Deseret News: How would you characterize Mormon/evangelical relations today? Land: Better than they used to be and, I think, still developing. To some degree (members of the) LDS Church have to get used to the fact that the majority of evangelicals are not going to accept them within the framework of orthodox, Apostles' Creed Christianity. And I think that evangelicals have got to accept the fact that the LDS Church is a tremendous ally and fellow combatant against the things that are the most threatening to us in America. People of all faiths had better stand together, because the secularists are after us. .... When it comes to religious freedom, we all hang together or we all hang separately. We are common targets in this. The secularists are out to circumscribe our constitutional rights.

Erma Rosenhan, of the Forest Dale 1st Ward, Salt Lake Granite Stake, has spent most of her life working on researching the names on her family line. Getting the records in the first place on the eve of World War II required faith, courage and more than a few miracles.

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.

There is a disease that all men and women suffer from. It affects one’s vision and makes “wonderful things invisible.”

While raising eight kids, Shane and Amy Haws have doctored more than their share of bumps and bruises. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Haws’ have leaned on their testimonies for support.

Important work is being done in collaboration with several relief organizations who have a long-standing presence on the ground in the two countries.

Two and a half weeks before terrorist attacks on Paris, the First Presidency issued a letter, read over Sacrament meeting pulpits, encouraging Latter-day Saints to continue contributing to refugee relief.

“You have always given me wings to fly, and I have loved you for it.” -Marjorie Pay Hinckley to President Gordon B. Hinckley.

While visiting missionaries on his tour of the South Pacific, Elder Andersen met men and women from over 25 countries. In a recent Facebook post, Elder Andersen praised these young and faithful Saints, but then he went on to praise another group, those who are unable to serve missions for physical, mental, or emotional health reasons:

I popped on Facebook one morning last week, and was excited to see that I had some notifications and a couple of messages. The first item I clicked on was an invitation to a friend’s daughter’s mission farewell. Sitting alone, I said, “Aw.” I’ve never met my friend’s daughter, so I was even more touched by the invite.