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{LDSL Blog} Best of: Stories of the Week, May 19-25

If you missed what went on the last week, no worries – we've got you covered with our list of the week's most popular stories. For May 19 through May 25, 2012, these are LDS Living’s top hits:

Best of: LDS Living Stories of the Week, February 16-22

By LDS Living

You might have missed what went on the last week, but we've put together our list of the week's most popular stories so you don't miss a beat. For February 16 through February 22, 2013, these are LDS Living’s top hits:

Ashley and Ryan Smith: The Confidence That Comes from Being “All In”

At the 2019 BYU Marriott School Commencement, Qualtrics CEO and Co-Founder Ryan Smith said, “If you have one foot in and one foot out the door, you will never experience true happiness and fulfillment.” It is a simple sentence but it sums up the way Ryan and Ashley Smith seek to live their lives. On today’s episode, the couple shares the many byproducts they have discovered as a result of their decision to be "all in" their careers, "all in" their family, and "all in" their faith.

Gaye Strathearn: Finding the Sacred in the Sabbath

Growing up in Australia, Gaye Strathearn faced a dilemma familiar to many faithful families: how to balance Sabbath day observance with the demands of the world. As a young girl, she worried that her non-member father might feel left out as the family spent hours at church. But as she grew older, Gaye began to see the Sabbath not as a burden but as a sacred opportunity to connect with God and with loved ones. Now, as a respected gospel scholar, Gaye has compiled a collection of essays exploring the commandment of the Sabbath from its origins on Sinai to its relevance in the 21st century.

One Year Ago, This Latter-day Saint Was a School Shooting Victim. Here’s How the Experience Solidified His Desire to Serve Others

By Lindsey Williams

On May 7, 2019, Josh Jones was shot twice in English class as he attempted to disarm a classmate threatening to open fire.

BYU alumna tapped for Libya ambassadorship

BYU graduate Deborah Kay Jones told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at her confirmation hearing Tuesday that as the newly appointed ambassador to Libya, security would be her first priority. “The ambassador is the principal security officer at a post, and it is the ambassador who has to decide whether to allow people to travel here or there, whether to ask for additional assets, whether to insist on additional assets,” Jones told the Senate panel.

Acey and Jalyn Shaw: In Sickness and In Health

We may not hear the words "in sickness and in health" in the temple, but Jalyn Shaw believes the meaning is still there as Latter-day Saints commit to love and serve each other through all eternity. In 2011, Jalyn and her husband, Acey, experienced firsthand what "in sickness and in health" really means when Acey contracted a rare virus. The virus left Acey without the use of his legs, as well as limited use of his arms and his voice. On this week's episode, the couple shares what their experience has taught them about love, service, and eternity.

Jennifer Lane: Temples—Orienting Our Souls to Christ

A 2020 First Presidency Message reads, “The sacred teachings, promises, and ceremonies of the temple are of ancient origin, and point God’s children to Him as they make further covenants and learn more about His plan, including the role of the Savior Jesus Christ.” Learning more about God’s plan and the role of a Savior in that plan are things that all of us desire but religious rituals can be difficult to understand and the prospect of wearing sacred temple garments may cause apprehension. But the temple carries with it great promises from God and on this week’s episode, we discuss the many blessings that are available to us as we choose to make promises with Him.

Shawn Nelson: “The Blessing Is the Mission”

Lovesac was the fastest-growing furniture company in America in 2019 according to Furniture Today. Shawn Nelson can’t be certain if the company he founded would still be in existence if he hadn't served a Latter-day Saint mission, but he doesn’t think it would be. After all, it was his ability to speak Mandarin that made fulfilling the company’s first big order possible. But Nelson says his mission also taught independence, mental toughness, and how to build relationships of trust—all skills he has since used to build his business.

Dallas Jenkins: Behind the Scenes of “The Chosen”

"The Chosen" explores the life of Christ through the eyes of those who knew Him. The narrative multi-season show has received high praise from viewers and critics alike, earning a 9.8 out of 10 rating on IMDB. But with the praise, it has also attracted skeptics. Some don’t believe evangelical Christians should be working with Latter-day Saints on a show about Jesus or vice versa, and others believe scripture should only be portrayed exactly as it is written without creative liberties. The show’s writer and director, Dallas Jenkins, believes that exploring faith, especially in relation to the Savior, is something that requires trust. On this week’s episode, he shares the triumphs as well as the challenges of depicting the life of the Son of God.