Gospel Story Finder

The time for music lessons seems to come along when there are so many other expenses for the family with little children. But we encourage parents to include musical training in the lives of their children.
Somehow Andrew and Olive Kimball did, and Spencer learned to play. Somehow Samuel and Louisa Lee managed to do it, and Harold learned to play. And now, as the leaders of the Church assemble for our sacred meetings in the upper room of the temple, we always sing a hymn. At the organ is President Spencer W. Kimball or President Harold B. Lee.

I was, at that time, a bishop, and I was in attendance at that conference, thirty-nine years ago, when this message was read. I well remember that immediately thereafter—pursuant to this counsel—we built, in the basement of our ward meetinghouse, some storage closets and gathered clothing and basic food needs.

My school friend invited me to her birthday party. It was fun. We played games and dressed up like princesses. When it was time for dessert, we all gathered around the table for beautifully decorated cupcakes. As I was eating my cupcake, I was offered tea to drink. All the other girls were drinking tea in fancy little cups, but I knew it was wrong to drink it. I said, “No, thank you. I do not drink tea.” I felt good inside for keeping the commandments.

A friend asked me several months ago why so many problems have been plaguing a number of the members of the Church recently. I hesitatingly answered, “Well, the last days are surely approaching when even the elect shall be deceived.” (See Matt. 24:24.) He looked at me momentarily and said, “Well, perhaps that might be a little of it, but I believe the real reason that so many are wandering on strange paths is because they do not follow prophetic counsel to study the scriptures and attend the classes in Church.”

I have thought of that conversation many times.

I participated in a Helping Hands project and helped paint a wall at a school. I like to go to church on Sundays.
Jarede R., age 6, Paranagá, Brazil

On June 5, 1932, Elder Widtsoe came to Naples to baptize me, but a revolution had started in Sicily, and the police at Palermo refused to let me leave the island. The following year, Elder Widtsoe asked me to translate the Joseph Smith pamphlet into Italian and to have 1,000 copies published. I took my translation to a printer, Joseph Gussio, who took the material to a Catholic bishop. The bishop ordered the printer to destroy the material. I sued the printer, but all I received from the court was an order to him to return the original booklet.

Long before he came to America, he believed in the Spirit of God and sought its guidance. His faith served him well just before he left his homeland, when he felt compelled to sell his beautiful home, his cars, and his other possessions. He gave the cash raised from these sales to his wife and children to live on. To critics of this apparently purposeless act, Kim Ho Jik replied only that the Spirit had instructed him to do so.
A few months after he arrived in America, the reason became clear. War broke out with the North Korean invasion of June 1950. Bombs destroyed his former home, and the South Korean government confiscated all automobiles for use by the military. But Kim Ho Jik’s family remained financially secure in his absence.

As an example of good teaching, I remember a young man telling me one day about his parents and how they taught him the importance of going to the temple and preparing himself to be worthy to go into the house of the Lord by going to the temple regularly. As they were preparing to go to the temple, they would talk about it, and the experiences they would have, and what a great privilege it was to go to the temple, and to go regularly. When they would return from the temple, they would talk about it, and how lovely it was to see a young couple married in the temple, realizing that they could then be parents of spirit children of God, and what a great privilege it was for them to be there in the temple. This boy could hardly wait then for the time to come when he could go in and receive his own endowments, and he knew how important it was to prepare himself to be clean and pure and to go there knowing that the Lord would accept him.

One summer when I was a teenager, I became very discouraged. It seemed that all my friends were taller and better at sports than I. I thought that growing taller would solve my problems, naively thinking being bigger would somehow make me better at whatever I wanted to do.
Worried about my lack of height, I went to my tallest brother and asked him what I could do to grow taller. I figured he would know the answer to my question. What he said surprised me: “Obey your mother. Whatever she asks you to do, do it without waiting.”
My confidence in my brother was so strong that I went to a storage room, stood against the wall, and made a pencil mark to record my height.
For the remainder of the summer days, my mother’s wish or slightest hint was my command. Almost immediately the feelings of growth began to fill me with satisfaction. I wondered why I hadn’t thought of this before. My mother may have spent the summer in shock, but it didn’t matter. I was growing. Anticipation of the results that awaited me at the conclusion of my vacation brought me happiness all summer long.
When fall came I returned to my measuring spot near the storage room. Quickly I located the mark on the wall. Standing next to it, pencil in hand, I made a second mark, turned and looked to see how much I had grown. You can imagine my disappointment when only one slightly darker mark could be found.
I went to my brother to get an explanation about what had happened. After hearing my concern, he asked me an important question: “How do you feel inside?” My inward feelings of growth were undeniable. This I explained to him. He then reminded me that Heavenly Father looks on the heart, not the outward appearance (see 1 Sam. 16:7).
It was really true; I had grown. The willing and obedient service rendered had increased my ability to understand that the true measure of our success or growth becomes apparent to us when we do our best to willingly serve others.

The temperature was not warm in Philadelphia either, but it didn’t detract from the warmth of the sisterhood Young Women felt as they collected near the Liberty Bell. They could really relate with Laurel Jennifer Geigle, as she spoke to them, saying:
“When I see girls at school, and sometimes at church, snubbing others because they don’t meet the specified rules for being ‘cool,’ it makes me really upset. Who set these ‘cool’ rules, and who says we have to abide by them? Church standards are different from the ‘cool’ rules because we know they come straight from a Heavenly Father who loves us, to a prophet, and then to us. I see no point in following rules that we don’t even know who set, but I see many reasons for following standards given to us by someone who loves us and knows how to help us with our own happiness.”

In our times, Sister Knell is a covenant woman who makes a difference. She is a widow in her 80s with a 47-year-old son, mentally and physically disabled from birth. A few years ago this dear sister set out to do what seemed impossible to everyone else—to teach her son Keith to read. Learning to read was his greatest desire, but doctors had said Keith was incapable of reading. With faith in her heart and a desire to bless her son’s life, this humble widow said to her son, “I know Heavenly Father will bless you so you can read the Book of Mormon.”

Sister Knell wrote the following: “It was hard work for Keith, and it wasn’t easy for me, either. At first there were some bad days, because I got upset. It has been a time-consuming, word-by-word struggle. I sit by his side each morning. I point to each word with a pencil to help him stay on track. After seven long years and one month, Keith finally finished reading the Book of Mormon.” His mother said, “Hearing him read a verse without help is a thrill I just cannot put into words.” She testifies, “I know miracles do happen when we put our trust in the Lord.”

“Sunday dinner was a highlight of the week. After our church meetings, we children took turns making homemade ice cream, setting the table, and helping Mother. It was not, however, the delicious food that we liked most but the opportunity we had at an early age to feast upon Father’s, as well as Mother’s, spirituality. He told stories of his childhood, such as how he herded sheep as a boy of seven and how he became an expert horseman. And he told stories about his mission to Germany and how he learned to love the German people. Then, because of World War I, he was reassigned and finished his mission in Missouri, where he worked with Elder Spencer W. Kimball to build a meetinghouse.
“Dinnertime at home was what you would call an ideal family home evening. Personal stories shared there helped build beautiful relationships. The gospel was taught to us and so was a love for our Church leaders. When Father prayed, you knew he was talking to God.”

Sister Emily Webber in the Temple Square Mission didn’t feel qualified to create content for her mission, but she has learned if we rely on the Lord, He will help us use our abilities to fulfill His work. “I know that God helped magnify every ability that I’ve ever had to be able to do this. I’ve been able to see the Lord’s hand more as we create this content.”

Our stake held a missionary-themed youth activity. The stake center was set up like a mini Missionary Training Center. We were trained, and then we went out to help the missionaries share the gospel with people in Chimaltenango.
Some people received us well, but others got upset, lied about their phone number and address, or hid. Sometimes we got discouraged, but then we met people who did want to hear and who were maybe even touched by our message. Even if I didn’t change their lives, my testimony grew.

“This past summer I went to the temple often to do baptisms for the dead. By keeping my covenants by going to the temple and doing what’s right, I was blessed. I was really stressed with final exams. I went to the temple, and it just made everything better. Keeping my covenants makes life so much easier and a lot happier.”
McKenna M., age 18, California, USA

When Sierra P., 17, moved to an area where few members of the Church live, her new friends wanted to know about her beliefs. This scenario isn’t new, and sometimes we may wonder how we can share the gospel with our friends without being overbearing. During a recent conversation with the New Era, youth in Arkansas shared what they have learned.
Sierra discovered that she could best answer questions when she asked her friends about their beliefs first and then focused on similarities and differences. “We studied a little about the Church in U.S. history, and that made everyone curious, so they came to me with their questions,” she says. “I had an opportunity to explain the entire plan of salvation to my volleyball team. Some of them realized that we have a lot of faith and are good people.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
(56) A professor uses marshmallows to test the patience of four-year-olds.

As you remember, the Willie and Martin companies ran into early snows in Wyoming, and many of the Saints perished in the cold. While on a trek a few years ago retracing their footsteps, my family and I stood looking down at the Sweetwater area where the Willie company had been stranded, cold and starving. We read from their journals of their severe trials and the joy of their rescue. John Chislett wrote:

As we stood on the hill now called “the Eminence,” I was impressed to bear my testimony to my family and the others who were with us. I said, “As grateful as these faithful pioneers were to see the rescue party, how much greater is the rescue through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.” I reminded our group that regardless of religious affiliation, the Lord Jesus Christ—the Savior of the world—is the center of all Christian belief, and He rescued all mankind. Through His Atonement, He gives to all of us hope for today and assurance in eternity.

Let me share with you two examples, not too uncommon, of people who, hour by hour, day by day, and month by month, have taken the time to love one another. I say these examples are not too uncommon because, gratefully, all around on a daily and continuing basis, we see true love in action. I’m thinking first of a mother who, through death, suddenly was left without a husband. With her were three sons ranging in age from early teens to almost missionary age. Through the years by example and hard work she has independently provided finances, encouragement, and unity. The feeding and keeping processes have resulted in the development of three great missionaries, students, husbands, and fathers. One recently remarked, “Mother has always taken the time to show her love.” This mother continues the true processes of love today as her sons pursue higher education and the opportunities of their own families.

Debbie just learned how to ride a bike, and now she’s teaching me. When I fall, she helps me up and makes sure that I’m OK. After she teaches me to ride the bike, I’ll teach her to draw an airplane. I’m good at drawing airplanes.