The weekly practice that can deepen your family relationships

Beginning January 1, 2021, seminary students can expect some changes to their course of study. Changes include the following:

I have been a licensed psychologist for almost 20 years. I often get asked whether I think mental health challenges are on the rise, especially among today’s youth. The answer is complicated and involves a couple of factors: 1) The stigma of mental health concerns is slowly decreasing, creating greater willingness to talk about such issues, and 2) Society has more mental health resources than it has ever had before, particularly in the form of outreach.

There are three types of articles written about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to Hal Boyd, the former opinion editor for the Deseret News, who is now an associate professor of family law and policy at BYU: First, there is the article written by the non-Latter-day Saint journalist who looks at the faith warily. Second, pieces written by former or lapsed members of the Church. And third, “the genre in which active Church members examine their faith.”

Visitors to The Atlantic’s website might be surprised to see a large picture of a Latter-day Saint temple at the top of the site’s home page. Members of the Church will be pleased to find that they can read the words of their prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, in an exclusive interview granted to writer McKay Coppins, a Latter-day Saint himself. The article is a personal essay in which Coppins addresses the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both the Church at large and in the life of just one of its 16 million members worldwide.

In the temple, we renew our spiritual perspective. In the temple, we recommit our lives to the Lord. In the temple, we recognize “things as they really are, and . . . things as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13).

Whether you have last-minute presents to wrap, need something to rock around the Christmas tree with, or are just looking for some new versions of your favorite holiday tunes, ‘tis the season for music videos. Not sure what’s new out there? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are nine selections good for both you and the family to enjoy as you count down the days until Christmas.

In a new video released by Church News, President M. Russell Ballard remarks that in his 45 years as a General Authority, he’s traveled the world and there are not many places he hasn’t been—but “the greatest thing probably that ever happened was finding her and marrying her.”

Editor’s note: “This week from the pulpit” highlights recent messages from General Authorities, General Officers, and leaders of the Church. This story will be updated throughout the week. Find summaries of remarks below or use the hyperlink menu to jump to a specific section.

In many ways, Christmas can be a chaotic and stressful time for families, but it certainly doesn’t have to be! Here are just a few ways to invite peace—and the Prince of Peace—into your holiday celebration.