News

At a time when we hear so much about troubled teens and the problems they cause in society, it's good to call attention to young people who are making good choices. Following are two accounts of youth who have gone the extra mile to help others.

In one instance, a youth conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly called "the Mormons," in Sun City, California, brought more than 200 young people together to help senior citizens with yard work and home maintenance. (In the LDS church, youth conferences typically gather the youth of several LDS congregations in an area where they can work together and build friendships. Activities may include social interactions, service projects, and motivational speakers.)

Teams of 6 or 12 youth visited 40 homes in a planned community for senior citizens. They pulled weeds, trimmed hedges, helped with minor home repairs, and performed other household chores.

The youth conference there is an annual event, as it is in many stakes (groups of several local congregations) throughout the Church. This particular group usually uses Saturday mornings for charitable activities. "Every year we go and do service," Debbie Yokshas, one of the youth involved, said to the Californian-North County Times. "Sometimes it's hard to get kids to do it but once you're doing it, you always enjoy it."

"This is phenomenal," Bill Mosteller, one of the recipients of the labor said. "Bless your hearts." Mosteller himself uses a wheelchair; he and other seniors like him can have a difficult time performing the tasks that the youth took care of in a few hours.

Mosteller added that it's common to hear about troubled youth of today and their problems, "but you don't hear about things like this."

In another amazing story, a young man who collected donations for children in the Dominican Republic for his Eagle project unexpectedly got to go and hand out the gifts himself.

Jeff Rowan, of Merced, California, collected small toys and school supplies and put them together into packets for children having work done at a free dental clinic. "We started out by getting school supplies like crayons and colored pencils, along with (stuff like) bouncy balls, baseball cards and wristbands that say 'I love baseball.' " Jeff said to the Modesto Bee. "Baseball is their favorite sport in the Dominican."

He had planned to send the packets with a group of dentists, including his father and uncle, as they made a visit to provide dental care to children in the impoverished country. But, in an unusual turn of events, Jeff's uncle was unable to make the trip. And Jeff got to go in his place.

Prospective Eagle scouts who gather donations to send to other countries don't always get to meet the recipients of their gifts. But Jeff was able to personally hand out the packets he'd put together. "People started lining up and waiting in line two to three hours to see a dentist so they could get a packet," he said to the Bee.

It was a humbling experience. "I felt grateful for the things that I have," he said to the Bee. "When people get so excited about small gifts like colored pencils and bouncy balls, it makes you realize how much we all take for granted in this country."

Jeff is expected to receive his Eagle in April. His troop is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The book "True to the Faith" states that "one true key to happiness is to labor for the happiness of others." These youth and many others are finding that this is true.

Watching the early audition videos at the beginning of an American Idol season can be strangely fascinating. The auditions draw all kinds of singers: the seasoned pros who want to bring their career to a higher level, the closet singers who hope to be "discovered" as the next big talent, and even those who are not serious about singing but thought it would be fun to try out.

There are a couple of themes that emerge throughout the auditions of those who don't make the cut. One you see repeatedly is the singers who perform poorly and then try to explain to the judges that they were just "too nervous."

The excuse of nerves really doesn't help any, yet auditioners continually try to use it. When the judges kindly tell them that they aren't what they're looking for, the contestants somehow think that they can change the minds of the judges by explaining their poor performance. "You have to understand I'm very nervous," one contestant plead.

Why do people think that making excuses can justify poor performances? To take this example further, what would happen if "Johnny Q" did manage to convince the judges that he should be sent to Hollywood to continue in the competition? Why does Johnny Q think he will be any less nervous onstage under a thousand glaring lights and in front of television cameras covering him from all angles, broadcasting his image to millions of viewers? If his nerves prevented him from performing well during his initial audition, how can it be any different if he's allowed to continue? If he can't overcome his nerves then, can he just explain to the audience that he was just too nervous to sing well, and expect that to fix everything?

Since this is LDSBlogs.com, you know there has to be a spiritual tie-in here. Well, excuse-making is something people do in "real life" as well. Sometimes we make excuses for our behavior in an attempt to keep others from thinking less of us. And sometimes we make excuses to ourselves, trying to escape feelings of guilt over our wrongdoings or failure to live up to the things we know we should be doing.

But excuses don't solve problems. Sometimes they may hide them for a while, but they don't solve them. Sometimes I think we fool ourselves into believing that "someday" circumstances will be different, our temperaments and abilities will have magically changed, and we'll be ready to make those changes in our lives that we keep putting off.

Amulek puts this into perspective for us in the Book of Mormon:

33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. (Alma 34:33-34)

Changes in our lives don't come without conscious effort. Sometimes making these changes can be difficult work, and even painful to go through. But we cannot afford to live in complacency while making excuses for our wrong behavior and telling ourselves that we'll be ready to change "someday." As Amulek tells us, "someday" doesn't come. But our day of accountability will.

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons"), has said:

The scriptures make the danger of delay clear. It is that we may discover that we have run out of time. The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting. We will weep, and He will weep, if we have intended to repent and to serve Him in tomorrows which never came or have dreamt of yesterdays where the opportunity to act was past. This day is a precious gift of God. The thought "Someday I will" can be a thief of the opportunities of time and the blessings of eternity. (“This Day,” Ensign, May 2007, 89–91)

There are great blessings that we can enjoy today as we make each day count, striving to overcome our weaknesses instead of making excuses for them. And just as auditioners on American Idol can learn to perform well in spite of their nervousness, we can learn to perform well in spite of our own weaknesses.

Here are a few recently-appearing news stories that involve The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (otherwise known as "the Mormons"), or members of the Church:

Flowery Branch, Georgia: Ground was broken for a new LDS meetinghouse in the Flowery Branch, Georgia area. It will be the fourth LDS chapel in the county, and is expected to serve a congregation of approximately 300 people when it is completed in January 2009.

While the construction of new meetinghouses is usually exciting for the local congregations, such events don't usually get mentioned in Church-wide news because this happens around the world on a regular basis. However, this particular construction project did get a nice write-up in their local newspaper. That kind of recognition is exciting for everyone who reads it.

For more information on Mormon meetinghouses and their functions, read my blog post entitled "Differences Between Mormon Temples and Chapels."

Tri-City Herald: LDS teen Will Casper of Basin City, Washington, performed admirably on the most recent "Teen Tournament" on the popular TV game show Jeopardy! He finished in the semifinal round with $10,000. He plans to use the money to study electrical engineering at Brigham Young University and to serve a mission for the Church. (The fact that many youth his age would choose to spend the money frivolously makes Will's story that much more inspiring.)

Salt Lake City, Utah: The Utah State House of Representatives passed a resolution on February 26, giving special honor and recognition to President Gordon B. Hinckley. President Hinckley was the fifteenth prophet of the Church and passed away just this past January.

"President Hinckley had a tremendous influence, not only on the church, but in Salt Lake City, Utah, the United States and the world," Representative Mike Morley of Spanish Fork said, as reported by the Deseret Morning News. "President Hinckley certainly was the consummate builder, always building those around him and making them better - building the world to be a better place."

Several members of President Hinckley's family were present, and received a standing ovation as they left.

That the state of Utah would want to honor a prophet of the Church may not be too surprising, given the large LDS population there and the presence of Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. But there are also many residents who are not Latter-day Saints. That he could be seen as a friend to all, and not just those of his church, is truly a great tribute to this man.

According to a BYU news release, researchers there analyzed rings in the original wood used to build the Salt Lake Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or "Mormons") during its recent renovation. By studying the width of the rings they could determine the rainfall in the area for a given year. One conclusion they reached, said BYU professor Matthew Bekker, was that "The 1840s were drier than any other decade in this tree-ring history, which spans the years 1702 to 1863." In fact, 1846 - the year before the first Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley - was the sixth driest year in the study, and those that followed weren't much better. "It was a really rough time to establish a settlement based on irrigated agriculture," said Bekker.

Researchers also discovered that the Mormon pioneers must have used trees that had already died in their construction. Out of the 28 trees in the study, 5 of them had died or were cut earlier than 1847.

"In this desert environment, the settlers would not overlook the dead trees," Bekker said. "In fact there may be advantages to using post-mortem timber because you don't have to take bark or twigs off and it's already dried so it's not going to warp anymore after you cut it."

The Mormons came to Utah beginning in 1847 in order to escape persecution that had followed them from their beginnings in 1830 in upstate New York. Most recently they had built the beautiful city of Nauvoo on the banks of the Mississippi River in Illinois, only to be driven out by mob violence. The mobs had assassinated their prophet and leader Joseph Smith in 1844, but under the direction of his successor, Brigham Young, the Mormons made the arduous journey to the Salt Lake Valley - a previously unsettled desert land that nobody else wanted.

But, it offered the Mormons the protection they needed to establish themselves as a people. As their settlements spread throughout the west and they cultivated the land, people of other faiths settled the area as well.

Following is a description from a journal kept by a man who arrived in the Salt Lake Valley just two years after the first Mormon pioneers did:

There were more people (except emigrants and Indians) 200 to 1 than I had seen since I left the Missouri River. Where did they come from? How did they get here? I pinched myself to make sure that I was not dreaming. I have seen tables set for probably 100 or more, but here were tables for thousands. But the greatest marvel is how they could, in so short a time, produce in a desert, the variety of food stuffs with which the tables were spread. Men do not gather vegetables from sage brushes or cereals from cactus. The seeds, the tubers, the roots, the fouls, the pigs, the sheep, the cows, everything from which this abundance was produced had to all be transported a thousand miles or more over such roads as we have traveled. Even then, how could they in so short a time with so small a beginning, have produced so much. It seems incredible. I take off my hat to those who planned and executed it" (Diary of John H. Benson, May-Sept. 1849, typescript, Family and Church History Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 48-51)

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Today, Salt Lake City is a thriving metropolis, with plenty of green grass and trees all around. The city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and is home to many other events and amenities one might expect to see in a major city.

But when the Mormon pioneers arrived there, beginning in 1847, it was an unsettled desert. Making it into a place where people could live and thrive was a huge task, but they succeeded. Today a visitor to the city might never guess how difficult the area was to settle. But the individuals who settled it worked on tirelessly, building the foundations of a city that at that time they could only dream of.

For more information on the Mormon pioneers who settled Utah, visit www.lds.org/churchhistory/history.

As a whole, youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or "Mormons," are bucking national downward trends of increasing school drop-out rates. They're also less likely than other teens to engage in premarital sexual relations or use drugs and alcohol.

A report on a study done at the University of North Carolina, published by Oxford University Press in Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, indicates that LDS youth in general have strong religious beliefs and live in accordance with those beliefs. While all youth have challenges, LDS youth are less likely than other youth to drop out of school, and are more likely to be committed to their faith and live socially responsible lives.

One reason for this that is suggested by the Church at newsroom.lds.org is seminary. Seminary is available to youth of high school age, and is intended to be a daily program to help them study the scriptures and apply the principles they learn in their daily lives.

Students who live in areas with a high concentration of Latter-day Saints, such as Utah and Arizona, can take "released time" seminary during their regular school days. Most other students participating in seminary take "early morning" seminary, which meets - you guessed it - early in the morning before school each day. Seminary classes may actually be held at any time during the day, but most groups find that the early morning hour works best in everyone's schedules. Classes are held five days a week during the school year, and students attend each year they are in high school.

Certainly all youth can make their own choices, but daily seminary attendance can't help but make an impact on their lives. The daily exposure to the scriptures and principles of righteous living gives them a "lift" throughout their day at school, and helps them keep their hearts centered on God rather than on the cares of the world. And the self-discipline needed to succeed in seminary can extend to the rest of their lives as well.

"It takes a lot of self-discipline," said Lisa Kell, a seminary student in New York City, to lds.org. "You just have to say, ' I'm going to attend seminary every morning.' If you say, 'Maybe I'll attend,' it won't happen. You have to make a really strong decision and make it a priority." Lisa herself leaves home at 6 a.m., takes a subway, a bus, and then finally walks across Central Park in order to arrive at her seminary class on time at 6:30 every morning.

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, explained why seminary and spiritual education are so important: "Remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision."

With a perspective like this, it's no wonder that so many LDS youth are making morally responsible decisions.

Something that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as "the Mormons") have stressed throughout the last century is the need to be prepared for disasters or other unforeseen events. Not only do we need to have our own homes and affairs in order, but we also need to be prepared to help others in need. Two stories recently in the news shows this counsel put into action.

In Ghana, a country in Africa, twenty-eight missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently visited two orphanages in Accra and brought food and gifts for the children. As reported on allafrica.com, the children performed songs and dances for the missionaries, and two of the missionaries performed a Polynesian dance for the children. The mission president told the children about the birth of Jesus Christ.

The food and gifts were provided by the Church, and included bags with school supplies and two books for each child. These bags had been put together and filled earlier by volunteers, with the intention of distributing them to children who needed them. Reports such as these remind us of our responsibilities to help those in need; there are so many people in the world who can use our help. For information on how you can assist LDS Humanitarian Services in helping people in need throughout the world, including making school kits for children like these, visit www.lds.org/humanitarianservices . Instructions for making the school kits can be found by clicking on the link for "How Can I Help?" at the left sidebar. From there, click on "Make humanitarian aid kits."

Across the globe in Lehi, Utah, another emergency plan was called into action earlier this month. LDS meetinghouses - as well as meetinghouses of other faiths - are sometimes used as shelters in times of natural disasters when people are evacuated from their homes. A nasty snowstorm that ripped through Utah County in February did not create a need for evacuation, but did leave some motorists and school children stranded after several roads were closed. Several local Church leaders made their meetinghouses available for stranded individuals as they waited out the storm. Local police were also involved in the efforts to provide safe places for these individuals.

"Church buildings are ideal for this type of situation," Larry Johnson of Saratoga Springs said to the Deseret Morning News. "They have great facilities - bathrooms, a gymnasium, little rooms where you can turn on a video." He spent that evening looking after individuals who took refuge in his local chapel. The Relief Society (Church women's organization) provided hot chocolate and snacks.

Local Church leaders credit their congregations' emergency preparedness plans. With plans in place for how members of each congregation will mobilize in the event of a disaster, it was relatively simple to bring those plans into action when they were needed.

Both of these examples remind us of the importance of having plans and resources available in times of need. Preparing ahead could make all the difference in the world to us later on.

An article by Edward R.K. Dwemoh about why he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons") recently appeared in the Accra Daily Mail, a leading private newspaper in Ghana.

Brother Dwemoh begins his account by explaining that many people have asked him why he joined the Church. In his own words, "To set the minds of those who have asked the question at rest, and (this may surprise some of you) to quench my own burning desire to go public with the story of my conversion to Mormonism, let me now place on record why I am now a Latter-day Saint." ("Why I Joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Accra Daily Mail, February 21, 2008).

He describes some early visits he had with missionaries from the Church. The things they taught him made sense to him. "Something out of this world hung in the air - something fresh and sweet and gentle and kind," he says. The missionaries invited him to find out for himself if the Book of Mormon and the things they had taught him were true. They showed him the promise the prophet Moroni made at the end of the Book of Mormon:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:4-5)

"I thought that this was the most noble challenge I had ever been thrown!" says Brother Dwemoh. He recognized that, although the teachings of the missionaries made sense to him, his faith and salvation needed a stronger foundation. He needed to know the truth of them from God Himself. "And it is He who has manifested to me that this Church is true!" he concludes.

Some of the people who have questioned his decision to be baptized into the Church have shown him the scripture in Revelation 22:18-19 that says, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." They wonder how the Book of Mormon can be true if the Bible itself says not to add to the book.

Brother Dwemoh gives a clear answer to this question: "God did not say in Revelation 22:18-19 that He would not add to His own words. God rather warned us against man adding to (or subtracting from) His word...God commanded the Prophets of the Bible to write just as He commanded the Book of Mormon prophets to write."

He also points out that a similar directive is given much earlier in the Bible, in Deuteronomy 4:2. If God meant in this scripture that He would not reveal any more of His word, then the rest of the Bible beyond Deuteronomy could not be the word of God.

Going back to Moroni's promise, Brother Dwemoh explains that this is the sure way to establish the authenticity of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. "For those of us who would sincerely want to know (and not just brush off the testimony of whoever God might use to bring forth "scripture"...) we would 'ask God.' Only He can reveal to us that what we hold in our hands is 'authentic,' true."

Of the Book of Mormon, President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:

It is the only book that contains within its covers a promise that by divine power the reader may know with certainty of its truth...The same book that converted Brigham Young, Willard Richards, Orson and Parley Pratt, and many others of the early leaders of the Church is also converting people today in Argentina, in Finland, in Ghana, in Taiwan, in Tonga, and wherever else men and women are reading it prayerfully and with real intent. The promise of Moroni, written in his loneliness following the destruction of his people, is being fulfilled every day.

If they read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, they will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the book is true.
From that knowledge there will flow a conviction of the truth of many other things. For if the Book of Mormon is true, then God lives. Testimony upon testimony runs through its pages of the solemn fact that our Father is real, that he is personal, that he loves his children and seeks their happiness. ("The Power of the Book of Mormon," Ensign, Jun 1988, 2)

A seminar was held on February 23 in Richmond, Virginia, where presenters discussed the preservation and indexing of the Virginia Freedmen's Bureau Records. The seminar was presented by the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia and volunteers from the Central Virginia Family History Centers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as "the Mormons").

The Freedmen's Bureau was a federal agency formed in 1865 to assist and protect newly freed blacks in the South following the American Civil War. The Bureau only lasted nine years, but the records involved in administering it included marriage certificates and licenses, applications for food rations, school and land reports, and other court records. A wealth of information on the ancestors of many of today's African Americans can be found in these records, so preserving them is important and indexing them is vital to their usability in genealogical research.

The Freedmen's Bureau Preservation Act of 2000 authorized U.S. government funding to preserve some 4000 bound volumes of records. Currently preservation is going on under the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA). In a partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a searchable CD has been released that contains records of the Freedmen's Bank. Approximately half a million names are on this CD. Information available on the bank records include names of depositors; names of spouses, children, parents and siblings; birthplaces; and other data useful to genealogical research. It is estimated that 8-10 million African Americans today have ancestors who deposited money in the Freedman's Bank.

An article that appeared in Powhatan Today on February 20, 2008, described one man's visit to his local Latter-day Saint family history library. Carleton Finney already had a book with information on his ancestors that had been compiled by relatives, but the volunteer working at the family history library quickly guided him to available census records that verified the information that he had. Family history libraries of the LDS Church are staffed by volunteers who are available to guide researchers of all backgrounds to records that can help them in their search for their ancestors.

Why do people research their family histories? There are many reasons to do so, including that it can be a fascinating hobby. However, members of the LDS Church have additional reasons as well. According to an introductory page at www.familysearch.org, a free online family history resource run by the Church that features access to their extensive record collection:

Why do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do family history research? They do it because they are motivated by love for their deceased family members and desire to serve them.

Life does not end at death. When we die, our eternal spirits go to a spirit world, where we continue to learn while we await the Resurrection and Final Judgment.

Members of the Church believe that the family can also continue beyond the grave, not just until death.

This is possible when parents and their children make special promises, called covenants, in sacred temples. These covenants, when made with the authority of God and faithfully kept, can unite families for eternity.

Members of the Church believe that their deceased ancestors can also receive the blessings of being eternally united with their families.

For this purpose, Church members make covenants in temples in behalf of their ancestors, who may accept these covenants, if they so choose, in the spirit world.

In order to make covenants in behalf of their ancestors, members must first identify them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gathered genealogical records from all over the world. These records are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and at Family History Centers throughout the world.

This is a large reason why Latter-day Saints research their family histories. But there are plenty of family history researchers out there who utilize the vast resources of the LDS Church simply out of an interest in their own pasts. The resources of the Church are available to people of all faiths.

So stop by the family history library of your local LDS meetinghouse. Volunteers there will be glad to help you get started on your own journey.

Brooke White, a native of Mesa, Arizona, recently spoke with Randy Cordova of The Arizona Republic about her experience as one of the 24 finalists on American Idol - and about her Mormon faith.

In her audition, when the judges asked her to share something that was unique about her, Brooke told the judges that she has never seen an R-rated movie or tasted alcohol. While she did not bring religion into her explanation, she did testify that the values have worked in her life and "made sense" to her. The judges seemed impressed with her "purity," although Simon Cowell declared they would "turn (her) over to the dark side."

Brooke did not mention her religion at all, but, as she told the Republic, her remarks, persona, and hometown of Mesa, Arizona set off "the Mormon radar." Soon bloggers all over the Internet were speculating that she must be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or "Mormon."

The speed at which the world associated her with a particular religion surprised the singer. "People from all different faiths and walks of life live their lives this way," she said. "For me, part of it is attributed to my faith, but it's also beyond that. It's a choice I made on my own." (The Arizona Republic, Feb. 20, 2008, "Mesa 'Idol' Contestant's Innocence Strikes Chord with Many")

But the support from fans has been amazing. "I've gotten all these e-mails and letters from adults and little kids," Brooke told the Republic. "Sometimes they say they live their lives the same way, or they're going to live their lives that way. I was nervous when I saw it on TV, but that response was very reassuring... It was scary to talk about (my values)," she added. "I didn't want to come off as self-righteous, but American Idol seemed to think was interesting and picked it up and ran with it."

It certainly can be a boost to people striving to live similar values to see someone such as Brooke White living them so publicly. The apostle Paul said in the New Testament, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." (Romans 1:16) Sometimes it can be scary to keep different standards from those around us, but truly, if we believe in these values and in the gospel of Christ, we should not be ashamed and nor should we act as if we are. I appreciate her willingness to stand as an example before the world.

Meanwhile, Brooke is just enjoying the ride, however far American Idol takes her. "I'm thrilled, overwhelmed, nervous, excited, all of the above," she said. "It's beyond what I could have anticipated."

There's something about the office of President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called "the Mormons") that invites a higher level of public interest and scrutiny regarding his life. President Thomas S. Monson, who was recently named as the new prophet and president of the Church following the recent passing of Gordon B. Hinckley, has been in the First Presidency of the Church since 1985 and was called into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1963. Both of these are considered to be prominent callings.

Yet with his new position as prophet and president of the Church, there is a renewed public interest in who President Monson is and what his life has been like. There is also an increased interest in his wife Frances. Many women in particular look to the wife of the current prophet as an example for them to follow.

The Monsons' daughter Ann Dibb, who is also a member of the Young Women General Board of the Church, has recently spoken about her parents. The following remarks come from a devotional address that she gave at BYU-Idaho on February 19, summarized in a news release at byui.edu, and an article in the Salt Lake Tribune published on February 8 following an interview with her.

At BYU-Idaho, Sister Dibb quoted True to the Faith regarding the role of a prophet: "Like the prophets of old, prophets today testify of Jesus Christ and teach His gospel. They make known God's will and true character. They speak boldly and clearly, denouncing sin and warning of its consequences."

One of the significant events of her father's young adult life was his service in the military. Military service can be difficult for many people, particularly those striving to live with high moral values. But, said Sister Dibb, President Monson "made the choice to keep the Lord's commandments. Because he did so, he qualified for the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and he received the promised blessings."

President and Sister Monson met in 1944 and married four years later. The first year of marriage requires lots of adjustments for any couple, but President Monson (or "Tom") was called to serve as a bishop (the leader of a local congregation) within a year of their marriage. Only a few years later, with two young children and a third on the way, he was called to serve as the president of the Toronto mission. This is typically a calling that spans a few years and necessitates the temporary relocation of the new mission president and his whole family. The Monsons only had three weeks to pack up and execute the move. When they arrived, the mission home was greatly in need of renovation. Meanwhile, the young Sister Monson was thrust into the role of "mission mom" for over 100 young missionaries. However, according to Sister Dibb, she loved it. She was "grateful she was to be part of something important (and)...enjoyed serving them all."

Sister Dibb described how her parents used prayer in their family, and their pattern continues today. "My father has always prayed with and for our family morning and night. His prayers are prayers of gratitude for the many blessings we receive. As the family has grown, my father and mother still pray for each family member in their daily prayers."

Meanwhile, President Monson loved to work with and help the people around him. His responsibilities often took him away from the home for days or weeks at a time when he traveled to other areas. Sister Monson would shoulder the load of caring for the family and taking care of things at home. But even when he was home, he labored among the people. As Peggy Fletcher Stack, the author of the **Tribune article, put it, "(President Monson) was the last one out at church every week, had to shake every hand and greet every missionary. Once he went to Primary Children's Medical Center to give a healing blessing to one child and ended up visiting nearly every sickbed on the floor, while Frances waited patiently in the lobby."

But, according to Sister Dibb, her mother never complained. "My father was bigger than life and she appreciated him," she said. "She was all right with waiting. She has done so with grace and dignity all her life."

Sister Dibb ended her talk at BYU-Idaho with her own testimony. "The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth, through revelation, by the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have scriptures to bless us and strengthen us in our day. Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God, and it is through His Atonement and Resurrection that we can return to our Heavenly Father after this mortal probation is complete and receive our eternal exaltation."

We are grateful to have a prophet today who has been prepared throughout his life to lead the Church at this time.

We all have "food stories" that we could share--tales of strange foods that we've tried, or even of foods that we really, really did not want to eat. As for my own food stories, the time we went to a Chinese wedding banquet and found ourselves at the "authentic Chinese food table" as opposed to the "Americanized Chinese food table" stands out in my mind. We ate some unusual dishes that evening--most of which I will be fine with never trying again.

People who travel abroad for an extended period often have the opportunity to try a myriad of new dishes. Some of them will be wonderful, and others will seem very strange. And missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as "the Mormons") who serve in foreign countries often have a plethora of food stories to share when they return home. Not only do they stay abroad for nearly two years, but when possible they eat meals prepared by other people. They follow the counsel of the Savior to His early disciples: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ...for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33)

So that they can concentrate on teaching the gospel and serving the Lord during the two years that they serve their missions, Latter-day Saint missionaries do not have paying jobs. Their financial support comes from money they earned and saved prior to leaving on their missions, their families and friends who are financially able to help support them, and from the funds of the Church when necessary. To help with their support, members in local congregations are encouraged to provide dinners for the missionaries serving in their areas. This not only saves the missionaries the expense of paying for these meals, but it also allows them to spend more time in service instead of in meal preparation.

When possible, members are invited to have the missionaries in their homes to eat with their families. This can be a blessing to these members, as the missionaries bring a special spirit with them and are generally happy and enthusiastic about the gospel. The missionaries also share a spiritual thought with the family from the scriptures, and share their testimonies of the gospel. (As a sidenote, my family enjoys having the missionaries in our home and feel that doing so has blessed our lives many times over.) Visiting with the local members also helps the missionaries get to know them, and can spiritually uplift the missionaries as well.

For missionaries who are uncertain about local food, however, this system can pose a challenge. Rather than getting to choose which foods they feel comfortable eating, they must eat the foods prepared for them--or risk going hungry or offending those who prepared the food.

A columnist for the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City, Utah, recently invited returned missionaries to share their "food stories." Following are just a few of the interesting stories he received:

"Eating live baby octopi is... a treat. Imagine trying to eat something that is desperately trying to get back out of your mouth and has the strength of survival in it." (From a returned missionary who served in South Korea.)

"While welfare service missionaries in Thailand, we were served a basket containing little leaf-wrapped packages. We began to unwrap the packages held with string. I am sure my eyes widened as my stomach lurched. They were filled with fried crickets, ants and ant eggs... We did learn as the months went on that the adding of insects to scrambled eggs or to soup made the meal extra special."

"The most interesting thing I ate on my mission (in Ecuador) was 'ubre,' which is cow udder. It was rubbery and not very flavorful."

"We were invited to the home of a member of the branch presidency (local church leader) to have dinner (on our mission in Argentina). As we sat at their humble but clean table, a rolled meat dish was served to us. We asked what type of meat it was. The branch counselor asked us to just eat it and he would tell us at the end of the meal...With some trepidation we ate it and discovered it was really very good. Still, the host would not tell us what was in it until the end of the meal. Finally, he informed us the meat roll was made of pickled muskrat."

At the head of the article, a scripture in Luke is quoted: "And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you." (Luke 10:8)

Perhaps this scripture describes it best. But many missionaries experience a miracle of sorts--they really do learn to love the food of the people they serve.

And many of them just do the best they can, and then share their "food stories" when they return home.

The entire article with food stories contributed by returned missionaries can be accessed at deseretnews.com.

The annual Easter pageant presented in Mesa, Arizona, is undergoing final preparations and will be presented to the public from March 11 through March 22. This year is the pageant's 70th anniversary.

Titled "Jesus the Christ," the pageant portrays the life, ministry and mission of Christ through music, dance and drama. It is produced annually with a combined staff and cast of over 700 volunteers, and is recognized as the world's largest annual outdoor Easter pageant.

Wayne Leavitt, pageant president, says the pageant helps members of the community "to understand how we, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or what many
people refer to as 'Mormons,' feel about the Savior Jesus Christ; that we truly are believers and followers of the same Jesus Christ that many of them believe in."

"Many have said they have felt the spirit of the pageant and that they have come away with a better understanding of Christ. They say, from watching the pageant, they feel they know him better and feel his love," Leavitt continues.

Whether Mormons believe in Jesus Christ is often misunderstood by the general public, despite the fact that the name of Christ is part of the official name of the Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The Twelve Apostles and First Presidency of the Church have issued a testimony entitled "The Living Christ" in which they affirm, in part:

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles-that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

The third Article of Faith of the Church declares, "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel." While Latter-day Saints do believe that we must live good lives and obey the commandments Christ has given us, we also believe that it is only through the Atonement of Christ that we may be saved. No other man can or will be able to save us, and we cannot save ourselves.

The Arizona Easter Pageant is free and each performance is open to the public. It is appropriate for all ages; families are welcome. Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend this year. For additional information on the pageant, including performance times and the location, visit their website at www.easterpageant.org.

It's that time of year again-the blogs are abuzz with the latest news on American Idol. While all of the semifinalists have caught the media's attention, two of them-Brooke White and David Archuleta--are Mormons, or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And they stand out in Hollywood in a different way than many of the other contestants.

Mormons are well known for their squeaky-clean lives. As put forth in the Word of Wisdom received by the prophet Joseph Smith and recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 89, they do not drink alcohol, use tobacco, use illegal drugs, or drink coffee. Sexual relations outside of marriage are prohibited. Beyond that, Mormons are counseled to dress modestly, avoid the use of profanity, and avoid music and other entertainment that would offend the Spirit of the Lord. This often includes R-rated movies, of which Brooke White said in her American Idol audition that she had never watched even one.

Why do Mormons live this way? The question is not as easy to answer as it might appear. In part, the answer lies in the fact that we believe that God speaks to us today through His prophet, and our living prophet and other Church leaders have admonished us to follow these standards of behavior. Another answer is that in order to enter the temples of the Mormon Church, we must live clean lives and adhere to these standards. So that's an incentive to live this way, but it's still not the whole answer.

In the booklet "For the Strength of Youth," the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes this promise:

We promise that as you keep these standards and live by the truths in the scriptures, you will be able to do your life's work with greater wisdom and skill and bear trials with greater courage. You will have the help of the Holy Ghost. You will feel good about yourself and will be a positive influence in the lives of others. You will be worthy to go to the temple to receive holy ordinances. These blessings and many more can be yours.

We pray for each of you. May you keep your minds and bodies clean from the sins of the world so you can do the great work that lies before you. We pray that you will be worthy to carry on the responsibilities of building the kingdom of God and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Savior.

It's not that we blindly follow our prophet in anticipation of promised blessings. As we put this counsel to the test, and try it in our own lives, we realize that living clean and moral lives really does make us happy. And we really do have added strength and influence of the Holy Ghost as we continue to live this way. There's a lot that the Lord expects us to accomplish, and we need this strength in our lives.

And we know who we are and what's expected of us. A beloved children's song perhaps explains it best: "I am a child of God, and He has sent me here." We understand that we are children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us. He created us. And we understand that He is all-knowing and all-powerful, and we can trust Him and His infinite wisdom.

Following a "high-standards" lifestyle is not always easy, especially when the world around you chooses very different standards. But the rewards can be great. Hats off to Brooke White and David Archuleta for holding on to their ideals.

I am grateful that we have a living prophet on the earth today. I'm grateful for the life and service of President Gordon B. Hinckley, who had served as the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as "the Mormons") from 1995 up until his recent passing. And I'm grateful that even though we love and miss him, the Lord has provided us with another prophet who has been raised up to this position.

President Thomas S. Monson has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since the young age of 36. (By comparison, the youngest currently serving member of the Twelve, David A. Bednar, is 56. The Quorum of the Twelve is the highest leadership body in the Church, under the prophet and First Presidency. Apostles stand as special witnesses of Jesus Christ.) Serving as an apostle is a huge responsibility, but Brother Monson had served in other Church leadership capacities prior to his call and was prepared for the challenge.

And so it is today. Forty-four years later, including years of service as a counselor in the First Presidency, he has been trained and gained experience that can be had in no other way. Of succeeding President Hinckley, President Monson said, "(It's) not difficult because he blazed the trail. I worked with him for so long, 44 years, that we knew each other so well. I knew and I testify afresh that he was the Lord's prophet." (News conference, 4 February 2008, quoted in the LDS Church News, 9 February 2008.)

Still, the call to serve as the Lord's prophet on earth is not an easy one to step into. President Monson said, "I found that most helpful to me was going to my knees and thanking my Heavenly Father for life, for experience, my family, and then directly asking Him to go before my face, to be on my right hand, to be on my left hand, and His spirit in my heart and His angels round about me to bear me up." (News conference, 4 February 2008.)

That's a lesson we can all learn from. Perhaps Nephi said it most memorably in the Book of Mormon. When faced with a difficult task from the Lord that his brothers declared was impossible, Nephi replied: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7)

Like Nephi, President Monson understands that when the Lord asks us to do something -even something that seems impossible to our limited understanding - He will provide a way for us to accomplish it. With the help of the Lord, we can succeed in all He would have us do. I am grateful to have a prophet today who deeply understands this principle and will rely on the Lord to help him to do the work He has given him.

Following the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as “the Mormons”), a new president and counselors have been announced.

Thomas S. Monson, who had been serving as the first counselor to President Hinckley at the time of his passing, succeeds him as president of the Church. As his counselors in the First Presidency, he has named President Henry B. Eyring as first counselor and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf as second counselor. President Eyring had been serving as the second counselor to President Hinckley at the time of his passing. President Uchtdorf has been serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The First Presidency is the highest body of leadership in the Church. It is comprised of a prophet, who serves as the president. Counselors are also called to serve with him, to advise him and help carry out the work of the Church. Usually the president of the Church has two counselors, although the First Presidency may occasionally function with only one counselor. This was the case when President James E. Faust passed away in August of 2007. He had been serving as the second counselor to President Hinckley. President Henry B. Eyring was sustained to the position during the general conference of the Church held at the beginning of October 2007.

There may also be additional counselors to the president of the Church called if needed. One example of this came in 1981 under President Spencer W. Kimball. Presidents N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney were serving as his counselors, but with their age and failing health a third counselor was called to help them – a relatively young apostle by the name of Gordon B. Hinckley.

With the change in leadership, Elder Boyd K. Packer has become the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve and will serve as president of that quorum. Previous to President Hinckley’s passing, he was serving as the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve. President Monson was actually the senior member of the Twelve, and so was president of the quorum, but his duties in the First Presidency necessitated that Elder Packer act as president.

It is important to remember that although the Church has a change in leadership, Christ stands at the head of the Church. The men who lead it for a time bring their own unique talents, experiences, and personalities, but it is Christ who stands at the head and they seek only to serve Him and do His will.

Each of these men called today has proven to be faithful to the Lord and have served Him well. How grateful I am that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that prophetic leadership does not end simply with the passing of one prophet. I look forward to learning and serving more at the feet of these great men.

For more information on the new First Presidency, including some photos, visit the Newsroom at www.lds.org.