Gospel Story Finder

Sister Haight and I attended a sacrament meeting some distance from our home. We found, to our delight, that the Primary would present the program, the theme being “We Believe in Being Honest.”
I marveled at the eagerness of these young children as they spoke about the fundamental principles they were learning of telling the truth, respecting the property of others, being trustworthy, and standing for the right.
I thought of James Fugal, the humble sheepherder, and how wonderful it was that these children were being taught the same values that made him a man of such noble character.

Set an example of service. The shining moment of the conference came in the form of service. Except for one very rainy morning, the youth spent several hours each day cleaning different areas of the island—picking up trash, cutting weeds and bushes, removing rocks, hauling away garbage. During the conference, they cleaned beaches along the dock area and tidied up the village cemetery, the church grounds and building, and the local soccer field, which had become little more than a garbage dump and an eyesore.
Mani Terooatea is a Laurel from Takaroa home on vacation from Japan, where she has been studying the technique of pearl grafting (placing tiny pieces of mussel shells inside oysters in order to cultivate pearls). Mani said, “It was super to clean up the field, to see everyone working side by side. It didn’t take long, and I’m glad we could leave the place cleaner than we found it.” Mani brought along a friend who is a member of another faith. The friend, Hina Dexter, developed a new appreciation for Latter-day Saints, as did several other non-LDS participants.

Not long after I started to learn English in junior high school, all the students in our school received a copy of the New Testament. Though we had barely begun our study of English, our teacher told us we should study English by reading it. I opened it and reviewed its contents. The words in the New Testament were extremely difficult for me. The words in Japanese were equally difficult. However, I was drawn to a list of statements and questions of the soul that had been included just before the biblical text in this Gideon Bible—questions about feeling lonely, lacking confidence, being confused, facing life’s trials, and so on. Each item on the list was followed by a reference to verses and pages in the New Testament. I was especially drawn to the statement “When you are weary.” The reference led me to open Matthew 11:28–30, in which Jesus said to His disciples:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This was the first time I remember reading the words of Jesus Christ. Though I did not understand all the words He said, His words comforted me, lifted my soul, and gave me hope. The more I read His words, the more I felt like I should try the virtue of His words. I had never felt like I felt that day. I felt I was loved. I felt that Jesus Christ was someone I knew.
As I continued studying, I felt as though He were speaking directly to me when He said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
His words filled my heart, even though I could not describe my feelings well at that time. Although Jesus Christ lived many centuries ago in a land unfamiliar to me, I thought I could trust His words with all my heart. I hoped someday in the future I might learn more about Jesus Christ.

I read again the other day Parley P. Pratt’s account of his reading the Book of Mormon and coming into the Church. Said he:
“I opened it with eagerness, and read its title page. I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated. After this I commenced its contents by course. I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.
“As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true, as plainly and manifestly as a man comprehends and knows that he exists” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. [1938], 37).
The gift of faith touched his life. He could not do enough to repay the Lord for what had come to him. He spent the remainder of his days in missionary service. He died a martyr to this great work and kingdom.

Illustrations by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki
Wendy: You Mormons aren’t really Christians.Mandy: Let me help you with that.
Wendy: You believe in Joseph Smith, not Jesus.Mandy: Joseph Smith taught us to believe in Jesus. He spent his whole life following Jesus. He died serving Him.
Wendy: I still say you’re not a Christian, and if you say you are, we can’t be friends.Mandy: Wendy, I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He suffered for my sins. He died on the cross for me. He was resurrected so that I can live again. I love Him with all my heart. If you don’t think I’m a Christian, that’s OK. I still want to be your friend.
Wendy: Thanks for helping me with the playhouse.Mandy: You’re welcome.
Wendy: Let’s keep being friends.Mandy: Let’s do.

After a rough day at school, Lucy S. (13, from Utah, USA) finally arrived home. Her brother, David (12) noticed she was upset.
“What’s wrong?” David asked. “Are you OK?”
David’s concern made a big difference for Lucy. “I felt a lot better,” Lucy says. “David has autism, and he often just focuses on what he’s interested in, but when he sees someone who is sad or lonely, he’ll go up to them. He’s very aware of other people. That’s the kind of person he is—he’s good, genuine, and honest.”

I was the first member of my family to join the Church. As an eight-year-old, I waited to feel somehow different because of my baptism. To be honest, the only thing I felt when I was brought out of the water was … well, dripping wet. I thought something more profound would happen when I was confirmed. However, after receiving the Holy Ghost, again I felt happy but certainly no different than I had just a few minutes before.
It wasn’t until the following day at fast and testimony meeting that I experienced what I now recognize as the influence of the Holy Ghost. A brother stood to bear his testimony and tell about the blessings of his membership in the Church. I felt a flood of warmth sweep over me. Even as an eight-year-old, I recognized that this was something different. I felt a peace descend on me, and I had the distinct feeling that Heavenly Father was pleased with me. …

Eliza R. Snow, speaking of the Kirtland Temple dedication (which she attended), said: “The ceremonies of that dedication may be rehearsed, but no mortal language can describe the heavenly manifestations of that memorable day. Angels appeared to some, while a sense of divine presence was realized by all present, and each heart was filled with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”

One day he was attending church and felt strongly that he needed to help others learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He had friends that were getting ready to go on a mission. That caused him to start thinking about a mission and recognized that it would make Heavenly Father happy. He prayed about it and asked Him for help getting the passport and other things ready. His sister and bishop answered that prayer by helping him get everything prepared.

Lazy Lion by Mwenye Hadithi Lion thought that because he was king, he could make the other animals do what he should do. When he ordered them to make him a house, they tried their best, but they just couldn’t make one that was right for him. Then the great rain came.

Older children also have a great influence upon younger children. A few weeks ago as I was interviewing a prospective missionary, I asked him, “Why do you want to go on a mission?” He replied, “I know this church is the Church of Jesus Christ, and I want to tell others about it. And, besides,” he said, “I’m the oldest child in the family, and I want to set a pattern for my brothers to follow.” What a wonderful spirit.

It is easy to serve God if we give our all, all of the time, under all circumstances. But we can’t very well ride two horses in the same race. One man tried that once; and he just got everything going to his liking when the horses ran on opposite sides of a tree.

Last Christmas Madison brought her mother a letter to Santa Claus. In it she had written that she really didn’t need anything for Christmas, but she would like him to use the money inside to help buy presents for children who didn’t have much. She asked her mom to make sure that Santa got the letter and the enclosed plastic sandwich bag full of money. It was all of her savings—about $30. Her mom asked if she would like to keep a little of the money, since it was all she had. Madison started to take out a 10-dollar bill, but quickly returned it to the bag, saying she wouldn’t feel good about that.
About a week later, a box was left on her front porch. In the box was a beautiful handmade blanket. There was a letter telling Madison that she had helped others to remember the true meaning of Christmas. The letter said to always serve others and help those in need. The letter was signed “Mrs. Santa Claus.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard
Elder Ballard decides to sell a certain model of car despite his father’s counsel not to do so (31).

Two pairs of socks, then shoes, then boots—
I’m zipped inside my blue snowsuit.
A pair of mittens, scarf, and hat—
I can’t run fast dressed up like that.
The snow’s just right to build a man
With carrot nose and sticks for hands.
I dress him up in Daddy’s hat,
Add a tie ’round his neck so fat.
I dance around him, jump, and shout,
And Mother laughs when she looks out.
Then when a chilly north wind blows,
Burns my cheeks and stings my nose,
And snowflakes start to whirl and spin,
I’m glad when Mother calls, “Come in.”

Youth in the Greely Colorado Stake were literally in a rut on their trek—several times! But teamwork and determination helped them reach their destination despite high temperatures and a challenging climb.

Elder Boyd K. Packer tells of experiments conducted with audiospectographs in which the songs of birds were recorded on graphs. Through this means it was discovered that there are many, many songs of birds that are not audible to the human ear simply because our hearing apparatus is not attuned to those particular wavelengths. Is it not possible that we are missing many messages from our Father in Heaven, messages in which he would like to instruct us through revelation regarding our lives, our decisions, and our destinies? Is it not possible that we are receiving far more answers to our prayers and supplications than we think, but we are not hearing them because we are not attuned to the proper wavelength to hear these sacred and important communications? Perhaps we are simply too busy or too preoccupied to listen attentively for that particular revelation that the Lord wants to give us.

Because these sacred stones were prepared for use by a seer, they are sometimes referred to as seer stones. Though Joseph Smith would initially call the stones found with the plates “spectacles,” he would eventually use a biblical term for the sacred instruments, Urim and Thummim (see Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8).3 He came to use this term to describe other sacred stones as well, not just the ones found with the plates. For instance, even though President Brigham Young (1801–77) taught that Joseph gave the Urim and Thummim stones back with the plates after finishing the Book of Mormon translation,4 when Joseph showed a seer stone to Elder Woodruff in 1841, he referred to it as a Urim and Thummim.5

A little while ago my family and I moved to Kentucky. I was really upset because I was leaving all my friends and extended family behind. Kentucky was very different from what I was used to. The first time we went to church, I saw that there weren’t very many people there. When I realized how small my branch was, I decided that instead of thinking bad about it, I would do something about it.
The next day, my mom and I went to the store. Before we left the house, I grabbed a stack of pass-along cards. When we got to the store, I got a candy bar and went to check out. The cashier scanned the candy, then handed it to me. I handed it back. She looked confused and said, “You just paid for this, ma’am.”
I said, “I know, but I’m giving this to you as a gift.” Then I put a pass-along card with the candy. She smiled and thanked me. She looked at the back of the pass-along card, where I had written, “Everyone is a child of God.” I walked away with happiness, knowing that even if she didn’t join the Church, I still did something good.
Later that day, I remembered that I left the rest of the pass-along cards by the cash register! The next time we went to the store, I went to ask if they were still there. Then I saw something, and I stopped in my steps. About five of the cash registers had pass-along cards that said, “Everyone is a child of God.” The cashier had passed them out! I felt so happy because of what I did.

“Each night of December we pull a slip of paper with a scripture on it out of a basket, read it, and then pin the slip of paper on the tree. It’s like an advent calendar, and it keeps us from getting carried away with shopping and high expectations.”