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Peanut butter at the pearly gates? What a quote misattributed to Sister Hinckley teaches about Latter-day Saint myths

Keith A. Erekson, Contributor - As I wrote the book Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Myths , I evaluated popular stories and quotations that circulate in Latter-day Saint talks, lessons, and social media posts. Some turned out to be real, and others—not so much. Tracing the source of a statement commonly attributed to President Gordon B. Hinckley’s wife, Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley, proved to be an adventure with a surprising destination. Here is the quotation in question: I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly...

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2 missionaries serving in Texas pass away in car crash near Dallas-Fort Worth

Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Two elders serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lost their lives in a two-vehicle crash north of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Church spokesman Sam Penrod released the following statement: We are saddened to share news of the passing of two young missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who were killed in a head-on traffic collision on Tuesday in Denton, Texas. The missionaries were both assigned to the Texas Fort Worth Mission and are: Elder Luke Masakazu Carter, 18, of Springville Utah. Elder Carter began his missionary service in...

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Elder Uchtdorf to speak at in-person BYU Education Week this summer

Danielle Christensen - Brigham Young University has announced its plans for Education Week this year. According to its website , the proceedings will be held in-person on BYU campus from August 16 through August 20, and it will be one of the university’s “first events inviting people from across the country to gather on campus again after the pandemic,” The Daily Universe   reports. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf will be the keynote speaker for the event on Tuesday, August 17. The theme for this year’s Education Week is inspired by a scripture from Mosiah 18:21 , “Having our hearts knit together in unity and...

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Utah State’s new basketball coach says he sees value in having returned missionaries on roster

LDS Living - If you’re a fan of March Madness, you likely recognize the Utah State Aggies’ new men’s basketball coach, Ryan Odom. Odom and his former team, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County basketball team made noise in the 2018 NCAA tournament with their first-round upset of the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers.  But now, Odom has a new opportunity ahead as he will coach the Utah State Aggies, a basketball team that has had great success in recent years. And so far the thing that has impressed him most about players on his future team is their maturity, maturity that he attributes at least...

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In India and Brazil, multimillion dollar Church donations aid COVID-19 relief

Lindsey Williams - Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church has aided more than 1,000 relief projects in over 150 countries and territories. And that response continued with two donations announced this week to countries that have been majorly affected by the pandemic, India and Brazil. In India, the Church donated oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and other medical equipment totaling $4.15 million, as reported by Newsroom (India) . “Our hearts reach out to all those who are suffering and to the frontline medical workers who are dedicating their lives to fight this battle with everyone,” said Elder John Gutty, the Church’s Area Seventy for India. “We...

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Seeing the whole: Why I’m learning to love funerals

Morgan Jones - My grandma, Mom-el, loved funerals so much that we used to give her a hard time about browsing the obituaries for her next social engagement. It was a joke and something I honestly didn’t understand then, but over five years after her own passing, I think I’m starting to realize why my Mom-el loved funerals so much. When someone we love is gone, we can find joy in remembering the best things about them. Certainly, there are cases that require healing, but little annoyances are cast aside after someone has passed and all we seem to remember are the things we...

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9 inspiring albums + 6 virtual concerts to help make your home more heavenly

LDS Living - Fill your home with uplifting music the whole family will enjoy! You're likely to recognize a few favorite artists and we hope you'll enjoy some new ones as well. And for even more great, inspiring family entertainment, don't miss ‘The Sessions’ concerts , a series of six incredible virtual concerts, going on now through August! ► You may also like:  New virtual concert series, ‘The Sessions,’ will provide months of family entertainment Quiet Revolution   by The Truman Brothers featured in ‘The Sessions’ concert series The Truman Brothers create Spirit-filled music for today—for every day. With its energetic, pop-driven anthems, their...

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‘Please keep trying’: Sister Aburto opens up about personal trials in her life and how she overcame them

Sister Reyna I. Aburto, excerpted from “Reaching for the Savior” - After graduating from high school, I started attending college. I always enjoyed learning and getting an education. However, over the years, the situation in Nicaragua was just getting worse. I decided to marry a young man that I was dating, and we left the country shortly after. We arrived in San Francisco in October 1984. My first months in the United States were hard because that first winter felt very cold, coming from a warm climate. I also had to get used to a new culture and a new language, and my family was still in Nicaragua. However, I was extremely...

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Church schools have turned down more than 1/3 of a billion dollars in stimulus money. Here’s why

LDS Living - A combined total of $333,408,468 has been offered to BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii, and Ensign College during the three rounds of stimulus from the United States government. But the schools haven’t accepted any of it. According to Deseret News , the Church schools lost money in the past year when they shut down in March 2020 during the pandemic. In spite of this, the schools have turned down the stimulus packages because of the Church’s principles in self-reliance. The Deseret News  piece broke down the totals that the individual schools have turned down, with BYU at $171,163,549 from the last three checks...

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Benefit concert seeks to raise funds to build monument to Black pioneers, draws big names in support

LDS Living - When asked by his mom, Debra Bonner, what he wants to be when he grows up, Mauli Bonner said he really just wants to be a dad. But right now, the singer/songwriter and now film director/screenwriter has felt called to do something that has taken time away from his efforts as a husband and father. He has devoted his time to creating a film to honor Black pioneers and other Black members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The film is named after one Black pioneer in particular and is titled His Name Is Green Flake . Proceeds...

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‘There is no expiration date for revelation’: What Sister Tracy Browning shared on evolving revelation during BYU Women’s Conference

Lindsey Williams - When Sister Tracy Browning’s mother was investigating The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she reached a pivotal junction in her study of the restored gospel—a desire to know if the Book of Mormon was the true word of God. She offered a fervent prayer, and God’s voice was revealed to her in an unexpected and deeply sacred way, but the content of His message did not directly answer her question. “My mother was now presented with a choice,” Sister Browning said in her address at BYU Women’s Conference. “She would either put aside all the experiences that she had...

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Unlike other university systems, each CES school is distinct. Here’s why that’s a good thing

Lindsey Williams - Brigham Young University is perhaps the most well-known of the institutions of the Church Educational System. With its main 560-acre campus in Provo, Utah, the university serves more than 45,000 students from over 103 countries and all 50 states. But what about the Latter-day Saints who don’t attend BYU? After all, the university has a 59% acceptance rate among its freshmen according to its website . A recent article in Church News   highlights how the Church Educational System provides opportunities for all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to access education. “There are opportunities for everyone...

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Watch: Construction begins on the Deseret Peak Utah Temple with Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony

Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Ground has been broken in Tooele, Utah, for the Deseret Peak Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The sacred structure will be located about 30 minutes southwest of Salt Lake City. Elder Brook P. Hales of the Quorum of the Seventy presided at the groundbreaking ceremony attended by a couple of hundred Latter-day Saint leaders and invited guests at the temple site on Saturday morning, May 15, 2021. “Help us that through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we might be prepared and worthy to enter Thy sacred house to receive the blessings of exaltation available...

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What might the disciples have thought about during the Last Supper? Exploring ways to find meaning in the sacrament

Danielle Steed, Contributor - One afternoon, I walked into my son’s room and saw him quietly playing. I could tell that he was engaged in an imaginary game but couldn’t quite tell what was going on. He had flipped his toddler chair to form a table and then he had carefully laid a book on top. What he said next stopped me in my tracks. He carefully folded his little arms and bowed his head and said in his sweet little voice, “Oh God, please bless this bread.” He then handed me the book which served as a makeshift tray.  He had been watching and...

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How do we create a space of healing at church for victims of sexual abuse?

LDS Living - Over one in three women and nearly one in four men have experienced sexual assault at some point in their lives, according to the CDC. About one in four girls and one in 13 boys experience sexual abuse at some point in childhood. The statistics are staggering, but we may feel paralyzed by our inexperience and unfamiliarity with the topic. But is it possible that, simply by mentioning it as something someone in the room may have encountered, we could aid in the healing of sexual abuse victims? Sage Williams first felt a desire to advocate for victims of sexual abuse...

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‘Your devotion has made the world a better place’: Church leader expresses gratitude for Muslims as Ramadan concludes

Danielle Christensen - In a new video, Elder Anthony D. Perkins, president of the Middle East/North Africa Area of the Church, expressed his gratitude for Muslims’ example of devotion as Ramadan concludes this year. His message is as follows: “It is truly an honor to send our greetings and best wishes as you mark Eid Al Fitr, the end of the fasting of Ramadan. To all our Muslim friends throughout the world, we express our gratitude. Fasting is something we believe in, as you do, and believe that it brings us closer to God. “Each day during Ramadan, you have chosen to let God...

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Read these beautiful tributes to women and mothers from President Nelson, other Church leaders

LDS Living - Editor’s note: “ This week from the pulpit ” highlights recent messages by Church leaders. On social media this week, many Church leaders sought to honor women and their contributions to the world. President Russell M. Nelson expressed his appreciation that Heavenly Father created women, and that they have “the gifts required to shape and teach all of us.” Many Apostles also shared their gratitude for their mothers, wives, and for righteous women who bless many lives. Additionally, posts from members of the Primary and Young Women General Presidencies reflected on a mother’s love. Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham...

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When my husband died while serving as bishop, I learned that all of my emotions are gifts from God

Joleene Watabe, Contributor - My husband not only served faithfully and powerfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he quite literally gave his life while doing so. He was serving as the bishop of our ward in Ohio when he passed away. He loved the youth and was always anxious to be with them. When the young men planned a camping and rappelling trip, he gladly volunteered to help. Taking the young men rappelling was one of his favorite activities because he strongly believed that the youth needed to learn that they can do hard things. They can do things that are...

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Deseret Magazine pays tribute to the life of Maj. Brent Taylor—a Latter-day Saint hero

LDS Living - The wall of Maj. Brent Taylor’s quarters in northern Iraq looked much like his living space when serving a mission to Brazil, Deseret Magazine   reports. He decorated both with photos of his family, cutouts from religious magazines, and inspirational quotes. “My choice of decorations was very different from my men,” he once wrote, describing himself as “a straight-leg Mormon and not ashamed of it.” In keeping with that statement, he often struggled to sleep after hearing some of the tales his comrades exchanged. “My ears were burning,” he wrote. “Profanities and dirty language are as routine in the military as...

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Not sure what’s really happening in the Doctrine and Covenants? This resource can help you put the revelations in context

Danielle Christensen - This week’s Come, Follow Me   begins with Doctrine and Covenants 49 , a revelation given through Joseph Smith to Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, and Leman Copley. While many Latter-day Saints are likely familiar with most of these names, Leman Copley is perhaps less frequently heard. So who was the Latter-day Saint and what was his background? The heading to the revelation shares a little of who Leman Copley was, explaining that he “had embraced the gospel but still held to some of the teachings of the Shakers.” It goes on to explain what the Shakers’ teachings were and states...

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Watch: These children testifying of Jesus Christ will warm your heart

LDS Living - A new music video released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday, May 13, shares a beautiful song alongside beautiful testimonies. From the Jerusalem replica set in Goshen, Utah, vocalist Evie Clair , a young woman, performs the song, “ I Feel My Savior’s Love .” In the video, Primary children from around the world add their testimony of Jesus Christ. Some share what they would say if they met Jesus. Others share their love for the Savior. “When I feel the Savior’s love it feels like He’s hugging me,” one girl says. Watch the video on...

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Watch this 8-year-old Latter-day Saint perform her award-winning rap on race

LDS Living - After 8-year-old India Boyé was baptized, her father blessed her to know that she was “equal to everybody else.” And while she may still be in elementary school, India has found an inspiring way to share that message with the nation. She calls it the “Indi-rap.” India wrote and performed a rap for the 2020-21 National PTA Reflections contest, which called for submission to the theme “I Matter, Because.” In the rap, she shares how she comes from a bi-racial family and then says, “Don’t matter where you are or where you’re from / We are all God’s children and we...

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5 things you might not know about the 22 Church areas and the work of Area Presidencies

Lindsey Williams - Over nearly two decades of service as a General Authority Seventy, Elder Craig C. Christensen has served in a variety of roles. He currently serves as the Utah Area President and has previously served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy and President of the Mexico South Area. Effective August 1, 2021, he will begin a new assignment as the South America South Area President . On a recent episode of the Church News  podcast , Elder Christensen shared five things you might not know about the 22 Church areas and the work of Area Presidencies. 1. Church areas...

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Free virtual summit to address how we can minister to those who struggle with mental health

Kurt Francom, Executive Director of Leading Saints - When we desire to minister to someone who struggles with mental illness, it is natural to avoid these interactions out of a fear of saying the wrong thing or accidentally hurting rather than helping. Or maybe as a bishop or Relief Society leader we aim to encourage an individual but end up causing more harm than good. Leading Saints, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead, recognizes that most lay leaders desire a deeper understanding of the complexities of mental illness and how to help individuals. By gathering content from experts or those who experience...