On November 15, 2022, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement on the Church Newsroom regarding its official position regarding the US Congress “Respect for Marriage Act” (RFMA).
To provide some context for this statement: [Read more…] about Examining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Statement on the US Congress “Respect For Marriage” Act
by Benjamin Pacini
My children know that the rule on Sunday is that they can only watch “church videos.” They’ve gotten to know them so well that when I began playing one of my favorites, it was two seconds in before my son shouted from the other room “that’s ‘Music of the Gospel’–I love that one!” [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 46 – Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel (additional post)
by Anna Buis
Despite our best efforts, we will inevitably fall short because we are human. This human experience teaches us that we need the Savior and His atoning sacrifice. His invitation to us is always to return to Him; His love for us is constant. Hosea 14:4 says, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from Israel.” We can find comfort in Christ taking action to forgive, heal, and love us individually.
In a journal entry dated April 7, 1844, Wilford Woodruff recorded Sidney Rigdon’s sermon: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 46 – Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel
by Paul W. Hess
In late October 2022, a writer named Ben Schneiders published an article in The Sydney Morning Herald, followed by a 60 Minutes Australia broadcast he produced one day later in a coordinated media campaign that paints a dark and accusing picture of finances in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia. Jana Riess of the Salt Lake Tribune and RNS Religious News Service then references the Australian articles in her own piece dated October 31, 2022. For much of the article, she appears to sound objective and open to waiting for the truth to come out, but in her heading and in the last paragraph, she seems to be fully onboard with the baseless Aussie allegations. Others, like KUER, Axios, and Fox-13, are now passing along the same claims as objective “findings,” along with similar claims relating to church donations in Canada. Questions are raised about the Church’s “morality” since even the Canadian reporter interviewed on KUER acknowledged there is no evidence that any tax laws have been violated. [Read more…] about Defamation Down Under: Responding to the Aussie Allegations
by Maddie Barzee
“Keep on the covenant path” was President Russell M. Nelson’s first message to the Church after he was sustained as the prophet, and it has been his continued anthem ever since.1 In the short term, it may feel difficult to fully obey the commandments and keep our covenants, but in the long run we will be blessed both spiritually and physically by obeying the word of God. This principle of obedience is prevalent in the Book of Daniel. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 45 – Daniel 1–6
(submitted by Dennis B. Horne)
Joseph F. Smith letter to Edith E. Smith, undated (but written later than 1901): [Read more…] about President Joseph F. Smith Speaks of His Revelations and of Testimony vs. Doubt
by Dennis B. Horne
In late 1973, only two months before he passed away, President Harold B. Lee visited Rick’s College (now BYU-Idaho), where he attended a luncheon and then gave the college devotional address. As President of Rick’s at that time, Henry B. Eyring was present with President Lee and described the events in his journal. These journal notations ended up in his biography, where they portray an unusually intense spiritual outpouring among those present. [Read more…] about President Harold B. Lee Testifies about Revelation in Book of Mormon Translation
by Jennifer Roach, LMHC
Jeremiah, true to his nickname of “The Weeping Prophet,” wants to talk to us about some hard things this week. And it’s a little uncomfortable.
In my day-job as a mental health therapist I sit with people in pain every week. They’re tired of their pain and therapy is a great place to start. And as a society we’ve done better in recent years at giving people the message that sometimes really bad things happen to them that are not their fault. And it’s true. But both modern-therapy, and the prophet Jeremiah, know that we can’t stop there. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 43 – Jeremiah 30–33; 36; Lamentations 1; 3
by Christopher D. Cunningham
The motivational speaker Wayne Dwyer popularized a story about two babies in a mother’s womb.
While chatting, one asked the other if they believed in life after birth.
The second one said they did, and they were likely preparing for something greater later on.
But the first didn’t agree, it seemed like nonsense. What would that life look like?
The second suggested that perhaps they would eat with their mouths and walk with their feet. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 42 – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
By Kerry Muhlestein
This week is the celebration of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. It takes place from sundown on Tuesday, October 4th, until sundown on Wednesday, October 5th. It is the holiest celebration in all the festivals the Lord commanded Israel to observe. You can read about it in Leviticus 16. This is the day where sacrifices were made to cleanse the tabernacle, everything in it, and all of Israel. One goat was sacrificed, and another had the sins of Israel symbolically transferred to it, and then that (scape)goat was driven into the wilderness. After these rituals and more, the high priest, representing all of Israel, could enter into the Holy of Holies and symbolically be reunited with the presence of God. This once-a-year ritual was the most significant event in the year. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 41 – Isaiah 58-66
