Feature Stories

At a youth event in Oregon, one teenager asked, “If this is called the plan of happiness, then why am I so miserable?"​

Lehi taught Jacob there must be “opposition in all things”. Fourteen verses later, he taught his son that “men are, that they might have joy”. How do we reconcile those two concepts?

Lisa Valentine Clark was working in San Francisco when she got a call from her husband that brought on the first panic attack she had ever experienced.

“By paying tithing, Church members ... help further the work of the Lord in the earth.” But what does that mean?

Though Adam and Eve would leave divinity’s immediate presence, in a very tangible way, Christ would leave with them.

A former full-time seminary and institute teacher, Tammy loves digging into the gospel as host of the popular Sunday on Monday podcast. We recently asked her a bit about her gospel insights, her life, and her faith.

Here are five names of Christ from the Old Testament that remind me He is real, approachable, and unfailingly compassionate.

“In some ways, the only way you deal with tragedy is to turn to God... many faith on that team... were brought to bear in getting this group through this tragedy.”

These heartfelt poems connect Christmas with the cross, and bring perspectives on Mary that only women can.

“The impression that weighed upon my soul was that God would be far less troubled by Richard’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ than He would be of our sins against charity.”

“20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir” will start airing next week. Here's where you can watch it:

Some people who will be alone for the holidays are just hoping to endure. But there are some ways to manage this experience and find joy.

Near the end of his mission, then-Elder M. Russell Ballard felt compelled to buy a women’s pink sweater set he saw in a street shop, but he had no idea to whom he would give it until later.

COVID may be the Grinch determined to steal Christmas this year. But here’s a silver lining: 2021 could be the year we focus more than ever on the reason we truly celebrate Christmas.

As she tried to cope with the loss of her sister, Christy Denney found the connection to family she was craving in an unusual place—a cherry cheese pie.

People from all backgrounds and religions are choosing to stay in their faith, and this new account on Instagram is a space for them to share why.

How has the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square put on magical Christmas concerts for 20 years? Conductors Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy share their thoughts.

Last Friday, 70 missionaries were at a zone conference when two armed men burst into the church and robbed them. Now, fellow Latter-day Saints are reaching out to help.

When we understand the relationship between Christ's grace and our own good works, religion can positively influence our lives.

Every year, the Royal Mail issues a special set of Christmas stamps. The 2021 collection may look familiar to Latter-day Saints.

We recently asked Freeman about her family, her faith, and what makes her excited to study the Old Testament next year.

As he battled brain cancer in the hospital, videos of Tom Brady cheered him up more than anything. He dreamed of watching the NFL quarterback in person, but he never imagined he’d catch Brady’s attention from among the crowd.

Wounded Vietnam vet JR Johansen knew his health was failing, yet he answered a call to paint missionaries who died while serving. Now, scores of portraits later, he’s brought healing to grieving families all over the world—and to himself.

Stereotypical Latter-day Saint foods like Jell-O and funeral potatoes have become somewhat of a cliché, but photographic artist Daniel George has turned these traditional dishes into amazing works of art.

Published in 1899, the first Church handbook was small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. The world has changed greatly since then, and so has the handbook.

Loss changes us—even if we’ve known a particular loss is coming, the actuality of it can be difficult and jarring. Our grief experience can start out with feelings of devastation, but when we allow grief into our lives, it invites healing and can lead to healthy and positive life shifts, including deeper empathy for ourselves and others.

"The roles of both the mind and the heart in personal revelation are crucial, and no simple formulas or recommended action steps can guide us through this rigorous spiritual process."

Join your favorite authors and artists to prepare your family and receive guidance and inspiration during general conference plus get special new discounts at Deseret Book every day!

Of all the places 12-year-old Karin slept when the sun slipped beneath the horizon at night, the Oakland California Temple grounds were her favorite.

Take a look back at the messages from April general conference as we get ready for another uplifting weekend soon.

Just weeks before his death, Joseph Smith taught a sweeping sermon that has widely been considered his most important ever. One Jewish scholar has even described it as “one of the truly remarkable sermons ever preached in America.”1

While some of us lounged in beach chairs and armchairs this summer, Latter-day Saints across the globe toiled to make a difference for those around them. Here are a few of the most poignant projects.

The date 9/11 has come to symbolize catastrophe and mourning for the entire American nation. But long before 2001, September 11 was a remorseful date in Latter-day Saint history.

As smoke and ash billowed up from what had become a tomb for more than 2,700 people, a man named Allen Kay sat in his office on Fifth Avenue in New York City and pulled out a 3-by-5-inch index card.

In the Sunday morning session of April 2021 general conference, President Nelson issued a direction invitation with a powerful promise:

Jake Tesch kept having the thought that a song should be written for his niece Sarah Frei. A few months prior, Sarah had been hit by a drunk driver in a car accident on July 30, 2020, where she was paralyzed from the waist down.

When former Utah governor Mike Leavitt got a phone call from the office of President Russell M. Nelson asking if they could meet, he of course automatically said yes.

Editor’s note: The following excerpt comes from a book about special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

So far in Tokyo, four Latter-day Saints have each won a medal: one gold, one silver, and two bronze. Learn more about them and their stories below.

For all you history buffs and trivia nerds out there, here's your master list. And for all you non-Jeopardy competitors, keep an eye out for a few names you might just recognize.

“Excuse me, are you someone I can share a testimony with? I feel I really need to,” a woman’s voice behind me quietly said.

Sam found himself in a hospital room not as the doctor, but as a distressed husband, anxiously awaiting updates on his wife’s condition. And in the midst of that traumatic role reversal, he fell into a moral crisis.

“Morgan, I don’t know if I can do this.”

Five years ago, two Latter-day Saint Tongan toddlers stole the hearts of thousands when this adorable photo of them went viral.

When George Nelson first saw the musical The Book of Mormon on Broadway, “It hurt my heart,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune.

Athletes from around the globe are getting ready to compete in the dream of a lifetime in Tokyo over the coming weeks, and among them are a handful of Latter-day Saints.

S. Michael Wilcox has one memory of his father prior to his parents’ divorce: he is very young and sits atop his father’s shoulder in an amusement park.

Benjamin Pachev hit the ground running after his mission—literally.

Butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle—it’s a swimming medley that would be intimidating to some, but for Jarod Arroyo, it’s his bread and butter. And this week, he has the chance to prove it at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Athletes from around the globe are getting ready for the experience of a lifetime over the coming weeks—competing in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Here are just a few examples of these incredible athletes sharing their beliefs with the world.

A former heroin addict, Ginny Burton is now a college graduate and a Truman Scholar. She’s also a Latter-day Saint.

Walter Rane selects a paintbrush from a tin can. The thin wooden tool fits in his hand so naturally it seems to be an extension of his fingers.

What happens when you put a sports legend on the golf course with a German pilot? Apparently jokes, gospel discussion, and mutual respect. And that’s exactly what happened last weekend when retired professional golfer Gary Player played a round of golf with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on the Red Ledges Golf Course in Heber, Utah.

On November 14, 2019, MyKayla Skinner Harmer achieved a goal she has dreamed of since she was a little girl sitting in Primary. It was a goal she has worked toward her entire life.