The following was contributed by Alexis Tarkalson. In January 2024, headlines were abuzz with the topic of surrogacy and its ethical implications. The spark for such discussion was due to Pope Francis taking the opportunity to call surrogacy “deplorable” and to state quite bluntly, “A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract. Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally.” Several times I have thought about surrogacy and wondered what my thoughts were on the subject. Is it unethical ..read more

Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.” When I was serving in a YSA some time ago, my wife and I were invited to several wedding receptions of our ward members. As a meaningful gift, we gave some wonderful ice cream spades along with the message “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. But in a marriage, only scream when there is a fire or someone is in danger!” How often do we feel it necessary to raise our voice? How often are we critical or demeaning? What are we trying to accomplish? Are we trying to gain power or control? Are we ..read more

The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.  Throughout 2025, Latter-day Saint youth ages 11 to 18 years will be encouraged to “look unto Christ.” The Young Women and Young Men General Presidencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who oversee the Church’s programs for youth, announced Tuesday, September 17, that the 2025 youth theme is “Look unto Christ” from the scripture Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, which reads, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Parents and youth leaders are en ..read more

The following first appeared on Scripture Central. And their leader, Zemnarihah, was taken and hanged upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead. And when they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree to the earth, and did cry with a loud voice, saying: May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth. 3 Nephi 4:28-29 The Know After the combined Nephite and Lamanite f ..read more

Blaine was retired and had lots of things he wanted to do, but it seemed like everyone else felt his time was available for them. That was how he found himself babysitting a new puppy. Blaine liked dogs okay, but now that his children were raised, he wasn’t keen on having one. However, his wife felt it was a good idea since the grandchildren often came to visit. “Their yard is too small for a dog,” Blaine’s wife said, “and children need pets. So, we can take care of one at our house.” By “we,” Blaine knew that meant him. The problem with the dog was twofold. If he was left alone, he howled. He ..read more

Editor’s Note: Kasturi was 13 years old when her step mother insisted she be married away as a child bride. She did it to rid herself of the girl, a common practice in India. Katsuri knew of predatory men before because as a young girl at Little Flower, a school for the children of the leprosy-affected in India, the girls couldn’t play outside because of the danger. All that changed when Rising Star took over the Little Flower school and built protective walls around the girl’s dorm, began offering excellent education to the girls, and then championed Kasturi in her fight to not marry, but sta ..read more

Maurine and I are currently on our second major film shoot for what we are calling the JSD—the Joseph Smith Documentary series. We’re creating upwards of 70 mini-documentaries covering the amazing, remarkable life of the Prophet Joseph. One evening ago, we were racing against the sunset to try to scout our location shoot at Hawn’s Mill. We missed the sunset, but we got something better. Hawn’s Mill was a small Latter-day Saint settlement of Jacob Hawn and his family and about 75 other families living along the banks of Shoal Creek. It is estimated there were only perhaps a dozen houses, a blac ..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 the location of the Tacoma Washington Temple in the Pacific Northwest United States. The Tacoma Washington Temple was announced by President Russell M. Nelson during the October 2022 general conference. “I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can,” President Nelson said. This temple will be built on a 11.6-acre site located at approximately 140 ..read more

The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.  Because Pittsburgh is known as the “City of Bridges,” a granite bridge was incorporated into the landscaping design of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple grounds. The bridge connects the new house of the Lord to a nearby meetinghouse and provides a picturesque location for photographs. Standing at the crest of the bridge under blue skies with the new temple in the background, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the structure holds deeper meaning. “We are standin ..read more

Scot I was pondering very early this morning as I looked out the window: “What if at 4:00 in the morning on a fall day I looked out the window and it was as bright as day?  Would my heart take a leap and would I think: What is going on?!”  It was pitch dark when I peered out my window and yet, we have record of an event in this week’s reading, where untold thousands of people could not help but see this incredible, unforgettable sign of a day, a night and a day wherein there was no darkness.  The righteous rejoiced and the wicked were struck with fear.  We’re going to look ..read more