Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and space exploration advocate Joe Mayer and his family were honored when Mayor Annise D. Parker proclaimed Tuesday, February 26, 2013, “Joe Mayer Day” at a ceremony at City Hall in Houston, Texas (USA), the nation’s fourth largest city. In his remarks before the City Council, Councilman Dave Martin cited Mayer’s public outreach and political advocacy of NASA and its programs and his leadership and service in community and business efforts as the basis for the City of Houston commendation. States Councilman Martin, “There is no one that’s more involved in the space program, in Johnson Space Center, and NASA, than Joe and his family."

I’ve always enjoyed the analogies and stories based on nature in the scriptures and church talks. I’ve been planning to do a blog post on these stories, but after preliminary research, I’ve decided to make it a series of posts. I could write a book on each attribute of nature that is referred to in General Conference talks and scripture verses. There are so many: the mountains and valleys, the seeds and weeds, the storms, the sunlight, the darkness and night, the sheep and wolves, the flowers and trees, and even the simple sparrow that the Lord is mindful of.

The Creation is something God's children have marveled about for thousands of years. Animals, flowers, mountains, oceans, starry skies and people have inspired video, music, art, writing and photography. Every child of God is given talents and encouraged to share and develop them. In the 2008 semiannual general conference, President Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency said, "Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. … The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come."

On this week’s All In podcast, author Jason Wright shared the story behind his first novel, a novel that went on to become a New York Times bestseller. The fictional story, Wright explained, began because he missed his father, who passed away when Wright was 16 years old. In an effort to cheer up, Wright and his family began putting their spare change in a jar. The week before Christmas, they decided on someone who might benefit from receiving their “Christmas Jar.” Their little jar brought joy to Wright’s family and began a tradition—a tradition that led to Wright’s first novel, Christmas Jars, which has been turned into a film premiering this year.

From Tahiti to Mozambique and Michigan to Ecuador, the First Presidency has called eight new mission presidents to serve around the world.

From Tahiti to Boise and Brazil to Provo, the following temple presidents and their wives have been called to serve in temples around the world.

News outlets and leaders alike—both in his native Utah and those he blessed across the ocean in Germany—shared their love and appreciation for Gail Halvorsen’s life and legacy.

When someone sees our potential it can make all the difference in what we become. But what has that looked like in the life of former NBA player Thurl Bailey? It meant his mother believing that she was not raising average kids, and therefore Cs were not acceptable. It meant not making the middle school basketball team again and again until a coach finally offered to put in some extra work with the 6'10" 9th grader. And it meant overcoming obstacles in marrying his wife when the odds were against them. But perhaps most important, it has looked like Heavenly Father knowing Thurl's potential as a disciple of Jesus Christ. On this week's episode, we talk with Thurl about potential in all its forms and what we can learn from it.

Dating can be complicated. Singles deal with the intricacies of getting to know and understand one another, coupled with a mix of technological, financial, societal, religious and media influences. Active LDS singles are encouraged to work toward a temple marriage at the appropriate time in their lives by adhering to high moral standards. The journey from first date to temple marriage can be challenging and contain blessings, heartbreaks and pitfalls. Thousands of books and articles by LDS and secular authors have extolled wisdom and tips about dating. Advice about how to act, what to say, what to wear and what to do while dating has been covered in detail. Over the years, prophets and apostles have also given counsel to LDS singles about dating. This article is a culmination of their words. As a preface, a quote from a May 1989 Ensign article to young men and women by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve (who is now president of that quorum) sums up the guiding counsel of Church leaders on dating: "You are a child of God. He is the father of your spirit. Spiritually you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it."

From Minnesota to Paris and Eurasia to the Philippines, learn more about the eight new mission presidents and their wives called by the First Presidency. They will begin their service in July of 2017.