I stood outside of Buckingham Palace in April 2017, and it was spectacular. The day was filled with pageantry and spectacle as thousands gathered to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s ninety-first birthday.

As someone who has been observing the development of the curriculum for the Children and Youth program, I have been impressed with its focus on transitioning children into responsible adults. I believe all parents want to see their children evolve into responsible adults, though there are as many varied opinions as there are parents on how best to accomplish that goal. Achieving the goal of transitioning youth into adults appears further complicated by the fact that children with different personalities may actually require a parenting approach tailored to their unique strengths and weaknesses. Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary general president shares, “Leaders and parents, keep in mind that you help children and youth best when you support their efforts instead of tracking them.” It’s my hope that all parents will be able to see how the new program encourages children to take personal responsibility for their development and can be easily adapted to the specific needs of each individual child.

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught an important principle when he explained that “all revelation since the fall has come through Jesus Christ, who is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. In all of the scriptures, where God is mentioned and where he has appeared, it was Jehovah who talked with Abraham, with Noah, Enoch, Moses and all the prophets. He is the God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel. . . . The Father has never dealt directly and personally since the fall, and he has never appeared except to introduce and bear record of the Son.”1 Elsewhere President Smith pointed out that “after Adam’s transgression he was shut out of the presence of the Father who has remained hidden from his children to this day, with a few exceptions wherein righteous men have been privileged with the glorious privilege of seeing him. . . . Since the fall all revelation and commandments from the Father have come through Jesus Christ.”2

What word would you use in relation to temples in the year 2020? There are a few possible words that might come to mind.

At ages 4 and 7, siblings Ari and Geo Bonner notice who is depicted in the images around them. They are excited to see their favorite superheroes and princesses. They are proud to point out people they recognize in books and movies. And, sometimes, they are confused when they don’t see people who look like them.

Editor’s note: The first episode of the new Book of Mormon Videos series was just released during the October 2022 general conference. You can read how to watch the episode in this press release. The following article ran originally ran on LDS Living in July 2021 after an LDS Living writer visited the set where the videos were being filmed.

Butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle—it’s a swimming medley that would be intimidating to some, but for Jarod Arroyo, it’s his bread and butter. And this week, he has the chance to prove it at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The year was 2001 and Shawn Nelson was ready to throw in the towel on the small business he had started as a student at the University of Utah. After returning home from serving as a full-time missionary in Taiwan, Nelson broke out a giant foam-filled bag he had made pre-mission. The bag was used to sit on at drive-in movies or on camping trips, and it started to catch the eye of neighbors and friends who asked if Nelson would make them one. The bags gave Nelson something to do during college, but they never really made him a profit. So as he entered his final semester of college and in anticipation of moving to China after landing a “dream job,” he decided to close up shop—figuratively speaking.

Editor's Note: Some of the films referenced in this article contain strong language and adult content. LDS Living is reporting on true stories from the lives of Latter-day Saints, not suggesting that you should watch all of the movies on this list.

From Church members sharing their talents on TV to assisting in humanitarian efforts around the world, 2018 has proven to be another amazing year for Latter-day Saints. Here are some of our favorite moments from the year to celebrate!