Gospel Story Finder

Ricks College has a unique group of singers that call themselves the New Freedom Singers. The group consists of 30 students who, with lively, smiling spirits, sing about their homeland, their belief in God, and their hopes for the future. On May 12, 1977, the group gave a noon-hour concert in the ornately decorated rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building across the street from the United States Capitol. The concert was for members of Congress, workers on Capitol Hill, and visiting tourists from all parts of the world. It was part of a tour the group was making across the U.S. As they traveled they found many opportunities for missionary work and fellowshipping, and their enthusiasm for their LDS way of life drew interest from audiences everywhere.

One day my mommy was sick. I made her a sandwich to eat so she could get better. It was hard work, but I got it done. It made Mommy happy, and she felt better soon.
Andrew L., age 5

When Tomás got home from school, everyone seemed busy.
“Shut the door,” Diego said when Tomás came in their room. “I can’t do my homework with so much noise!”
Tomás went into the living room. His younger sisters both wanted the same toy at the same time. “Give it to me!” Luiza said, trying to grab a doll away from Stella. “I had it first!”
Tomás went into the kitchen. Mom was holding the baby in one arm while she stirred the soup. “Dad is going to be late tonight. Will you set the table for me?” she asked.
When everyone had finished eating, Dad came home. He looked tired.
What can I do to help everyone be happier? Tomás wondered. Then he remembered what day it was—Monday! Family home evening would make things better!
But when he mentioned family home evening to Mom, she sighed. “I don’t know if we have time for it tonight,” she said.
Tomás thought about how the prophets said that family home evening was very important and that it would bless their lives.
“But, Mom,” Tomás said, “we really need family night!”
Mom thought for a minute. “You know what? I think you’re right,” she said. “Let’s clean up so we can get started.”
At the end of family home evening, Tomás knelt to pray with his family. He felt good inside. His brother still had a project due, his mom was still busy, and his dad was still tired. But everyone seemed a little happier, and his home felt more peaceful.
Tomás smiled. Following the prophets always made things better.

“Not Ivy! She’s a girl,” Braden whispered behind Adam.
But Adam was team captain for dodgeball for the day, and he had made his choice. “I pick Ivy,” he repeated a little louder. Tyler, the other team captain, smirked. Even Coach Garcia looked surprised at Adam’s second pick.
Ivy looked surprised too and then shyly stepped forward. Braden groaned.
Ivy wasn’t just any girl. She was the smallest girl in the class. She didn’t look very fast, and the ball seemed bigger than she was. “She probably can’t even lift the ball,” Braden said as Ivy walked over.
“Maybe she’ll be our secret weapon,” Adam said, trying to sound sure. But that’s not why he had picked her. Ivy had once told Adam she didn’t like it when they played sports because she was always picked last. The other boys teased Ivy, but Mom and Dad had told Adam that boys should show respect for girls. So he picked Ivy. As he watched Tyler pick the biggest boy in class, Adam hoped he had made the right decision.
After everyone was on a team, Coach Garcia blew the whistle, and the teams ran to opposite ends of the court. Coach Garcia handed Tyler the ball, and Tyler scanned Adam’s team before he focused on Ivy. He pulled back his arm and let the ball fly.
Bam! The ball smacked the ground and bounced without hitting anyone. Adam blinked. Ivy had moved just in time. Everyone around him seemed surprised, but Adam just smiled. Maybe picking Ivy had been a good idea after all.
The game continued. Tyler kept trying to hit Ivy with the ball, but she kept dodging and diving out of the way. No one could hit her with a ball. Tyler and some of his teammates were so busy trying to get Ivy out that they didn’t spend much time aiming for anyone else. Adam grinned—Ivy’s size actually made her better at dodgeball because being small and fast made her harder to hit.
At last Adam’s team won the game. “Secret weapon was right,” Braden said. “Ivy’s pretty good.”
“Yeah,” Tyler said. “Next time, she’s on my team. We’ll win for sure!” Ivy smiled as she walked back to class, surrounded by teammates.
Adam couldn’t stop smiling as he followed the group. He had been nice to Ivy, and he had helped the other boys respect girls a little more. The greatest secret weapon wasn’t a secret at all—it was just being kind.

One night my mom was really stressed. My little sister and I had an idea. We would do all of Mom’s chores. We started by making her bed. Then we did the laundry for her. It was hard to keep it a secret. Soon we finished. When we told her, she was so happy! We were happy too. I felt the Spirit that day, and I know we chose the right.

Today, my family has been blessed with peace, love, joy, and unity. Though my dad is not with us, I know that he is resting in paradise because I was able to be baptized for him in the temple and we were sealed as a family to live together in eternity. This was made possible only through the grace of the Lord by His atoning sacrifice for all God’s children. Because of His tender mercy and grace, I’m able to be a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My heart and soul rejoice greatly to share the gospel.

Karen Giles is a long-standing member of the Church in Aylesbury Ward, Watford Stake. She teaches at the local grammar school and was delighted to be placed third in Gratnells’ Science Technician of the Year (STOTY) competition. (Gratnells is a British company specialising in the production of trolleys and trays for use in hospitals and schools.)
Now in its twelfth year, the competition is open to science technicians working in education worldwide. The judging panel, consisting of industry professionals, look for evidence of individuals who go ‘above and beyond’ in their daily work. They seek science technicians who embrace their work, enjoy the challenges, and who offer continuous improvement in the services they deliver.
The third-place winner for 2020 was Karen Giles working at Aylesbury Grammar School in Buckinghamshire. She has spent 16 years as a science technician. She enjoys trying, testing, and developing new things. Her commitment to her role and confidence in her work stood out to the judges.
Dr Katherine Forsey, chartered science teacher, of Gratnells, said, “It was a privilege to be part of the judging panel for the 2020 Science Technician of the Year Awards. I had the honour of interviewing each of the short-listed applicants during the judging process. I was blown away by the passion, commitment and high level of technical expertise exemplified by each candidate.
“Science technicians are the bedrock of every successful science department. They play a critical role in every student’s science education by leading or enabling high-quality, practical science experiences, supporting pupils, and improving their results. All the technicians I spoke to go above and beyond in their role, providing practical and technical expertise and contributing more widely to the student experience.
“Science technicians run extracurricular clubs, take teams of pupils to national competitions, and work with other departments to support learning across the entire school. Technicians regularly work beyond their own schools, leading professional networks in their own regions, sharing their knowledge and expertise through CPD (Continuing Professional Development) provision at both a local and national level.
“The STOTY awards seek to capture and celebrate the contribution made by science technicians. We certainly have a lot to celebrate this year with an outstanding field that made our job as judges very difficult. Congratulations to every single short-listed applicant and especially this year’s winners.”
Karen received a great chocolate haul and a framed certificate, during COVID-19 restrictions, so she wore her mask for the local press photo. Karen was also lauded at an online event for The Association for Science Education, showcasing all the great entries from the year’s STOTY competition.

Another visit was to a man long absent from the Church. My bishop invited him back to be with the Saints. I felt my bishop’s love for someone who seemed to me an unlovable and rebellious enemy.

In 1841, Dan Jones, a Welsh immigrant, was the captain of one of the smallest registered boats carrying people and freight on the upper Mississippi River. It seems more than coincidence to me that his boat was named the Ripple. Among his passengers were members of an obscure “new” church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
During his journeys Dan Jones began to hear criticisms of these “Mormons.” Because he had ferried many of them, he had talked with them and observed their behavior. He found them to be good people—kind, honest, and hardworking. The negative comments and writings about these people did not match up with what he had experienced in his dealings with them.
“Through a careful investigation of the accusations,” he later wrote, “I perceived clearly that it was impossible for them to be true, either because … they overstated the case or … contradicted themselves” (quoted in Ronald D. Dennis, “Dan Jones, Welshman,” Ensign, Apr. 1987, 50).
One significant event in particular propelled Dan Jones from a careful observer to an active investigator of the Church. He wrote this: “Purely by accident, there fell into my hands … a letter which [Emma Smith] had written. … I shall never forget the feelings which that … letter caused me to have. I perceived clearly that not only did [she] believe the New Testament, the same as I—professing the apostolic faith, and rejoicing in the midst of her tribulations at being worthy to suffer all … for a testimony of Jesus and the gospel—but also it contained better counsel, more wisdom, and showed a more … godly spirit than anything I had ever read!” (Ensign, Apr. 1987, 50, 52).
Inspired by Emma’s words and example, Dan Jones sought to learn more about this church. In 1843 he was baptized in the Mississippi River and became one of the most influential missionaries in the history of the Church, bringing hundreds of people to the gospel in his native Wales. In a very literal way, Emma Smith’s influence continues to ripple through generations. Who can say how many hundreds, even thousands of the descendants of those Dan Jones introduced to the gospel may be listening to this meeting at this very hour?

“What is the most important thing you have ever learned in your life?” we quizzed Cynthia on her eighteenth birthday. Without hesitating she seriously answered, “To build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ. To put your faith and trust in him, to draw on his power, to depend on your relationship with him to pull you through collapsed dreams, disappointments, and disillusionments. It gives you the security you need. It helps you understand and know who you really are, not who other people say or think you are.”
For those brief moments we felt well-rewarded, relieved, and somewhat astounded that, after all, some things were getting through.
But the final test is not over yet. We experience disappointments also. It is not easy. It is a continual struggle, a constant effort. But we are very encouraged that law, not luck, governs, and that we can obey law if we so choose.

On a ski trip to a large resort, some friends and I decided to split up and check out the various runs. We planned to meet later for lunch and compare notes on the runs for the afternoon.
I rode several lifts and enjoyed different runs. It was a glorious day. A storm had just passed, and everything was fresh and white.
I traversed the mountain to a run which is used less frequently than others. It had a very long ski lift and there were few people in line. I was alone on my chair and I stretched my arms across the back of the chair to enjoy the sensations of the morning. The world seemed a very friendly place. The bright sun shone in a deep, blue sky. The trees were dark, almost black, and contrasted with the brilliant white of the snow. Now and then I passed over tracks made by a rabbit or some other small animal. The sun was pleasant on my face, and the cold, bracing air felt good in my lungs. I took long, deep breaths and involuntarily broke into a wide grin.
I was enjoying all that was around me and wished for someone to share it with. Then I thought of my Heavenly Father. It was through his plan that I’d come to this earth to enjoy these things. I thought of his love and concern for me and felt I should express my gratitude to him. I prayed aloud. I told Heavenly Father how good it was to have a physical body that I could exercise and sense the beauties of this world with. I told him how I felt about the colors around me, and the great feeling of the warm sun mixed with the cold air. I told him that I loved him and was happy that he loved me enough to give me these things.
I had been praying to express my happiness to my Heavenly Father, but I also realized that my prayer was an attempt to make him happy. I thought of my earthly parents and how they enjoy hearing about the fun, exciting things of my life. Wouldn’t it gladden my Father in Heaven to hear about my joy?
The rest of that day was very special. I spent much of it sharing with my Heavenly Father the things around me. The more I shared the more I appreciated. It was wonderful to know I had found another way to express my love for him.

The teacher nurses a knife wound in her back. Gladys Saiah is not much older than her students. She was running an errand for her mother in an unfamiliar part of town, when she was attacked and stabbed by a group of men. She and her sister were allowed to go without further injury.
“As my sister and I walked home,” she says, “I told Ellen we must first thank Heavenly Father for sparing our lives. We did, and then, arising from our knees, I asked Ellen, ‘Now will you please clean my back?’”

Martin enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon and recognized the Spirit and direction it provided in his life. A few months later, after receiving a personal testimony, Martin Biney was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. As a new member of the Church, Martin attended every week, but for many years, his wife and children stayed home. Brother Biney states, “After I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, I felt blessed. I had more confidence and felt impressed to go back to boxing.”
The Lord blessed Martin and, in 1997, at the age of 34, Martin Biney again became the middleweight boxing champion in Japan.

We have opportunities to proselyte along with our work in the health program. There are probably few experiences in life that bring the same quality of joy as that of bearing witness to a family that God lives and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Even if it happens in a humble, two-room home, with mice running around on the floor, the rain coming in on your back, one light globe to light the room, and a big mother pig bursting in in the middle of your testimony, it still can be one of the most beautiful experiences life has to offer.

More than 700 people representing many faiths gathered in February 2007 in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square to attend the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable’s annual concert celebrating the culmination of its Interfaith Week.
The concert, “A Call to Prayer—a Call to Peace,” was billed as a musical tribute to the human spirit. It featured three cantors from Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions who called the concert attendees to prayer. Seven groups representing a cross section of Utah’s rich religious traditions performed a series of musical numbers and dances based on the prayer and peace themes.
Dr. James Pingree of the Salt Lake Public Affairs Council of the Church welcomed attendees and shared his excitement for the event. He referred to the closing song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” and indicated that the daughter of the song’s composers had given concert organizers permission to use it. Dr. Pingree quoted the daughter as saying: “This is exactly the kind of an event for which the song was written. Your use of it would please them very much.”
Utah governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. also welcomed concert attendees by reading a declaration of the importance of interfaith dialogue and collaboration. Governor Huntsman emphasized the necessity of working together as Utah continues to grow in cultural and religious diversity. “Love and hope are two of the most powerful words in the English language,” he said. “And this great group is spreading love and hope through celebrating diversity.”
The Wesley Bell Ringers from the Christ United Methodist Church started the musical portion of the program by playing “La Paix” (“Peace”). Arvol Looking Horse then offered the Four Directions Prayer sacred to Native Americans.
Gayatri Jayaraman, wearing traditional Hindu dress, performed “Ganesha Kautuvam,” a Bharatanatyam dance. The Tongan Wesleyan Choir performed “All the Earth Will Bow Down to You, Jesus” under the direction of Anitoni Ma‘u.
The Buddhist Taiko Drummers, under the direction of Stan Hirai and the Buddhist Church of Ogden, performed a drum number. For Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, the drums symbolize the voice of Buddha.
Students from the Iqra Academy of Islamic Society sang two Islamic songs in Arabic: “Lejla Ramie” and “Talitha Two Moons.” The University Student Vocal Ensemble from the University of Utah, whose members represent a number of faith traditions, then performed a rendition of “Jesus, Once of Humble Birth.”
Jan Saeed, a member of the Baha’i Faith, offered a closing prayer of peace after which the audience stood and sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”
Many expressed their appreciation to the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable for organizing the concert. “Tonight represented harmony, unity, and openness,” said Heather Whiteblume. “Everyone here respects each other’s prayers, beliefs, and culture.”

“Brother Ng,” the man’s voice began. Being addressed as “brother” by a gwailouh (foreigner) caught Ng Kat Hing’s attention. A group of clean-cut Americans wearing dark suits had wandered into the furniture store where he was employed, and their unusual appearance fascinated the 25-year-old Hong Kong native. But he was even more intrigued by being called “brother.”
When Ng Kat Hing questioned them about the title, one of the Americans, who wore a name tag identifying him as President Heaton, asked, “Do you believe there is one Father in Heaven?”
When he nodded, the man continued, “Then we are brothers, and I will call you that.”
Forty-three years later, Brother Ng still recalls his response. “I was touched, and in that moment, a little bit of the restored gospel was manifest to me. I wondered about it all that day and through the night. Four days later when the man called back to confirm the furniture order, I knew I wanted to know more.”

When I returned from my mission, I went to Ricks College, where I met my wife, Jill. She grew up on a farm near Rexburg. I remember one time when I went to pick her up for a date, another young man was coming to see her, too. She was on a hay wagon, tromping down a big pile of hay. Jill’s father gave us each a pitchfork and challenged us to see who could get to the top of the pile first. I won!

Thanks so much for the November New Era. I was inspired so much when I read “God Speaks with Our Voices.” I read this article many times because I was very impressed with the missionary work in Chile. It inspired me to achieve the same kind of success in my own mission. My companion and I (both of us are Indonesian) were finding it difficult to find sincere investigators to teach. But after reading this article, we decided that we must work harder than before, so we prayed humbly to our Father in Heaven that he would show us the pure in heart.
And as we went about our work, I also always remembered in my mind “God speaks with our voices.” Approximately two weeks later we found some investigators who were eager to know the Lord’s way. As we taught them, they were very happy because they could feel the Spirit of God. They asked to be baptized and brought to us their neighbors and friends to be taught the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of those friends have been baptized and are active in the Church. We are still busy teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to the New Era.
Elder Eddy P. JudjionoIndonesia Jakarta Mission

Over the years, Brazil has become famous for its skilled soccer teams, white beaches, and tropical climate. But the force behind this pulsating, vibrant culture is perhaps its greatest resource: its warm, fun-loving people. Having a good time and being with friends and family are the central components of most activities. And among the most important and anticipated days in any Brazilian young woman’s life is her 15th birthday celebration. Families sometimes save money for years to put on an extravagant night of dining, dancing, and gift-giving for this coming-of-age celebration.
Priscila Vital, a member of the Rio Negro stake in Manaus, Brazil, had to make a difficult choice about how to celebrate her 15th birthday. Priscila’s birthday would come while her mother, Francilene, was in the middle of a 17-day stake caravan trip to the São Paulo Brazil Temple. Francilene had saved money for three years to go to the temple for the first time, and she had enough money to either take Priscila with her or throw a traditional 15th birthday party upon her return. Priscila’s decision was further complicated because most of the relatives in her tight-knit family were members of other churches and had been eagerly anticipating her birthday for several years. They did not understand the importance of going to the temple.
“All of my aunts and uncles wanted me to stay and have the birthday party, especially because I’m the only girl in my family,” says Priscila. “When I decided to go to the temple, it was a good opportunity for me to show them just how important this was to me.”
As a witness of the increasing faith of Manaus’s members, each year between 150 to 200 members in Manaus go on a multistake caravan to the temple in São Paulo, the most accessible temple in Brazil. Because of the dense forest that surrounds the city, the only way to travel from Manaus to São Paulo is by boat or plane. Plane tickets are very expensive, so eight years ago the stake presidencies in the city arranged a yearly temple caravan by chartering a boat and buses for those desiring to go to the temple. By sharing the costs, the members have enough money to travel to the temple with their families.
The caravan begins by traveling for four days by boat to Porto Velho, a Brazilian city near the borders of Peru and Bolivia. From there, members board chartered buses to take them an additional three days and nights to São Paulo, where they stay in Church-owned apartments next to the São Paulo Brazil Temple. For four days they do temple work, then make the reverse journey homeward.
Priscila prepared for her temple trip by studying general conference talks about the temple with her mother, reading Church magazines, and studying the scriptures. She also gathered the names of four generations on her father’s side of the family so she could perform vicarious baptisms for them. Priscila’s mom compiled the family history information for four generations of her side of the family.
Once the 185 members departed Manaus by boat, Priscila and the five other young women in the caravan helped tend the Primary-age children and fixed meals. At night they slept in hammocks on the boat deck to try to stay cool in the hot jungle temperatures.
“Being on the caravan was so spiritual because everyone was so excited and anxious to go to the temple,” Priscila comments. “Most people had never been to the temple, so almost no one knew exactly what to expect. Everyone sang songs and read scriptures together. We were so united.”
The bus ride was the most difficult part of the journey because the buses traveled both day and night for three days, and the members were unable to move around much. As a result, many of the members had severe pain and swelling in their legs.
When they arrived at the temple, Priscila immediately went to the baptistry to do baptisms for the dead, while her mother went to a different part of the temple to receive her endowment. Priscila spent every day in São Paulo in the temple, even though it was the first time she had been to the large metropolis.
“I spent my 15th birthday in the temple. When the baptismal font coordinator discovered it was my birthday, he told me he had a present for me,” Priscila explains. “So many people come to the temple that most patrons can do the baptisms for only five people. He gave me a large stack of names of people who needed their baptismal work done for them. He couldn’t have given me a better present.”
Priscila’s mother comments about other changes that happened in Priscila’s life: “The caravan spiritually influenced her. She was a light for all of the other members. Everyone came back different. On the bus ride home, we felt that our appearances and faces had changed; we were all so happy.”
Priscila’s example and willingness to share the gospel helped many of her family members and friends join the Church. One of them, her aunt, recently returned from serving in the Brazil Recife Mission. Now Priscila is encouraging her father and two brothers to prepare to go to the temple so they can be sealed as a family—something she hopes will happen soon.
For Priscila, giving up her 15th birthday celebration was no sacrifice. “When it was time to come home, I didn’t want to leave,” Priscila remarks. “All I want to do is save money so I can go back to the temple as quickly as possible.”

Sensing a need, I turned the question back to her. “What have you learned?” I asked.
Her lip trembled for a moment. “I’ve learned that what you are saying is true,” she said finally. “Family is what the Church—and the temple—are all about. That’s why I’m here—for my family.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“My father was good to me, but my mother died when I was tiny,” she said. “They were never married. When I was 13, my father died. And then I found the gospel—or it found me.”
Her face brightened. “A few months ago I got back from my mission and began the temple work for my father and mother. I was sealed to them for eternity. For the first time, I am whole. Knowing I am sealed to my family gives me a place to be. The day I was sealed to my parents was, for me, the beginning of eternity. I feel so happy when I am here in the temple.”