The following was written by Lucy Mack Smith and tells the story of when a Quaker calls upon Joseph Smith Sr. to pay a debt for fourteen dollars. Joseph cannot pay but is given the option to burn some Books of Mormon and be forgiven the debt. Joseph refuses and goes to jail. A large mob gathers to pilfer the Smith home when only Lucy and little Lucy are present. Mother Smith prays that her family will be safe. Son William Smith arrives and immediately breaks up the mob. Samuel goes to help his father in jail. Joseph Sr. works for thirty days in the jail yard to pay his debt, preaches the gospel, and baptizes two people.

Editor's note: This article originally ran on LDSLiving.com in 2018.

Throughout his service in the Church, President Nelson has helped us to find joy and gratitude in every circumstance.

When Brad Robins, Casey Elliott, and Bradley Quinn Lever, all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, landed roles in the Spring 2014 production of Les Miserables at the Hale Center Theater, they had no idea how it would impact their futures as vocalists. Their unique vocal abilities were impressive and admired, as evidenced by the 60,000 tickets the productions sold, and as the three were praised for their talents, admirers begged them for more. But the three wanted to do more than just produce individual Broadway-type albums.

The cities of Spain have vivid histories filled with battling cultures, religious artwork, and impressive ruins covered in vines and sand. And while countless visitors come to experience Spain’s rich treasures and heritage, Church members in Spain know that their real treasures are the blessings of the gospel and that their true heritage comes from a divine source. Here are five things to know about the Church in this country.

MR says: For the first time, a General Authority asked students to send their questions, concerns, and experiences regarding difficult issues like gay rights to his personal Facebook page. The response was overwhelming!

Sister Linda K. Burton became the 16th Relief Society General President on March 31, 2012. Over the past five years, Sister Burton and her counselors—Sister Carole M. Stephens, first counselor, and Sister Linda S. Reeves, second counselor—have served during many significant changes in the Relief Society. Here are just a few significant moments:

Most of us are well acquainted with the responsibilities of service. I am sure many of you have baked cookies until your spatulas melted or baby-sat your neighbor's children until your brains sputtered. Occasionally when I am in such situations I fear my fatigue will slip into resentment, and then I wonder if being stretched so thin may not only prevent my developing new charity but actually diminish the supply I thought I had. I have learned, however, that though we may not have a completely willing heart every time we serve, such service molds our heart, blesses us, and does enlarge our capacity to give. We must remember, too, during periods of our lives in which we feel that all we can do is keep our own immediate circle of families or friends afloat, that emotional and spiritual service to others can sometimes be as important as physical acts.

We could discuss many other qualities that God possesses, along with scriptural or prophetic verification. But one attribute of God seems to undergird and overarch all the rest: God is love (1 John4:8). He is the complete embodiment of that quality. To me, this means that God’s attribute of perfect love influences, shapes, and mediates all of his other qualities and characteristics.