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.

Editor’s note: The author of this article, Clairissa Cooper, is the Lewisville Texas Stake assistant communication director and shares a ward with the Bird family. She has a degree in journalism from Brigham Young University.

Recently, President Henry B. Eyring posted a touching photo on Facebook of himself and President Monson standing by a temple. Next to the photo, he described the love he has for this inspired servant of the Lord as a "gift from God," suggesting that our Heavenly Father will help us as we strive to sustain our prophet.

Editor's note: Our bi-weekly Friday column, “Found in the footnotes,” explores some of the footnotes from remarks given by General Authorities and General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Church’s rich past in the Pacific Islands may surprise all but the most astute students of Mormon history.

During the Church's "Be One" event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the priesthood revelation, touching stories were shared of the black pioneers in the Church who remained faithful despite painful priesthood and temple restrictions. President Dallin H. Oaks acknowledged, “I observed the pain and frustration experienced by those who suffered these restrictions and those who criticized them and sought for reasons. I studied the reasons then being given and could not feel confirmation of the truth of any of them.” He also shared the touching moment when he sat down and cried for joy learning of the priesthood revelation. President Russell M. Nelson added, "Differences in culture, language, gender, race, and nationality fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our beloved Redeemer." Read President Nelson's full remarks here, and President Oaks's full remarks here.

“Just to see the way everything works out [at Welfare Square] and how the organizational aspect of it, the voluntary aspect of it — it is so impressive and something that I think every religious tradition — and not even faith communities, but everyone — should participate in, and we can learn a lot from the LDS community in this way," Saba Soomekh said after touring the Church's welfare operations and an LDS temple.

"Going onto the show, I really, really wanted to make a stand for Mormons. I wanted people to know that Mormons are normal," Maquel Cooper says about her time on The Bachelor. In addition, she tried to stand for her values by not drinking or swearing.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio credits his short-lived time as a Mormon for providing a moral compass in his youth, though he also discloses for the first time his family’s struggles with the constraints of the faith and his eventual return to the Catholic fold. In his new autobiography, "An American Son," available Tuesday, the Florida Republican candidly discusses the three years he spent as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lauds the Utah-based faith for helping his Cuban-immigrant mother and him when they moved from Miami to Las Vegas when he was a grade-schooler.

Sam Williams doesn't remember much of what happened before he arrived at the hospital.