As I listened to the women’s session of the October 2019 general conference, my focus was on a number of things. The talks were inspiring. I was looking forward to the additional information and changes to the Young Women program that had been promised in the previous session. My thoughts drifted from one to the other. Then my mind snapped to attention: Did Sister Aburto just say her father committed suicide? I listened intently to confirm that what I thought I heard was accurate. Indeed, it was true. Quite frankly, it was a bit of a shock. In over 40 years of general conference sessions I’d listened to, I cannot ever recall a brother or sister sharing something so intensely personal from that pulpit. I pondered, what are people going to think? Perhaps there would be some Church members that would think Sister Aburto had overshared, or that general conference might not be the best venue for such a personal experience. My thoughts were, Thank goodness; it’s about time.

Image from LDS.org.

1. Not all of Joseph Smith’s revelations were published in the Doctrine & Covenants.

Why are white shirts and ties an expected standard for Latter-day Saint men?

The traditional interpretation of a type involves seeing a historical person, place, event, or institution as having a future historical fulfillment. The primary person, story, or event is the type, whereas the fulfillment is the antitype. In the New Testament, the Greek word týpos, meaning “example,” describes a model or pattern in the Old Testament that is fulfilled in the life and mission of Jesus Christ.[1] The word týpos in the King James Version of the Bible is also translated as “pattern” (Titus 2:7; Hebrews 8:5), “form” (Romans 6:17), “print” (John 20:25), “ensample” (1 Corinthians 10:11), “fashion” (Acts 7:44), “figure” (Acts 7:43; Romans 5:14), and “manner” (Acts 23:25).

There are very few things I can stand at a pulpit and testify I know are true. Among them are that I know my Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother love me with an infinite, unfathomably deep and perfect love, and they are far more merciful to me than I deserve. The second is that I know that Jesus Christ, my brother and Savior, died for me, knows me—my pains, shortcomings, sins, weaknesses, joys, and strengths—entirely, and that He has never and will never abandon me.

“The name of Jesus Christ,” the text message read. It was the topic I received from the bishopric member in the ward that I was assigned to speak to that Sunday as a member of the high council. I thought, “That’s a pretty vague topic.” I began to ponder what exactly I may speak about to that ward on Sunday. However, not really anything came to my mind throughout the week.

The following excerpt originally appeared on LDS Living in October 2015.

This idea could be a game changer with the new church schedule.

Close behind the organization of the Church in the meridian of time came the apostasy, accompanied by a diversification of beliefs that would lead ultimately to thousands of different Christian denominations. Every doctrinal disagreement seemed to be a cause for reorganization: perhaps the only cause. In any religious organization where doctrine does not matter, or where there is unity of opinion about the doctrine, splinter groups are not likely to break off from the main body. But thousands had broken off and now, on the 6th of April of 1830, the time had finally come for the Lord to put things right and to restore “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth . . .” (D&C 1:30).