Every U.S. president has dealt with criticisms from the press of their day. Being able to influence public narratives has often been an important task for any politician or public personality. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, for example, were so concerned with the way the newspaper Gazette of the United States was shaping opinions against their Democratic-Republican Party that they covertly established a partisan editor and newspaper of their own, the National Gazette, to counterattack their rivals in The Federalist Party.

A new year, a new page in the book of our lives; and the first steps we take, the first things we see or choose to do, can have special meaning for us, both in the moment and in the days ahead.

The concept of priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is unique and perhaps confusing for those who are unfamiliar with it. Even many members of the Church who accept, love, and appreciate the priesthood may find themselves “fuzzy” on the doctrine and principles. Perhaps that is because the term priesthood is used in at least two ways. First, priesthood is the term used to describe the total power and authority of God. Second, priesthood is also the term used to describe the power and authority that God gives to ordained priesthood holders on earth to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. 1 This second usage is the widely accepted definition of the priesthood. For example, Preach My Gospel defines priesthood as the authority and power that God gives to man to act in the name of Jesus Christ in all things for the salvation of mankind. 2 Thus, the same word, priesthood, refers both to God’s total power and authority and to that portion of His power and authority that He delegates to man on earth.

Talented Church members in Hollywood have left their mark on the silver screen, as well as behind the camera. Check out these Mormons who have won an Academy Award or been nominated for an Oscar.

Let me share one example of a divine signature that has special significance for me personally. This was a tender mercy in the fullest sense of the word tender. My father, typical of many other men from his generation, did not express emotion openly very often. In all my growing-up years, I can never remember him telling me or any of my brothers and sisters that he loved us. We knew that he did, because he was a good father. He read stories to us almost every night. He taught us to work and how to be responsible.

Attention Utah readers! Visit John at the Fort Union Deseret Book store in Murray on Wednesday, December 6th at 7 p.m. for a special book signing and Facebook Live Q&A event!

LDS artist Caitlin Connolly might be young, but her artwork captures emotions in a powerful way that transcends language.

The direction to magnify our callings can be an ambiguous, demanding one to follow. In a talk he gave in 2006, President Thomas S. Monson defined magnifying our callings as the following:

Ezekiel 38–39 contains a vision that exhibits some important traits of apocalyptic revelation. It depicts an invasion of "Israel" by a foreign power called "Gog" of the land of "Magog," the "chief prince of Meshech and Tubal" (Ezek. 38:2). Gog and his forces will attack the "mountains of Israel," whose people will have been "brought forth out of the nations" (Ezek. 38:8). Like "a cloud to cover the land," Gog and his allies—"a great company, and a mighty army"—will advance on the Lord's people (Ezek. 38:15–16). But the Lord will not allow them to succeed. With earthquake, sword, pestilence, blood, rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone, the Lord will intervene to stop Gog's attack; he and his armies will be slaughtered (see Ezek. 38:19–39:8). So massive will be Gog's armies, and so thorough their defeat, that for seven years the people of Israel will gather the weapons of their defeated enemies and use them for fuel. Their corpses will be so abundant that it will take seven months to bury them. Even after that, individuals will be employed to go through the land to find the bodies not yet buried (see Ezek. 39:9–16). Next is depicted a huge feast, at which birds and animals will gorge themselves on the blood and flesh of the slain (see Ezek. 39:17–20; see also D&C 29:20).

With new temples announced and messages of hope, kindness, inclusion, and strong foundations, we are excited to study the important topics discussed during general conference and refocus our personal lives and actions. Here are just a few of the themes we picked up on alongside some great resources to help further your personal studies of the topics covered.