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46019

Why the Trek West Might Not Have Happened the Way You Think It Did

W. Paul Reeve, excerpted from “The Council of Fifty and the Search for Religious Liberty” as published in The Council of Fifty: What the Records Reveal about Mormon History - Most Church members today don’t realize the depth of mistrust and resentment some Mormon pioneers harbored toward the United States in 1846 and 1847. When the Mormons arrived in the Great Basin, they were actually arriving in northern Mexico. They purposely crossed an international border and were fleeing the United States. Joseph Smith had been especially concerned that the U.S. Constitution did not protect minority rights. “There are only two or three things lacking in the constitution of the United States,” he contended, and it was the guarantee of rights and freedom for all, regardless of religious affiliation. He was dismayed...

46031

1 Dead, 1 Injured in Shooting During LDS Sacrament Meeting in Nevada

Deseret News - "We express our love to those in this congregation and our prayers for the victims and their families. Local leaders are ministering to them at this time," Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said.  One man is dead and another wounded after the victim was targeted by a shooter during a sacrament meeting today in an LDS meetinghouse in Fallon, Nevada. The alleged shooter, John K. O'Connor, 48, entered the chapel after the sacrament had been passed and as the first speaker was beginning a talk and shot the victim at close range, according to Fallon Police and witnesses. Lead image from the...

46112

Sponsored: Prevention of Breast Cancer, Heart Disease and Other Chronic Conditions Possible by Significant Breakthrough on Vitamin D3 Research

John B. Hewlett - This article is sponsored by Cardio Miracle . Two internationally respected scientists and researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Ohio, Professor Thadeuz Malinski and Dr. Cedric Garland, have respectively published breakthrough research on the impact of supplementation vitamin D3 on the prevention of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and breast cancer . They discovered that the impact of vitamin D3 supplementation produces the most significant results when the blood serum level of vitamin D3 is increased to 50 mg/dL, compared to the current levels for most adults, which is 30 mg/dL. This current research by Dr. Garland...

28231

50 Breathtaking Photos of Temple Gardens

Danielle B. Wagner - If you need a brief escape, take some time to view these stunning pictures of temple gardens that will help you feel a bit of the serenity of the Lord's holy House and the wonderment of God's beautiful creations. So enjoy a glimpse of these 50 beautiful Edens. Laie Hawaii Temple. Photo by Bruce Bean from LDS Church Temples. Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple. Photo by Robert A. Boyd from His Holy House. Albuquerque New Mexico Temple. Photo by Gerald D Benally from LDS Church Temples. Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. Photo by Robert A. Boyd from His Holy House. Gilbert Arizona Temple. Photo...

45269

Why Do Some Children Die and What Will Happen to Them in the Resurrection? Comforting Answers for Loved Ones

Robert L. Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie, adapted from "The Life Beyond" - Little children shall live! What more perfect evidence of an omniscient and all-loving God than the doctrine which proclaims that little children who die are heirs of celestial glory! From these no blessing shall be withheld and from such no opportunities will be denied. The testimony of the Book of Mormon and the latter-day oracles is certain and clear: children who die before the time of accountability shall come forth in the resurrection of the just and go on to enjoy all of the privileges associated with eternal life and the family unit. As a result of his Vision of the...

45449

How We Can Let Go of Anxiety, Guilt, and Shame and Love Ourselves Now—Mistakes and All

Wendy Ulrich, adapted from "Forgiving Ourselves: Getting Back Up When We Let Ourselves Down" - Although Latter-day Saints are among the best people I know, they are also among the most self-critical. Too often we work hard to improve and repent and then fail to fully claim the “amazing grace” of Jesus Christ. As a psychologist and as a Church member, I’ve struggled to help clients, missionaries, friends, and colleagues let go of excessive self-blame and like themselves again.  While our repentance ensures God’s forgiveness, we need more than repentance to forgive ourselves. We also need accurate assumptions about the purpose of life and the place of sin and failure. We need to make sense of...

30826

Can You Spot LDS Temples and the "Ensign" in this Syndicated, Award-Winning Comic Strip?

Danielle B. Wagner - For those who regularly read the Pickles comic strip, you might have noticed the tell-tale signs that its creator, Brian Crane, is a Mormon. From clean humor and strong family values to pictures of LDS temples in the background, Crane provides quite a few subtle hints about his faith in his work. A syndicated comic strip that appears in 1,000 newspapers around the world, Pickles won the Best Comic Strip in 2001 from the National Cartoonist Society. Later, Brian Crane won the Reuben Cartoonist of the Year Award from the National Cartoonist Society, proving that clean family fun still has an important place...

45358

2 Latter-day Saints with Crippling Health Problems Share Inspiring Testimonies That Will Strengthen Your Love of the Savior

Lee and Tammy, adapted from "Making Sense of Suffering" - Even in the midst of suffering we can turn to the Savior and let Him heal us spiritually and emotionally. Here are two powerful examples: From Lee, afflicted with a rare form of dwarfism: I am a dwarf whose adult stature is three-foot-ten. However, if mere “shortness” were the sole factor in my affliction, this would be a short story indeed. My condition entails medical complications that have required major surgeries over the years, many of them followed by extended months in a body cast. In this life, I will never know a normal lifestyle, though miracle after miracle has kept...

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The Unbelievable True Story of Saints Shipwrecked on Their Way to Zion

Professor Fred E. Woods - Several days before embarking on the ship Julia Ann , Australian Latter-day Saint John Perkins wrote in his diary: “Monday 3rd September 1855: The brethren and sisters are beginning to come in to go by the Julia Ann or the port of San Francisco.” This ill-fated adventure would be a singular event in Mormon history because it would be the only known shipwreck that claimed the lives of multiple Mormon pioneers on their way to Zion.  At the time of departure, there were a total of 56 aboard the Julia Ann , half of whom were Latter-day Saints, including three Mormon...

28669

10 Hilarious Moments You'll Only Understand If You've Been on Trek

Katie Lambert - A spectrum of emotions is experienced while on an LDS trek. Here are a few of our favorites. Please share your favorite trek experiences in the comments below.  1. Leaving for trek 2. Bringing your cell phone and realizing there is no signal 3. Realizing bonnet hair is a thing 4. Finding out you are in the same trek family as your friend 5. Setting up camp for the first time 6. The guys, reacting to the women's pull 7. Waiting for the best part of the day: mealtime 8. Getting your groove on at the square dance 9. Bonding with your...