With Mitt Romney leading the GOP presidential race and traditional Evangelical influence appearing to wane, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is playing an increasingly significant role in the American political conversation. On Thursday the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life unveiled an in-depth look at public perceptions of American Mormons — the first report of its kind ever published by a non-LDS research group. Here is a survey of some its most interesting findings:

American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic released a music video on YouTube yesterday of a beautiful arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob" that captures every emotion in what it is like receiving healing from the Savior.

Looking to plan your own wedding soon? Then you won't want to miss our ultimate Mormon wedding checklist.

"Nearly a year later, I still remember how the prompting had come to me suddenly—like a flash of lightning on a clear day. Just as quickly as it came, however, it was followed up with another impression. 'This is because of general conference.' The additional phrase was equally startling to me."

The final class of approximately 650 students graduated from Benemerito de las Americas, an LDS Church-owned high school in Mexico City, on June 14. At the graduation ceremony, Elder Alfredo Miron, the school's final director and an Area Seventy, symbolically handed a large wooden "key to the campus" over to the new MTC President Carl Pratt. On the key was written the name of the school with the dates 1963-2013, indicating its "fifty years of teaching the youth of the Latter-day Saints." Under these dates was written 2013- Missionary Training Center, and the scripture, "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73). On June 26, President Pratt and his wife, Sister Karen Pratt, welcomed their first group of about 100 newly set-apart missionaries, some of whom had graduated as high school students only a week-and-a-half earlier from the same campus. "I cannot believe it's only been 10 days since I graduated from this school," said one elder as he was entering the new MTC. "It's quite a special experience to be able to see the way in which the Lord transforms things in order to fulfill his work.

President Thomas S. Monson lowered the age requirement for mission service more than two years ago, and the LDS community is starting to recognize resulting social changes in marriages and perceived role of women in the Church.

Before Orem, Utah, resident Karen Jeffreys opened an email from a stranger in California, she had no idea what forgotten family treasure she was about to receive.

For many people Alema Harrington was the former BYU football player, or the son of a legendary Hawaiian athlete/TV actor, or the genial KSL-TV weekend sports anchor or the host of sports talk radio or the elder’s quorum president of his Mormon ward or a father and husband.

All of us were shocked by the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombing. The news rapidly spread through social networks and became the major subject of discussion — and heartache – within families worldwide. I (April) heard about it 30 minutes before my children got home from school, and, initially, I wasn’t quite sure when (or how) I was going to talk about it with them. During our afternoon snack, however, my 13-year-old checked her Instagram feed and said, “What happened today? Everyone is posting images that say ‘Pray for Boston.’”

Approximately 400 women who hold lay leadership positions in the Church’s youth groups, children’s programmes (known as Primary) and women’s organization (Relief Society) throughout Victoria met in Heidelberg on Saturday. Others joined via webcast from country areas of Victoria and Tasmania.