When I was fourteen, I decided it was time I received my own testimony of the Book of Mormon. I began to read it, but as I read, I was filled with doubt about its truthfulness. I was frightened by my feelings, but I shared them with no one. One day after a particularly distressing day of reading, I decided to go into the willows by the river and pray until God gave me an answer. I begged God to take away the dark feelings and tell me if the Book of Mormon was true. “If you are really there and you love me, you will tell me,” I prayed. For hours I stayed in the willows. Night came on, and yet I continued to pray. This had worked for Enos, so I prayed and prayed. Finally, hungry and cold, I left the willows and went to bed. I heard no voice. I felt no lightening of my load. I received no witness, no calm burning in the heart. I had demanded an answer on my terms, according to my time line, corresponding to my needs. I had jumped from the pinnacle.

In honor of Mother's Day, Time Out for Women (TOFW) ran a #TheMomInHer contest. Here were some touching posts gathered from beloved LDS authors and performers, from Elaine Dalton to Nathan Pacheco.

Preparation:

Thanks to LDS Missionaries who first shared this fun story.

“I just need a break.” Or at least, that’s what I tell myself. “I’m just tired. I’ve been so busy. I’ve got a lot going on right now. I just need a few weeks to ease off, refresh, and then I’ll come back.” Or so I say.

The following is a letter we've republished with permission from Elder Cameron Condie and Elder Cayden Cazier's family:

Conference Talk:

While traveling from Maine to Illinois in 1838, President Wilford Woodruff experienced many hardships, including the death of his wife.

Jesus made numerous visits to His followers—both to crowds and to individuals—after His resurrection. Examination of those visits can teach us 1) that His inner circle did not understand His teachings about His death; 2) that each appearance to the members of His inner circle was personalized; and 3) that His cautions, blessings, and instructions to those first witnesses became a handbook for leading the Kingdom of God on Earth in His absence.

Throughout his service in the Church, President Nelson has provided profound insight into the purpose of the Church on the earth today. Here is a small portion of those insights, excerpted from the new book Teachings of Russell M. Nelson.