On the night of the South Carolina Republican primary in January, I sat near the front of a dark campaign press bus and listened to reporters talk about Mitt Romney's underwear. Earlier in the day, one of them had happened upon the candidate and his wife doing laundry in the basement of our Columbia, South Carolina, hotel, and a small cluster of colleagues had now gathered to listen to him relate the anecdote, lapping up every mundane detail of this rare interaction with the closed-off couple.

As the feedback to the post started rolling in, I was surprised to see how many different perspectives were being brought into the discussion. Some excellent and uplifting, others a bit “blind-man-ish.” What do I mean? The first reader read the post and said “This feels a weak analogy.” (Asking a young man why he hasn’t submitted his mission papers in is the religious equivalent of asking a woman how much she weighs.)

Last month, Mormon Channel continued its series Gospel Solutions for Families and hosted a discussion with host Amy Iverson, Elder Tad R. Callister, and Dina Alexander. The three met to discuss how parents can better prepare their children to stand up in the world and strengthen ties as families.

A Sparks church that holds an annual clothing giveaway to help needy families has seen an increased need for the event in the recent years of economic downturn. But each year, the congregation members and others come through with donations. This year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sparks will hold the free event from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at 2955 N. Rock Blvd. in Sparks.

The year 1940 might have been a banner year for our family. The health and financial hardships that followed my father’s 1930 graduation from medical school in Philadelphia were past. The family was happily located in Twin Falls, Idaho, where my father’s medical practice (eye, ear, nose, and throat) was thriving and where he served on the high council of the Twin Falls Stake. In January 1938, he and my mother had returned from his four months of valuable postdoctoral training in ophthalmology in Vienna, Austria, and Cairo, Egypt. After years of sacrifice since their marriage in 1929, my mother could at last contemplate a life of security as the wife of a prosperous physician. In January 1940, son Merrill would be four, and in March, daughter Evelyn would be one. In August 1940, I, their eldest, would be baptized following my eighth birthday.

With the wedding season just around the corner, the something borrowed, something blue preparations can be a not-so-subtle hint it's time to upgrade your relationship status.

Are your kids bored? Here are a few fun summer activities for the family.

This article is republished with permission from Book of Mormon Central. For more inspiring and instructive content on the Book of Mormon visit Book of Mormon Central, subscribe to our mailing list, see our YouTube videos, and follow us on Facebook.

At least 51 people -- including seven children at an elementary school -- were killed when a massive tornado struck an area outside Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon, officials said. Seven children were killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma, a police official said. Emergency personnel were scouring the school's rubble Monday evening, video from CNN affiliate KFOR showed. The footage also showed a number of other leveled buildings.

As Thanksgiving day approaches, frenzied preparations for a magnificent feast, rampant thoughts of Christmas preparations, and busy family schedules can take over.