How this firefighter mom manages wearing life’s many ‘uniforms’

"Oh no, please don't let that be our coach," Audra thought as she watched a man walk through the parking lot.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have known that a new Children and Youth program was coming, but there remained a lot of unknowns, many of which were answered during the Face to Face event on Sunday.

As part of Sunday evening’s Face to Face Event for Children and Youth, David Archuleta sang the 2020 Youth Theme song, “Go and Do,” based on the scripture found in 1 Nephi 3:7. Archuleta, who is best-known as the runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol, not only performed the never-before-heard song but also shared his personal testimony of the Book of Mormon.

In the 1970s, the Osmond family thrilled throngs of screaming fans with performances throughout the United Kingdom. Because of their shining example both on and off the stage, these musical missionaries would play a key role in sharing the gospel and growing the Church in that corner of the world.

There are approximately 16 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, visit Southeast Asia over the next week, they are visiting countries where just 30,000 Latter-day Saints live. President Nelson calls these countries a “vibrant corner of the world, one that has seen plenty of strife through the years but also a region filled with valiant, resilient, determined souls.”

It recently came to my attention that one frequently used criticism of the Church is that it works to “condition” its members, from the time they are in Nursery, to believe. Antagonists cite things like Primary songs, celebrating baptism, and preparing youth to serve a mission as ways to create a feeling of investment or loyalty toward the Church—after all of that investment, how could one leave? The truth be told, it’s actually a strong argument. I found myself, for days after hearing this, pondering everything I do or have done in my life and internally debating whether or not I really believed. What if I had only been conditioned to believe?

The following is an excerpt from Elder John H. Groberg’s book Fire of Faith, which details his experiences with his family as he served as a mission president in Tonga.

Lindsay Ricks lives in Oakton, Virginia, with her husband, three boys and one girl. When she found out that her second son, William, was diagnosed with Down syndrome and autism, her life changed, for the better. Through raising her son, she has experienced growth outside of her comfort zone, a greater understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and increased love and compassion for others. In this week's episode of All In, Ricks shares what her experience of parenting William has taught her as well as how it has given her increased empathy for others.

A common distortion of the doctrine of grace is the view that the Savior extends his grace to us only after we've done all we possibly can do. It would follow then that since no one ever really does all they possibly, theoretically could have done, no one can ever really be worthy of grace either. The false logic runs like this: