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

As Sister Eubank so beautifully and succinctly stated in October 2017, ministering to our sisters is about doing what she needs. We no longer have a monthly visit to check off our list. It’s not about not finding time the entire month then dropping off a card and a treat on the last day of the month with a doorstep apology. It’s not about our checklist. It’s not about our efforts, it’s about them being ministered to. It’s not about our performance, but about their needs.

In a historic event, the Church celebrated the 40th anniversary of the priesthood revelation at the "Be One" event last Friday.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the revelation declaring that all worthy males, regardless of race, may receive the priesthood. We are sharing it again to mark the 40th anniversary and to celebrate the continuing growth of the Church in Africa.

Though some may view it as a punishment, repentance actually is a gift given through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without it, we wouldn't be able to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and fully enjoy the blessings of eternal life.

A prayerful study of symbolism in the gospel enables us to understand and better appreciate the doctrines, principles, commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel more completely. When we do, we are filled with gratitude, which is the ultimate catalyst for personal change. As our understanding of the gospel and the ordinances of the temple matures, we want to know even more. We become more like the Savior, and we desire more strongly to please God. That has been for me a delicious and deeply satisfying spiritual experience. My hope is that you will have the same kind of experience.

As Church membership continues to grow and change throughout the world, four new stakes have been created in several different countries, including Brazil, Georgia, Guatemala, and the Philippines, while one stake was discontinued in Germany, according to LDS Church Growth.

"I think there are places that sister missionaries can get into that our elders can't. They have made a wonderful addition to the work," Elder Nielson said about the sister missionaries. "We're all so grateful to have them serving. They are amazing."

The Church is pretty good at filming stuff. When the full-length feature Meet the Mormons was released in theaters throughout the country, it was a crowning moment in our long history of cinematic exposure. And let's not forget about Church video campaigns, such as I'm a Mormon and Because He Lives, which have provided our faith with excellent publicity for years.

In a letter to her husband, Joseph, Emma Hale Smith wrote, “I desire the Spirit of God to know and understand myself, that I might be able to overcome whatever of tradition or nature that would not tend to my exaltation in the eternal worlds. I desire a fruitful, active mind, that I may be able to comprehend the designs of God, when revealed through His servants without doubting.”