Lehi taught Jacob there must be “opposition in all things”. Fourteen verses later, he taught his son that “men are, that they might have joy”. How do we reconcile those two concepts?

This morning, the Mormon Newsroom announced a special news conference to be held on Temple Square. The topic they revealed as "Religious Intolerance and Discrimination." Speakers at the conference included Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Sister Neill F. Marriott, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Each took a few minutes to share some of the churches thoughts on the increasing concern over the place of religious freedom in our society.

Papua New Guinea is a country rife with rich variety. Over 600 islands make up just 10 percent of the country’s land. Thousands of species abound in the rain forests, highlands, and islands, with more species of birds in this country the size of California than in all of Europe combined. Divided by a diverse geography, each tribe has a unique culture, and over 830 languages are spoken by the 6.2 million inhabitants of the land. The Huli wigmen are known for their vain men who spend their days preening and growing their hair out at wig school before they can associate with women. The Baining fire dancers have a close communion between the spirits and fire, walking through flames to bring good spirits or calm bad ones. But in the cities, life edges closer and closer to modern society while others look on from the fringes of the ghettos, called settlements. Witchcraft, animism, black magic, and ancestor worship are still rampant, but Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 96 percent of the population.

One of the things I love about Joseph Smith is how young he was when he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The Father and the Son appearing to a relatively uneducated 14-year-old farm boy isn’t exactly a run-of-the-mill experience. But does the uniqueness of that experience mean that only Joseph Smith could be that close to God?

The missionaries who left a pamphlet with nine women in a sewing circle in Bergen, Norway, couldn't have imagined its reach.

"It is our hope that you will prayerfully determine what you can do — according to your own time and circumstance — to serve the refugees living in your neighborhoods and communities," general Relief Society president Linda K. Burton challenged the women of the Church during the first session of general conference Saturday. "This is an opportunity to serve one on one , in families and by organization to offer friendship, mentoring, and other Christlike service and is one of many ways sisters can serve."

The time had come. Prophecy fulfilled [Micah 3:6]

This article is sponsored by Choice House.

Not only does the Christmas season bring gifts, family, and lots of good food, but it usually brings colder weather and cozy days at home. Settle in with a cup of hot chocolate and one of these great Christmas novels, and truly appreciate the Christmas season.