5 ways to build unity in your ward and family

Mormon Newsroom states: "Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith."

In the 25 years Latter-day Saint Carlos Munoz has lived in Houston, he has never seen anything to compare with Hurricane Harvey.

The Churchupdated its statementabout the impact of Hurricane Harvey, sharing that the temple has now begun to flood:

At three o’clock in the morning, 38-year-old Theresa Marie Pitts awakes with her 5-month-old baby. As a mother of eight children, she’s become accustomed to early-morning wakeups and feedings, but on the morning of July 9, 2017, her early rise was for a different reason. That was the day she would finally conquer what her kids had named “The Big Race.”

In today's society, social media, and news coverage, all we tend to see and focus on is divisions, arguments, controversies, disagreements, and comparisons. With so much noise directed at all our differences, the world becomes something overwhelming, where fear dictates our actions and responses, not love.

We've all had those moments when we feel distant from God and unable to see His hand guiding our lives. It's these moments, BYU professor of ancient scripture, Tyler J. Griffin talked about recently, sharing how some Bible translations might help us see familiar scripture stories in a new light.

"I feel I am being directed to do this," Johansen said of his mission to paint deceased missionaries as a way to help grieving families.

Recently, the national wedding website TheKnot featured Bryce Harper and Kayla Varner's elegant wedding, complete with a reception held in a barn they constructed on a polo field just for the event.

“The road to becoming a professional ballerina has been a wonderful but challenging one," Rebekah Petty, a principal ballerina in Australia toldMormon Newsroom. "I'm grateful for a family who raised me with strong gospel principles and a knowledge of eternal perspective. Putting the Lord first has helped me find real joy and a great many successes in my life, both personal and professional!”