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Christmas Peace
The narrator recalls sitting in the balcony of the Salt Lake Tabernacle while a choir sang Handel's music. During the performance, the Holy Ghost touched his heart and confirmed that the words being sung were true.
The first time I can remember hearing those words was as I sat in the balcony of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. A choir was singing the music of Handel. I remember feeling something in my heart. It was the Holy Ghost. The Spirit confirmed to my heart that the words I heard sung that night were true.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Other
Holy Ghost
Music
Revelation
Testimony
Following Christ to Victory
A leader reminded an underperforming elder that the 'first mile' is what we owe. When the elder objected that he wasn’t getting paid, the leader taught that God preserves our lives from moment to moment, even giving us breath. The exchange highlighted the need for gratitude and greater sacrifice.
The first mile, we owe; that’s what we are getting paid for. Recently I mentioned that to an elder who was hardly meeting the minimums. He responded, “Paid? I’m not getting paid.”
I said, “Oh? You can breathe can’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You think you have that coming to you or something? King Benjamin says the Lord is preserving you from day to day by granting you breath—even supporting you from moment to moment” (see Mosiah 2:21). Do we ever thank the Lord for the fact we can breathe? No, not usually, until we get to where we can’t breathe. Then we call upon him in a panic.
I said, “Oh? You can breathe can’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You think you have that coming to you or something? King Benjamin says the Lord is preserving you from day to day by granting you breath—even supporting you from moment to moment” (see Mosiah 2:21). Do we ever thank the Lord for the fact we can breathe? No, not usually, until we get to where we can’t breathe. Then we call upon him in a panic.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Book of Mormon
Gratitude
Prayer
Give Heed unto the Prophets’ Words
Moved by the handcart rescue, the speaker yearned to perform a dramatic act of devotion. In a visit, his grandfather taught that the rescuers’ bravery was centered on following Brigham Young’s counsel, even at great personal risk. He learned that steady, faithful adherence to a prophet’s counsel is the true lesson.
This true account greatly impressed me. I wanted to prove my devotion to the Lord through some dramatic act. However, in a visit with my grandfather, he explained that when President Brigham Young sent his father, David, and the other young men on their rescue mission, President Young instructed them to do everything they possibly could to save the handcart companies, even at the peril of their own lives. Their acts of bravery were specifically to “follow the prophet Brigham Young” and by so doing express their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. My grandfather told me that consistent, faithful dedication to the counsel of a prophet is the real lesson I should learn from my great-grandfather’s service. As heroic as it was for David and his associates to help rescue the pioneers, it is also valiant today to follow the counsel of our prophet.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
👤 Parents
👤 Other
Courage
Faith
Family History
Obedience
Revelation
Sacrifice
Service
Roots and Branches
While hiking Ayers Rock with her dad and brother Matt, Rachel felt afraid of the steep climb. They stopped to pray, and she felt better and completed the hike. At the top, she and her dad discussed enduring to the end, making it her favorite memory from the trip.
The Clancys know how to play, too. In fact, both girls say that most of their best gospel learning experiences come from conversations during fun times with the family jumping on the trampoline, hiking, or swimming.
“This year Dad and Matt and I spent several days hiking at a place called Ayers Rock,” says Rachel. “I like hiking but I’m afraid of heights and this was a really steep hike. We stopped and said a prayer and I felt better. When we got to the top there was a beautiful view. My dad and I talked about how it was a lesson about enduring to the end. It’s my favorite memory from that hiking trip.”
“This year Dad and Matt and I spent several days hiking at a place called Ayers Rock,” says Rachel. “I like hiking but I’m afraid of heights and this was a really steep hike. We stopped and said a prayer and I felt better. When we got to the top there was a beautiful view. My dad and I talked about how it was a lesson about enduring to the end. It’s my favorite memory from that hiking trip.”
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👤 Parents
👤 Youth
Children
Endure to the End
Family
Prayer
Teaching the Gospel
At Home in His House
April Page viewed the temple as central to her goals and felt her parents’ joy about that desire. While accompanying Michelle Bone on the tour, April was moved by Michelle’s constant smile and faith. The experience strengthened April’s happiness in the gospel and honored feeling to be in the temple.
For April Page, 17, from the Highland Utah East Stake, the temple has become a symbol of her goals. “Every time I talk with my parents about having the goal to go to the temple, they just become so emotional. They are so happy that is a definite goal of mine.”
April accompanied Michelle Bone. April said, “Michelle’s spirit completely overwhelmed me. The smile never left her face through the entire tour. Michelle taught me about being happy and having faith in what the gospel has taught me. I felt honored to be by her side in the Lord’s holy temple.”
April accompanied Michelle Bone. April said, “Michelle’s spirit completely overwhelmed me. The smile never left her face through the entire tour. Michelle taught me about being happy and having faith in what the gospel has taught me. I felt honored to be by her side in the Lord’s holy temple.”
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👤 Youth
👤 Parents
👤 Church Members (General)
Faith
Family
Friendship
Happiness
Temples
Young Women
What Greater Goodness Can We Know:
As newlyweds visiting family in New Mexico, the speaker and her husband encounter a stranded motorist with a flat tire. Her father offers the man his own spare and asks him to return it later, trusting his honesty. Weeks later, the spare tire is returned.
Thirty-eight years ago this month, Dean and I, then newlyweds, traveled to New Mexico to visit my parents. While there, my father took us on a day trip into the mountains in the northern part of the state. In the afternoon, we encountered a car stranded on the roadside with a flat tire. The driver told my father that his spare was also flat and he needed a ride to the nearest town to get the tire fixed. My father, seeing the man’s family inside the car, said to him, “You’ll never be able to get to town and back before dark. But listen, you have the same size wheel as mine. Take my spare, and the next time you come to Albuquerque, bring it back to me.”
The stranger, shocked by the offer, said, “But you don’t even know me.”
Daddy’s response, typical for him, was, “You’re an honest man, aren’t you? You’ll bring the tire back.”
A few weeks later I asked my dad about the spare tire. He told me that it had been returned.
The stranger, shocked by the offer, said, “But you don’t even know me.”
Daddy’s response, typical for him, was, “You’re an honest man, aren’t you? You’ll bring the tire back.”
A few weeks later I asked my dad about the spare tire. He told me that it had been returned.
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👤 Parents
👤 Other
Charity
Family
Honesty
Kindness
Parenting
Service
Conference Story Index
During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Dean M. Davies had a reaffirming experience. It strengthened his conviction about the importance of a firm foundation in life.
Bishop Dean M. Davies
(9) The Loma Prieta, California, USA, earthquake in 1989 reaffirms in the mind and heart of Dean M. Davies the importance of building our lives on a firm foundation.
(9) The Loma Prieta, California, USA, earthquake in 1989 reaffirms in the mind and heart of Dean M. Davies the importance of building our lives on a firm foundation.
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👤 General Authorities (Modern)
Adversity
Bishop
Faith
The Beaten Path
Heather Jones describes how religious education classes require textbook-conforming answers rather than personal beliefs. She recounts a classmate who failed an exam for writing that God created the earth and had to use another theory to pass. The story highlights the tension between faith and academic expectations.
Another challenge is religious studies classes at school that require answers that conform to theories printed in textbooks rather than individual beliefs. Heather Jones of the Weston Super Mare Ward explains that in the religious education class, “you have to answer like they want, rather than what you believe.” Heather went on to say, “There was a kid in our school that failed the exam because he put down that God created the earth. It was marked incorrect. He had to put down another theory to pass.”
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👤 Youth
Creation
Education
Religion and Science
Religious Freedom
The Bulletin Board
Makaria Reynolds and Karina Wohlgemuth in Amman, Jordan, created 37 teddy bears as a Laurel project. They plan to give the bears to children at a local boarding school for orphans.
Makaria Reynolds and Karina Wohlgemuth of Amman, Jordan, made 37 teddy bears for a Laurel project. The bears will be given to children at a local boarding school for orphans.
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👤 Youth
👤 Children
👤 Church Members (General)
Charity
Children
Kindness
Service
Young Women
President Ezra Taft Benson
At age twelve, Ezra took on heavy farm responsibilities while his father served an eighteen-month mission. The family gathered weekly to hear letters from their father, which brought a lasting spirit of missionary work into their home. All eleven Benson children later served missions.
In this childhood setting—one he later often called “ideal”—Ezra Taft Benson learned how to sacrifice to reap a spiritual harvest. He was just twelve when his father, George Benson, was called to serve an eighteen-month mission in the midwestern United States. There were seven children in the Benson home when their father left for the mission field, with the eighth soon to be born. And Ezra, as the oldest son, had to carry much of the responsibility for the farm. One of President Benson’s most vivid memories of his father’s absence was of gathering around the kitchen table to hear his mother read her husband’s weekly letters. “There came into that home a spirit of missionary work that never left,” recalled President Benson. All eleven Benson children later served missions.
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👤 Parents
👤 Children
👤 Missionaries
👤 General Authorities (Modern)
Children
Family
Missionary Work
Sacrifice
Stewardship
Young Men
Banyan Dadson:
After returning to Ghana, Banyan encountered Billy Johnson’s unofficial Latter-day Saint group but was put off by drumming and dancing. Eight years later Johnson, now baptized, introduced him to Church scriptures and news of missionaries' reorganization; after attending a standard sacrament meeting, Banyan and later his family were baptized.
He returned to Ghana after earning his doctorate from Cambridge University in England and took a position as a chemistry professor at the University of Cape Coast. He spent the next ten years in academic pursuits, marrying, and beginning a family—unattached to any religious group. During this time he came in contact with “Reverend” Billy Johnson, who had come across copies of the Book of Mormon and started, without official authority, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Banyan had attended a church meeting, but couldn’t accept the tribal drumming and dancing that were a part of the services.
Eight years later Billy Johnson gave Brother Dadson copies of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and Gospel Principles, along with the news that Latter-day Saint missionaries had recently reorganized the local church, this time with a priesthood foundation. Brother Johnson had been baptized and was called to be the first district president.
Banyan decided to give the new religion one more try. This time he attended a standard Latter-day Saint sacrament meeting with the hymns on cassette tapes. As he learned more about the gospel, he soon realized he had finally found the church he had been searching for. He was soon baptized, followed by the four oldest of his six children and, within a few weeks, his wife Henrietta.
Eight years later Billy Johnson gave Brother Dadson copies of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and Gospel Principles, along with the news that Latter-day Saint missionaries had recently reorganized the local church, this time with a priesthood foundation. Brother Johnson had been baptized and was called to be the first district president.
Banyan decided to give the new religion one more try. This time he attended a standard Latter-day Saint sacrament meeting with the hymns on cassette tapes. As he learned more about the gospel, he soon realized he had finally found the church he had been searching for. He was soon baptized, followed by the four oldest of his six children and, within a few weeks, his wife Henrietta.
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👤 Church Leaders (Local)
👤 Missionaries
👤 Other
👤 Church Members (General)
Baptism
Book of Mormon
Conversion
Diversity and Unity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Education
Family
Missionary Work
Priesthood
Sacrament Meeting
Scriptures
Testimony
Seeing the Long-Awaited Blessings of the Temple
A stake president in Vanuatu felt overwhelmed with peace and joy when President Nelson announced a temple for their region. Following the news, members began striving more earnestly to keep commandments, meet with leaders, and engage in family history. He believes the blessing extends beyond Church members to the whole country.
Announced October 2020
As a stake president, I was completely overwhelmed when President Russell M. Nelson announced the temple. I felt peace, joy, and hope for my family, friends, and fellow stake members, as well as the many others who can also receive blessings from having a house of the Lord in our island region.
With the news of the temple in our shores, we are experiencing changes of heart. Members are striving to keep the commandments and meeting with Church leaders regularly to prepare themselves for temple ordinances and blessings. More members are committing themselves to family history work.
It is truly a blessing not only for the Church members but for the entire country.
Yvon Basil, Port Vila 2nd Ward, Port Vila Vanuatu Stake
As a stake president, I was completely overwhelmed when President Russell M. Nelson announced the temple. I felt peace, joy, and hope for my family, friends, and fellow stake members, as well as the many others who can also receive blessings from having a house of the Lord in our island region.
With the news of the temple in our shores, we are experiencing changes of heart. Members are striving to keep the commandments and meeting with Church leaders regularly to prepare themselves for temple ordinances and blessings. More members are committing themselves to family history work.
It is truly a blessing not only for the Church members but for the entire country.
Yvon Basil, Port Vila 2nd Ward, Port Vila Vanuatu Stake
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👤 Church Leaders (Local)
👤 Church Members (General)
👤 General Authorities (Modern)
Commandments
Conversion
Family
Family History
Hope
Ordinances
Temples
As a youth not planning to serve a mission, the author felt pressured by others. After spending a day with a missionary whose companion was delayed, he received gentle counsel to serve when he felt prompted. He felt the Spirit, prepared, and later served a mission, gaining closeness to Heavenly Father.
As a youth, I wasn’t planning on serving a mission, but people constantly bugged me about going. They reminded me that the Lord expected me to go. Those telling me to go on a mission meant well, but the pressure made me not want to go.
One day, the local missionaries had an emergency. As a result, a missionary would be left alone for the day. I was asked to stay with him until his new companion arrived. That night, after we had prayed and prepared for bed, my “companion” asked me if I was thinking about serving a mission. I told him no.
He replied, “When you feel like you should do it, then do it.” In other words, if the Holy Ghost prompted me to serve, I should go. I didn’t feel any pressure when he spoke, but I did feel the Spirit. The missionary’s words stayed with me and eventually helped me to find a job and save money for a mission.
On my mission, I developed a special closeness with Heavenly Father. I learned that when the Holy Ghost tells us it’s time to do something, we need to do it.
Leonardo Z., Argentina
One day, the local missionaries had an emergency. As a result, a missionary would be left alone for the day. I was asked to stay with him until his new companion arrived. That night, after we had prayed and prepared for bed, my “companion” asked me if I was thinking about serving a mission. I told him no.
He replied, “When you feel like you should do it, then do it.” In other words, if the Holy Ghost prompted me to serve, I should go. I didn’t feel any pressure when he spoke, but I did feel the Spirit. The missionary’s words stayed with me and eventually helped me to find a job and save money for a mission.
On my mission, I developed a special closeness with Heavenly Father. I learned that when the Holy Ghost tells us it’s time to do something, we need to do it.
Leonardo Z., Argentina
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Youth
Holy Ghost
Missionary Work
Revelation
Self-Reliance
Testimony
Young Men
Everyone Wins
Invited to the Palmers’ family home evening, Brandon learns about Joseph Smith’s search and feels the Spirit, committing to study and pray. He texts Brother Palmer that God confirmed the truth to him, then attends seminary, church, and lessons with missionaries, learning the commandments and feeling closer to Christ through service.
Brandon already knew a little about the Church. “I had been to meetings with Teren and with his cousin before,” Brandon says, “but I wasn’t as consistent as I should have been. Then the Palmers invited me to their family home evenings.” One of the first lessons was about Joseph Smith’s efforts to find the true Church. “I liked how Joseph was looking for the right Church, wanting to gain peace and faith like I wanted to,” Brandon recalls. The Spirit bore witness that Joseph’s story was true, and Brandon accepted the commitment to study and pray. That was a turning point. The next day he sent a text message to Brother Palmer: “I asked God, and He told me this is true.”
The more he studied and prayed, the more he found answers. He started coming to seminary, going to church, and meeting with the missionaries. “The discussions were good,” he says. “The missionaries explained things. They made it easier to understand, and they taught me the commandments—the Word of Wisdom, tithing, all of the things that Heavenly Father wants us to do.”
But what impressed him the most was how he felt about showing his love for the Savior through service. “The gospel has brought me closer to Christ,” Brandon says. “I’ve learned a lot about how important it is to serve others, because when you do, you’re serving Him.”
The more he studied and prayed, the more he found answers. He started coming to seminary, going to church, and meeting with the missionaries. “The discussions were good,” he says. “The missionaries explained things. They made it easier to understand, and they taught me the commandments—the Word of Wisdom, tithing, all of the things that Heavenly Father wants us to do.”
But what impressed him the most was how he felt about showing his love for the Savior through service. “The gospel has brought me closer to Christ,” Brandon says. “I’ve learned a lot about how important it is to serve others, because when you do, you’re serving Him.”
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👤 Youth
👤 Missionaries
👤 Parents
👤 Church Leaders (Local)
Commandments
Conversion
Faith
Family Home Evening
Holy Ghost
Jesus Christ
Joseph Smith
Missionary Work
Prayer
Revelation
Service
Testimony
The Restoration
Tithing
Word of Wisdom
Singapore Saints
As a civic women’s committee chair, Helen Ho faced activities typically held on Sunday. After she explained her Sabbath beliefs, most activities were moved to Saturday, and she was excused from the remaining Sunday events. Her example helped change perceptions about the Church.
Though the public view of the Church has been negative at times, that is changing. The members are winning respect for the restored gospel by quietly maintaining their values in public service and work. Helen Ho, a branch Relief Society president, serves as chairperson of the women’s committee in the Yuhua Constituency (a district of over 50,000). The committee in each constituency organizes cultural and educational activities for women. The functions are usually held on Sunday. However, Helen’s committee, after she explained her beliefs about the Sabbath, moved most of their activities to Saturday. Helen is excused from attending those activities that are still held on Sunday.
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👤 Church Leaders (Local)
👤 Church Members (General)
Relief Society
Religious Freedom
Sabbath Day
Service
Women in the Church
Becoming More Christlike through Temple Service
A father regularly attends endowment sessions with his young adult son who has special needs. During the ceremony, the son squeezes his father’s arm when the Savior’s image appears. His quiet witness strengthens the author’s love for the Savior.
Often, a father and his son with special needs attend endowment sessions. As I watch them during the ceremony, the son squeezes his father’s arm when an image of the Savior appears on the screen. That young adult, even with limited capacity, has a testimony of the Savior, and his witness boosts my love of the Savior.
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👤 Parents
👤 Young Adults
👤 Church Members (General)
Disabilities
Faith
Jesus Christ
Temples
Testimony
The Call for Courage
A young Confederate infantryman recounts General J. E. B. Stuart’s bold example in battle. Stuart waved toward the enemy and called, 'Forward men! Just follow me!' The soldiers followed with resolution and seized the objective.
The courage of a military leader was recorded by a young infantryman wearing the gray uniform of the Confederacy during America’s Civil War. He describes the influence of General J. E. B. Stuart in these words:
“[At a critical point in the battle,] he waved his hand toward the enemy and shouted, ‘Forward men! Forward! Just follow me!’ …
“… With courage and resolution [they followed] after him like a wide raging torrent,” and the objective was seized and held.
“[At a critical point in the battle,] he waved his hand toward the enemy and shouted, ‘Forward men! Forward! Just follow me!’ …
“… With courage and resolution [they followed] after him like a wide raging torrent,” and the objective was seized and held.
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👤 Other
Courage
War
To the Friends and Investigators of the Church
At first he met with missionaries determined to prove them wrong and with a closed heart toward religion. Years later, understanding their sacrifices, he wished he had paid better attention to Elders Richardson, Farrell, and Hyland.
When I first met with the missionaries, I did not understand much of what they said, and to tell you the truth, I may not have paid much attention to them. My heart was closed to a new religion. I wanted only to prove they were wrong and to gain time to convince Renee to marry me anyway.
Today my children have served and are serving missions, and I understand the sacrifices that these young men and young women make to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now I wish I had paid more attention to Elder Richardson, Elder Farrell, and Elder Hyland, the wonderful missionaries who taught me.
Today my children have served and are serving missions, and I understand the sacrifices that these young men and young women make to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now I wish I had paid more attention to Elder Richardson, Elder Farrell, and Elder Hyland, the wonderful missionaries who taught me.
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👤 Missionaries
👤 Young Adults
Dating and Courtship
Family
Judging Others
Missionary Work
Sacrifice
Young Men
Young Women
Queensland Church Pioneer—John Douglas Jeffrey
John recalls many challenging times during his 57-year marriage to Lois, including periods with very little money to feed their family. They always paid tithing and testify that the Lord helped them through those times because of their faith.
John’s wife, Lois Gay Tucker, passed away on 19 June 2014. They had six daughters and one son: Jennifer, Elizabeth, Karen, Anita, Lynis, Larissa and David. “I can bear testimony of the value of having a great helpmeet, having 57 years together we helped each other through many challenging experiences, including times with very little money to feed our family, but we always paid our tithing, and we survived those times with the Lord’s help . . . and we knew He would [help] because of our faith in Him.”
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👤 Parents
👤 Children
Adversity
Death
Faith
Family
Marriage
Testimony
Tithing
Radio Days
Shauna uses her father's ham radio to call out to any station and wonders if anyone will answer. Soon she is talking with people around the world, learning about their lives and how ham operators help in emergencies. The experience highlights how her hobby connects her with others and enables service.
“CQ … CQ (calling any station) … This is N7NGT, November seven November golf tango. Calling CQ from the state of Wyoming and standing by.”
The static of the radio fills the silence. Then the 16-year-old, red-haired girl, call sign N7NGT, leans over the microphone, presses the button, and repeats her call to the world on her father’s ham radio.
For a moment she wonders, Is anyone out there listening?
Does anyone want to talk to Shauna Richards in Rock Springs, Wyoming?
A moment later a voice answers Shauna’s call. In fact, in a little over an hour Shauna talks to people in Australia, New Zealand, Japan—all over. These people all have amateur radio licenses. They also have their own lingo, called Q signals. Shauna enjoys talking to strangers, who quickly become friends, about what their lives are like and what they like best about their hometowns. And in emergencies, they use their radios to relay messages out of the emergency area to comfort worried relatives and friends when other methods of communication fail. Ham radio is a good hobby for someone who likes to talk. And Shauna likes to talk.
The static of the radio fills the silence. Then the 16-year-old, red-haired girl, call sign N7NGT, leans over the microphone, presses the button, and repeats her call to the world on her father’s ham radio.
For a moment she wonders, Is anyone out there listening?
Does anyone want to talk to Shauna Richards in Rock Springs, Wyoming?
A moment later a voice answers Shauna’s call. In fact, in a little over an hour Shauna talks to people in Australia, New Zealand, Japan—all over. These people all have amateur radio licenses. They also have their own lingo, called Q signals. Shauna enjoys talking to strangers, who quickly become friends, about what their lives are like and what they like best about their hometowns. And in emergencies, they use their radios to relay messages out of the emergency area to comfort worried relatives and friends when other methods of communication fail. Ham radio is a good hobby for someone who likes to talk. And Shauna likes to talk.
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👤 Youth
👤 Other
👤 Parents
Emergency Response
Friendship
Service
Young Women