My husband and I are infertility survivors. After learning that our mortal bodies were not able to create children, our hearts began to turn toward adoption. This decision came with serious prayer, contemplation, and faith. For me, there was even some healthy mourning for the dream of being able to physically carry and deliver a child.

June 27th will mark the 174th anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. In honor of the beloved prophet, here are 9 books to help you learn more about him and the events of his life.

This article is intended to help readers better utilize the new Teaching in the Savior's Way manual that was recently released.

Years ago, before the Church instituted the three-hour block schedule for our Sunday meetings, we used to go to the chapel for meetings three times every Sunday—once in the morning for priesthood meeting, a second time for Sunday School opening exercises and classes, and finally a third time for a ninety-minute sacrament meeting. When I was a very young man, our ward’s Sunday School superintendent, Brother Marchant, came to our class one Sunday to ask for volunteers who would be willing to give the prayer, the 2½-minute talks, and the sacrament gem (a verse of scripture shared before the sacrament was passed) in the following week’s Sunday School opening exercises. My strategy was to quickly volunteer to say either the prayer or the sacrament gem. I was motivated by the desire to avoid having to give a talk at all costs! Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t the only person in the class with that strategy, and I missed out on my first choice, the prayer. I was quick enough, however, to score the sacrament gem assignment. Given the other alternative, I felt lucky.

Answers to prayer usually come in quiet ways to mortals through the mediation of the Holy Spirit and through the intervention of other mortals. There are times, however, when God chooses to do the unusual—to give visions or dreams, to send angels from the courts of glory, in short, to minister to our needs in truly spectacular ways. Nephi explained that on certain occasions God “hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me” (2 Nephi 4:23–24).

A person can review the awful circumstances through which God’s children pass and then question why He allows any of His children to suffer pain, anguish, physical hardship, and deprivation.

Like many Mormons out there, I'm a passionate Harry Potter fan, not to mention an ardent Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Narnia, and Hero and the Crown supporter.

After what seemed to be the longest day ever, I found myself on my knees, head in hands, collapsed on the bedroom floor. I was so overwhelmed with work, school, family and church responsibilities that I felt almost numb. It had been six months since I had returned from a mission and the weight of adjusting home still felt heavy.

Some of the hottest topics in Latter-day Saint culture revolve around our bodies. “Your body is a temple” is mantra repeated by dozens of youth and proper hemlines and lack of body art are vigorously scrutinized and emphasized by many within the Church. Tattoos are frequently described as a defacement of your body, a reminder of a mistake, and a potential inhibitor for serving a mission. There is an entire section in the For the Strength of Youth to emphasize modesty for women and men, explaining that “When you dress immodestly, you send a message that is contrary to your identity as a son or daughter of God.”