Here’s the story behind the story of the tense, inspiring and compelling new film, Escape from Germany, by TC Christensen, which tells of the Latter-day Saint missionaries who escaped from Germany just hours before World War II erupted. The story was originally researched by Terry Bohle Montague, who spent many months with Norm Siebold and other missionaries getting the story of those who faced this trembling ordeal. She wrote this into her book Mine Angels Round About, and Meridian first published this article in 2002 when Norm was still living. As it turns out, reality is just as exciting as ..read more

A cousin of mine just passed away. Becky was a great lady, and I’ll miss her a lot. She was also a writer, having written for farm magazines for years. She also wrote children’s books and books about people’s encounters with Bigfoot. But one of the things I will miss the most is the way she could find something positive in the hardest of situations. Becky was about three years younger than me, while her oldest brother, Kelly, was born only a year after me. When we were very young, Becky would tag along with Kelly and me, and I just viewed her as Kelly’s annoying little sister. But as time went ..read more

View the original post on Scripture Central.  “O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.” Helaman 5:9 The Know The famous speech King Benjamin gave from his tower near the Nephite temple was certainly well received by his people: “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us” (Mosiah 5:2). However, wha ..read more

Recently one of my clients threatened to stab her roommate. A few months ago, another client pulled out a knife on his roommate. The first person said, “I never touched a knife; I only threatened her.” The second person said, “It was a folding knife and I never opened it.” So, the question is “Why threaten at all?” “What could you have done differently to resolve any problems?” How often are our words like knives? How often do we criticize? How often do we use cutting remarks? What an interesting choice of words when we say words “cut like a knife.” In the April 2024 General Conference, Elder ..read more

The Book of Mormon tells of Enos fervently calling upon God in prayer for his soul. As a result, he heard the voice of God telling him that his sins were forgiven, and he would be blessed. This week I was reading a commentary on Enos.  I noted a statement that said that Enos had his glorious experience with God following a five-step pattern. I agree with four of the steps: 1. Hear the word; 2. Let the word sink into our hearts; 3. Hunger for righteousness; 5. Raise your voice in prayer. Great! All of those are described in the Enos account and agree with my experience as I have sought Jes ..read more

The following first appeared in Public Square Magazine. A few months ago, we wrote an article about the importance of teaching the “why” of the law of chastity with a call to do better in teaching our youth and young adults. After talking with youth leaders in the Church, some feel like this is too hard a topic to approach with the young men and women in their wards. This article aims to expound even further upon the principles we discussed in our previous article and to address how we can more comprehensively approach teaching this law, starting with a more in-depth “why.” Emily Rey ..read more

The following comes from our “It is Well With My Soul” Gratitude Journal. Enjoy 25% off on this beautiful tool and keepsake with the promo code THANKYOU25.  Gratitude can heal our hearts, but I don’t think it’s meant to just quietly stay locked up there. Writing a thank you note can be more powerful than you know. Here’s a story from my own family history that illustrates just that. My Nana expressed her gratitude freely and often. She would tell my mother, “I thank God that he has just let me pass through”. The world was beautiful to her; flowers were cheerful, trees that grew out of st ..read more

The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a new site location for the Tampa Florida, Lehi Utah and West Jordan Utah Temples. The latter two temples were announced at the Church’s April 2024 general conference. Tampa Florida Temple The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a change in the location for the Tampa Florida Temple. The site location was previously announced in October 2022. A new location has been ..read more

The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.  The doors have opened to the new Cobán Guatemala Temple, the third house of the Lord of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central American nation. The Cobán temple began its formal introduction to the public with a media day Monday, April 22, as four General Authority Seventies — the three members of the Church’s Central America Area presidency and an assistant executive director of the Temple Department — welcomed media representatives to a news briefing prior to taking them ..read more

To read more from Daniel, visit his blog: Sic Et Non.  Cover image via Gospel Media Library.  On the time-honored principle that I rush in where angels fear to tread, I will now post yet again — see my previous efforts here and here — on the question of Brigham Young, racism, Latter-day Saints, and “slavery” in early Utah Territory.  As a result of my prior two posts on the subject, my attention has been called to an excellent article:  Christopher B. Rich, Jr., “The True Policy for Utah: Servitude; Slavery; and ‘An Act in Relation to Service,’” Uta ..read more