Conference Talk:

During my thirty-three years, I have had a lot of time to think about charitable receiving due to surprisingly frequent circumstances requiring dependency that dot my life.

When the ATV that Baylee Hoaldridge, 15, was riding tipped on its side and burst into flames, Hoaldridge was trapped inside, stuck in her seatbelt until her grandfather managed to get her loose. But by that time, over 65 percent of Hoaldridge's body had already been burned.

I must admit, before my trip to New Zealand over the holidays I had never heard of the Mormon Maori prophecies. I knew that there are many Polynesian church members. I was aware that the most popular religion in the island of Molokai (the spiritual center of Hawaii) is Mormonism, and that there are many Samoan and Tongan church members. As for the Maori, I knew that they were Pacific Islanders. I knew the men danced the haka and the women danced with poi balls. I knew that they once practiced cannibalism (practice makes perfect!) and were considered fierce by early European seafarers who visited the islands. I knew that one of their greetings (touching foreheads and sharing a breath) is similar to the Eskimos (rubbing noses). So I was not a complete noob. And yet, I had no idea that many Maori converted to Mormonism in the 1880s. In the early days, 90% of the membership in New Zealand were Maori. Even as recently as the mid-90s, 60% of church members in New Zealand were Maori. We attended church twice when we were there; in Hamilton I would estimate 60-70% of the ward were Maori. The Queenstown Branch had only six local members in attendance, two of whom were Maori.

Jimmer Fredette should have been in a boy band. Never mind that he was the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I basketball during his senior season at Brigham Young University. Never mind that he earned every major college national player of the year award and was subsequently drafted to the NBA in the first round.

Visible from so many angles, it’s L.A.’s own version of the Chrysler Building, with a couple of caveats: no pedestrian access and only its members allowed inside. The Los Angeles Mormon Temple, like a secret fortress on a hill behind a large expanse of perfectly manicured lawn. The Modernist, slightly Deco, somewhat gothic structure has no easily definable style of architecture, unless you were to coin one: Mormonesque. It’s been there almost all my life (the temple officially opened in 1956), a forbidden structure, the architecture of which was so impressive, the grounds so well kept, that one couldn’t help but want to walk on them. The temple itself is 190,614 square feet; the grounds 13 acres; and, at the top of the building, its gold statue of the angel Moroni (it’s hard not to comment on the name) 16 and a half feet, proudly blowing its horn, a beacon and a sentry for all to see. Just not up close.

In my current employment responsibilities, I often meet with homeless individuals. Recently, I met with a man who had been homeless for many years. His clothes were tattered and dirty. He carried all of his possessions in a small backpack. We had met to talk about his mental health condition—specifically, any symptoms that might prevent him from working. He told me he had a history of anxiety and depression. While his anxiety symptoms had become more crippling, the depression had surprisingly lessened over time. I asked him why he believed the depression symptoms had decreased. He said, “I’ve been trying to think about all the good things in my life. Each day I get up and think about the good. I’ve found that makes me less depressed.”

Violinist Jenny Oaks Baker and her four musical children—age 16, 14, 13, and 11—have performed all over the world, from Austria to Japan and Taiwan. Recently, Jason Lyle Black, known as the "Backwards Piano Man," approached the Bakers about teaming up for an epic Disney cover.

Two books of sacred music published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are about to undergo significant changes. An official notice has been sent to Church leaders around the world announcing a revision to “Hymns” and the “Children’s Songbook” used in worship services.

You are probably already familiar with popular LDS apps like Deseret Bookshelf, but here are 10 other newly-created Mormon apps you might not know about.