Dear Dave,

With The Book of Mormon play on Broadway and now a Mormon presidential candidate, the media has described this point in time in terms of attention and interest as the “Mormon Moment.” For those of us who are Mormons, customarily encountering misperceptions and misunderstanding, this is an unprecedented opportunity to clarify who we are. First, a little background. I am reaching a stage in my life where I have been a Mormon longer than not. I grew up with a Catholic father, Protestant mother, and attended a college with a predominantly Jewish student body. I respect all who strive to know God, consistent with our 11th Article of Faith: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege.” Sadly, religious tolerance did not greet Mormons during the early years as they fled from the East to the Midwest and finally settled in what was then Indian Territory but is now Utah, to escape mob violence and persecution.

Sarah Frei had something important to tell her parents before she was wheeled into surgery. She just couldn’t figure out a way to say it.

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.

Editor's note: This article originally ran on LDSLiving in 2019.

For many people around the globe, bended knee is the posture of prayer, the place we go for ultimate hope when we have nowhere else to turn.

David joined a team at the Kane County, Utah, jail that he found surprisingly comforting — the family history indexing team. “Indexing brought the inmates together in teamwork — like a sporting event — and it was really good to see in a setting like this,” the prisoner explained. “Indexing allows us to have a positive interaction with one another.”

With Mitt Romney edging ever closer to the Republican nomination for president, the church becomes a curiosity and a point of interest for more and more people. How skillfully we answer the increasing questions from our friends and associates may determine their opinion of the church for years to come. It's not only ourselves as adults who will be on the receiving end of the growing curiosity of this "Mormon Moment" — our kids, at schools and in their peer groups, will get asked more questions as well, and will hear and wish to correct more misinformation from their friends and classmates.

With the fairly recent announcement lowering the missionary age to 19 for sisters, there has been a sharp increase in the number of young women signing up to serve missions. This is wonderful and exciting! If you are one of those young women considering serving a mission I can tell you from experience that it’s hard work and also one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have.

Imagine that you are a father or mother and that you have twin sons whom you love equally because they both try to obey you and serve you with equal diligence. Because they are so faithful you are going to do something very nice for them on their birthday. You give son #1 a brand new Pontiac Grand Am and son #2 a tricycle. What is wrong with the way you are treating your two sons? Turn to D&C 38: 26-7.