Editor’s note: I recently had a chance to connect with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are trying to help those not of our faith understand more about Mormon life and beliefs and/or to share thoughts and testimony with other LDS members. Kelly Merrill is one such person. He’s recently started a site called MormonBasics.com. Following is a brief description of his site. Please feel free to submit a question or topic about which you would like to see Kelly write by leaving a comment below or contacting him directly on his site. 

A Look at Mormonbasics.com

Mormonbasics.com is designed with those who have gospel questions in mind and/or are interested in learning more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When learning a basic principle it is often easier if there are not a lot of references to get confused over. For this reason, many of the articles have few references, but have General Conference talks (Church-wide broadcasts) or Ensign talks (the official magazine for adults in the LDS Church) posted at the bottom of the article to back up what was discussed. Those articles that don’t have General Conference talks included have the scriptural references in the articles. Mormonbasics.com is designed to be a safe place for life-long members, returning members, and those still learning about the Mormons to come and learn about gospel principles, doctrine, Mormon culture, and even LDS vocabulary in a simple-to-follow format. It is our goal to help build strong testimonies of the gospel of Christ.

Some material already published includes:

• Relief Society/Priesthood lessons with commentary for 2013 – these are Sunday lessons for women/men

• A 4-part series on God and the Godhead, explaining what God is, and the role of each member in the Godhead

• Articles on Modesty, Agency, and Abuse, all tastefully done, of course

• And even one on Our Unrealistic Expectations as members of the Church.

Included is a dictionary of Mormon terms. The dictionary is a work in progress. Please leave comments and make suggestions for words to add to the dictionary.

Come give us a browse. Post your comments and suggest subjects you would like addressed or questions you would like answered. Mormonbasics.com is a private website, and not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The opinions expressed are those of the authors of MormonBasics.com.

Kelly Merrill, Author

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The revamped site brings tools and teachings to members of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints to help them in their lives and efforts to build personal and family spirituality. The site also has much to offer those who are interested in learning more about the Mormon faith. You can read more about basic Mormon beliefs, for example…and you might see an increase in Mormons around you using the site to share videos and other multimedia content via social networking sites.

Teachings of living prophets have a prominent place on the site, with a particular focus on most recent messages and on learning more about our leaders’ lives.

The site contains updated tools for personal online scripture study and study of other Church materials, which will allow users to take notes, highlight and underline key passages, keep a study journal, and electronically file materials for future use.

Search engines have been updated and content will be eventually presented in 11 languages.

And local congregation websites at the ward and stake level will have new capabilities for directories and calendars.

It’s exciting for us to see how the Church continues to try to harness the power and potential of the internet to help support Church members and encourage us to share this gospel that matters so much to us with others.

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If you are wondering what a temple dedication is like, this personal account about the Gila Valley Arizona Temple dedication is a moving summary of what temple dedications mean to Mormons, and what it’s like to attend a dedication.

You can also read this Mormon Women article for more information: What happens at a Mormon temple dedication?

Prior to the dedication, an open house was held, where the public was able to walk through the temple and learn more about what temples mean to Mormons. (For more information on this topic, see our index entry on Mormon temples.)

The following video was from a press tour of the temple in April and includes photos from the inside of the temple. It also includes a brief interview with Elder William R. Walker of the Church’s First Quorum of the Seventy.

The youth in the area also held a cultural celebration with dance and music.

For a series of photos of the event, see this LDS Church News article:

Youth celebration depicts cultural history of Eastern Arizona

More about the youth celebration:

Youths Celebrate Gila Valley Temple in Arizona

More photos of the temple can be found in the following video:

Read more about Mormon temples in the following Mormon Women articles:

Chapels and Temples: Glimpses inside each and how they differ

What does the inside of the Oquirrh Mountain temple look like?

What the temple means to Mormons?

What does the inside of a Mormon temple look like?

The connection between LDS temple worship and ancient (Old Testament) ordinances

What can you tell me about Mormon temples?

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When I was pregnant with my daughter I told everyone that I hoped I was having a boy. Looking into the future I didn’t think I could handle being the mother of a teenage daughter – all those hormones, boys, and friend issues – a minefield for a parent. I knew how I was as a teenager, and I did not want to deal with that!

Now that I’m in the middle of it, it is not the horror I feared. It’s probably because my daughter isn’t just ‘some teenager,’ she’s my daughter. The baby who somehow survived my first feeble attempts at buckling her into a carseat. The little girl who rode her first bike with slippers on because it was softer to pedal that way. The girl who moved across the country right before 6th grade and never got mad at her parents for it, despite the difficulty. And now she is the teenager who gets up at 5 am every school day to attend seminary (religious education).

Yes, teenagers do have hormones, we all do. She probably understands me best on my bad days because she’s had a few inexplicable bad moments herself. Boys really aren’t much of an issue just yet, for now she thinks most of them act like her 7-year-old brother. When that day does come I will be nervous, but I’ll also be happy for her, remembering the excitement of my first date. I can’t think of a person better equipped to help her deal with friend issues than someone who has had (and continues to have) friend issues herself.

My daughter and I were out in public once when an older person went out of their way to walk far around her. She looked at me quizzically.
“Some people are afraid of teenagers,” I said.

“Oh, yeah, we’re so scary.”

I should tell her I used to be scared too.

The post Teenagers aren’t Scary! appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Two Mormon Brothers-in-Law Carry Olympic Torch  — Read about what inspired these men to apply to be torchbearers.

Two Mormon Men Assist with “Extreme Makeovers” — Here’s another story of two brothers working to do some good.

Wondering what the inside of an LDS temple looks like? Live near Langley (Vancouver British Columbia)? — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints always holds an open house before the dedication of a new temple. The temple in Langley (the first in British Columbia) will be open for visitors in April. News stories are already talking about the opportunity, here and here. More information on our site about temples can be found here.

More About Haiti — This story isn’t just about Mormons, but about the outpouring of love that has been seen in Haiti as people from all over the world, from all walks of life, from myriad religious backgrounds or no religion at all, have come together to try to help. In the wake of a sobering tragedy, it has been inspiring to see that compassion shown by so many, for so many. Michael Otterson writes:

Despite many differences, everyone at the heart of these operations wants to do what is best for the people in Haiti. There is no other motivation than love and care for their Haitian brothers and sisters. This is pure religion in its simplest and most important form.

The post Links We Like: Mormons (and Mormon Temples) in the News appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

My daughter is seven years old and is learning to write paragraphs at school. Lately, I have found her practicing writing paragraphs at home and she presented two to my husband  that I thought were really sweet. I scanned in the originals, but will provide a translation for you below.

My DAD

I like my dad. I like my dad because he is very sweet. I like my dad because he will take me to work. I think that is nice. Wouldn’t you? You answer. When I was sad, he would always make me laugh. He would always tell me things that were so funny I would almost wet my pants. He will always make me as happy as can be. He may even do this for you. I’m sure he will. I like my dad!

My MOM

I like my mom. I like (my mom) because she wanted to bring me into this world. She was 25 when she had me. She thought I was beautiful even though I was small. I thought that was very nice to say. My mom was 23 when she was married. So two years later I was born. She has two brothers and one sister. I have two sisters. I was born in 2002. So here I am. I like my mom!

These notes made me very happy. Watching my children grow and learn is one of the greatest joys of my life.

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Do you have special notes or drawings you’d like to share that were made by your children? Please scan them in with a description to mormonwoman(at)gmail(dot)com. We’d really appreciate pictures similar to those found in The Friend magazine that depict Temples or Scriptural scenes that your children drew. Thanks!

The post Family Fridays: Notes From A Seven Year Old appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

~by Cheryl

Our family loves the outdoors. One of our favorite things to do is hike! My husband and I started hiking while we were dating, and we’ve continued to do so throughout the last 11 years.

Hiking is a wonderful family activity because it combines exercise, beauty, photography, discovery, conversation, and laughter. Our kids know that if mom or dad says, “Hey, you guys want to go for a hike?” then chances are, we will end up hiking –no matter the weather! We have hiked in the snow, the rain, and the sunshine. We’ve hiked to waterfalls, lakes, and secluded groves of trees. We’ve hiked with food, without food, and for the point of a picnic. Hiking for us, is just fun! Here are some pictures:

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What does your family like to do together? Do you have stories and pictures you can share? Email us at mormonwoman(at)gmail(dot)com with your thoughts and photos.

For other Family Friday posts, please click here.

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The past month has been tough for my family. My husband made an extremely costly error at work. My chronic illness left me immobile for several days. My children have had behavior and potty training issues. My husband’s employee fell ill and very nearly died. With the loss of those extra hands on the job site, my husband has been working from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily.

One night after returning home late from work, two of my small children awoke at the sound of my husband’s truck pulling into the driveway and followed him into our bed. He welcomed their sleepy embraces and snuggled them tightly. I could see the stress of the day fall off his shoulders as he heard tiny voices chime “I love you Daddy.” Our children quickly buried under the covers next to my husband, seeking the warm crooks of his arms to use as pillows. He relished the chance to spend a few seconds snuggling with them, taking care not to move abruptly so they could fall back asleep before he carried them back into their beds.

When he returned, my husband reached across the bed and touched my head, “I love you, Brenda. I miss you and the kids when I work this much.” I reached up and entwined his hand in mine and told him I loved him too. A familiar peace washed over me in that moment and I recognized the feeling as joy. That night I fell asleep smiling, my heart swelling to nearly bursting, with love for my family.

Shortly after this experience, I read a scripture that matched my emotion. The scripture that touched me is found in a book of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price and it is quoting Eve, mother of all. In this scripture, Eve is reflecting on the choice she and Adam made in Eden.

Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed (children), and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient Moses 5:11

After reading that scripture I thought back to that familiar peace I had felt only nights before and realized my heart was singing Eve’s song. Despite the physical and emotional pains brought on by mortality I was still able to experience joy, just like mother Eve.

In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Lehi explained Adam and Eve’s choice further:

And they would have had no children, wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy. 2 Nephi 2:22-25

I am thankful to Adam and Eve, for choosing life, and for giving me the opportunity to experience joy here on Earth and in the life to come.

The post First Person: Singing Eve’s Song appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

This poem was written for a sister who relived my pain and guilt when she forgave me of something that happened so long ago, she’d actually forgotten the incident. I on the other hand, clung to the guilt until I confessed to her and was absolved.

I wallowed, all too long,
In depths of sorrow,
For deeds of the past
Unforgotten.

A seed of grief,
Buried in a pit of guilt,
Sprouting anguish,
Nourishing itself.

Reaching up from
My grave of fear,
Heaven touched me,
You said, “I forgive.”

Like a forest bathed in new snow,
Washed in pristine white,
Baptized in the light of love,
I am forgiven.

The post Poetry: Forgiven appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Read thoughts from some of this year’s artists here. Find past years’ exhibits here. Enjoy an interview with one of the artists, Rose Datoc Dall, here.

And, speaking of art, enjoy some examples of faith-promoting pieces now on display in the art exhibit, “Types and Shadows: Intimations of Christ.”

We know most of you will not be able to visit these exhibits in person, so we like to bring what we can to your home.

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And, speaking of art in your home, if you are interested in some of the more well-known art pieces we use to teach our children at home and at church about the scriptures and basic gospel principles, you can view the Church’s Gospel Art book online. Pictures are available for personal use. The book includes art for several Old and New Testament stories, and also for Book of Mormon, LDS Church History, Gospel in Action, and Latter-day Prophets. Online, you can find scripture references for each picture.

Find information about the Gospel Art book in multiple languages.

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