What Pres. Oaks said in his first conference as the prophet

In this week's episode of This Is the Gospel, Jeff says he only knew three things about his grandfather George growing up. One, he was born in the former Yugoslavia in a country that is now called Montenegro. Two, George was raised in Worland, Wyoming. Three, he had changed his last name from Mijušković to Marks. That was all. Any other attempt to get any information regarding family history from his grandfather led to a command to, "Shish." But after a chance encounter on a humanitarian aid trip to Haiti, Jeff slowly began finding breadcrumbs that led to his Mijušković line. And so after a killer deal on airfare, Jeff found himself in his family's homeland armed with a letter written in Montenegrin and an unquenchable desire to discover his own family history.

Before President Russell M. Nelson’s challenge to turn social media into our own gratitude journals, there were dozens of lists online of things to be grateful for in the year 2020. Since his invitation, millions of ideas have been added by those using #GiveThanks. But there are a few spiritual things that I think we have become more grateful for this year, as we have either relied on them more or had to do without them. Everyone’s list will look a little different depending on personal circumstances, but here are a few things that I think many of us have come to appreciate more than ever this year (in no particular order).

As the year comes to a close, “Don’t Miss This” and the Nashville Tribute Band are giving us plenty to look forward to as we prepare to dive into our study of Doctrine and Covenants for Come, Follow Me in 2021.

Anthony Sweat isn’t just a BYU religion professor and an author; he is also a talented artist. We recently sat down to ask him about his latest book, his faith, his family, and his love of painting unique Church history events.

Editor’s note: “Resources to follow Him” curates study resources, teachings, and thoughts to deepen your study of this week’s Come, Follow Me.

Not long ago, I was at Walt Disney World with family. We were in line for one of the more intense attractions at the resort—the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This attraction is housed in a very creepy-looking hotel, full of ghostly sights and sounds. Following an elaborate preshow, you enter a modified elevator where you are strapped into your seat. At some point, in the pitch black and without warning, the elevator car plunges more than 10 stories to the ground, then accelerates up and down the shaft in a frantic motion. The experience is incredible, potentially terrifying, and one of my favorites.

Feeling less than inclined to have an attitude of gratitude lately? Here are 7 quotes from Latter-day Saints about the blessings of having a grateful heart.

Nearly four years to the day after suffering his fourth season-ending injury as the quarterback for Brigham Young University, Taysom Hill took the field Sunday as the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. It was a start many thought would never happen, but Hill not only started the game, he finished with 18 completions for 233 yards passing on 23 attempts and 51 yards rushing. The quarterback who is known for his ability to scramble also scored two rushing touchdowns in the Saints’ 24-9 win over the Atlanta Falcons. But when the game was over and the media interviews were completed, Hill was quick to acknowledge the many prayers that had been offered for his well-being and success leading up to the game.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in November 2020.