Gospel Story Finder

I just started getting the New Era in January of 1993, and I have already been inspired. Sometimes I feel low so I pick up the New Era and my heart and my spirits are lifted. I feel like doing everything the Lord commands.
Esther McCulloughMuncie, Indiana

Further authority to act in the name of the Lord soon followed. The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on March 27, 1836. In that temple, the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, followed by the appearances of Moses, Elias, and Elijah, who gave additional priesthood keys to the Prophet.

President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
“I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living prophets and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: ‘You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.’
“When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, ‘Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’ That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.’” (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)

When a parent receives a life-changing medical diagnosis, it is hard on their children too. “We have five sons we are very close to,” Doug says. “They said it was hard for them when we told them about my diagnosis. One of them expressed what they were all feeling when he said, ‘We always thought you were Superman and would never change. Now we see that you are vulnerable and won’t always be able to do everything.’”

A couple in England was invited to attend a special seminar for those who had never been to the temple. “Each week we heard testimonies of many people who had been blessed by keeping the commandments of the Lord, of people who had had to change their lives to go to the temple. That really helped us. And we were given a different project each week concerning the gospel that we were to include in our activities and to achieve during that week.” When the seminar ended they felt prepared to go to the temple and had the necessary interviews. “On November 9, 1973, we were able to receive our endowments and were sealed with our children, Jon and Jamey, for time and eternity. That was truly the most glorious day of our lives.”

A momentous event occurred in 1985. A temple was erected in the German Democratic Republic. It was dedicated 29 June 1985 by President Gordon B. Hinckley, whose prayer included this remarkable expression of hope: “May this day long be remembered in the annals of Thy Church. May it be recalled with gratitude and appreciation. May it mark the beginning of a new day of gladness for Thy people.”

The Lord surely honored that plea. This prayer became a prophetic promise. Now, in retrospect, it is evident that the influence of that temple has been immeasurably great. The spiritual radiation from that temple deserves much credit for the changes that have occurred. This house of the Lord was the pivot point around which all good things subsequently seemed to turn.

Elder John B. Dickson, former President of the South America South Area, tells of an area-wide youth service activity that was held several years ago: “The youth of the Comodoro Rivadavia Argentina Stake, in the extreme southern part of Argentina, prepared to paint a 1.25-kilometer beach wall fence. One hundred and fifty youth and their leaders with white paint, buckets, and brushes must have created quite a sight, because when the local radio station heard about the event, they came to investigate. ‘Who are these young people?’ they asked. ‘They are youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.’ ‘Why are they doing this?’ ‘Well, they just love their community and want to give some voluntary service.’ This information went out to all the radio stations and newspapers in the community.

“These kids knew they were doing something for someone else—taking their minds off themselves as they served others,” says Elder Dickson. “If you multiply that kind of example time and time again—in about 160 stakes throughout the area—all giving service to their communities on the same day, the effect is staggering!”

One Sunday a sick cat got into our house. It meowed loudly and strangely, and it would not go out of the house. I was afraid of the cat, so I decided to pray. When I ended my prayer, Mama had been able to get the cat out of the house.

In describing the last key to happiness, Elder Wirthlin told the story of one student in the graduating class, Emily Jensen. When Emily was 16, she was involved in a serious accident and lapsed into a coma. The accident and resulting coma changed her life. Emily, he said, had to relearn how to do everything—including how to eat, walk, and sit up.

By accomplishing her goal to graduate from college, Emily, Elder Wirthlin said, had demonstrated the fifth key to happiness: perseverance to the end. He said heroes are remembered because they persevere.

One of my favorite parts of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is making new friends. I love the opportunity to meet new people of my faith. I love going to seminary, but when I first started, I felt left out. I was the youngest student, and everyone else knew each other. They didn’t speak to me very often. I was secretly battling low self-esteem, but I prayed, and I really felt God’s love for me. I made a goal to get to know the other students better, and I actually came to know how much they cared about me. I know that God wants us to grow and have meaningful relationships. He has provided ways for us to do that through the programs of the Church.

In contrast is the couple who think they picked the “perfect” person and then assume that all the heavy lifting is over. If they quit courting each other, stop communicating one-on-one, and slide into egotism and a self-centered life, this couple is on a path that leads to sorrow and regret.

In 1921, when Samoan officials were wondering about continuing the village, Elder David O. McKay and Hugh Cannon visited Samoa on their around-the-world tour of the Church. It was on this visit that Elder McKay pronounced an apostolic blessing on Sauniatu and its inhabitants. Among other things, he blessed them that they would have an abundance of food and clothing, that their plantations would be fruitful, and that peace would abide in their hearts and homes. (See Improvement Era, May 1966, p. 366.)

In 1957 when Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, developed throat cancer, he went to the East for an operation. (Upon returning home, he said he had gone East and fallen among cutthroats!) As he was being prepared for the surgery, Elder Harold B. Lee was there, and just before Elder Kimball was taken into the operating room, Elder Lee said to the head surgeon, “This is no ordinary man you are operating on.” That, indeed, was true, and it has been true throughout President Kimball’s life. He is no ordinary man.

The youth in this photo probably look a lot like the youth in your own photo collection from your last youth conference, but there’s something a little different about this youth conference picture. Although the conference wasn’t very big—about 30 young people attended—it was a big deal since it was the first youth conference in Poland.
The youth had strength even if their numbers were small. The day after the conference, the Poland Warsaw Mission office received several calls from people who had seen the youth during their activities (wearing their T-shirts with the Church’s name on them) and wanted to know more about the Church.

I took my Friend to Scout camp in New Mexico. My family and I went there for a week so my dad could learn more about how important Scouting is for young men in the Church. I met Sister Margaret S. Lifferth. She was very kind to me. I was able to show her where her name was in the June 2009 Friend.
Sister Lifferth served as the first counselor in the Primary general presidency from 2005–2010.

While translating, Joseph Smith and his scribe Oliver Cowdery read about baptism. Their desire to receive this blessing for themselves prompted the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood on May 15, 1829, under the hands of John the Baptist.

There followed the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which was bestowed on Joseph and Oliver by the Apostles Peter, James, and John, who held the keys. After centuries of spiritual darkness, the power and authority to act in God’s name, to perform sacred ordinances, and to lead His Church were once again upon the earth.

Aunt Ruth told Emily about Great-Grandma Irma. “When she was a girl,” said Aunt Ruth, “she had a doll buggy. One day when she was outside playing with it, her next-door neighbor, Edmund, came over. He sat on her buggy and smashed it flat! Grandma was so mad that she cried. But when they grew up, Irma and Edmund got married.”

Their lives teach of simple truths like faith, confidence, trust in God. For example, a small village of Aymara Indians is converted within a matter of a few weeks—the entire village. Missionaries learn through the gift of tongues to speak Spanish, Aymara, Quechua, and many other Indian dialects. Lamanite Saints accept in faith instructions to become self-sufficient when the vision of that concept in their world seems to be totally impossible. They believe anyway and are on their way to making that become reality.

During my childhood, I stayed with my grandmother, who taught me about the existence of Heavenly Father and His love for us. I had challenging times during my childhood, but what she taught me continues to echo, anchoring my belief that Heavenly Father loves me.

Ask others. For additional insight, ask young and old people, friends and relatives about your subject. My grandmother told me different things about my mother than did my aunts or my brother. With all this help, I began to understand what kind of person my mother was, how she changed through the years, and what the major turning points in her life were.