There are many reasons to be excited for 2017, and one of those reasons is that we will be studying President Gordon B. Hinckley in our Relief Societies and Elders Quorums. As 2016 comes to a close and the new year begins, learn from President Hinckley the unfailing power of optimism.

A new rendition of "How Great Thou Art" performed by BYU Men's Chorus was recently released in the form of a music video that captures faith and devotion to God and His wonderful work and plan.

“Because of their preparations, both temporal and spiritual, the missionaries knew what to do and where to go.”

Last October, Brittney and Alysha—sisters with a shared passion for writing and music—made the long drive from Cardston, Alberta, to Provo, Utah. Their destination? The annual LDSPMA conference, a gathering of over four hundred Latter-day Saint writers, musicians, and media professionals.

This morning's solemn assembly was a historic occasion and marked the calling of two new apostles, including Elder Ulisses Soares, who was a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. Here are a few things to know about him.

In September of 1908, Henry Ford produced his first Model T automobile. The following month, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series (they haven't won another since). And on November 3rd, William Howard Taft was elected as the 27th President of the United States.

Everyone loves lists, including Mormons. In fact, from Primary on up, we are encouraged to make or memorize lists, like the Articles of Faith. But here are a few lists of virtues that we say often within the Church that you might not have realized were lists. These lists remind us of what is most important and teach us the kind of people we should strive to be.

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.

Look closely at this photo I took this morning.

"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."