Last week we wrote about the importance of distinguishing between people who are "interested" in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and should be invited to have the missionaries and those who are merely "curious" and need a thoughtful and well-worded answer to a question they have. Often the quality of our answers to questions can determine whether someone comes to view the church favorably; and sometimes a clear and accurate answer can even help curiosity turn into interest.

We love the chance to celebrate women and mothers and remind them of their worth and importance.

Sheryl Ellsworth is the Family/Community Engagement Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). In this role, she supports and trains schools, namely administrators and teachers, in engaging families through evidence-based strategies in urban, suburban, rural, remote, and indigenous reservation communities. Before working at USBE, Sheryl taught in Washington, D.C., and played an integral role in helping her school move from the second-lowest performing position in the district to being the first school out of priority/turnaround status. She resides in South Jordan, Utah, with her family. Emily Bell McCormick is the mother of five and owner of a boutique advocacy and communication consulting firm and founder of The Policy Project, a group working to implement healthy policy in Utah and in the United States. She is also the style and fashion contributor for KSL’s morning show, Studio 5, and the former co-founder of Shabby Apple. She resides in Salt Lake City with her husband and children.

Brent and his wife Sharon Kaye have four daughters and Jacob, the youngest. Brent has lived eight years overseas including Germany, Japan, and Brazil where he served a full-time mission. He holds a BA in International Relations and Portuguese from BYU and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin. Jacob is a junior at BYU where he studies statistical science among other things and enjoys playing jazz with his trombone. His paper, “The Two Atonements” was recently accepted for presentation at the BYU Religious Education Student Symposium in February 2023.

“My fourth-great-grandparents’ love story is as good as any proper romance novel, but all the more special because it connects me to my ancestors in a deeply meaningful way.”