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Prepared to Meet Him

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Overcoming Fear, Comparison, and Inaction in the Light of Christ

What does it really mean to be ready to meet the Savior—at His Second Coming or at the end of our mortal journey?

In his message Personal Preparation to Meet the Savior, Elder Dale G. Renlund teaches that Christ’s return should not fill us with fear, but with hope. Using three parables from Matthew 25, Elder Renlund outlines a pattern of preparation not based on dramatic change or public deeds, but on quiet, faithful consistency. [Read more…] about Prepared to Meet Him

Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 63–69 – Mike Parker

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The Church in Ohio, August–November 1831 (D&C sections 63–69)

by Mike Parker

(Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.)

Class Notes [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 63–69 – Mike Parker

Preserving and Protecting “Plain and Precious” Truths In Our Families

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by Brent Andrewsen at the 2024 FAIR Conference

How do we help our young people avoid deception, or keep them from “stumb[ling] exceedingly”? We keep the “plain and precious” parts of the gospel front and center in their lives. [Read more…] about Preserving and Protecting “Plain and Precious” Truths In Our Families

Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 60–63 – Autumn Dickson

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Faith and Signs

by Autumn Dickson

Ezra Booth was a Methodist preacher who joined the church after witnessing Joseph Smith heal Alice Johnson’s arm. He later left the church and published material that was particularly antagonistic. Despite witnessing a miracle, Ezra didn’t hold on to his faith. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 60–63 – Autumn Dickson

The Times of Restitution Are Now

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From Passive Observers to Active Participants in God’s Prophetic Work

Have you ever assumed that the Restoration was something that happened once—and now we’re just meant to follow along?

In his deeply doctrinal message, “The Times of Restitution of All Things,” Elder David A. Bednar challenges that assumption. Quoting Acts 3:21, he draws our attention not just to what God has restored, but what He continues to restitute—through us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized in 1830, yes—but that event was part of a prophesied restitution of all things foretold by prophets throughout time. And we are not merely witnesses to it—we are meant to be agents in it.

Elder Bednar’s invitation is clear: learn the message, prove it for yourself, and act on it. The Restoration isn’t only about what God did through Joseph Smith—it’s about what He is now doing through each of us. So the question is: Are we content to be acted upon? Or will we choose to act in faith as disciples in the final dispensation? [Read more…] about The Times of Restitution Are Now

Classic FAIR – The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions – Blake Ostler, 2005

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“The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions” by Blake T. Ostler at the 2005 FAIR Conference

I’d like to begin my presentation (there should have been an outline that was handed out that you have in front of you). But I want to begin a bit off outline. I was amused- I was reading this morning that we have (and Chris Buttars is a good friend of mine) and he’s wondering whether he should introduce intelligent design into Utah schools. And I was thinking intelligent design? Chris is a Mormon and he probably doesn’t even realize what he would be teaching isn’t Mormon cosmology.

And I was reading another article—as a matter of fact just last night—about how the Big Bang proved this story of Genesis and I was thinking, apparently the people who read- who know all about the Big Bang have never read Genesis. (Laughter)

CONTINUED HERE

Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 58–59 – Autumn Dickson

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Align With Him

by Autumn Dickson

Trials. There is always something more to say about trials, and that’s what I want to talk about this week. I specifically want to talk about one aspect of trials and how we can sometimes make things harder on ourselves.

Some of the Saints have made it to Missouri this week, and they are disappointed about what they arrived to find. They were looking for Zion and were surprised to find that it had not been built yet. They had just travelled hundreds of miles away from their comfortable homes in New York. Their original destination had been changed when they were kicked off of what was supposed to be their home. As they arrived in Missouri, they didn’t find homes. They found that their journey was just beginning. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 58–59 – Autumn Dickson

Cherishing Life in a Conflicted World

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Discipleship, Stewardship, and the Call to Compassion

In a world where the topic of abortion is often weaponized and polarized, what does it look like to truly cherish life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

In his tender and courageous message, Cherishing Life, Elder Neil L. Andersen speaks not only to those facing unplanned pregnancies—but more urgently, to the rest of us. He teaches that defending the sanctity of life is not a political stance, but a divine responsibility, and that the moral choices surrounding life invite compassionate stewardship, not judgment. 

Elder Andersen reframes agency not as personal entitlement, but as a trust from God, especially when it involves the most vulnerable among us—the unborn and those in distress. He invites us to consider how our own words, hands, and hearts can bring light, hope, and clarity to those navigating some of life’s most fragile decisions. [Read more…] about Cherishing Life in a Conflicted World

New ‘Gospel Topics’ published today

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The following new items, which all relate to apologetics, have been published on the Church’s website today:

Church Financial Administration
Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Religion vs. Violence

It also appears that the “Gospel Topics Essays” and “Church and Gospel Questions” have been consolidated into a new “Topics and Questions” section, which you will find if the links above redirect you to the contents page instead of the individual articles. In that case, you can navigate to the articles from the index on the left of the page. (As of 5/23, it appears that the redirection has been fixed.)

Hebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon

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Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/

There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These poetic forms appear in specific genres (sermons and narratives) and are absent in others (proclamations and letters). This is exactly the pattern we would expect and shows an intentionality to the poetry that hasn’t been discussed elsewhere.

 

Carl J. Cranney received a PhD in systematic theology at the Catholic University of America, where he specialized in theological anthropology and moral theology. He earned his MAR in philosophical theology and the philosophy of religion at Yale Divinity School and his BA in philosophy from Brigham Young University. His academic interests include interfaith dialogue, comparative theology, and the varied Christian approaches to the theology of marriage and family. As a stay-at-home dad, he tries to squeeze in co-hosting duties for the “Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree” podcast and teaching for BYU Pathway in his limited spare time. He lives in Springville, UT, with his wife Susan and their four children.

Zachary Wright was born in American Fork, UT.  He served his mission speaking Spanish in North Carolina and the Dominican Republic.  He currently attends BYU studying psychology, but loves writing, and studying LDS theology and history.  His biggest desire is to help other people bring them closer to each other, and ultimately bring people closer to God.