One year after four missionaries were injured in a terrorist bombing in Brussels, Belgium, the Church announced that all missionaries are safe in London following another terrorist attack. Church spokesman Eric Hawkins shared that a family member of temple missionaries serving in London was killed in the attack and another family member injured.

Photo from ldschurchtemples.com, courtesy of Steve Crandall

I remember being in a professional development course and how the instructor emphasized not using too much jargon with the families we worked with because it could be intimidating and give the families a sense of isolation. Similarly, there is much jargon that is well known to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but that is not understood by everyone. It is important to be aware of the words we use and how others might interpret them. Due to popularity of the original list (found here), I have created a new list of 10 more words.

With 2016 coming to a close, it's time to look back on some of the big changes, announcements, and news from the Church throughout the year and reflect on the progress, miracles, and changes that continue to bless the lives of members worldwide.

Religious freedom experts gathered together on the campus of Brigham Young University for the 22nd annual conference of the LDS International Society. The theme was “The Erosion of Religious Liberties: Impact on the International Church.” As a matter of basic human dignity and social good, these experts defended religious freedom against gradually encroaching erosions. Michael K. Young, president of the University of Utah and former chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, concentrated his remarks on the state of religious freedom in the United States, calling it a “bellwether” for the rest of the world. The extent of religious freedom erosion in the United States, he argued, significantly impacts the development of this issue in other countries. He warned about the subtle deterioration of religion’s once foundational place in society. An accumulation of “adverse” court decisions along with worsening social attitudes toward religion have produced gradual erosions that are “more worrying” than obvious, abrupt changes.

New York Post columnist Maureen Callahan recently tried to explain to her readers the ecclesiastical implications for Mitt and Ann Romney and their activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if the family ends up living in the White House. Callahan cited several sources in her column, although there is nothing officially from the LDS Church. Too bad. Even if she had just gone to the church's Newsroom website, specifically prepared as a media resource, she might have avoided some glaring misrepresentations of LDS Church doctrine, policy, practice and procedure.

There's nothing like general conference to bring Latter-day Saints together, quite literally. Check out this 30-second time-lapse video from Mormon Newsroom of Latter-day Saints streaming into the Conference Center ready to hear the counsel of prophets and apostles.

In just 30 seconds, Saturday Night Live captured what President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney's recent meetings must have looked like, and why it would have never worked for Mitt Romney to be secretary of state.

In between watching himself and his friends sing on national television and attending his BYU classes, Vocal Point’s Robert Seely still runs the window washing business that he started before his mission. He also picks up a few shifts at the BYU Creamery, except now that he’s appearing on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” – watch Monday at 7 p.m. MT – he has to deal with coworkers asking to take photos with him. “It really surprises me that four or five times a day, while I’m walking across campus, people come up to me and say, ‘Aren’t you the bass in Vocal Point?’” Seely says. “I don’t have any solos, and, I mean, even I didn’t know who the basses were in Vocal Point before I joined.”