Conference Talk:

Photo from Elder Holland's Facebook page.

My New Husband: "I Was Never Attracted To You"

The Urim and Thummim consists of two seer stones or interpreters used by selected prophets throughout the ages. In ancient Israel the stones were part of the breastplate worn by the high priest of the Aaronic Priesthood. According to lds.org, the Urim and Thummim is “an instrument prepared of God to assist man in obtaining revelation from the Lord and in translating languages.” The website also states that the name Urim and Thummim is Hebrew for “lights and perfections” and that “there is more than one Urim and Thummim, but we are informed that Joseph Smith had the one used by the brother of Jared” (See D&C 17:1).

My sister-in-law Cheryl Harward Wilcox came to value the sacrament much more as she helped care for her mother, Melva, until she passed away at age 92. Melva was in the hospital in Payson, Utah, when it was decided that there was nothing more that could be done except to keep her as comfortable as possible until she passed on. As preparations were being made to transport her back to her home, two brethren from a local ward came into the room and asked Cheryl if her mother would like the sacrament. At first, Cheryl told them, “No, thank you.” Her mom could hardly swallow. Then Cheryl said, “On second thought, let me ask her.” Cheryl leaned close to her mother’s ear and said, “There are two priesthood holders here. Would you like to try to take the sacrament?”

During the Sunday morning session of April 2020 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson announced a new proclamation, "The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World." Read the new proclamation in its entirety below.

Including the inspiring accounts of women leaders in the church as well as the real life, raw experiences of women facing illness, loss, and loneliness these 13 books remind all women just how strong and important they are no matter the storms they face in their lives.

The following excerpt originally ran on LDS Living in April 2017. Changed through His Grace is now available as a Pocket Gospel Classic.

1. The “preface” to the Doctrine and Covenants (section 1) was given only after William E. McLellin, Oliver Cowdery, and Sidney Rigdon attempted to write a preface themselves. Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants was revealed in November 1831 at a conference where Joseph Smith and other Church leaders decided to publish Joseph’s revelations as the Book of Commandments. According to William E. McLellin, he, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery were appointed by the conference to write a preface for the publication. When they presented the draft to the conference, the conference participants “picked it all to pieces” and asked Joseph to request a preface from the Lord. Joseph and those at the conference then prayed, after which Joseph dictated the preface “by the Spirit” while “sitting by a window.” According to McLellin, “Joseph would deliver a few sentences and Sydney [Rigdon] would write them down then read them aloud, and if correct, then Joseph would proceed and deliver more.” In this way, McLellin declared, “the preface was given.” Section 1 served as the preface for both the Book of Commandments, whose printing was interrupted in July 1833 by mobs in Jackson County, Missouri, and the Doctrine and Covenants when it was first published in 1835.

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