Danielle B. Wagner

First Black man sealed in the Salt Lake Temple shares the moment he heard the 1978 priesthood revelation

By Danielle B. Wagner

June 09, 2023 05:00 AM MDT

In 1967, Isaac Thomas walked onto the Missouri Valley College campus on fraternity pledge night. As one of only 32 black students at the school, he stood out starkly, but, being an outgoing young man fresh from an all-black high school, Thomas didn’t think anything of it. He had never come face to face with the violence and hatred racism breeds—until that night.

26 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

A new take on the parable of the lost sheep may change how you see yourself in the Church

By Danielle B. Wagner

May 01, 2023 02:02 PM MDT

Oftentimes in our anxiety to live God’s commandments, we focus on everything we should avoid to remain righteous.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

What JFK, Abraham Lincoln + 9 other US presidents had to say about Latter-day Saints

By Katie Lambert

February 17, 2023 07:00 AM MST

Latter-day Saints have left a profound mark on history, and their influence has been felt around the world.

5 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

The most-used word in the Book of Mormon: 4 powerful insights it taught me

By Danielle B. Wagner

April 11, 2022 09:30 AM MDT

Recently, I experimented with diving a little deeper into the Book of Mormon, reading, experiencing, and examining it in an entirely new way—through text analysis.

5 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

The Bednars’ powerful marriage advice: You do not find a good marriage, you create it

By Danielle B. Wagner

February 23, 2022 11:20 AM MST

"I often emphasize the truth that you do not simply 'find' the marriage you hope to have. Rather, you create it," Elder David A. Bednar shared on Instagram.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

6 principles President Nelson once plead that we teach to our children

By Danielle B. Wagner

January 05, 2022 05:33 PM MST

“What are you going to teach your children?” President Nelson told Saints in Bolivia. “I would like to suggest you do what the Savior did.”

3 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

In 2016, Elder Christofferson gave a prayer in the U.S. Senate, remembering Pearl Harbor. Here’s what he said

By Danielle B. Wagner

December 07, 2021 10:00 AM MST

On December 7, 2016, Elder D. Todd Christofferson paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Missionaries helped restore the world’s last battleship, now on display at Pearl Harbor

By Danielle B. Wagner

December 07, 2021 07:00 AM MST

The USS Missouri served as the place of final surrender in WWII and took her final mission to Pearl Harbor on the 50th anniversary of the attack.

3 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

How a WWII pilot saved 90 men by following an unexpected spiritual prompting

By Danielle B. Wagner

November 11, 2021 09:00 AM MST

During WWII, one American bomber pilot single-handedly saved the lives of 90 men by listening to the promptings of the Spirit. That pilot was my grandfather, Ronald S Beckstrom.

11 Min Read

Recommended by Us

Powerful stories of military service from the First Presidency

By Danielle B. Wagner

November 11, 2021 07:00 AM MST

Many of our prophets and apostles have served in their respective country's military, including each member of our First Presidency. Here are powerful spiritual lessons these prophets and apostles learned during their military service.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

What the Church has actually said about Halloween

By Danielle B. Wagner

October 13, 2021 08:39 AM MDT

Halloween—that confusing mix of eeriness, morbidity, candy, trick-or-treating, and family fun. But the mixed reception of this holiday got us wondering, what has the Church officially said about Halloween?

5 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

11 powerful truths about our Heavenly Mother from prophets and apostles

By Danielle B. Wagner

February 22, 2021 02:00 PM MST

Prophets and apostles have confirmed our Heavenly Mother's divine existence and mentioned Her divine attributes on multiple occasions.

2 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Elder Holland’s Valentine’s Day message that might change how you show love

By Danielle B. Wagner

February 14, 2021 07:57 AM MST

During the Valentine’s season, everyone’s thoughts turn toward romance and love. But Elder Holland explained how we should love others, not just one day, but through every trial, struggle, and joyous moment in our lives.

1 Min Read

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Latter-day Saint Life

3 compliments that hurt women more than help them

By Danielle B. Wagner

June 13, 2020 11:00 AM MDT

It’s tempting to think that any compliment to a woman is a good one. But many compliments carry undertones or emotional baggage that we may not even be aware of.

8 Min Read

Fun

14 Latter-day Saints stirring things up in the culinary world

By Danielle B. Wagner

June 03, 2020 09:00 AM MDT

“One of the reasons that food is so interesting to me intellectually is [that] you see people prioritizing their values when you see the way people prepare food and the way they eat,” says Kate Holbrook, managing historian of women’s history in the Church History Department and researcher of Latter-day Saint food traditions.

16 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

How we misinterpret “black” and “curse” in the scriptures: Insights from an African American convert

By Danielle B. Wagner

February 03, 2020 05:59 PM MST

This story was originally published by LDS Living in May 2018.

15 Min Read

How a Christ-Centered Gift Is Bringing Together a Community Torn Apart by Fire

By Daedan Olander

August 31, 2019 08:00 AM MDT

The wildfire that burned through Paradise, California, in 2018 was the most violent in the state's history. With the containment taking nearly two weeks, the blaze destroyed nearly 15,000 homes and took 86 lives.

8 Min Read

How This Latter-day Saint Became a Knight—and Why It Took Him Totally by Surprise

By Danielle B. Wagner

August 10, 2019 12:00 PM MDT

When world-renowned vocalist Sissel, best known for her stunning vocals in Titanic, stepped on the Conference Center stage for the 2019 Pioneer Day concert, her ethereal performance with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square could be linked back to the efforts of one man: Erlend D. Peterson.

5 Min Read

Fun

LDS Candy Maker Competes on Food Network's "Halloween Wars"

By Danielle B. Wagner

October 06, 2015 07:43 PM MDT

Warning: Some of the pictures in this article may be disturbing to some readers. View at your own discretion.

1 Min Read

From the Church

5 fun facts about Elder Dale G. Renlund

By Danielle B. Wagner

October 03, 2015 06:49 AM MDT

Elder Dale G. Renlund was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the Saturday afternoon session of the October 2015 general conference.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Video: LDS Girl Burned Over 65 Percent of Her Body Gets Crowned Homecoming Queen in Hospital

By Danielle B. Wagner

October 01, 2015 01:40 PM MDT

When the ATV that Baylee Hoaldridge, 15, was riding tipped on its side and burst into flames, Hoaldridge was trapped inside, stuck in her seatbelt until her grandfather managed to get her loose. But by that time, over 65 percent of Hoaldridge's body had already been burned.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Photos: See the Sapporo Japan Temple Being Constructed

By Danielle B. Wagner

September 25, 2015 04:32 PM MDT

The Sapporo Japan Temple was announced by President Thomas S. Monson on October 3, 2009, along with four other temples: the Brigham City Utah (dedicated September, 23, 2012 by Boyd K. Packer), Concepcion Chile (not yet scheduled for dedication), Fort Lauderdale Florida (dedicated May 4, 2014, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf), and Fortaleza Brazil temples (not yet scheduled for dedication). Ground was broken for the temple on October 22, 2011, and was overseen by Presiding Bishop Gary E. Stevenson. The temple is anticipated to be finished in 2016.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Mission President from Orem Shot While Serving in Mexico

By Danielle B. Wagner

September 09, 2015 12:56 PM MDT

Mission president of the Mexico Oaxaca Mission, Lynn R. Madsen, was shot in the calves Monday during an armed robbery at a Subway restaurant in Juchitan de Zaragoza.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

LDS Authors, Photographer, Bring Fantasies to Life for Kids Battling Cancer

By Danielle B. Wagner

September 09, 2015 09:00 AM MDT

We all face different trials in life. But for a surprising number of children, one of those trials is cancer. Jonathan Diaz, an attorney with a photography hobby, decided to join forces with some well-known authors, including Shannon Hale and Brandon Mull, to shine some hope into some of these children’s lives by bringing their dreams to life. The finished product—a book titled True Heroes: A Treasury of Modern-day Fairy Tales—couples beautiful photo shoots with short stories written specifically for each of these special kids. Proceeds from this book will be used to bring other dreams to life for children battling cancer. Check out some of the inspiring children featured in this touching new work:

2 Min Read