The beginnings of the Church were not always so harmonious. In 1841, Elder Orson Hyde was on his way to dedicate Palestine to the preaching of the gospel when he stopped in Vienna. Although he felt prompted to preach the word among the people there, he was not commissioned to dedicate the land, and the country of Austria had to wait 25 more years for Orson Pratt and William W. Ritter to arrive and begin the missionary work there.

It is not uncommon to see the Church and its members in the news. We've compiled a fascinating list of times a unique aspect of the Church has been spoken of positively by news outlets from across the world (organized by year). You may even learn something new about the Church from one of these 18 stories.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on June 28, 2018, that it will be creating a revised Hymns andChildren’s Songbook to be used in worship services. Members from around the world can participate in the revision process by submitting hymns to newmusic.lds.org.

Carrying the gospel to the world is one hundred percent about missionary work. But missionary work is far more than just what the full-time missionaries do. In this lesson President Benson provides us with many good points on how to become the kind of people the Lord can use to teach the rest of His children about their one and only path home.

“By paying tithing, Church members ... help further the work of the Lord in the earth.” But what does that mean?

The following is an excerpt from His Majesty and Mission.

Making a pilgrimage is to undertake a journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion. Anciently, pagan pilgrims sought to consult the oracles and offer sacrifices at places now familiar to us as impressive ruins. Millions of Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus annually seek enlightenment through the very act of making a journey to sacred sites around the world—not as tourists but rather as pilgrims. The four Gospels tell us that Herod’s temple in Jerusalem was the destination for pilgrims who attended three annual pilgrimage festivals. The journeys were required for all adult Jewish men until the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. The Gospels record that Jesus, His family, and His disciples made their way to Jerusalem in obedience to tradition and to express their religious devotion. The most familiar pilgrimage was, of course, the Passover Feast, a celebration meant to commemorate the release from bondage of the Children of Israel in Egypt.

MR says: Sometimes it can be difficult celebrating Halloween in an uplifting way. But here are six stories from the scriptures, perfect to read with your family, that capture a little bit of the holiday spirit while helping you to keep the Spirit.

Many of this year's Come, Follow Me lessons could be considered history lessons as much as they are teachings of gospel principles. This week's lesson on the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830, is no exception.