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How LaVell Edwards Made It Possible for RMs to Still Play College Football

Deseret News - Before LaVell Edwards, most LDS football players had to make a tough decision: serve a mission or play college football. But the legendary coach made changes to BYU's football culture that completely transformed how coaches across the nation now look at missionary service. Mormon missions ruin football players. The idea is heresy today, but it was considered gospel inside and outside the LDS Church in the 1950s, '60s and when LaVell Edwards took over as BYU's football coach in 1972. It seemed irrefutable. Nearly everyone believed players left on missions as fiery competitors, strong and fast, and that they returned home...

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Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Lesson 7: "The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel"

Ted L. Gibbons - Introduction Every journey begins somewhere, with a step, a thought, a desire, a commitment. The journey back into the presence of God, for mortals, begins with four first steps we call them the first principles and ordinances. There are others to follow how many we have no idea. Joseph Smith said: “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation....

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Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley Lesson 4: "The Pioneer Heritage of Faith and Sacrifice"

Kelly Merrill - Below is the opening quote to this lesson. I have included it because it sets up an important premise for the whole lesson. Whether you have pioneer ancestry or came into the Church only yesterday, you are a part of this whole grand picture of which those men and women dreamed. … They laid the foundation. Ours is the duty to build on it. We are all children of God. That makes us, in a very literal way, one big family. Whether we came to earth 150 years ago or just 20 years ago doesn’t change our heritage in that family....

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Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley Lesson 3: "Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of Optimism"

Kelly Merrill - Good attitudes often suffer from bad reputations. I know I have often accused my wife of being a “Pollyanna” when something was going terribly wrong and she piped in with how it could be seen to be going right. You might say this lesson was tailor-made for people like me. I wouldn’t call myself a pessimist (of course not!), but if something can go wrong, it usually does. President Hinckley’s father used to tell him, “Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve.” Try as I might, I can’t fault his logic. It’s all true. Accomplishment, contributing,...

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What TV Shows Do Mormons Like the Most? "The New York Times" Reveals

Danielle B. Wagner - Near the end of 2016, The New York Times posted 50 maps showing where certain TV shows are popular in the United States. And while Mormons live throughout the United States and other countries around the world, even The   New York Times noted a show was "most popular in Utah and eastern Idaho, both areas with a high Mormon population." So what show did Utah and Idaho Mormons love the most? Once Upon a Time.   Mormons are known for their love of fantasy and sci-fi. In fact, many famous, best-selling fantasy and science-fiction authors are Mormon. ► You'll also like: ...

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Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Lesson 6: "I Will Tell You in Your Mind and in Your Heart, By the Holy Ghost"

Ted L. Gibbons - Introduction: The scriptures mention a multitude of different ways in which the Spirit can communicate with us. Many of these are in the D&C, but other volumes of the standard works also teach rich and rewarding lessons on this topic. In this lesson, I will try to give an overview of the many passages from the scriptures that suggest the different forms that inspiration and revelation can take. If we seek divine direction but anticipate that it will only come in one way, we may miss the very thing for which we have asked. 1. Understanding How the Holy Ghost Communicates with...

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LDS Senator Shares Whether He'd Accept the Supreme Court Nomination if Trump Asks

Deseret News - Two Mormons made it onto President-Elect Donald Trump's list of potential Supreme Court nominees— and they're brothers . And recently, one of them, Sen. Mike Lee, met with Donald Trump to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court as well as repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and the REINS Act. Sen. Mike Lee said Thursday that if the incoming president told him he was needed more on the U.S. Supreme Court than in the Senate he would accept the nomination. "If he asked me that question, I would not say no," the Utah Republican said. President-elect Donald Trump included Lee on...

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LDS Man Starts Petition to "Make Leia an Official Disney Princess," Thousands Sign

Danielle B. Wagner - After Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27—just a day before her mother, Debbie Reynolds, passed way—one LDS man thought of a unique way to pay tribute to the actress best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars. Cody Christensen started a petition on change.org  to "Make Leia an official Disney princess, " and he already has over 59,000 supporters.  On the petition, he writes: "After the tragic loss of Carrie Fisher, we feel that it is only fitting for Disney to do away with the rule that an official Disney princess must be animated and make Leia...

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Steve Young: LaVell Edwards' Ability to "See More in You Than You See in Yourself" Was a "Gift from Heaven"

Deseret News - On Friday, January 6, funeral services were held for legendary BYU coach LaVell Edwards. After his passing, many have noted Edwards' unique ability to combine football with his faith. In fact, Edwards said, “The goals and successes of my professional life pale in comparison to my personal goals of an eternal family, receiving exaltation and being with the Savior again.” Among the tributes given to Edwards was that of Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who shared many touching memories of Coach Edwards that provide surprising insights into the kind of man he was and the life he lived: Young spoke...

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LDS Mom's Viral Video Perfectly Sums Up Motherhood in 34 Seconds

Danielle B. Wagner - It's been featured by People and by The   Huffington Post . Not to mention it's gone viral on social media, with over 3.2 million views on Facebook alone. So what makes this 34-second video so compelling? Parents can relate. "Dad is out shoveling the driveway. Mom desperately needed a treat to get through the rest of the night. So I'm hiding in the pantry, eating a treat. Is that wrong?" Ashley Gardner asks in the video. The parents of quadruplets, Ashley and Tyson Gardner initially didn't know if they would be able to have children. But, after in vitro fertilization, the...