3 things to try if you’re intimidated by family history work

The value of preserving and sharing ancestral stories was recently verified by researchers who were trying to understand why some people, including children, are better able than others to cope with serious, even disabling stress and trauma. One study found that “the more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, [and] the higher their self-esteem.” This factor was indeed “the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.” Those with “the most self-confidence” had what one researcher called “a strong ‘intergenerational self.’ They know they belong to something bigger than themselves" (Bruce Feiler, “The Stories That Bind Us,” The New York Times, March 15, 2013).

A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories have the power to charm children and adults alike. The antics of the “bear of very little brain” and other delightful animals in Hundred Acre Wood are sprinkled with words of wisdom and valuable life lessons. But did you know that Mormons have played a big role in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh productions over the past few decades? Here are five fascinating connections.

An estimated 4.7 million people watched Jaxon Willard dance on NBC’s World of Dance Wednesday night. Through high-flying leaps and balletic turns, Jaxon Willard told a story of personal struggle, a struggle his mother Cindy Willard told LDS Living her son was still going through at the time of the episode’s filming.

Anyone raised in the Church or given the missionary discussions knows that it was the angel Moroni who appeared to Joseph Smith, revealing the location of an ancient record we now know as the Book of Mormon. But in the early days of the Church, that fact was not so clear. Some people believed it was Nephi, not Moroni, who revealed the location of the Book of Mormon.

Summertime and camping are pretty much synonymous with each other. There's just nothing like taking off into the great outdoors, roasting marshmallows, and looking up at the starry sky on a summer night.

As a friend of Sister Oaks noted: "Nursery children do not look to see if you have a ring on your finger as you wipe away their tears. It doesn’t take a wedding license to feed hungry Scouts or missionaries or shut-ins. Nowhere on the tithing slip do you indicate marital status as you contribute to the Church’s humanitarian service or Perpetual Education Fund. And they don’t have two doors at the temple — one for couples and one for singles. We are a Church that needs faithful workers. I’ve been blessed because I had priesthood leaders who knew this."

"Because we love our school, we hope it reconsiders and lets religious groups continue to authentically reflect their religious groups," said InterVarsity's student president, Katrina Schrock, in a statement.

While serving as missionaries in the eastern states, my senior companion and I entered a town in New Jersey and began a systematic program of door-to-door contacting. We had not worked in the area for long before it became obvious that the local Protestant ministers had prepared their parishioners for our coming.

Throughout the Book of Mormon there are groups of people who are called after the name of their leaders or ancestors. Learn about these 16 identified groups, how they got the name they did, and what they are known for doing in their scriptural accounts. How many do you recognize?