The following article originally appeared on LDS Living in 2015.

Arthur was in his 20’s when he graduated from BYU when he started looking for his next adventure.

On this week's episode of This Is the Gospel, Jim, a devout Baptist, sends five of his seven children on Latter-day Saint missions despite his misgivings about what they will teach and finds himself “tapped on the shoulder” by God.

For 10 years, RootsTech has inspired family history connoisseurs with attendees from all over the world. The 2020 event saw nearly 30,000 attendees, according to Church Newsroom.

Perhaps Hobbits are so adored by fans because they represent something we can all relate to: feelings of hope and inadequacy on our grand mortal adventure.

From a new Q&A, it’s clear that this iconic Latter-day Saint director’s passion for bringing true stories of faith to the big screen runs deep.

Camille Fronk Olson is a professor emeritus of ancient scripture and former department chair at Brigham Young University. She received the Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award, the university’s highest recognition for teaching. She served a full-time mission to Toulouse, France, before earning a master’s degree in ancient Near Eastern studies and a PhD in sociology of the Middle East. Formerly dean of students at LDS Business College, she has served on the Young Women General Board and on the Church’s Teacher Development Curriculum Committee. Her published books include In the Hands of the Potter; Mary, Martha, and Me; Too Much to Carry Alone; Women of the New Testament; Women of the Old Testament; and But If Not: Finding God in Unmet Expectations and Unwanted Detours. She is married to Paul Olson, which includes the blessing of two children and four grandchildren.

As we dawn a new year and prioritize between good, better and best, consider the parable of the Great Supper in Luke 14:16-24. The Savior teaches an invaluable lesson about the destructive consequences of allowing worldly excuses to annul the things that matter most. In the parable, a certain man hosts "a great supper" and bids his guests to attend, saying through his servant, "Come; for all things are now ready" (Luke 14:17). But one by one, the diners who had committed to the feast make excuses, including awaiting a land inspection, caring for oxen, busy with domestic life, etc.

Have you ever met someone with a spirit, smile and faith so infectious you want to immediately introduce them to everyone you know? They are those special souls who radiate optimism and good news.

1987 – I’m ten, and my tiny country school has sent the Grade 5 and 6 class (all 15 of us) 550kms/370 miles to Sydney. We tour the harbour, a historic site, and lunchtime has us sitting on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Frankly, we’re all overwhelmed. Our town doesn’t even have three hundred people living there, only enough for one pub, a library the size of two parking spaces, and the nearest restaurant or cinema is two hours’ drive away. To be under the hot sun in Sydney, where it looks like the entire world has come for lunch, with different languages and smells and weird looking people whirling around us – I try to absorb every detail and not freak out at the same time.