Dwelling on the past? Here’s the key to moving forward

Mary Magdalene is one of the best-known characters in the New Testament, yet we know surprisingly little about her. In all but one of the twelve times that she is mentioned in the four Gospels, she is either named alone or first in a list of women. The sole exception is in John’s account of the women who stood by the cross in which the mother of Jesus is listed first (John 19:25). Nevertheless, in the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene is the premier witness of the Resurrection and the only one commissioned to tell others the stunning truth. The primacy of her name in these accounts, the frequency of her mention, and her role on the morning of the Resurrection suggest that she was a prominent and respected disciple in the first century. From the earliest interpretations of her, however, she has been assigned polar opposite roles: at one extreme, a repentant sinner who quietly served; at the other, the apostle to the apostles.

Have you ever noticed that asking difficult questions about the Church and the gospel can seem a bit taboo at times?

This month’s LDS Living Book Club selection is Insights from a Prophet's Life: Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew. Insights is a compilation of stories from President Nelson’s’ life starting from his childhood, and following him all the way to his current time as the prophet of the Lord. Included in the book are fascinating photographs from President Nelson’s childhood, young family years, educational milestones, friendships, and church ministry. These photographs help us see President Nelson’s life as a visual progression and how the Lord has prepared him from a young age to be the prophet.

Eric couldn't get up.

At a Global Faculty Meeting, Chad H. Webb, Administrator for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, announced additional changes to the seminary program coming in 2022 and expounded on the changes coming in 2020.

Carnegie Hall: It’s a hallowed name among musicians and stands among the preeminent performing arenas in the world.

Sister Lisa L. Harkness, the first counselor in the Primary general presidency, recently posted an adorable video of her 2-year-old granddaughter. After Sister Harkness's granddaughter missed her nursery class while out of town, she received a card in the mail from her nursery leader. This simple yet thoughtful surprise made all the difference to this young member of the Church and resulted in a priceless reaction. Sister Harkness posted:

While no two treks are ever the same, most Church members who have been on one will recognize these 10 people amongst their trek families.

The following has been adapted from a talk Aubrey Darger originally delivered at BYU Women’s Conference on May 3, 2019. It is published here with the speaker’s permission, and the thoughts expressed belong solely to the author.