All illustrations courtesy of Alex Nabaum Latter-day Saints know that we lived before we came to earth and that we will live again after death. But exactly how many details do we know about this spiritual existence? Find out what Church doctrine teaches us about our premortal and postmortal life.

“I was steeped in the positive-mindset mentality … so, when sadness and grief came—and they did—I harbored a sense of shame for these feelings.”

Most of us were raised on stories of the prophets of God. And just as they had strengths that we can learn from, it is also important to remember that every prophet had weaknesses that we can learn from, too.

For more incredible playing from the Piano Gal, check out this Taylor Swift mashup.

Purpose: To help family members understand that the only source of personal peace is found in Christ.

Recent LDS events in the news have focused on a small group of women who are challenging longstanding traditions and even LDS doctrine. In light of this situation, many members are unsure how to respond when others ask about this hot-button topic.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has publicly distanced himself from the anti-Mormon rhetoric of a prominent Baptist minister who has endorsed his presidential campaign. But new evidence suggests that Perry’s team may be quietly advancing the notion that Mitt Romney’s faith should disqualify him from the White House. The Daily Beast has obtained a series of emails that show an influential evangelical activist with close ties to the Perry campaign stressing the political importance of “juxtaposing traditional Christianity to the false God of Mormonism,” and calling for a “clarion call to Evangelical pastors and pews” that will be “the key to the primary” for Perry.

As a financial industry professional, I spend a fair amount of time talking about saving. Shifting to a retirement mindset where spending your nest egg is suddenly okay can be challenging for many people. It requires careful planning to ensure your savings will last. Here are five key steps to navigate this important life change:

A 16-year-old Boy Scout from Utah drowned while on an outing with his troop Wednesday at the Grand Canyon National Park. Kreg Harrison Jr., of St. George, known as KJ to his friends, drowned in a pool at Mooney Falls in Supai Canyon, according to a statement from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. The incident happened just after 2 p.m.

Conference months can be a bit tricky when constructing a message to share with the women you visit teach. In my experience, most visiting teachers just relay the admonition to read or listen to all of conference. Well, if you can’t tell by now, I am not that kind of girl. I like to think about the messages I am sharing. I like to pray for the sisters I visit teach. I do my best to avoid rattling off a sterile, stock message which would then mean nothing to me or the recipient. Sometimes I put together a series of quotes that I liked best from conference, but most often, I select a talk that strikes me. So, for this month, I have chosen the awkwardly-titled, More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us by Elder Paul V. Johnson. In this message, Johnson targets those who are going through trials. I am going through a relatively trial-free period in my life (knock on wood), but I am well aware that the appearance of being trial-free is often powerfully wrong. Even President Henry B. Eyring reminded us in 2004 to treat everyone as though they were in serious trouble. So I would like to include Erying’s advice to treat everyone as though they are going through a personal trial. Although the purpose of Visiting Teaching is so that we can get to know and serve others, some trials are so personal that it may take years before people feel they can trust you enough to not judge with whatever it is they are fighting. Be sensitive to this, and you will be able to serve as an empathetic, listening friend, which is infinitely more valuable than serving as a rote lecturer.