Despite divorce, mental health issues, and the burdens of family life, Gates used her talents to defend women’s achievements as well as her beliefs. Susa Young Gates’ motto “keep busy in the face of discouragement” proved to be a recurring theme throughout her life. Though she faced both physical and… Continue reading
Louise Yates Robinson’s life of service shows us that all women can be extraordinary, no matter how ordinary they are. You have probably never heard of Louise Yates Robison (1866–1946), and that would most likely please her. In the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Janath R. Cannon tells us that Louise was… Continue reading
The author of the beloved hymn “Carry On,” Ruth May Fox lived the words she wrote. Her firm testimony of the gospel helped her overcome the hardships she encountered. “Ever since I could understand, the gospel has meant everything to me.” A woman of “great strength and refined features,” Ruth… Continue reading
Her husband was dead. She was alone with her children crossing the plains. But Mary Fielding Smith quieted her fears. She protected and empowered her family by relying on the power of the priesthood. Mary Fielding Smith (1801–52), best known as the wife of Hyrum Smith and mother of Joseph… Continue reading
Though Eliza Roxcy Snow never bore children, she sacrificed her time, risked her health, and used her extensive education and remarkable poetry to bless the lives of the Latter-day Saints. Called “Zion’s Poetess” during her lifetime, Eliza R. Snow (1804–87) penned poems, organized three different organizations, and taught the Saints… Continue reading
A university professor tells what helps non-LDS students of Mormonism to gain a more accurate and nuanced understanding of the faith. When Dr. Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp teaches her Mormon studies class at the University of North Carolina, she uses the study of Mormonism as a model that can be applied… Continue reading
The topic of race and the priesthood has tried the faith of Latter-day Saints and others. To understand this issue, discover the historical context. An article titled “Race and the Priesthood” in the Gospel Topics section of lds.org provides rich historical details and spiritual insight. The Church of Jesus Christ… Continue reading
The Mountain Meadows Massacre was a horrific event in Church history. But insights from a Church historian help us understand what led to it and help us put it into a gospel perspective. On September 11, 1857, near Cedar City, Utah, 50 to 60 militiamen and Native Americans massacred 120… Continue reading
High-profile cases of Church discipline have recently made national headlines, leading some people to question the need for excommunication. Church disciplinary councils lovingly invite those who seriously transgress to repent and start over with the full blessings of the gospel. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve… Continue reading
In a letter to his wife, Emma, the Prophet Joseph Smith shows his willingness to humbly submit to the will of the Lord. In 1832, Joseph Smith and other Church leaders traveled from Ohio to Missouri and back. They were delayed in Indiana for one month on their journey home because Newel… Continue reading
