Jannalee Sandau

Jannalee worked as a writer and editor at LDS Living for seven years before hanging up her press badge and starting the journey of stay-at-home motherhood. While at LDS Living, she particularly enjoyed diving into the past and writing articles about little-known Church history stories or the Salt Lake Temple, though she wrote about a variety of topics. Today, you can find her happily organizing and reorganizing her house, scrap booking, reading books to her sons, or still writing an occasional freelance article.

Latter-day Saint Life

What’s in a (temple) name? The origin stories of ‘St. George,’ ‘Cardston,’ and more

By Jannalee Sandau

May 14, 2024 10:44 AM MDT

Did you know St. George was likely named after Apostle George A. Smith (sometimes called the “potato saint”)? Learn why in this article.

6 Min Read

Feature Stories

Identical twins called to serve in neighboring missions: “It was better than we could’ve hoped for”

By Jannalee Sandau

April 08, 2024 04:21 PM MDT

For these twins, the idea of being apart for two years came with some anxiety. But they soon realized their missions would be closer than they thought.

8 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Conference with kids doesn’t need to be perfect. 3 reminders to unleash more joy this weekend

By Jannalee Sandau

April 03, 2024 11:40 AM MDT

As a mom of two young boys, here are a few things that help my family and me have a better conference weekend.

4 Min Read

The sun rises on the Kirtland Ohio Temple and the Joseph and Emma Smith home in Kirtland, Ohio, on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023.

Latter-day Saint Life

A quick look (with photos) at the historical treasures acquired with the Kirtland Temple

By Jannalee Sandau

March 12, 2024 02:29 PM MDT

With all the buzz about the Kirtland Temple, here are the newly acquired fascinating artifacts you might have missed.

11 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

The reason for trials we don’t talk about enough—but that makes all the difference

By Jannalee Sandau

February 26, 2024 02:33 PM MST

Reviewing the bigger trials in my life, I realized that while our personal trials are often for our learning, they can also benefit those around us.

5 Min Read

A drawing of a crowd welcoming Jesus on Palm Sunday

Latter-day Saint Life

This Scottish artist shares the Book of Mormon in the most approachable (and adorable) way

By Jannalee Sandau

February 07, 2024 07:32 PM MST

“For me, art bolsters the written messages [of scriptures] and conjures up feelings and emotions that words alone can’t always.”

5 Min Read

A senior woman greeting a young girl in the doorway.

Latter-day Saint Life

For me, this analogy finally takes the stress out of giving and receiving help

By Jannalee Sandau

January 22, 2024 01:04 PM MST

We always feel good when we can serve someone. But sometimes all it takes is a few extra minutes to make that service a little more meaningful.

8 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

My surprising takeaway from studying the final words of Book of Mormon record keepers

By Jannalee Sandau

January 15, 2024 02:00 PM MST

While looking through the Book of Mormon, I realized a unique characteristic about it that I’ve taken for granted my entire life.

9 Min Read

A woman sitting on a sheepskin rug meditates in front of a Christmas tree.

Latter-day Saint Life

2 reminders to soothe any parent’s heart during the pressures of Christmas

By Jannalee Sandau

December 20, 2023 06:00 AM MST

Feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to do during the holiday season? Here are a few ideas to help ditch the guilt and find the joy.

6 Min Read

Happy woman with red umbrella walking at the rain in beautiful autumn park

Latter-day Saint Life

We’re all worthy of God’s guidance—recognizing the promptings He pours down

By Jannalee Sandau

December 08, 2023 02:04 PM MST

God gave me a late-night thought that led to my son’s life-changing diagnosis. But I couldn't figure out how I "earned" this significant prompting.

5 Min Read

Cheerful mother and son cuddling and reading book

Recommended by Us

Pres. Freeman’s ‘five-finger promise’ is a beautifully simple way to teach your children of God’s goodness

By Jannalee Sandau

November 28, 2023 07:00 AM MST

“My girls want to whisper this five-finger promise to their children (my grandchildren) every morning—a reminder of a Father in Heaven who is divinely aware of each of His children,” President Freeman shared in her general conference talk footnotes.

5 Min Read

Recommended by Us

3 unique stories on gratitude to share around your Thanksgiving table

By Jannalee Sandau

November 08, 2023 04:01 PM MST

Gratitude shows up in different places for everyone. Here are three times it was brought up in the most recent general conference.

1 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

How do I respond when loved ones step off the path? Beautiful answers hidden in a Primary song

By Jannalee Sandau

November 02, 2023 06:11 AM MDT

I’ve come to see an interpretation of the Primary song “I’ll Walk with You” that would bless not just the voices in Primary.

7 Min Read

Happy senior woman reading book on park bench

Recommended by Us

Is my focus on knowing Jesus or just following the rules? Recenter with these insights from conference footnotes

By Jannalee Sandau

October 20, 2023 07:07 AM MDT

Using the words of our prophet, Elder Daines reminded us of the importance of coming to know God and wanting to live with Him again, not just to get to heaven again.

5 Min Read

Feature Stories

How to ‘sneak’ family history into what we are already doing

By Jannalee Sandau

October 06, 2023 07:29 AM MDT

Family history may sound intimidating, but there are a few simple ways to slip it into your spiritual diet.

6 Min Read

Recommended by Us

7 things to see in the Conference Center while Temple Square is under construction

By Jannalee Sandau

September 27, 2023 02:00 PM MDT

Cranes, dump trucks, and scaffolding may be the primary landscape around the Salt Lake Temple and on Temple Square right now, but you can still have a fulfilling visit downtown!

4 Min Read

A young family studies the bible together.

Latter-day Saint Life

5 suggestions to enhance your family’s scripture study

By Jannalee Sandau

September 13, 2023 01:38 PM MDT

While the structure of a new school year can bring order, it can also bring a different kind of busyness that can make family and personal scripture study a bigger challenge. Here’s how to overcome it.

6 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

Why the founding principles of Primary are still relevant in today’s worldwide Church

By Jannalee Sandau

August 21, 2023 07:15 AM MDT

As we celebrate the 145th anniversary of the Primary organization, here are some purposes of the original Primary program that are still relevant today.

8 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

When general conference was canceled + other conference firsts

By Jannalee Sandau

March 25, 2022 07:00 AM MDT

Did you know that general conference was once held outside the US, and April 2020 was not the first time the public was not invited to attend?

11 Min Read

Latter-day Saint Life

3 ways one mother believes the Friend to Friend events are successfully reaching children

By Jannalee Sandau

February 23, 2022 11:05 AM MST

I was amazed at the efforts to truly tailor this event to children. Here are a few things that impressed me as a mother about the most recent Friend to Friend.

3 Min Read

Fun

3 ways the Gospel for Kids resources can get your kids excited about the gospel

By Jannalee Sandau

February 16, 2022 10:06 AM MST

With the push for at-home gospel learning, more and more gospel resources are being released for our little ones.

3 Min Read

Feature Stories

3 lessons one young mother was reminded of while watching last year’s Friend to Friend event

By Jannalee Sandau

February 16, 2022 09:08 AM MST

As I pulled out the kid-sized table and chair and tried to convince my almost-2-year-old to sit down before the Friend to Friend event, I wasn’t sure how things were going to go.

5 Min Read

Feature Stories

The Mormon Battalion: Recent discoveries help unravel mysteries after 175 years

By Jannalee Sandau

February 09, 2022 01:50 PM MST

It’s been 175 years since the Mormon Battalion was formed, but only in the past year have historians discovered exactly who served with this historic group.

16 Min Read

Fun

12 people who were given names by God

By Jannalee Sandau

February 08, 2022 09:00 AM MST

Names are an important part of our existence. We use them every day, in all of our communications with others. But a precious few have actually been given their earthly names by God himself. Here are a few of those, as found in the scriptures:

5 Min Read