A Beginner's Guide to Celebrating Advent

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught an important principle when he explained that “all revelation since the fall has come through Jesus Christ, who is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. In all of the scriptures, where God is mentioned and where he has appeared, it was Jehovah who talked with Abraham, with Noah, Enoch, Moses and all the prophets. He is the God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel. . . . The Father has never dealt directly and personally since the fall, and he has never appeared except to introduce and bear record of the Son.”1 Elsewhere President Smith pointed out that “after Adam’s transgression he was shut out of the presence of the Father who has remained hidden from his children to this day, with a few exceptions wherein righteous men have been privileged with the glorious privilege of seeing him. . . . Since the fall all revelation and commandments from the Father have come through Jesus Christ.”2

Erica Glenn conducts more than music. She uses her testimony to promote peace and harmony in diversity—in choirs, the global Church, and beyond.

Photo from alumni.byu.edu Sharlene Hawkes, president of Utah-based Remember My Service (RMS) Military Productions, has been appointed by the Secretary of Defense to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). The committee, established in 1951 by then-Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall, is composed of civilian women and men to provide advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment and retention, employment, integration, and overall welfare of highly qualified professional women in the Armed Forces.

Church leaders today are not naive to the exponential growth in the number of individuals around the world struggling with their mental health.

What a fascinating article to be carried by a national publication. Here is an inspiring quote from President Monson shared in the article: "As we move toward the future, we must not neglect the lessons of the past. Our Heavenly Father gave His Son. The Son of God gave His life. We are asked by them to give our lives, as it were, in their divine service. Will you? Will I? Will we? There are lessons to be taught, there are kind deeds to be done, there are souls to be saved."

A note at the bottom of the First Presidency Message in the online April edition of the Ensign shared an important message with readers—monthly First Presidency messages in the magazine are changing.

In 2008, David Archuleta released his hit debut single “Crush.” Today, 13 years later, it remains one of Archuleta’s most popular songs with over 128 million views on YouTube. The 30-year-old even recently joked on Twitter that despite his new music release—on July 28, he came out with the single “Movin”—fans really just want him to sing “Crush.”

Elder David A. Bednar’s answer highlighted several important principles.

U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond says Mormons still thank him. “I’ve had a lot of people who come to Missouri who told me they came back because the Extermination Order is repealed,” Bond said.