Award-winning recording group Eclipse 6 released their eighth album—Sing Thy Grace—today via FTM Records. Sing Thy Grace is the second gospel album from Eclipse 6, a follow-up to the very popular Grateful Praise. The music features breathtaking vocal arrangements of world-beloved hymns such as “Abide with Me,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” and “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need.” The six-man group is also releasing music videos to accompany the album, starting with “Come Thou Fount . . . ” and “Abide with Me,” via the Eclipse 6 YouTube channel (click here).

This two-part episode focuses on the unique experience of Mormon missions–their wonderful, powerful, light aspects, as well as those elements that can lead things to go wrong and be potentially unhealthy. Panelists Derrick Clements, T.K., and Rory Swensen join Mormon Matters host Dan Wotherspoon in sharing about their mission experiences (two of them quite recently completed, the other two more than twenty years ago), how they interpreted what they were going through then versus now with post-mission lenses that are influenced to some degree by their faith journeys since the time of their service. Knowing what they know now, or viewing the LDS Church and gospel as they currently do, how would they serve differently? Would they still choose to go? Should their children want to serve, would they support that decision? And, if so, how would they frame for their child some of the potential negative aspects of mission life–the pressures to reach goals, to teach things in a certain way, to testify to things they may not fully be converted to themselves, to live rules to the letter (sometimes pushing themselves in ways that are detrimental to physical and spiritual health), etc.–in ways that might mitigate potential damage? What would they encourage their children to focus on instead? Whether one’s mission is a wonderful or negative experience, it is certainly a pivotal experience in one’s life–one worthy of much reflection and consistent revisiting.

"The church is a very good member of the community," Concepción Chile's mayor, Alvaro Ortiz, said. "It extends its arms into places the state can't go. The social work of the church is very important here. We recognize their great work. They absolutely and totally make a difference in neighborhoods that need it most."

What examples of faith to sacrifice in order to hear the Lord's prophet on the earth today.

Thanks to LDS.net for pointing out this great article!

Look closely at this photo I took this morning.

President Russell M. Nelson highlighted four gifts offered by Jesus Christ and promised that true followers of the Savior “have the privilege of experiencing unspeakable joy forever” during the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional on Sunday evening, Dec. 2.

Manaul 3; Supplement from "Mothers and Daughters" by Elder M. Russell Ballard

While speaking to his friend who was also a BYU professor, Greg Trimble explains the remarkable thing that brought this friend back to the gospel after looking for every fault in Mormonism.

"What we’ve tried to do as a family and what the stake youth are trying to show us are that the real ways to solve these problems are to reach out beyond your immediate circle of friends to people who may not be like you, may not believe exactly what you believe, may not look like you, and to serve them as our Savior would have us do," said Ryan Petty, the father of Alaina Petty, a 14-year-old killed in the Parkland shooting. "That's really the solution here."