Missionaries Give Snoop Dogg Book of Mormon (Photo)

As Latter-day Saints, we've all experienced it.

"When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: Stop it!" President Uchtdorf said in April 2012 general conference. I think comparing easily fits on that list. But that's easier said than done. How do we really stop feeling insecure and comparing ourselves with others when we are surrounded by those behaviors on a day-to-day basis?

For several nights each summer, the picturesque hillside below the Manti Utah Temple becomes the site of one of the largest outdoor productions in the world. The event draws an average of 100,000 people each season. The production comes with a cast of more than 950 performers, including 650 under age 18. Approximately 400 people set up (and later take down) about 14,000 metal folding chairs. Another several hundred people — the directing crew, wardrobe and make-up artists, ushers and security personnel, the stage and production crew, as well as those who serve dinner to the cast — volunteer in various ways. The Sanpete County Search and Rescue and the Manti-Ephraim Emergency Medical Technicians are also on hand to assist when needed. Lastly, dozens of Primary children and adult leaders from local wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints walk the temple grounds the morning after performances to clean up trash.

Amy Gerhartz isn’t really a new artist—you just haven’t heard of her yet. Back in 2006, a blogger claimed that Amy Gerthartz was a gem who was “making everyone in NYC feel stupid for not having heard of her earlier.” Gerhartz’s music has been described as everything from country to rock to soul, but to herself, she’s just a singer/songwriter without the limits imposed by a specific genre. “I really like the term singer/songwriter because of the fact that it allows me to be able to touch on a bunch of different categories. I love writing all different types of music,” Gerhartz says. “If I wrote the same thing every day, I’d drive myself crazy.”

President Packer learned and shared many words of wisdom and insights over his 50 years as an apostle. From that treasure trove of knowledge comes the eternal truths that President Packer felt were most important to know and share. Truths that have become a powerful final witness that Jesus is the Christ.

Cobblestone Manor in Cardston, one of Canada's designated historic sites, is one of the best places to kick up your feet on Canada's Mormon Trail. But it's more than a beautiful place to eat – it is a piece of living history as the previous residence of one of Cardston's founding pioneers and later one of Alberta's most mysterious eccentrics.

One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6 which states, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.” It gives a commandment in the form of trusting in the Lord and acknowledging Him. I believe that the idea of “trusting and acknowledging the Lord” partially achieved by trusting and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. As we do that, the promised blessing is that “He shall direct thy path.”

It would be a mistake to over-simplify the restoration and purposes of the priesthood, but perhaps an analogy will help us understand what is happening.

Peace can sometimes seem like an elusive concept. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of our day-to-day lives and feel overwhelmed with all the demands on our time. Between work, school, church callings, and our family and friends, it can be hard to find a good balance and to keep ourselves spiritually centered. We may feel like our lives are full of everything but peace.