How one couple raised 8 kids to recognize the Spirit for themselves

Love is one of the most profound emotions known to human beings. Most of us marry feeling that nothing could possibly separate us, believing that a celestial marriage will be perfect and easy—a happily ever after. Yet life is not that way and we face the harsh reality of conflict where our perfect happiness can be shattered. What will save our happily ever after is to realize is that life and marriage evolve in stages. Our marriage probably won’t ever be like it was at the beginning nor should it, because it could be something even better. Our purpose in marriage is to help each other meet the Savior, and our spouse can be our greatest purifying fire, our greatest teacher, and our greatest gift—if we will allow them to be.

Al was told in a priesthood blessing, right when we got married, that the temple should be our centerpiece. A centerpiece is pretty self-explanatory: it is placed in the center and everything else is placed and works around it. In that same blessing, we were told that we should have a picture of a temple in every room of our house, even the bathrooms, to help us be mindful of the temple when we weren’t inside its walls. With the help of Deseret Book and pass-along cards, we listened.

“The heavens did not open, and that experience was just very quick, but it was as profound to me as if I had seen a concourse of angels," second counselor in the general Young Women presidency Sister Becky Craven said of the unexpected but life-changing experience she had after reading the Book of Mormon.

In his book Make a Choice: When You Are at the Intersection of Happiness and Despair, New York Times best-selling author Jeff Benedict shares a touching story of one of his former missionary companions, Bruce Jasper. While divorced and living with his widowed mother, Jasper was able to find deep compassion and incredible strength to forgive a stranger who caused him immeasurable pain and suffering. Below, Benedict recalls his friend's tragic yet hopeful story:

Although his recorded words are few, the prophet Elijah is among the most prominent in the Old Testament. He ministered in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in a time when the people had almost entirely turned to idol worship (about 900 B.C.). Through his priesthood power and his faith, Elijah was able to perform many mighty works. Here are 15 miracles associated with this great prophet.

"This final solo can determine the rest of my life,” LDS dancer Jensen Arnold said before her solo performance that on "So You Think You Can Dance." But even though her amazing routine got her through to the top 20 on the show, she still has some major hurdles to face.

“If you save me, I will serve you," Williamson Sintyl prayed as he struggled to stay alive while buried underneath the rubble that was his father's orphanage. It was 2010, and a 7.0 magnitude earthquake had just devasted Haiti. But little did Sintyl know that this horrific experience would help lead him to the gospel.

"It's unbelievable,'' LDS MLB player Bryce Harper said about his win at the Home Run Derby. "We have some of the best fans in baseball, and to be able to do that with my family out there, that's an incredible moment—not only for me, but for the organization and Nationals fans. I'm very blessed and humbled."

From Knee-fights to lemonites and everywhere in between, these LDS Church puns are so bad-—you might just call them puns of perdition-—that you'll find yourself chuckling at how hilariously awful they are.