On September 4, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the first church history in nearly a century, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days. Unlike past histories, this book brings the stories of past members to life with vivid storytelling that doesn't shy away from controversial church topics, such as polygamy, Joseph Smith's plural wives, seer stones, etc. The book—which is available in 14 different languages in the Gospel Library app and through saints.lds.org, Deseret Book, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble—is groundbreaking in many ways. Here are just a few reasons members should consider reading Saints.

Struggling singer-songwriter Jack Malik gets into an accident during a worldwide blackout. He wakes up the next morning to find the world exactly the same, with one exception: The Beatles never existed.

Have you heard this prayer before?

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that modesty is more than just clothing—it is a way of thought, action, and attitude, in addition to dress.

When the prophets, apostles, and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregate every six months to speak to the world, members and nonmembers are invited to tune in and hear their inspired counsel. With so many ears to hear, hearts to listen, and minds to enlighten, Church leaders turn to the Spirit.

Recently, President Russell M. Nelson released a statement urging Latter-day Saints to be more conscientious of how we refer to the Lord's Church. "The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will," he said.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published by LDS Living in December 2018 and has been updated in honor of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's birthday.

As I completed the writing for my book about the last days, Living in the Eleventh Hour, it occurred to me that there might be some value in continuing the trek, completing the story, if you will. I honestly had not anticipated a sequel. And so the next weekend I began what might be called a review of the literature. I turned first to the standard works and was absolutely blown away by how much the prophets have spoken about the millennial period. While I was certain that much of my data would come from the Doctrine and Covenants, I was stunned by the doctrinal detail in the Old Testament. I knew that the book of Revelation would be tremendously fertile ground, but I had not realized that the four Gospels, the epistles of Paul and Peter, and the teachings of modern prophets and apostles like Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Orson Pratt would be so fruitful as well.

From Church members sharing their talents on TV to assisting in humanitarian efforts around the world, 2018 has proven to be another amazing year for Latter-day Saints. Here are some of our favorite moments from the year to celebrate!

United States Air Force veteran Gail "Hal" Halvorsen is known to the world as the Berlin Candy Bomber. He talks about hope, gratitude, and how sharing two sticks of gum changed the course of his life.