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If Disney Princesses Were Sister Missionaries
We all know the Disney princesses for their lovable natures, magical adventures, and proclivity for needing rescue, but what if our favorite Disney princesses had answered the prophet’s call to serve as missionaries? Another opinion is always good when it comes to figuring out their most useful assets as a missionary, if any.

Belle
- Strengths: Memorized the entire Standard Works.
- Most Converts: The sheep
Sister Belle was quite the scriptorian, and though she avoided them as much as possible, she was quite the formidable opponent in a Bible bash.

Belle’s strengths lay in her knowledge, but she was also extremely social. She would often gather groups on the street like the original missionaries did.

Though she had many human converts, Belle found most of her success with the humble sheep.

Jasmine
- Strengths: Church tours and avoiding marriage
- Weaknesses: Kleptomania
Sister Jasmine was great with kids. She strived to follow the instructions in Preach My Gospel to seek out and teach families.

Like most missionaries, Sister Jasmine often found herself in uncomfortable confrontations. The local “street rats” took it upon themselves to protect the sisters, and were often helping them escape disgruntled shopkeeps.

Sister Jasmine found many converts through tracting, but Jasmine’s real talents lay in giving church tours.

Ariel
- Strengths: Unmatched charisma, ASL trained
- Weaknesses: Mute
Ariel had always wanted to serve a mission, so when Thomas S. Monson announced that she could leave two years earlier than she had planned, she was ready to go.

Sister Ariel was originally called to the land-dwellers non-speaking mission, but her visa took a while to be approved so she spent some time in the Under-Sea Guppy Speaking Mission

The culture took some getting used to, so dinners with members were pretty interesting.

Upon her return it didn’t take Ariel long to rekindle her relationship with her high school boyfriend. They were engaged in two weeks.

Yes, Ariel was that sister.

Mulan
- Weapon of choice: Pass-along cards
- Most embarrassing moment: Dressed up as an Elder but got caught
Sister Mulan had the testimony of a lion. Her approach was aggressive, but proved to be effective.

She became quite fond of the pass-along cards, so when she had the chance to meet the emperor of China, she didn’t hesitate.

Her persistence paid off, but unfortunately, not everyone appreciated it.

Aurora
- Strengths: Voice of a song-bird
- Most Embarrassing Moment: Fell into a deep sleep while helping an investigator with a sewing project.
Sister Aurora was particularly adept at working with the woodland creatures. Many avian families were united in the Gospel during her ministry.

She wasn’t afraid to talk to anyone, and her questions were as golden as her hair.

Unfortunately Sister Aurora developed a bad case of narcolepsy, and after 13 months returned to her castle to recover. After the spell was broken she was blessed to be able to return and complete her 18 months.

Cinderella
- Strengths: Hard-working & Service-minded
- Weaknesses: Often distracted by dreams of marrying a handsome prince
Sister Cinderella had a kind heart, and was often found helping people with household chores.

She would go to great lengths to help her investigators keep their commitments. She even once switched out a family’s entire stash of coffee with hot chocolate.

For Sister Cinderella the evening schedule was never an issue. She was more than grateful for an excuse to be in well before midnight. When her companions would question her about her peculiar aversion to pumpkins and mice, she would just sigh heavily and stare off into space. Sister Cinderella was always obedient, but before all else she made sure to follow the instruction to have attractive shoes.

Pocahontas
- Strengths: Testimony as strong as the tallest oak trees.
- Weaknesses: None. She was flawless.
Pocahontas was actually a convert to the Church. After reading and praying about the Book of Mormon, she knew what she had to do.

Sister Pocahontas had faith like you wouldn’t believe, almost too much sometimes.

Sister Pocahontas was patient as the rushing waters, and her lessons as varied and interesting as the colors of the wind. She took seriously the council in Preach My Gospel to, “Not be afraid of silence,” and occasionally had to quiet her companions to let the Holy Ghost do His work.

Snow White
- Strengths: Extremely neat & tidy, and always baked pies for district meeting
- Weaknesses: Morning schedule.
Sister White was very tidy, and always made sure to keep her apartment clean. She and her companion were once transferred into an area to replace the Elders, and were astonished to find that whole place had been infested with vermin.

Sister White was a diligent missionary, but the morning schedule wasn’t her strong point.

Despite her weaknesses, Sister White was an extraordinary missionary. The food-related near death experiences of her past life came in handy when teaching The Word of Wisdom, and she helped many an investigator escape addictions.

And they all lived happily ever after.

*All images © Disney Inc. 2015 – We do not own any of the images in this article
April 15, 2015
13 Moments Only Ward Music Directors Understand

1. That moment when you think that a hymn starts on the up-beat, but it doesn’t.

2. That moment when the melody’s way too high for you, so you totally lip sync it in front of everyone.

3. That moment when someone makes it their business to tell you that you’re not doing your calling right.

4. That moment when you’re seriously tempted to hold out the fermata an extra three or more seconds just to mess with everybody.

5. That moment when you have to struggle with the music stand during the song intro because it’s way too low.

6. That moment when the organist is not picking up your cues to play faster.

7. That moment when you’re so focused on singing the song right that you forget what your arms are doing.

8. That initial moment when you realize that the next hymn is a 6/8.

9. That moment when you accidentally start belting out the wrong verse and lead everyone astray.

10. That moment when you tell everyone to sing verse seven instead of verse three and they all forget.

11. That moment when you give everyone the opportunity to stand up during the intermediate hymn.

What you expect them to do:

What they really do:

12. That moment when Sacrament meeting has gone overtime and the last song is four verses and a chorus long.

13. That moment when you notice that, in spite of everything, no one is paying any attention to you tryin’ to magnify your calling anyway.

Have any funny or embarrassing music director moments? Share them in the comments below and we may feature you in a future post!

April 13, 2015
How to Not Be the Mr. Collins of Your Singles Ward

“We are all fools in love,” author Jane Austen once eloquently penned 1 . Imagine what her reaction would be after sitting through a few YSA speed dating activities.

The truth is that the search for love in the singles ward isn’t all that different from how it is in a Jane Austen novel. There’s the ward Mr. Darcy, whom every girl in the ward wants to date, but who, for some reason, doesn’t want to date one girl in the ward. There’s the ward Lydia Bennet, who’s too boy crazy for her own good and probably winks at all the elders passing the sacrament. There’s the stunningly beautiful and — stunningly — still single ward Jane Bennet, who all the other girls want to be. And then there’s the ward Mr. Collins.

Oh, the ward Mr. Collins.

If you aren’t well-versed in Austen, Mr. Collins is the “dreaded cousin” in Pride and Prejudice who is expected to both inherit the Bennet home when Mr. Bennet dies and marry one of the man’s daughters. He’s an awkward and shallow man with the tendency to make everyone in a room immediately feel uncomfortable. He uses flattery like it’s going out of style and pursues women like they are, too. Nobody really wants to date or marry Mr. Collins, and the one woman who does end up marrying him only does because she wants to move out of her parents’ basement. Romantic, eh?

As much as I hate to say it, if you’re a young man reading this article, there’s a slight chance that you’re your ward’s Mr. Collins. You, like he, might be sabotaging your own efforts to find your eternal companion without even realizing it. And that’s a really bad thing, because THE PLAN.

So, for the sake of your future potential dates and personal exaltation, here are a few tips on how to avoid being your ward’s Mr. Collins.

1. Give your ward crush space.

We get it. Liking a person is a pretty big deal. It makes you feel light-headed and stupid happy. Whenever you see that special someone at an activity, you just want to rush to their side and be there with them always. Though that’s an admirable desire that will serve you well in your eternal marriage, it can be a bad plan before you’ve begun dating a person, especially if that person hasn’t communicated that they like you. Most girls like to socialize and mingle with lots of people at activities, so asking to be with one all night is potential relationship suicide that might make her extremely uncomfortable. If she says yes, but she’s taking lots of “bathroom breaks” and lots of “trips to talk with her friends,” chances are she’s not into ya, man. I’m sorry.

Say hello to that girl you think is fine. See how she’s doing. But give her some space to do her own thing. Don’t monopolize her time, but hand her a hint of how her time could be spent to keep her interested, then move on. Less is more, and in situations like this, it’s ALWAYS more.

2. Tone down the flattery.

Flattery is a two-edged sword in the world of courtship. On the one hand, most girls really love compliments, but if all you ever talk to a girl about is the violence of your affections for her, expect to get shut down pretty quickly.

You might be a Wordsworthian wordsmith who can write sonnets in his sleep and quote Shakespeare easier than most people can count to ten. That’s definitely impressive, and once you’re in a long-term, committed relationship, you go for it. But in the beginning stages of any relationship with a girl, sincerity and simplicity usually mean a lot more than carefully constructed flattery. Just as important is making sure that you can use the same words in real life that you use when you text or message someone. Make your words sincere and make them count. Compliment her, but don’t overdo it.

3. Control your eye contact.

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that brief eye contact between two acquaintances is only a few seconds away from being socially unacceptable. Staring is not caring, guys. Staring is scaring. most of us girls have seen way too many Criminal Minds and Castle episodes to not feel uncomfortable when someone looks at us for too long. It’s certainly okay to look at the people you like — how awkward would it be to not do that? But most of us girls have seen way too many Criminal Minds and Castle episodes to not feel uncomfortable when someone looks at us for too long. Make sure all of your eye, and for that matter, physical contact is respectful. It’s best to avoid doing anything that may make another person feel uncomfortable.

4. Respect the ‘no.’

Sometimes, after you’ve mustered enough guts to ask that lady you’ve been likin’ from a distance to go on a date, you’re told ‘no.’ You might be tempted to get upset, after all, she might not even know that she could really like you some day. If you can’t know someone by one date, how can she expect to know you by none? It’s a valid point, and you may press her a bit to get the answer you want, because all elegant females just say ‘no’ to keep men in suspense, right? She couldn’t possibly actually mean no.

Well…yes. She could, and disregarding her feelings is a bad plan.

Though persistence is a really great quality to have — many a Darcy and Elizabeth-esque relationship has come from one person who kept trying — lack of consideration for another person’s lack of interest is not. A girl may have good reasons for declining, or she may not, but remember that she doesn’t owe you a date, because agency. The choice is hers alone to make.

It’s okay, though. Don’t take it too personally if she says ‘no.’ Move on and search for love in other places! If a girl doesn’t want to go out with you now, she might change her mind and express interest later. Even if she doesn’t, there is many a fine and accomplished young lady to be found in the world.

5. Make your dating life about the girls you date, not about you.

When you find a fine and accomplished young lady who accepts your invitation to go on a date, make sure you don’t pull a Mr. Collins and focus only on your own needs. A Mr. Collins date might go as follows: “A’right. We’re going to go see this movie that I want to see and go to this restaurant that I really like, and we’re going to talk about what I want to talk about.”

make sure you don’t pull a Mr. Collins and focus only on your own needs. One thing that separates Mr. Collins from Mr. Darcy is that he’s far less willing to sacrifice his own desires to make the women in his life happy. Darcy, in contrast, does whatever he can to satisfy his leading lady’s needs, and he goes out of his way to make her happy. Even when Elizabeth puts him in the Last Man in the World Whom I Could Ever be Prevailed Upon to Marry Zone and his own needs aren’t being met at all, he’s meeting hers. That right there is love, my friends.

Too often, we go about dating thinking, “How can I satisfy myself? How can I have a date that I will enjoy?” Well, if we want to eventually have an eternal marriage that works, we’ve got to start thinking in terms of, “How can I satisfy them? How can I make this a date that they will enjoy?” For heaven’s sake, have a plan when you ask someone out, but make your date more than just the person you’re picking up to spend money on. Her needs are important, too, so forget yourself and go to work.

6. Be yourself. Mostly.

The fatal flaw of Mr. Collins was that he tried too hard to sound cool, distinguished, and attractive to people. He had a nice job and a wealthy boss and he could kind of dance, so he thought that if he talked those things up enough, girls would find him interesting. The truth is that he spent so much time trying to live up to prestige and titles, no one ever really got to know him.

Don’t be like Mr. Collins. Don’t feel like you always need to impress people for them to like you. Just do your thing and own it. Be yourself. Make sure, however, that you’re a good, enjoyable person to be around. If “being yourself” means you settle on being rude, unsociable, creepy, or unhappy, then try to be better. Live up to the best in yourself. One day someone will fall in love with that best self. You’ve just got to help her see it and then keep working at being it. And that’s THE PLAN.

These tips won’t solve all of your dating woes, and they won’t make you a Mr. Darcy, but they will make you less of a fool in love and maybe a bit more cool in love.

April 11, 2015
Quiz: Can You Guess Who Wore These Ties In General Conference?

April 9, 2015
4 Ways to Be More Christlike Online

L ast May, I had the unique opportunity to watch a post on my personal blog go viral. It was picked up by lots of Facebook friends, LDS websites, and random blogs. Within one week, it had gained over 140,000 views (to put that into perspective, I usually felt pretty cool to hit 100 views in a month on a post). As those views increased, so, unfortunately, did the negativity. I watched as complete strangers skipped over the message of my post to go straight after me, ripping apart my character, my testimony, and my worthiness. Though a good 70% of the comments were positive, the negative comments were often very cruel and very loud. Most came from people hiding behind anonymity, but many came from other church members who used their pictures and their names to tell me how terrible they thought I was. I vowed to read every single one of those comments. I stopped because of how badly some of them hurt.

When I read what some people said, I wanted to lash out. You didn’t have to click on it! I wanted to comment. How dare you say something like that. You don’t know me at all! The post I had written was about being Christlike, and ironically, there I was, not wanting to turn the other cheek, but to slap someone else’s. I only kept myself from doing it by realizing that I now knew how it felt to be attacked online. How could I do that to someone else? Had I let my anger dictate my behavior, I would have acted just as badly as those who hurt me and those I wrote about in my blog. I was not feeling nor acting very Christlike, and that was humbling to realize.

The truth is that it can be very easy to not be Christlike when we’re online. This especially happens in public forums or comment sections where opinions are very strong and heated. If we aren’t careful, we can slip into contentious online conversations, and we can act in a way which disciples of Jesus Christ should not act. Though the world loves using the Internet as a tool to shame, fight, and bully, we cannot use it the same way. It is absolutely necessary that we act Christlike online instead of using the Internet to hurt others — as Latter-day Saints, we should really know and act better — and there are ways in which we can do just that.

1. Check your emotions before you check ‘send.’

One thing that most of us are pretty bad at when it comes to the Internet is waiting for a moment to respond to something instead of immediately reacting to it when we’re upset. We don’t often have the patience to hold ourselves back when it comes to a post mentioning religion, politics, controversial issues, or even something personal that we feel threatened by. There might be five hundred comments on it with a final plea from the poster to stop, or just three comments altogether. We’d still feel the need to express our opinion and knock everyone in the thread that we disagreed with down a few pegs. In three seconds, we could say something uplifting and Christlike that edifies the conversation and reflects our role as disciples, but in the same three seconds, we often leave a comment in blind anger that, like a drop of oil in a freshwater pond, taints the entire tone of an online conversation and poisons the opportunity to feel and share the Spirit.
“The time to think about our comments is before we even post them. Give yourself a few moments before you respond to something.”
Reacting without checking our emotions first can cause lots of damage to our relationships and also insult the covenant we’ve made with the Lord to always remember the Savior and have His spirit with us. The time to think about our comments is before we even post them. Give yourself a few moments before you respond to something. If necessary, walk away from your computer, or pick up something uplifting to read. Listen to soothing music or journal. Whenever I read a comment on my blog that gets me steamed, I try to sleep on it. Spending time away from it helps me to get back to thinking and acting reasonably. Most importantly, it helps me act more Christlike.

How you speak and the words you use tell much about the image you choose to portray. Use language to build and uplift those around you.

— Thomas S. Monson (@ThomasSMonson) March 2, 2015

2. Use vocabulary that edifies instead of patronizes.

The Internet is filled with lots of things we disagree with, and when we disagree we tend to react in one of two ways: with childish anger and name-calling, or with an air of being more intelligent than the person we disagree with. We might sound very reasonable in writing, choosing our words carefully so as to appear both polite and clever, but sounding polite and clever doesn’t make you Christlike.

We need to try harder to validate other people instead of making ourselves sound better than them in online conversations. We need to tone back on comments like “I’m sorry, but you are incorrect and do not understand” and start saying things like “I tend to disagree with you, but I’d really love to understand more of where you’re coming from. That’s important to me.” Imagine how different our online dialogue would be if we prioritized understanding over being right! Even when our Savior was right, and He always was, He chose to understand. He sets the greatest example for all of us.

I don’t think I need to tell you that using the words “idiot,” “moron,” or any variation of those to prove a point online is inappropriate. But please note that when we use phrases like “your ignorance is obvious,” or “you’re quite misinformed,” or when we use ethnocentric absolutes like “this is the way it is” without making any effort to understand somebody and validate them as a person with thoughts and feelings, we’re not being very Christlike, either. When we disagree, we must make an effort to be kind and edify the other person, not patronize them. No disagreement should ever have to be void of the Spirit.

3. Share more goodness and less cynicism.

When I was in high school, I had a major problem with sarcasm and cynicism. It was around that time that I realized that the world isn’t all peaches and cream, and my social media reflected a critical view of just about anything. I’d snark off about boys, school, teenage drama…the works. Being cynical and sarcastic made me feel smart, like I was proving something. Looking back at some of the things I said, I’ve realized that the only thing I proved was that I was mean and unhappy.

The world is a hard place to live in, and it is very easy to be cynical. It is easy to view the world with pessimism and share that pessimism on social media — how many times have you read or posted a vague “my life sucks” status, hmm? It’s equally easy and even fun to be sarcastic. Even now, I’ll indulge in a sarcastic tweet every once in awhile because I enjoy it. But the one thing sarcasm and cynicism rarely do is uplift.
“As a representative of Jesus Christ, people will look to you for the truth and for happiness. They need that, and they need Him.”
When you are online, focus on sharing goodness. Try to fix the world’s problems a little bit at a time with what you share, but don’t get so caught up in those problems that they deflate your optimism. Joke around a bit, but don’t cruelly joke about other people. Be genuine and kind, not bitter and mean. As a representative of Jesus Christ, people will look to you for the truth and for happiness. They need that, and they need Him, and if all you’re posting is depressing T-Swift lyrics or snide comments, how are they going to find Him?

4. See people in context.

“Wow. That would have sounded bad out of context.”

You’ve probably heard this phrase before, right? But have you ever thought about what it means? Context, when it comes to communication, helps us understand both the direction our message is going and where it came from. Without context, it’s very easy for us to misunderstand each other or misinterpret what someone has said. Unfortunately, on the Internet, reading things out of context happens every day, and we aren’t always very forgiving and merciful about it.

Too often, we define a whole person based on one thing they post, tweet, or share online. It may have been something stupid they typed out in a rage, or just a thought they expressed poorly. Without knowing all of the facts, it’s easy for us to judge that person out of context and make false assumptions about them. One might read a single blog post, for example, and decide that the blogger is a horrible sinner. It’s easy to forget that they’re a real person with real feelings and a history that extends beyond that one thing you read. They aren’t just a profile picture with a status or a post.

The popular phrase goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but in an era of widespread online miscommunication and mistreatment, we’d also do well to give validity to the phrase, “Don’t judge a person by one post.” If we can’t take the time to get to know somebody beyond one thing they put on social media, then we have no business assuming we know who they are or what they intended.

“What would Jesus do if he was online?”

The Internet is one of the greatest tools we’ve been given to change the world, share the Gospel, and uplift each other. Let us not use it to bully or attack, shame or insult, or consistently voice our complaints. Instead, let’s use it to help and understand each other. We cannot always heal the man with leprosy sitting on a narrow Jerusalem street, but we can certainly heal someone’s heart, make their day better with what we post online, or respond with kind words instead of cruel ones. What would Jesus do? We ask ourselves. Another great question we should consider is: What would Jesus do if he was online?

April 7, 2015
Before You Oppose The Opposers

I was running late on my way down to Layton, UT for a mission reunion. We were watching the Saturday Afternoon session of General Conference together, and I was about 15 minutes away when the broadcast started. I flipped on my car radio and tuned in as they began reading the names of the General Authorities for a sustaining vote. As the names of the first presidency were read and the vote requested, I silently raised my hand as a personal message to myself that I sustain Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors. I sat there reflecting about the oddity of the situation. There I was, wandering through the suburban maze of Layton, UT, hopelessly lost; and yet, I felt an obligation to show my personal support for our leaders, knowing full well that only me and the bearded man mowing his lawn and giving me funny looks would see it. As President Uchtdorf moved on, I focused again on finding my destination. Moments later I was surprised to hear shouts of “Opposed! Opposed!” drifting out my car radio. I literally stopped my car and sat there listening, the lawn-mowing man now staring me down with contempt. “What was that I just heard?” I thought. “I’ve never heard someone do that. What does this mean? How do they handle this?” As any of you who watched or listened to the broadcast are well aware, President Uchtdorf took it in stride, inviting those opposed to speak with their stake presidents about the reasons for their opposition.

While I had never heard of this happening before, I can say I wasn’t overly shocked, considering recent events such as the excommunications of both John Dehlin and Kate Kelly, as well as other controversial social issues with which the church has been involved. Later, while researching the events of the day, I discovered that the whole thing was a stunt that had been planned in advance, and that President Uchtdorf was more than likely expecting this to happen. Still, as I sat there pondering, the faint sound of sprinklers echoing in my thoughts, I questioned, “Can they do that?” The answer is a resounding, “Of course they can.” Here’s why:

The “Law of Common Consent” is found in the Doctrine & Covenants in several places, such as section 26 verse two and 28 verse 13. In short, the “Law of Common Consent” states that everything in the Church is to be agreed upon by the body of the Church as a whole. So, in other words, these members were well within their rights to oppose the sustaining of church officers. For one thing, church leaders literally ask for it. Asking for an opposing vote is not a ploy to weed out the unbelievers, it’s a serious request, and such opposition isn’t new–it has happened in past conferences. Samantha Shelley wrote an excellent article outlining some of the history of dissenting votes in the Church. We recommend you check it out here: http://www.whatsoeverisgood.com/the-right-to-oppose/

So what does this mean? Is President Monson getting thrown out? Is Dieter F. Uchtdorf going back to his day job flying planes? Of course not. So how are we, as a membership, meant to react to this?

Watching social media has been interesting in the wake of this, in historic and contextual terms, really insignificant event. I’ve seen members condemning the actions of these people, calling them anything from disgruntled ex-mormons to attention-seekers. Thankfully, the conversation has evolved into most people simply declaring that they sustain Thomas S. Monson as prophet, an action that is perfectly appropriate, though perhaps somewhat unnecessarygiven that we literally all just had the chance to do that in conference.

Personally, I’m somewhat surprised at the initial reaction to the opposed votes. It perhaps highlights one of the issues these people were trying to make a statement about. Many people in the Church feel that they can’t voice their concerns about Church doctrine or the actions of Church leaders for fear that they will face social or official consequences. Let me just say, I think this thinking is flawed. There is plenty of room in the Church for questions and even doubts. Numerous General Authorities have recently spoken on this very topic–Sister Wixom, for example, discussed doubts and questions in this morning’s conference session–and they have encouraged members to be active and involved in their congregations, no matter the level of their testimony. Despite this, there is a prevalent culture in the Church that often assumes that someone with questions is ready to leave the Church, or perhaps working against it. This culture is damaging and unproductive to the inclusive mission of the Church. In our digital age, it’s easy for anyone to find all the “evidence” they need, whether true or not, to decide to leave the Church, and if we reject those struggling with unresolved questions, then we are in no way fulfilling the Savior’s injunction in the Doctrine & Covenants to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

Despite the fact that this was obviously a calculated attempt to draw the attention of the press to particular issues, the way that the membership of the Church reacts says a lot about who we are and what we stand for. I sincerely hope that as a church we can welcome those who have opposing opinions with the same hand of fellowship and forgiveness that we would extend to anyone else.

For what it’s worth, I absolutely sustain Thomas S. Monson, his counselors, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators, and look forward to their messages for us and the rest of the world in today’s sessions of conference.

April 5, 2015
5 General Conference Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Photo Courtesy, LDS Media Library

A returned missionary once told me about an experience he had with general conference. His mission president had recently returned from the mission field and held a mission reunion right before general conference. His words to the missionaries were inspiring and helpful, but my RM friend said that one piece of advice stuck out to him. His president had said: “Do not leave the room or change the channel, don’t fall asleep or distract yourself, don’t cease to pay attention in any way. Exactly what you need to hear will most likely be the most difficult thing to listen to. The adversary will greatly tempt you to leave, stop listening, turn off the message, or change the channel. But don’t you do it.”

This returned missionary confidently stated that he did not expect this to be a challenge for him, but this was just the Friday before general conference. He continues in his own words;

“Saturday night, an amazing young woman abruptly and unexpectedly ended a relationship with me that I had very high hopes for. I went to sleep that night very frustrated, confused, and bitter. I felt I had been doing everything exactly as I was supposed to in God’s eyes, and was confused why I needed to go through this frustration during one of the most difficult academic semesters of my life. Sunday morning, President Eyring began his message by directing it towards those earnestly seeking happy and spiritually founded eternal families. I was watching conference completely alone in my apartment, the breakup from the night before leaving my conference plans cancelled.

“I got up and left the room, not wanting to hear the relationship advice that came merely ten hours too late. Then I laughed at myself, remembered my Mission Presidents advice to not change the channel, and went back and finished listening. President Eyring focused on the two great commandments, to love God with all thy heart, might, mind and strength and to love thy neighbor as thyself. As I listened, I realized how inwardly focused my frustrations were and I received the comfort I needed.”

This young man’s story really struck a chord with me. Am I missing out on important revelation when I allow myself to get distracted? I thought. This led me to wonder what I could be doing to hinder spiritual experiences during conference.

Here are just a few ways I have been tempted to justify my casualness during general conference and how you can avoid falling into the same traps.

Pitfall #1:

“I want to sit down and focus on conference, but I can only think about all the things I need to get done.”

Life can make us crazy sometimes. There is often a lot demanded of us, but it is important to make our spiritual well-being a priority. Conference time can be a very sacred time for you and bless you in every facet of your life. It is important that you prepare beforehand to make your experience unforgettable. Get major projects done before conference or set aside a time to accomplish those projects after conference is over. Clean your home. A clean and organized space does wonders in inviting the spirit. Try to create an environment where the spirit can teach you and your family. You won’t have a sink full of dishes nag you while you are trying to listen. Don’t plan on working on projects or chores during the sessions. Instead, plan on being spiritually fed.

Pitfall #2:

“I have to work during general conference.”

Work is sometimes a necessary thing and can’t be avoided. But isn’t it great to know that general conference comes the same time every year! Try to arrange your work schedule to allow you to participate those two days. Use one of your sick days if you must, I promise it will be worth it. If work is absolutely unavoidable, talk to your boss and co-workers and see if they wouldn’t mind listening to conference during work. It may seem awkward to ask if you could listen while at work, but you will be setting a powerful example and you will be blessed for your diligence.

Pitfall #3:

“I always fall asleep during conference talks.”

In many places, we are blessed with the opportunity to watch conference from the comfort of our own homes. Many members take advantage of this by sleeping in and dressing as comfortably as possible. While comfort is important, when wearing pajamas, sleep is sure to follow. Try this instead: you and your family can dress in church attire to watch conference at home. Think about it. You’d be showing the Lord that you’re ready for spiritual nourishment, you’d put on an attitude of learning, and your brain would be less inclined to think it’s bed time. For those of you who fall asleep on the pew or the couch, take it from this narcoleptic: mints and chewing gum are your best friends. If you are truly determined to stay awake, prepare beforehand and get a good night’s sleep. Don’t sleep through your spiritual rescue! There is so much revelation that God wants you to have, so make the effort and the Lord will bless you with alertness.

Pitfall #4

“I know I should look for questions to ask before conference, but I can never think of good questions.”

Answers to questions don’t have to be the only thing you look for when watching conference. You could choose an interesting gospel study topic you’ve had on your mind and see what the prophets have to say about it. If you are struggling to find the right questions to ask, pray and ask Heavenly Father what you should be asking. Ask Him what you should be looking for as you watch conference, and He will let you know.

Pitfall #5

“I can always read the talks later.”

It is one of the Church’s highest priorities to make conference talks as accessible as possible as fast as possible. With the amazing advances in technology, we have access to almost every general conference ever given in a variety of different formats. With the talks being this accessible, it is easy for members to justify not watching conference and going out to do other things. But there is so much power that comes when you show the Lord you are going to make conference time a holy time. The talks are available for us afterward to re-read and to receive additional guidance, but there is nothing that can compare with the revelation you will receive when you are prepared and actively listening to our leaders and prophets today.

Don’t let the adversary trap you in these pitfalls. You have the resources and the motivation to escape these excuses and make your General Conference experience different and more edifying than ever. Remember, exactly what you need to hear will most likely be the most difficult thing to listen to. So listen carefully, and the Lord will shower you with His blessings.

April 3, 2015
LDS Church Lowers Sunbeam Age

The first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, along with the general primary presidency, announced today that the age for children to be admitted into sunbeams will be changed from age three to age two. This announcement comes at the heels of the 2012 decision to lower the mission age. The general primary presidency stated that they have been very impressed by the spiritual maturity of many two-year-olds in the church and feel like the time has come that they begin their primary education even earlier.

They said, “We think this will be a wonderful opportunity to help hasten the work. Those little angels are prepared for this change, and we know that the teachers will step up as well. We aren’t suggesting that all of these children should enter primary at this earlier age, but that the option is available. The children should still make it a matter of prayer.” In our experience, we’ve seen that children who are exposed to an earlier school experience helps them later in life to know what they truly want to become. And even when they don’t know exactly what they want to study or where, they have a tool online that will help them. If they want to become a certified x-ray technician, for example, all they have to do is Get More Information at that link, there he will find information about the different universities that are available.

The new policy has already been quietly tested in stakes around the world. One primary teacher in a test stake in Springfield, Illinois stated, “We found that the two-year-olds were just as noisy and obnoxious as the rest of the primary children. I think it makes a lot of sense for the church to do this.”

Parents are thrilled about the announcement, but not as excited as their children. Emma, a recently turned two-year-old from Taylorsville, Utah had this to say when she heard the announcement: “I go to Primary now!” She, along with her parents, have already contacted their local primary president to arrange her transition from nursery to Sunbeams.

As part of this change, the church has released a set of pamphlets outlining the rules and responsibilities primary children are expected to follow. Parents are encouraged to have their children start studying these pamphlets as early as six months old to help ensure a smooth transition into primary.

It’s rumored that the primary curriculum has also been changed. Starting in CTR 7, children will now be required to memorize “The Family: A Proclamation” and “The Living Christ” alongside the “Articles of Faith” before graduating primary. Elder Andersen told reporters, “It’s time for the younger and even younger generation to participate in the work of salvation. This new curriculum will surely help them do just that.”

There has been speculation as to whether or not the church is going to make a decision on lowering the age for stake dance admittance from 14 to 13. When asked about it, Elder Holland simply laughed and said, “One miracle at a time.”

Happy April First!

April 1, 2015
Why I’ve Stopped Leaving the Room When MoTab Starts Singing

It’s conference Saturday. Three speakers have just concluded their remarks, and the camera is now zooming in on the organist, who has begun to play the introduction for the next Mormon Tabernacle Choir number. The director raises his baton, there’s a brief lull in the music, and then, after the director smiles and looks up at the choir…siblings and parents alike run for the bathroom or the kitchen or the backyard to madly work on or finish other things they had going on before the session started, leaving MoTab to play for an audience of none in the living room.

Does this scene sound familiar? As a child, I became pretty used to it. Often, once the choir started singing, my siblings and I would treat ourselves to an intermission and run to every other corner of the house. Even though all of us are young adults now, it still sometimes happens.

The truth is that we’ve all probably done it. We’ve, without realizing it, treated the choir performances like breaks in the real program, as if they’re just extra, fluffy things that aren’t as important as talks or our to do lists. One need only watch conference live and see all of the people streaming out during the hymns to know that. Sometimes, we have to use the restroom or take care of health needs, and choir numbers provide an opportunity to do so, but other times, we simply don’t want to give the same amount of attention to the music as we do the speakers.

It hit me a long time ago that the Lord doesn’t like it when we do that.

In D&C 25, it reads that the Lord’s “soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto [Him], and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads” (D&C 25:12). Do we recognize the significance of this, I wonder? Not only does our Heavenly Father delight in our hymns and songs, but He blesses those who sing them as He would those who pray to Him.

You might read that and think, “So what? MoTab’s singing the songs, not us. This doesn’t involve us.” Well, think of the opening prayer at a sacrament meeting. You might not be the one saying it, but by bowing your head and listening, you are actively participating in it. The same, I’d imagine, goes for our hymns. When we listen to them and enjoy them, we, too, are blessed, because by the Lord. Imagine how He feels when we walk out on those hymns or don’t care about them at all.

For me, paying attention to the choir during conference was never super important until I discovered a story a few years ago that completely changed my perspective. In that story, I learned that if it wasn’t for another person who listened to a choir, I might not be watching conference at all.

One night in the late 1840s, my great-great-great grandfather and his son were walking down a road in Wales after a long work day. They must have been tired and hungry, excited to get home to their family and beds. On their way there, they passed a small church house where Mormon missionaries were holding a meeting. The missionaries had just begun to sing a hymn called “The Resurrection Day,” one that hadn’t been heard in Wales before that point, my grandfather claims. He stopped his son so that they could listen to it for a moment.

Neither of them could leave.

As they listened, the song completely enraptured them, filling them with inspiration and joy. When it was over and they continued walking home, they couldn’t get it out of their minds. They hadn’t heard a word those missionaries spoke, but because of that hymn, both of them knew that those missionaries were servants of the Lord and were teaching about the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Both my great-great-great grandfather and his son were baptized following this experience.

I’ve listened to that hymn before, and, interestingly, it didn’t stir me like it did my ancestors. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the spirit, nor was I filled with more joy than normal. But I have had other songs stir me and move me to tears before. I’ve had my testimony strengthened by the hymns, and as I read this family story, I’m taught and retaught a valuable lesson: the spirit can touch us in different and incredible ways, even and maybe especially through song. Music, just like the words of prophets, can convert each one of us, whether we are not members of the church or we’re long timers. We only need to listen to them. I’m so grateful my grandfathers stopped to listen to a hymn when they were probably exhausted. As cliche’ as it might sound, I don’t know where I would be today if they hadn’t.

Make music, just like my ancestors did, a part of your conversion story. Don’t just listen to the talks when conference rolls around, but stay for the music. Pay attention to the testimonies that the choir members bear with their facial expressions, because you will see them when you search for them. And when you listen with the intent to feel the spirit, you will receive inspiration and strength.

Don’t equate “MoTab” with “break time.” You might be surprised at how much inspiration you can receive just by sitting on your couch during one musical number.

April 1, 2015
10 Ways Millennials Can Defend the Family

There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than #SharingGoodness on social media. Last August Elder Bednar invited us all to utilize social media as a way to combat the negative on the Internet, and we heeded his call (check out the talk here). Now that you’ve got sharing Mormon Messages and conference memes on Facebook down, I’d like to turn your attention to something you may have forgotten to share about: your family.

During the general women’s conference last Saturday, we were counseled to defend the family like never before, because the family is of God. Here are ten ways you can do just that.

1. Talk about your family and post about them on social media.

At church, we often testify about the wonderful blessing of eternal families. But when was the last time you told your co-worker or classmate what your family meant to you? When was the last time you sent a shout-out to your mom on Facebook? Often we are just too casual about this! If your family is the most important thing in your life, make others around you believe it. By making the family part of your daily speech and interactions, you will be defending the family.

2. Decide now to work toward an eternal family.

This simple decision, if made now, could change your daily habits and give you a newfound sense of purpose and direction in your life. I’ll admit, there are times when working toward a family is not on the top of my priority list, but when I make it a priority, I am defending the family.

3. Make time now for your family.

Family, isn’t it about time? Yes. Yes it is. As a busy young adult, your time may be the most precious thing you can offer your family. Don’t forget to participate in the most amazing organization the Lord has given you. The April Ensign has a fantastic article about spending time with family through family home evening (you can read that article here). It suggests that if the family is separated geographically, you could hold a “family online evening” where the family can get together over skype or phone. Making your family your highest priority will help you become a defender of the family.

4. Make weekly Family Home Evening a priority.

Family Home Evening was instituted solely for the strengthening of the family. Most of you are in a very transitional time in your lives. No matter what your situation is–single, married, living at home, living away from home, student, working, military, whatever it may be–weekly Family Home Evening can still be a huge blessing in your life. Make time every week to study the gospel, pray, and give thanks together with your family (or ward family). Exactly 100 years ago, President Joseph F. Smith instituted the Family Home Evening initiative and his words then ring even more true today: “If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result…Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.” Making Family Home Evening a priority will help you defend the family.

5. Defend families of all shapes and sizes.

Sometimes the world sees my parents as crazy for having such a large family, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My big family is the greatest blessing I have, and I salute my parents every day for their faith in inviting every last one of us into their home. Let’s defend large families! On the flip side, there have been moments in the church where people have looked down on small families of one, two or no children. A family’s a family, no matter how small. Families can be as diverse as God’s children, but that does not diminish their importance in the great plan of our Heavenly Father. Don’t judge the family, defend it!

6. Make your home an awesome place to be.

You have a huge impact on the spirit of your home. Keeping your space clean and organized, putting up uplifting artwork and images, and playing only quality music can mean the difference between a haven or prison. No matter where you live, you can make that place feel like a home by following the council of our church leaders and the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Bonnie L. Oscarson posed this question, “What if we all strived to be makers of righteous homes?” You may be thinking, “Me? a homemaker?” Yes, you! You will be the one to make or break your home. As the timeless hymn says, “home can be a heaven on earth” (Hymn 298). So get going on making your own heaven on earth and you will be defending the family.

7. Make family history a priority.

Are you doing it? Family history work can serve as an amazing way to get your family together in a common cause and to get to know your family members on the other side. Your ancestors sacrificed so much to get you where you are. Don’t you want to find out how? Participating in family history work will turn your heart to your fathers and you will feel more connected to those that have gone on before as well as your family here on earth. Defend your family, past and present.

8. Fight pornography with all your heart, might, mind and strength.

Pornography is one of the most debilitating and horrifying plagues in this world. It is also one of the adversary’s most effective traps to separate a person from the love and forgiveness of the Savior. Pornography is the family’s greatest enemy and should be avoided and fought at all costs. A non-profit known as Fight the New Drug strives to inform about the harmful effects of porn and they have a page on their site completely dedicated to the harmful effects of porn on the family. Check it out. When we fight porn, we defend the family.

9. Be a better member of the human family.

We are all God’s children and we are all members of His eternal family. It’s important that we recognize our fellow travelers here on earth as our literal brothers and sisters. Do your part to remind others of that brotherhood by reaching out and showing forth love and compassion to those around you. Carole M. Stevens admonished us to “unite in empathy and compassion!” There are so many of God’s children that are suffering, and as we strive to sympathize with them and offer a loving hand, we will be much less bothered with our own challenges.

10. Promote eternal marriage.

Often as youth, we have a bad habit of harshing on couples with fast relationships and short engagements. These seemingly hasty decisions make us uneasy, especially those who haven’t taken that step yet. But I feel like we sometimes miss the point: a new family is being formed! The most basic and essential of human organizations begins with marriage, and that is a truly glorious thing. While it is important for everyone to carefully choose an eternal companion, once you’ve found him or her, it’s time to celebrate! Eternal marriage is our ticket to a lifetime of thrilling companionship and to the Celestial Kingdom. So the next time you see an engagement post on Facebook, like it without hesitation and thank heaven for one more family in the world. When we promote marriage, we promote the family.

March 30, 2015