other
Adversity Family Gratitude Hope Jesus Christ Mental Health Prayer Scriptures Testimony

Member Profile: Dumazedier Kabasele

Summary: He applied for a public health specialist position at the CDC in the DRC, and HR confirmed his American degree. PathwayConnect had prepared him for the hiring process, and he gratefully joined the team to help prevent and control disease.
The skills that I learned during my journey have helped me to build a health nongovernmental organization and work in mental health awareness in the DRC. My recent experience, when I was applying for a new job as a public health specialist at the Center for Disease Control in DRC, the human resources team was surprised that I have an American degree and I live in Congo, and it was easy for them to verify this from my diploma.
The hiring process was interesting and each step I went through, I learned to be ready due to the PathwayConnect program, preparing my CV and cover letter, enjoying the interview, and showing people my unique qualifications. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for the opportunity He gave me to join the team of the Center for Disease Control in DRC to prevent, detect and control disease in my country.
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👤 Church Members (General) 👤 Other
Education Employment Gratitude Health Mental Health Self-Reliance Service