Technology

Ten years after his landmark address on sharing the gospel using social media, Elder David A. Bednar gave insights on spreading light online today.

This faith-based approach to tech use in the home changes screen time from a battle to a productive conversation and helps everyone become more self-aware about using technology wisely.

A child sitting in front of the television may seem still and calm. However, we all know, from watching TV ourselves, that this kind of physical inactivity isn’t the same as what Elder David A. Bednar said is “a higher and holier dimension of stillness.”

What began as a basic ward directory app has now become a full-fledged toolbox to help individuals at home, in classes, and across wards and stakes.

Elder Gong presented important guiding principles, which were all approved by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

A complete rebuild of the Church’s Sacred Music app is the first of several improved music experiences to come.

Marguerite Gong Hancock is a techno-optimist in Silicon Valley whose family roots, faith, and passion for humanity inspire her to bring an abundant life to civilizations worldwide.

Have you started commuting to the office again? Regardless of how busy you are, audiobooks are a great way to inspire and uplift, without worry about finding time to sit and focus on reading.

“The Lord commands us to ‘watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.’ But we’re too busy to prepare because we’re glued to a reality TV episode, a Twitch live stream, or a social media feed.”

Forget about scrolling through endless pedigree lines to find an ancestor. Now you can use FamilySearch’s new Discovery Search to find any specific ancestor with one quick query.

Check out four innovations associated with the upcoming general conference.

When my pre-teen son asked for a phone, I wondered if President David O. McKay had imagined the small devices we all carry around each day when he prophesied of scientific “discoveries latent with such potent power, either for the blessing or the destruction of human beings, as to make man’s responsibility in controlling them the most gigantic ever placed in human hands” (in Conference Report, Oct., 1966, 4). Could I hand my innocent son a little phone with more power than the first supercomputer, with all the knowledge of millions of books and world-class entertainment to put in his pocket? Would this bless him? It could. But it could also destroy him.

With hundreds of pages of scriptures, manuals, and Church magazines, it seems impossible to use it all. But tools like the Gospel Library app are a wonderful way to study the scriptures, general conference talks, or the teachings of latter-day prophets anytime and anywhere. Check out these six things you didn’t realize the Gospel Library app could do to make studying the gospel just a little bit easier and more meaningful.

This story was originally published on LDS Living in November 2018.

To those who have been wanting to group chat their quorum or class like Elder Gerritt W. Gong did with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the wait is coming to an end.

What if instead of simply reading about the tree of life, you could walk the strait and narrow path? Look toward the great and spacious building from the perspective of those holding to the Rod of Iron? Stand with Lehi and modern-day youth at the tree of life?

Did you get a new phone or tablet for Christmas? Check out these awesome deals on eBooks you'll want to download right away! Included are some of our favorite novels by Latter-day Saint authors, books that will strengthen your faith, and many great books from the apostles.

When our three oldest boys were little, they did what young kids do best—they explored. Behind our house they made huts in the weeds, dug holes, and corralled bugs. After backyard exploration lost its luster, the wider neighborhood seemed appealing, including the road. The idea of our babies running headlong in front of a car scared us to death. It was time for a fence!

From the entertainment world to the medical field, Latter-day Saints have made several significant contributions to the way we live in the modern world.

Are the 10 commandments still relevant today? A Deseret News poll regarding this question revealed that the majority of Americans find the commandments still important today—with the exception of "Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy," which only 49 percent of Americans found relevant. In contrast, fewer U.K. citizens found the 10 commandments still important today with only 19 percent considering "Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy" relevant, 23 percent considering "You shall not use the Lord's name in vain" relevant, 20 percent considering "You shall have no other God before me" relevant, and 31 percent considering "You shall not worship idols" relevant today.

The following has been republished with permission from gregtrimble.com.

It’s 7 a.m. I grab my phone and head downstairs for a bowl of shredded Mini-Wheats. As I pour the milk, my phone lights up. I have just received a video message from my mom. Without worrying about my bedhead and puffy eyes, I tap on the screen and see my mom’s smiling face from two states away, wishing me good morning. The message is not long, maybe a minute or two. But I feel connected, and it makes me smile.

From children to adults, everyone has hobbies—activities they particularly enjoy doing. But sometimes the types of hobbies we pursue, the amount of time and money that is spent on them, and how helpful or relevant our hobbies are can influence our decisions about which hobbies to pursue. Often, our hobbies stem from our talents. In the scriptures, we are told that “every [one] is given a gift by the Spirit of God” (D&C 46:11) and that these gifts, also known as our talents, are given to us “for the benefit of the children of God” (D&C 46:26). One interpretation of several of Christ’s parables (Matthew 5:15-16, Matthew 25:15-30) implies that we are to improve and share these talents with the world. It doesn’t matter what your talent is—kayaking, dancing, public speaking—we are given these talents so that others may see our good works and glorify God. No one talent (or hobby) is greater than any other. The what of our hobbies matters little when compared to the how and why we do them.

If you haven't already seen, Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell's name is all over Twitter today, though he probably wasn't expecting all the attention.

It was a discussion about the sacrament. A seminary student was sharing feelings about the sacredness of the ordinance when another student jumped in.

Sam is a typical 17-year-old boy. He’s interested in things that go fast and loves the outdoors. He’s growing in knowledge of the world and his faith in his Heavenly Father. Sam also has a hearing impairment that affects his ability to understand what is taught and shared each Sunday.

You can now ask Alexa (Amazon's Echo device) to play LDS hymns and Primary songs.

Would you like to read the sealed portion of the plates? Or know the body temperature of translated beings? How about find a GPS tracker for all of the Three Nephites? At the rate technology is advancing, you might not have to wait much longer for an app that will answer all of these burning questions. As we become a smartphone species, people create apps for seemingly everything under the sun—including church. In addition to the Church-sponsored apps like Gospel Library, here is a sampling of digital programs that could best be described as “in the App Store but not of the App Store.”

Sometimes, staying involved with the conversion of a friend in another area can be difficult. How do you support them in missionary lessons, make sure they feel welcome in a different ward or branch, or help them connect to people in their area?

According to BYU research, apps used to track diet, exercise, or mental health can actually be great self-help tools for users.

It was a typical day in my couples counseling practice. I listened to a heartbroken spouse tearfully share her pain regarding what her husband had done. She had just discovered he had been cheating on her for the past six months with one of his old high school girlfriends. “How did this happen?” I asked the husband. He began to cry as well. He didn’t understand how it happened. He mentioned making jokes with the woman on a social media site one day when he saw her post something humorous. From there he described a tale of secrecy that moved to full-blown sexual indiscretions. His wife found out because he left his phone on with one of her messages loaded.

Last month, Mormon Channel continued its series Gospel Solutions for Families and hosted a discussion with host Amy Iverson, Elder Tad R. Callister, and Dina Alexander. The three met to discuss how parents can better prepare their children to stand up in the world and strengthen ties as families.

Technology can be an amazing blessing. It allows us to connect with family and friends, to spread the gospel, to participate in family history work, and to access spiritual and educational resources almost instantly. While technology can be a powerful tool for good, it can also be a distraction from the things that matter most. In a CES devotional for young adults, Elder Ballard taught:

Every month, prophets and Church leaders send out inspired, specific, and directed messages to the members of the Church that we can share through home and visiting teaching. And each week, we learn gospel insights from the scriptures in Sunday School.

It's amazing what emerging technology has helped us accomplish in just the past few decades. From thousands of digital books stored on our phones to seeing and chatting with people half a world away in real time, technology continues to make everyday tasks easier.

Al Fox Carraway recently uploaded a video with Todd Reynolds, the designer of the Gospel Library app, to share five tips for enhancing your scripture study through the app. In the video, they address frequently asked questions and share quick tricks that will help improve your scripture study experience.

What an interesting way for recording dreams and finding out their potential meaning.

LDS siblings Madelyn Erekson and Klay Erekson have created a unique way for drivers to avoid texting and driving.

President Monson is dear to many. In all of his Church callings, President Monson has inspired many with his valiant example of selfless service and love for others. And wouldn't it be wonderful if we could personally share how his life and service has influenced our own?

Deseret Book released an exciting product: Router Limits “LDS Edition.”

Today, just about everyone has their own personal smartphone. These can either be amazing resources for righteousness or demanding devices for distraction. To help us continually keep our focus on the good and educate our minds with the best things, apps like the following have been created for our benefit. If you want to feel uplifted throughout the day, or if you need a good resource to assist you in preparing a lesson, here is a list of apps that are helpful and will keep you engaged in righteous works.

Elder David E. Sorensen of the presidency of the Seventy, said in the October 2003 Ensign, "The temple is a place of revelation, of inspiration, meditation, and peace—a place to restore ourselves, to clear our minds, to find answers to our prayers, and to enjoy the satisfaction of worship and service."

Though we sometimes focus on the negative aspects of technology, there is much good that can be accomplished with its aid. The second counselor of the Young Men general presidency, M. Joseph Brough, recently shared ways youth can benefit from the good technology can bring into their lives when used for gospel purposes.

Technology can help our lives run smoother and make our days just that much easier. But sometimes, it can make our lives just that much more cluttered. Here are some great tips to help you focus your Sabbath day on what matters most.

If you've spent any time doing family history research, you know just how overwhelming it can be to search through newspapers trying to find a trace of your ancestors. That's why the RootsTech Innovator Showdown winner decided to simplify and speed up newspaper searches with his award-winning app.