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~by Michelle

Truths about God’s love and His plan and His Son Jesus Christ are truths that even children can comprehend. Today, a children’s song came to mind that carries with it this kind of beautiful simplicity — and also points to so many layers of awe-inspiring truths.

This song talks about how we all lived with God before this life. We were given the opportunity to choose whether or not we wanted to come to earth and receive bodies and learn by experience through this mortal journey. We knew Jesus before this life, because He was central to God’s plan to allow us the opportunity to come back Home.

In this life, we have an opportunity to choose God’s plan and to choose to have faith in Jesus — again.

The song reminds me of William Wordsworth’s poem, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood.” (I’d never seen the whole poem before; I recommend reading it in its entirety.)

Wordsworth was an English poet who was born in the later 18th century. His poem articulates this sense that our existence didn’t start here, but that

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,

                      Hath had elsewhere its setting,

                         And cometh from afar:

                      Not in entire forgetfulness,

                      And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

                      From God, who is our home:

Wordsworth also acknowledges that as we grow older, experiences of life can leave us forgetting, growing blinded to our divine identity evidences of Light all around us.

But we don’t have to walk blind, in the dark. We can, as the scriptures say, be as little children.

As these children sing, we can “Choose Him Again.”

[Song written by Shawna Edwards and performed by One Voice Children’s Choir]

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I sometimes run across content online that wants to assert, without question, that The Book of Mormon is racist. Given all the focus on rooting out prejudice in our modern culture, it makes sense that some words or ideas in The Book of Mormon could hit sunburned spots in people’s minds and hearts. Not only is racism in the headlines, but we’ve been encouraged by latter-day prophets to be alert to and root out prejudice of any kind.

I recently rediscovered this article, written by a black convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “How we misinterpret “black” and “curse” in the scriptures – Insights from an African American convert” https://www.ldsliving.com/how-we-misinterpret-black-and-curse-in-the-scriptures-insights-from-an-african-american-convert/s/88562

In the article, Marvin Perkins shares about the reality that racism exists in our culture (and unfortunately sometimes in the Church). He encountered some of this prejudice when he was learning about the Church back in the late 1980s (and we know it’s not gone). But his experiences with God and the Book of Mormon (and learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ) anchored him and helped him move forward with his decision to join the Church.

Since then, he’s done a lot of study about questions related to if racism exists in The Book of Mormon. In this article, he shares some of his insights. I also appreciated hearing his point of view about the different colors of skin we have and what that means to him.

There’s an old saying that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I think we need to be careful about judging a book only by potential trigger points, especially a book that is considered scripture. If we are reading the Book of Mormon only with the lens of modern language or hot-button topics, there may be things we are missing. Words like “skin” and “curse” and “mark” and “white” and “dark” don’t necessarily mean what we think they might mean at first glance with our current cultural sensitivities. In my experience, considering synonyms to these words in sacred writ can also yield great insights. The more I engage the scriptures with questions and curiosity, the more I realize that there is so much they have to teach me that I’m not seeing. So much depends on the mindset and lens and questions I’m bringing to prayerful engagement with the text.

Of course, no writer of ancient scripture was perfect, and again, as latter-day prophets have taught, we need to be alert to prejudice of any kind. And yet prejudice, blind spots, biases — whatever words we may choose — can also reach backwards in time. Just as we are working collectively to leave behind racial bias that may have been passed down to us through false traditions of our forebears, we can seek to stay alert to our own 21st-century biases as well. We can learn to engage ancient texts on their own terms. With the Book of Mormon, we can also engage its promise, that we can know from God personally about the truthfulness of its message and purpose.

Our ancient scriptural teachers had a mission, and that was to point us toward the One who can help us all see more clearly. God invites us to learn about Him through imperfect vessels and vehicles, and there is beauty in that. (So many of the writers acknowledged their imperfect outright, in fact, from Moses to Moroni.) If we engage the scriptures with open hearts and minds, seeking God’s Spirit to help us, we can see beyond any of the writers’ imperfections (and sometimes see more because of them) to learn about the most inclusive message in the world: That God loves all of His children and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us all.

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~Michelle

Over the years, I have sometimes read The Book of Mormon with a theme or question in mind. A few months ago, I decided I wanted to learn more about what the Book of Mormon has to say about brain science. This is related to my educational and professional background and work. It’s also relevant to my own personal spiritual journey. I believe our brains and bodies and spirits are so connected, and I have wanted to understand more about how I can engage my brain for a stronger spiritual life.

There are so many facets to brain science and mental health. It has been fun, fascinating, and exciting to discover how much The Book of Mormon can expand my thinking on these things. I used a fresh copy of The Book of Mormon to do this study, and my pages are filled with purple pencil markings and notes. I dare say there is more purple than while on my pages!

While I went in knowing that narratives play a part in our mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual wellness, I wasn’t expecting to see the patterns that have emerged around this topic of narratives. One thing is clear: Our self-narratives can make all the difference between peace and agony, and between trust in God or turning away from him — even between societal peace or war, and definitely in family relationships, even across generations. One of the most stunning patterns that has shown up consistently is that violence (verbal and physical, to self and others) is connected to false beliefs in a sobering way.

Perhaps it was my personal study that made me all the more interested to read a recent post at ChurchofJesusChrist.org about a woman’s experience with coming awake to her narratives. (“Do You Need to Rewrite Your Life’s Story?”) The author, named Angela Ahn, suffered heartbreakingly difficult traumatic events at a young age. I felt great sympathy for her pain as I read. (We are supposed to mourn with those that mourn.) But she also had a friend who helped her consider that maybe the stories she had built around her mourning were causing her unnecessary pain. That was a brave friend who spoke up and invited her to consider her ways.

Angela bravely took her friend’s advice. And in this post, she shares her wisdom in being able to use a variety of tools to help her find a new lens on her life is inspiring to read. By reframing her story, she found healing in her relationship with God, and more ability to experience joy and peace in her life.

I love the definition of repentance in the Latter-day Saint Bible Dictionary that takes from the Greek word which “denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world.” This is not about peppy positive psychology, but about soul-searching to consider and hold space for the possibility that where we have suffered pain and sorrow (or even wrongs at the hands of another), with God, we can be enabled to see things with a lens that makes more space for our Heavenly Parents and Their love, for Jesus and His loving sacrifice and for the big picture of God’s plan and promises that all that we experience will be turned for good, because He is good. (See Romans 8:28; Doctrine and Covenants 122:7)

God is always at work for our good, but the lens we have on life can impact whether or not we can see and trust in that. It’s like the old adage, “Which wolf will you feed?”

I think many times we need God’s help to clear out our life lenses, just like Jesus helped the blind man see by inviting him to wash the earth-mud from his eyes. Simply being mortal means we have mud in our eyes, and traumas and trials can increase our blindness if we aren’t careful. We are veiled from seeing all that God is doing and all He is. But with faith, He can help us find His light and love in our lives, even in the hard times.

Again, the author of the post I read includes a variety of tools — from writing to therapy to daily exercise to daily scripture study, and more — that can be of benefit when we could use help rewriting our stories to include a more eternal perspective. I invite you to read her story and consider the list of tools she shares.

All of this also reminds me of a talk given by Camille Johnson, who is the worldwide president of the Primary organization in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Frankly, few of us would probably write into our stories the trials that refine us. But don’t we love the glorious culmination of a story we read when the protagonist overcomes the struggle? Trials are the elements of the plot that make our favorite stories compelling, timeless, faith promoting, and worthy of telling. The beautiful struggles written into our stories are what draw us closer to the Savior and refine us, making us more like Him.

For David to overcome Goliath, the boy had to take on the giant. The comfortable narrative for David would have been a return to tending sheep. But instead he reflected upon his experience saving lambs from a lion and a bear. And building on those heroic feats, he mustered the faith and courage to let God write his story, declaring, “The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”3 With a desire to let God prevail, with an ear to the Holy Ghost and a willingness to let the Savior be the author and finisher of his story, the boy David defeated Goliath and saved his people.

-Camille N. Johnson, Invite Christ to Author Your Story

What’s your story? What are stories you tell yourself when things feel hard? Are there ways you can invite Christ to help author your story? Are there friends and professionals who could help? Do you have a practice of daily spiritual study, writing, and physical self care?

The story is never over, so we can always keep improving how we write our story, and with whom (Whom). I’m grateful for Angela’s story that helped me recommit to working on how I write my own.

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~by Patricia Katopol

In many belief systems, only certain people are allowed to interact with God. For example, only some may say special prayers or conduct certain rituals. Many religions believe that the Bible contains all that God is going to say – that the heavens are closed. However, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that the heavens are still open. The Lord still communicates with us. His words are not frozen in time and His words are for everyone. 

What is Revelation?

We hear the Lord speak to us through revelation, which is the “communication from God to His children on earth. Revelation may come through the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost by way of inspiration, visions, dreams, or visits by angels. Revelation provides guidance that can lead the faithful to eternal salvation in the celestial kingdom.”¹   All members of the Church [and all children of God!] are entitled to receive revelation. 

How Revelation Guides the Church of Jesus Christ

Revelation guides leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ in terms of administration and policy. For example, the Sunday meeting schedule was reduced from three hours to two to support the new focus on home-centered gospel study, and members were encouraged to use the full name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it was the name revealed to Joseph Smith.² Guided by revelation, rather than denounce social media, the leadership instructs members on how to use it for outreach (such as this site) and instruction, such as Scripture reading. The Prophets have also received revelation about ‘provident living,’ including storing food (where legally allowed) for an uncertain future and avoiding debt. 

Revelations are “the foundation of the Church in these last days, and a benefit to the world, showing that the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of our Savior are again entrusted to man; and the riches of eternity [are] within the compass of those who are willing to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” ³

We need revelation to understand God and His heavenly kingdom. The revelation received by the prophets helps Church members [and other willing listeners] to understand these things. In the early days of the Church, Brigham Young said that even Scripture does not convey to us the word of God as do prophets in our time because they speak to us through revelation. This is the truest example of the heavens not being closed – the Church is blessed with prophets who receive communication from the Lord in our time, for our needs both physical and spiritual. ⁴  

What Does Revelation Look Like?

You may know the story of Saul, who, while on the road to Damascus, saw a flash of light from heaven and heard the voice of Jesus. This spectacular event led him to accept Jesus and become a new person, Paul. In the Book of Mormon, Alma the Younger, a wicked man, was struck dumb by an angel who urged repentance. Elder Bednar has said that Saul and Alma were so spiritually bereft, that they needed lights and voices to get their attention before coming to the Lord. 

Most people are not so lacking in spirituality that they will need these experiences before the Lord gets their attention, but that doesn’t mean they cannot have revelation. We are cautioned not to doubt our testimony or connection with God simply because we have not seen burning bushes or heard voices. “The great volume of revelation … comes to today’s prophet in the less spectacular way—that of deep impressions, without spectacle or glamour or dramatic events. Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication”⁵    

What to Expect from Revelation

Revelation may enlighten us, helping us to understand spiritual matters. It may come as instant recall of lessons we once learned and now realize they are applicable to our present situation. Revelation may come from the counsel of Church leaders, for example, the revelation to store food. “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken … whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same”⁶ And, though we should not expect it, revelation may even come as visions or dreams.

Principles of Revelation

Ronald D. Anderson, a professor at Brigham Young University – Idaho, provided guidance on principles that govern revelation, some of which are: 

“The Lord decides where, how, and when Revelation is to come“ – The Lord will answer in His time and in His way. Relax and do not become anxious about when and how you receive an answer.

“Revelation is Stewardship Bound“ – Revelation is received only for those over whom you have authority. For example, the President Nelson may receive revelation for the Church, the Bishop may receive it for the ward, and priesthood holders may receive revelation for their family. But perhaps the best thing about revelation is that you can receive it for yourself. All members of the Church may receive revelation and no member of the Church is more entitled than you are to receive it. 

Search the Scriptures – Often the Scriptures will tell us what we should do. But we must read them with diligence, keeping our questions in mind, and searching for God’s answers therein, and not just hope that they will magically appear to us. 

Escape the Noise and the Tumult – Leave the social media and the electronics alone for a while. Invite the spirt by taking time alone, perhaps listening to conference talks or uplifting music. Said Joseph Smith, “when angels have come, or God has revealed Himself, it has been to individuals in private, in their chamber; in the wilderness or fields, and that generally without noise or tumult.”⁷  

Though we are urged to seek revelation, we should not ask the Lord about everything we do in life. What we should do is to ask for the Holy Spirit to be with us always so that we can feel the promptings of the Spirit in our daily lives without asking the Lord about every decision. 

The Intellect and the Spirit in Revelation

Some may think that revelation is unnecessary and that we can learn all we need to know ny using our intellect. I struggled with this myself when investigating the Church. I live in a college town and attend a ward full of academics, physicians, and scientists. A faculty member myself, as much as I enjoyed church, I thought that getting baptized meant I would have to leave my intellect behind and blindly follow the dictates of the Church. In my lessons, I constantly sought rational explanations for the spiritual. I know I was a trial for my poor missionaries (they told me). 

It seems silly now, but I was blind to what was around me every week – intellectually curious people from a variety of fields, who were happy, thoughtful, members of the Church. President Nelson himself holds both a PhD and an MD and is a renowned pioneer in heart surgery. We are certainly encouraged to use our minds.

But here is the difference. The intellect can help us discover many truths; however, “The things of God cannot be learned solely by study and reason. The religious view… includes reason as well as revelation, and it embraces the truths determined by both. In contrast, the rational view excludes what is spiritually revealed.” ⁸  

That is, we can study Scripture, we can use our intellect to ponder the word of God, but it is through faith and the Spirit that we receive revelation. We cannot expect to become spiritual beings purely through reason.  

The Blessings of Revelation

As an investigator, I once sat with others and watched a video about Wilford Woodruff, who, like Joseph Smith searched for the true church. In it, a missionary said to the assembled crowd, “Perhaps while reading the scriptures, you have wondered where are the prophets? The Apostles? The angels? The visions? The revelation and the voice of God today. Some will tell you that these manifestations are unnecessary in our day and age of the world, but I am thankful and rejoice that the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and that there is a prophet again on the earth with revelation and the voice of God heard once more by men today.”⁹ 

For the first time, the concept that the heavens are not closed came home to me. I knew immediately that God still spoke to us; that He could speak to me. I knew that the revelatory experiences had by people in the past were not left in the past but could be had today. Even the actor was so moved, his voice trembled as he spoke. I was dumbstruck and had to stop myself from crying in public. I believe that day I was moved by the Spirit for the first time. 

Having personal revelation from Heavenly Father is a great blessing. Not only does revelation give us answers to challenges in life, but it also provides peace of mind. “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things – that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”¹⁰   

References:

1. https://www.mormonwiki.com/Revelation
2. Weaver, S. (2018). “Mormon” Is Out: Church Releases Statement on How to Refer to the Organization. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/mormon-is-out-church-releases-statement-on-how-to-refer-to-the-organization?lang=eng
3. Revelation and the Living Prophet – https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-16?lang=eng 
4. Ibid. 
5. LDS Living (September 28, 2021). Why Elder Bednar Says You Can Learn to Stop Worrying Whether or Not You’re Receiving Revelation.  https://www.ldsliving.com/the-precious-whisperings-of-the-spirit/s/10054?fbclid=IwAR1J3jUTp1Ho7MZt1K9gSQyevwAEnAHyYfNtuC0J09v4z0qJ4CQcg_bIkhk  Citing Conference Report, Munich Germany Area Conference, 1973.
6. Doctrine & Covenants 1:38  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/1.38?lang=eng#p38
7. Anderson, R. (2003). Principles that Govern Revelation. https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2003_11_25_Anderson.htm    
8. Vinson, Terence (2018). The Essential Role of Revelation. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2019/08/the-essential-role-of-revelation?lang=eng
9. The Search for the Truth: Wilford Woodruff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZcDr3JUSOs&t=7s 
10. Doctrine & Covenants 42:61 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/42?lang=eng  

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See that spike right there? That’s what happens to our traffic on this website around Halloween. People really wonder if members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrate Halloween. I hope that those who wonder got a little more insight into that answer (short answer — the if, how, and how much varies for everyone, but on the whole, the answer is yes).

I hope we will have fewer people wondering about whether or not we celebrate Christmas (although some still may wonder, given the pagan connections to some of the Christmas traditions).

At the very heart of our faith is Jesus Christ, so when the birth of the Son of God is celebrated around the world, you can believe that we celebrate with the world! To us, He is the the Life and Light of the World. Once again, when it comes to how individuals and families might celebrate the Christmas season, that will vary.

But this post is about one way we as a worldwide church community celebrate the season. It’s called #LightTheWorld.

The intention is to turn the Christmas season into a month-long focus on service. This year, the #LightTheWorld effort has been expanded to say “Light the World with Love.”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist

There’s a calendar of service ideas if you and/or you and your family would like to join in along the way. Or you can create your own service calendar. There’s also a child-friendly service calendar for those who have little ones.

And although the pandemic is still here with us, this year, the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines are back.*

If you haven’t heard of the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines, you can read more here. What started as an experiment a few years ago has expanded into a continually-collaborative effort in multiple cities across the United States, with nonprofits that serve people around the world. 100% of donations go to help the charity you choose, and the charities with which the Church collaborates all care about helping people one by one, just as Jesus did.

All credit card fees are covered by the Church of Jesus Christ to also serve the nonprofits to which you are donating.

“Imagine swiping your credit card at a vending machine—but instead of buying a candy bar for yourself, you’re buying a sheep for a family in a third-world country. Or a polio vaccine. Or a pair of shoes. Or 100 meals for your local food bank. With the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines, that’s exactly what happens. The Giving Machines provide a way for people to follow the example of Jesus to help those in need and make the Christmas season a little more meaningful for themselves and for countless others.“

You can also give online by donating to one of the charity partners working with the Church to do more good, together. Or, of course, feel free to donate to your favorite charity, with time or goods or funds or a social media share or whatever feels right for you.

“The organizations featured in the Giving Machines represent a wide variety of global and local causes—all with pressing needs and the goal of helping people one by one. If you’re wondering what you should donate, consider spending a bit of time learning about the charities before visiting the machines or donating online. You might find a cause or item that resonates with you. As you give that gift, remember that your donation is truly helping someone in need.“

#LightTheWorld starts on November 30 by encouraging people to participate in #GivingTuesday. There are so many ways to share more light and goodness and love. Although we can’t measure it here, we hope that this Christmas season, there will be a spike in service and good will as we each try to find ways to #LightTheWorld.

*As COVID is, unfortunately, still causing issues around the world, and there are those around you whose bodies may be more at-risk, please be cautious and considerate of others if you choose to use the machines and as you are out and about this Christmas season.

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Before I get into answering this question, there’s a holiday coming tomorrow, Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), that the Church has created some official content around Día de los Muertos this year, and FamilySearch has shared content over the years (see, for example, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/day-of-the-dead-traditions, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/day-of-the-dead-fun-activities-to-honor-our-ancestors, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/celebrating-dia-de-los-muertos).

Why is there more official attention around Día de los Muertos? Because members of The Church of Jesus Christ believe strongly in connecting with the stories and lives of those who have gone before. We believe life continues beyond the grave, and that because of Jesus Christ, family relationships can continue after death. Incidentally, some research shows that family history can help with mental and emotional health, including self-esteem and resilience. But that is all a topic for another day.

But Halloween also can reflect our belief that wholesome fun is important to have in our lives, and Halloween can be a vehicle for such fun for families, congregations, and communities.

My babies are all grown and gone now, but we enjoyed Halloween during their growing-up years.

Halloween got even more fun as my children started to take responsibility for their own costumes. This was the year my children decided to be skunks. I don’t remember why I didn’t join in the theme. Perhaps we used up our supply of black fabric that was lying around? I chose to be a newspaper.

One of my favorite Halloween memories before I became an empty-nester is helping my daughter turn our car into Minnie Mouse for a trunk-or-treat with her friends. That daughter is now serving as a missionary for our church.

Over the years, I’ve dressed up as things such as as the aforementioned newspaper, a baker (my husband was Cookie Monster, wearing an aluminum foil tray of cookies), and a banana tree (that one embarrassed my family for some reason, but I had to do something with the yellow monkey toy my sister had left behind when she’d lived with us all those years before; it made such a fun ooo-ooo-ooo monkey noise…and I had plastic bananas from my banana neighbor… might…a story for another day).

If you were to ask individual members of our church, they might give you different answers, but on the whole, members of the Church enjoy this holiday and some make many days of it. I’ve seen friends doing dinner in a pumpkin, spending all week working on costumes for school parades, and posting pictures of local congregational events that occurred during the week.

With COVID, the “trunk-or-treat” seems even more common this year. I was delighted with the fun that people in my ward (local congregation) had with our trunk-or-treat. Some went all-out with how they decided to decorate their trunks, hatchbacks, or the space around their cars…or themselves. And others kept it simple, just showing up to support the younger generations. The idea was to have fun, together, and to offer a non-Sunday opportunity for the children and youth in our ward to get some Halloween fun courtesy of the adults. (More on the question about what happens when Halloween falls on a Sunday below.)

Many wards have Halloween parties around this time of (sometimes called by different names). Costumes are common, and so are treats, and fun activities for children. Below are some pictures from years past when COVID wasn’t a thing. What I’m observing is more are option for outside activities, since we have been asked by our worldwide church leaders to wear masks when we gather indoors.

This article at LDS Living addresses some of the wide range of ways members of the Church might individually choose to celebrate Halloween or not). They address how some are uncomfortable with the gore that can sometimes be associated with the holiday, and we are definitely against Satan worship. But there is much about this holiday that has just become about creativity, fun, and play.

I like LDS Living’s simple conclusion:

“Just as with many other holidays and traditions, the Church does not dictate how Latter-day Saints should celebrate Halloween. Instead, our Church leaders leave it up to each of us to seek inspiration, ponder, and decide how we should celebrate this holiday with our families. Each family is unique and the traditions that bring each family together will be equally unique, meaning not every Latter-day Saint will agree on what Halloween means and how it should be celebrated. So give each family room to decide what is best for them, respect their individuality, withhold judgment, and celebrate the fact that there are many ways to have [wholesome] fun.”

What do Latter-day Saints do Halloween falls on a Sunday?

Because today is Sunday, the chance of finding members of the Church out and about trick-or-treating will be lower, since for us, Sundays are our Sabbath, our day of rest. (There won’t be any Church-sponsored congregational activities, that you can count on.) We are encouraged to make this a day to focus on changine from our usual routines to focus more on spiritual things, attending church to partake of the sacrament, and talking about the scriptures and other faith-promoting content, and celebrating the restored gospel of Jesus Christ together with our church families and at home.

Some members may choose to answer their doors today for their friends in their neighborhoods, as previous articles have explored. Or some may leave treats on their doorsteps. But please don’t be offended if some choose not to. Some of us are even still having to be careful because of health issues (that is the case for me…I was sad to not be able to answer my door last night). I actually love answering my door on Halloween, usually, and plan to continue the tradition in future years when we aren’t still battling full hospitals and such as we are where I live.

So, yes, the short answer is Latter-day Saints celebrate Halloween, but you will find a variety of approaches among our membership.

But if you want to find us today, please consider joining us at one of our worship services in locations around the world. (Please do wear a mask, not of the Halloween sort (if you can) when you come. We all look forward to when this won’t be an important piece of trying to reduce spread of COVID but for now this is part of how we collectively have been asked to help reduce the spread.)

Or we invite you take a minute to learn about what we believe in the comfort of your own home. But we do hope to see you sometime at one of our worship services. Or if you know a member of the Church, ask about service or social activities that might be happening in your area.

– – – – –

**You can read other posts we’ve had about Halloween by following this link. This site has been around for nearly a decade, so some of the photos are in posts when we used to be called Mormon Women: Who We Are (mormonwoman.org). Because many would never get to the understanding that “Mormons” believe in Jesus Christ — that He is central to our faith — our website name and content has shifted to highlight that more.

***This post has been edited from its original to include a little about Día de los Muertos (which is tomorrow, November 1), and to add a few other minor edits.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org

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This is how I saw someone describe the Semiannual Worldwide General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [forgive the U.S.-centric sports reference]: “It’s like the Super Bowl but all about God’s love.” [The fact that we sometimes gather in our homes with some favorite foods might have something to do with the reference.]

Another way to say it is that General Conference is a big deal for members of The Church of Jesus Christ. But, of course, the food that matters most is the nourishment we seek for our souls. And the millions of people gathering to watch around the world is about learning about how Christ has already won. He’s conquered everything that we may face in life. And He understands it all.

Back in ancient days, the church (of ancient-day saints) had leaders like Peter, James, John, Paul…those called by Jesus to preach of Him be witnesses of Him and to invite people to follow Him and to align their lives with His ways. To find His love and peace. In the latter-day church, we have apostles and prophets as well. They, along with other general-level leaders of our faith (men and women) speak over the course of two days about Jesus, about how His church came to be restored to the earth, and how we can seek to align our lives more fully to follow Jesus and to let Him help us and bring more peace and strength to our lives. (You can watch some highlight videos from previous conferences that feature parts of talks from apostles at the General Conference YouTube channel.)

When my children were young, we’d set up tents in our family room (that idea points to another ancient story, this one in the Book of Mormon, where families turned their tents toward the temple and the prophet). We’d gather some of our favorite snacks, print out papers that they could color or mark as different leaders spoke, and try to make it memorable. [This photo is from years ago, when our site was called MormonWoman.org].

My children are all adults now, but I love thinking about the fact that we’ll be all experiencing this conference wherever we are, so we are coming together along with our worldwide Church family, millions strong! One of the things that amazes me about General Conference is that millions of people watch the same talks, and millions of people also come to General Conference seeking personal inspiration as we engage in the talks. General Conference is not just about what we hear, but about what we experience in our desires to be guided by God in our individual lives.

As has been the case since the pandemic hit, General Conference this weekend will only be broadcast online. Pre-pandemic, the Conference Center in Salt Lake City would be packed with 22,000 people inside plus the international broadcast.

There are myriad ways to watch or listen to the five different sessions of the conference that will be held over the course of two days (October 2-3, 2021).

Sessions will be held at 10:00 a.m. MDT and 2:00 p.m. MDT on both Saturday and Sunday, and there is also an evening session on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. MDT.

Following are some of the options for watching or listening to the livestream. (Video archives of the conference are also available almost immediately at ChurchofJesusChrist.org and text is usually online a couple of days after the conference is completed).

• Watch the livestream at the broadcast page at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Livestreams at the Church’s page will be available in 70 different languages.
• The livestream will be available in over 30 different languages at the Church’s YouTube channel.
• You can watch or listen to the English livestream at the Church News app; Latter-day Saints Channel internet radio, Latter-day Saints Channel app on your iOS or Android device, or Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV; BYUtv.org, BYUradio, or the BYUtv app; the Deseret News app, KSL TV, KSL NewsRadio, ksl.com or the KSL app; or via Amazon Alexa devices which can be enabled to stream this content by saying, “Alexa, enable Gospel Voice [more detailed instructions can be found here).

We hope you will join us.

The post “Like the Super Bowl but all about God’s love” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Michelle

Last week, I heard church talks about the power of music, and it caused me to reflect more on the impact of music in my life.

I wanted to share two thoughts that came while I was listening.

One was a memory. I have suffered from migraines and dizziness for many years, and in the early years, my neurologist ordered MRIs to check to see if there was anything that could threaten my life.

I debated about whether or not to be sedated. I do deal with some clausterphobia, and a good friend of mine said that she opted for the medicine to help her through the procedure. The night before the MRI, though, I had a very clear impression that I would be able to endure the procedure without being sedated.

As I lay in the machine the next day, I had the thought to sing in my mind while the MRI was being conducted. I was in the loud tube for quite a while, and it was not easy. I could sometimes feel a sense of panic tapping at me and wanting to take over. But as I sang in my mind, my focus shifted to God, and it actually became a worshipful experience. As my heart and mind sang, at times I even wept for the help I was feeling through the experience.

The second thought was a reminder. A couple of months ago, I had the impression to go through the hymns to note all the ways these sacred pieces of music teach about God’s nature and attributes. Joseph Smith taught in order “for any rational and intelligent being to exercise faith in God unto life and salvation” one must have, among other things, “a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.” (Lectures on Faith, 1:2, 4).

The first hymn I remember learning on the piano is “How Gentle God’s Commands.” This is one of the shortest in the green hymnbook that we have used for decades in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (A new hymnbook — considering input from 50,000 people and 16,000 submissions from people in well over six dozen countries — will be released in a few years.) But this little hymn is packed with beautiful truth about God’s nature. I’ve italicized words that stand out to me, including invitations He offers to us to give Him our burdens, which teaches about His desire to lighten the loads we sometimes carry as we walk this journey of mortality.

1. How gentle God’s commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Come, cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

2. Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

3. Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne

And sweet refreshment find.

4. His goodness stands approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I’ll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

(Find various free arrangements of this hymn here.)

How has music helped you learn more about and feel God’s love?

The post Connecting to God through Music appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Michelle

I was recently thinking about the people who helped deepen my roots of belief, and S. Michael Wilcox is one of them. I took a Book of Mormon class from him my freshman year of college at Brigham Young University. I intend to write more about that in another post.

But for today, I wanted to share this podcast discussion with Dr./Brother Wilcox that a friend recently sent to me. Dr. Wilcox has studied and written about the questions Jesus asks in the New Testament. This question He asks of Mary is one He might ask us all at some point (or points) in our lives.

Brother Wilcox talks in his writings, and in this podcast, from experience in a vulnerable, tender way about losing his wife to an aggressive form of brain cancer ten years ago. He reflects on impressions he’s had when wrestling with the hard things in the world, the problem of evil. He shares scriptures that have helped him hold on when things have felt dark…including still at times, now ten years after his wife passed away.

For me, Brother Wilcox has a way of bringing the scriptures to life and giving me new lenses with which to engage them. He shows how endlessly full of truth and light and inspiration they are, especially when we go to them with questions of the heart.

[The question given to Mary at the tomb was], ‘Why weepest thou?’…Mary, to me represents all the pain of the world in that moment, all the pain seems to be in that one woman. And now even the body of the Savior is gone. ..And I love the three words, “She turned herself.” …we have our empty tombs, things we look into and there’s nothing there, but darkness, the empty tomb. She turned from it to the living Christ.

Brother Wilcox also can see God and life truths in the natural world. His thoughts the ibex goat, for example, feel like they could be relevant for many who may be passing through struggles with their faith, or even just how the struggles around us can sometimes make places to get our footing feel all the more rare or even apparently non-existent.

The video below will make Brother Wilcox’s insights from Habakkuk all the more poignant.

Sometimes I have to say to myself, “Lord,” Habakkuk’s prayer, “give me hinds feet. Just give me hinds feet. There’s not any answers. I don’t know the whys, maybe I don’t have anybody that’s watching and tarrying with me. I’m just desperate. I’m exceeding sorrowful unto death. And my path is only a half an inch wide, and I’m on a vertical cliff. Give me Habakkuk’s hinds feet for the high places.”

I love all those Hs, that alliteration. Habakkuk, hinds, high. “Just give me those feet.” So I’ll hold on because I know from experience the path widens again, things change. 

We’re all going to get our Mary-Jesus moment[s] when Jesus says [our name],” and we turn. And [the pain will] be over.

Sometimes those moments will come interspersed throughout life. Brother Wilcox has shared many such moments over the years, and he continues to share in his writing and speaking.

In my life, we look for what I call the attic moments and every single day there’ll be a dozen of them. So I don’t have in my life the big joy, the grand happiness, which for me is Laurie. For Latter-Day Saints, it’s love, it’s family, it’s relationships. I don’t think the celestial kingdom is a place. I think the celestial kingdom is people…. It’s relationships. It’s not an environment. It’s relationships. I don’t have that now. The big center of the painting [is missing for now], but there are all kinds of attic moments, little happinesses all around. And we look for those and they come all the time.”

There’s so much in this podcast that I would love to share, but instead, I’ll just send you to the original interview. You can also read some of his thoughts in this article.

Why Weepest Thou? – A conversation with S. Michael Wilcox: https://faithmatters.org/why-weepest-thou-a-conversation-with-s-michael-wilcox/ {NOTE: Linking to this episode does not imply endorsement of the website housing the podcast or other interviews on the site.}

[And here’s an ibex video…there are several available on YouTube]

*This post has been edited from the original

The post “Why Weepest Thou?” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.