Paradigm shifts can rock our world, but they can also bring greater understanding. Before 1697, Westerners believed the idiom “all swans are white.” But when a Dutch explorer discovered a black swan in Australia, his discovery “instantly demolished an apparent reality while also enabling a new, more informed state of… Continue reading
We may wonder whether Heavenly Father has a plan for the world. The Restoration shows us he’s had everything planned out from the start. Many of us have learned about the Restoration of the Church, beginning with Joseph Smith’s First Vision of the Father and the Son. However, some of… Continue reading
With the publication of the Joseph Smith Papers, we can better understand the history of the Book of Abraham and thereby gain greater faith in it. The Pearl of Great Price is perhaps the least-mentioned book in the Latter-day Saint canon. We know that some parts of the book are… Continue reading
Although Joseph Smith gave his King Follett discourse nearly 175 years ago, it can still teach us about our relationship with God. The Prophet Joseph Smith gave his King Follett discourse on April 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois. He was commemorating the passing of a faithful Church member named King Follett. The comprehensive doctrinal points Joseph discussed make this one of the… Continue reading
As an atheist, I knew nothing about prayer. But when I learned about Joseph Smith and the First Vision, I learned how to get answers from God. I asked God every night for eight years if he was real, and I never got an answer. Growing up as an atheist,… Continue reading
The Relief Society, the world’s longest-running organization for women, has recently made changes to its purpose statement. One hundred seventy-five years ago, on March 17, 1842, Joseph Smith formally organized early Latter-day Saint women into an organization called Relief Society. Today, this organization is still blessing the lives of millions of people… Continue reading
When aspects of Church history raise doubts, study and faith can help us navigate historical facts and lead us to answers. Sometimes learning about Church history can build testimonies, but other times, it can shake them. In his Ensign and Liahona article “Understanding Church History by Study and Faith,” Keith… Continue reading
Sometimes the smallest objects can symbolize the greatest faith. In the Church’s early days, Joseph Smith and his family faced nearly constant persecution. An article by Heidi Bennett on the Church history website shares one story that demonstrates their courage despite enormous pressures to deny the gospel. One… Continue reading
Love is bound into the eternities through saving ordinances. Love is patient, love is kind, love is binding. Christ teaches us to love one another under all circumstances, regardless of one’s religion, ethnicity, political views, sexual orientation, or other potentially dividing differences. This belief is surely a tenet of many religions;… Continue reading
Modern science continues to affirm the blessings of following the Word of Wisdom. In his Ensign article, “A Principle with Promises,” G. Craig Kiser discusses the counsel given in Doctrine and Covenants 89 with an insightful approach to the Word of Wisdom. Not surprisingly, there is scientific evidence to support the… Continue reading
