I have a confession to make. I grew up loving advent activities; my mom was AMAZING about Christmas and other special occasion traditions.

But relentless health issues the past 14 years has made any kind of consistent anything difficult. So advent efforts have been hit and miss at best over the years.

I also have come to realize that for me, already-set expectations about how something should go can often be unhealthy for me. I’ve had to learn to roll with the punches in order to keep my health and my sanity.

So here’s the confession: When I heard about the 25 Ways in 25 Days challenge, my instinctual reaction was a combination of some mild overwhelm with even a hint of skepticism. I can’t even begin to paint a picture of how stressful and over-full our lives are right now. I have three teens who have been blessed with a variety of amazing opportunities in their lives (as have I); it’s a time of life for our family where it is good and right that we are all busy, as God is busy at work in our lives. But that means we’re all pretty saturated. And then I got sick this week and was in bed most of the weekend, so any kind of formal introduction to the #LIGHTtheWORLD initiative definitely didn’t happen in our home.

But my kids have Seminary. They have friends. They know what is up. And I’m hearing some chatter to indicate that some things may be brewing in their minds.

As I have been watching some of the chatter on social media, my heart has been touched and opened to more of what I think the heart of this initiative is — to help us realize how simple and personal being Christlike really can be. I am enjoying watching how people interpret some of the invitations with their own twists. I love the encouragement to look at both the literal and the figurative ways we can do what the Savior did. And I’ve been delighted to feel some unexpected ideas flowing in my own mind about ways I could do something small, or something I’d already been planning to do and haven’t done yet (like donate clothes). Sometimes I just need a reason to push that thing a little higher on my list.

Most of all, I think this initiative has the potential to not only impact people in the little ways, one-on-one, but also to impact us collectively as we share and see the patterns in what people are doing…or what others are doing for us.

I have seen some reticence to share, because who wants to go around boasting about service? On the outset, that can seem counter-productive, since service is about the one being served. And maybe there are things that are best kept silent, secret.

But I’m grateful all the same for those who are sharing, because we are seeing the creativity, inspiration, and variety of simple ways we can do little things to be more like the Savior. There’s a deliberateness to the daily focus that invites that kind of creativity and inspiration-seeking. Being mindful is a good thing.

And there’s something special about a collective surge of idea-sharing, because it can foster even more creativity.

I think it was Elder Bednar who said something along the lines that this challenge wasn’t meant to be burdensome, or just one more to-do that none of us needs at this time of year. So I’m happy to share that what I’m feeling is my heart taking a breath, desiring to savor the season a little more in a different way as I witness the spreading of the spirit of light and service and love.

So thanks to the creators of this initiative. I can see already that I may not hit all the days but I’m looking forward to see what unfolds in my mind and in others’ lives, and I hope to keep sharing a few highlights along the way.

The post Some thoughts about #LIGHTtheWORLD appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

To Christians, the birth of the Savior is one of the most important events of all human history. To think about it at that grand of a scale might sometimes make it easy to miss how very personal the Savior’s mission, purpose, and love are as well.

I like how this Christmas video brings it to that personal level. He was born for you. For me.

It’s only in the last few years that I’ve started to understand more of what it means to have a Savior. I have always known the doctrine that we know in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — that He was born the literal Son of God, that He came to save the world, that resurrection is or will be given to all who have lived or will ever lived on the earth, that He died for our sins.

But to start to taste what it means that He was born and lived and died for me…. That He is aware of and can help me not just to someday be saved but to face my fears, insecurities, and trials today….

This is what I am pondering as the Christmas season starts. What does it mean to me that #ASaviorIsBorn? How can that change and impact my life, today? How can I let Him and His love and healing power into my life more today? How can I seek His grace to be a better disciple of the Savior?

#ASaviorIsBorn — for you. What does that mean to you?

The post #ASaviorIsBorn appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Lindsey Stirling was one of the performers at the recent Pioneer Day concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Hear more from Lindsey Stirling about her life, her struggles with an eating disorder (anorexia), and how she sought healing and help to (re) learn of God’s love and her identity as a child of God. Her faith helped her face and overcome her trial and flourish as an artist.

(And if you are a cereal lover, you’ll love Lindsey’s story all the more!)

The post Lindsey Stirling – Mormon.org profile appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

From Book of Mormon Musical to Mormon Convert is an article at the Deseret News about a young woman who attended the Book of Mormon musical and — to her own surprise and the surprise of her family and friends — ended up joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On her Mormon.org profile, Liza writes:

This Gospel has brought me more joy than anything I have ever experienced in my entire life. Although I am currently the only member in my family, I know in my heart that I made the right decision to be baptized. I know that God knows me and that is why he sent me to the musical in the first place. I can not express enough how much I love this church and all the blessings and happiness that come with being a member. Now that I have the church in my life, I couldn’t imagine my life with out it. That (amongst many reasons) is why I am a Mormon.

Liza lives in Boston and recently wrote on her blog about her thoughts and experiences with the recent Boston Marathon bombings. She writes:

People have been asking me, how can you be religious after all that has happened? What God would do this?

My response: How could I NOT be religious after all that has happened? It is through my faith I have been able to keep going. Nobody ever promised that this life would be easy, trials and tribulations fall upon all of us. However, if we keep the faith, one day our trials will cease and we will have peace. I know this is true. Heavenly Father loves me, and he loves you unconditionally. Never be afraid to talk with Him. He wants to hear from you, I know he does. We are Boston Strong.

In her post, Liza includes a powerful quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s recent general conference talk, one that she shared at a vigil she attended after the bombings.

“There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.”

The post From Book of Mormon Musical to Curiosity to Conversion appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

You can now access Mormon.org in 20 different languages, including the following:

Armenian, Cebuano, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian,Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog,Thai, Ukranian.

Here’s a Mormon.org profile from a Russian convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (click on the CC button on the video to get English captions):

The post Mormon.org in 20 languages appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Well, we’re a day late, but here are some more Mormon conversion stories in response to a reader who was asking about former Catholics who became Mormon, and why they chose such a path. (See one former Catholic’s story in our previous post.)

But first, here’s a snippet from a 2010 Mormon conversion stories post that we think is worth quoting again, quoting President Gordon B. Hinckley:

We recognize the good in all people. We recognize the good in all churches, in their efforts to improve mankind and to teach principles that lead to good, stable, productive living. To people everywhere we simply say, ‘You bring with you all the good that you have, and let us add to it. That is the principle on which we work.’

We as Mormons believe there has been a restoration of truth that can add to the good that people already have in their lives, and help them both face the challenges that life brings and also deepen its joys . Reading Mormon conversion stories can help you get a feel for why people choose Mormonism.

Jason, a Mormon convert, writes:

When I went to college, I was exposed to the Mormon Church and met with the missionaries. After learning a little about the basic beliefs, I honestly felt a little intimidated. I had grown up Catholic and knew that what I had learned as a kid was good. I didn’t want to replace that feeling with something that was new and unfamiliar.

Jason continues, explaining that a couple of years later, he started attending Mormon church services. He came to understand that showing interest in Mormonism did not mean that he had to abandon the faith he had grown up with, but rather that Mormonism built upon what he had felt and believed and cherished about his Catholic upbringing.

I had originally thought that I would have to give up the faith and beliefs I had come to know as a Catholic. As it turns out, it was just the opposite. What I have learned in the Mormon Church adds to and gives more meaning to truths I learned as a boy such as knowing that I have a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jason was baptized in 2004. You can read more of his conversion story here.

Kathleen’s Mormon conversion story is shorter, but the sentiments are similar:

I’m a Mormon. I grew up a Catholic. My parents always took me to church and helped me to know and rely on Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that my parents taught me what they knew. One day 2 missionaries knocked on my door. It was mid-winter and they were freezing. I let them in and gave them a drink of water. They started telling me about their love for Jesus Christ. We had that in common. I listened. I asked tons of questions. They had answers.

Paul also grew up in a large Catholic family. He feels his life was spared (many times — he’s had several near death experiences) so that he could find the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. His reason for conversion mirrors the experiences of many Mormon converts. A testimony of the Book of Mormon is also what Mormons who have been born in the faith share as one reason why their faith in the Church is strong.

I was born and brought up Catholic and never thought I would ever be anything but Catholic. However, after meeting with the missionaries and being asked to pray about the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I received an overwhelming and undeniable confirmation from the Holy Spirit that the Church and the Book of Mormon are true.

Editor’s note: When we say we believe the Church is true, it’s that we believe that God restored it through direct revelation to prophets, and that prophets continue on the earth today, with priesthood authority to perform saving ordinances such as baptism, by immersion.

Toni, a 74-year-old Mormon convert, was a Catholic nun for eight years. She grew up in an abusive home, and hoped that joining a convent would help her find happiness. She learned through much hard experience that happiness had to be found within. At age 36, she heard about the Mormon faith, but was skeptical. But through studying, fasting, and praying, she gained her own testimony of the truthfulness of the Church. She shares some of the doctrinal teachings that are meaningful to her:

As a member of the Church, I feel an abiding joy in knowing where I came from, what my pupose is on this earth, and where I am going after this earth life. I love the fact that Mormons believe salvation is offered to every single person who ever lived on the earth, not just a chosen few who happen to be “born at the right time in the right place”.

Lynnette grew up Catholic, was then a Lutheran, but continued to feel that questions she had were still not answered. Over time, she gained her own conviction of the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hers is a story that shows that sometimes the journey to conversion can take time and come with challenges and opposition. (The answers don’t always come quickly or easily!)

A different Jason writes about how his questions were answered through Mormonism:

I was seeking for truth, for answers to my questions that were deemed mysteries in my early years of a Catholic upbringing, particulary about life after death, and the Second Coming of the Lord. After a few visits with the missionaries and as they taught the message of the Restoration, I found the answers to those questions and so many more.

These are just a few of the examples of conversion stories from people who were Catholic but found truths in Mormonism that resonated with them. Many more conversion stories can be found at Mormon.org

We also have several links to other Mormon conversion stories on the Mormon Conversion Stories post that was previously mentioned. (For a direct link to conversion stories of former Catholics, you can go here.)

The post From Catholic to Mormon: More LDS Conversion Stories appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

The widget features Mormon.org videos, and includes tabs that can take readers to FAQs about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A chat feature is also built into the widget!

Spread the word!

The post Attention Mormon bloggers: New Mormon.org widget appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

There’s currently lot of media activity around The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and racism after a controversial article hit the press this week. We wanted to first share some snippets from official Church statements about Mormonism and racism:

The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. The Book of Mormon states, “black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33). This is the Church’s official teaching.

People of all races have always been welcomed and baptized into the Church since its beginning. In fact, by the end of his life in 1844 Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opposed slavery. During this time some black males were ordained to the priesthood. At some point the Church stopped ordaining male members of African descent, although there were a few exceptions. It is not known precisely why, how or when this restriction began in the Church, but it has ended. [It ended in 1978.]

…

The Church’s position is clear—we believe all people are God’s children and are equal in His eyes and in the Church. We do not tolerate racism in any form….

Some have attempted to explain the reason for this restriction but these attempts should be viewed as speculation and opinion, not doctrine. The Church is not bound by speculation or opinions given with limited understanding.

(See here and here at the Church’s Newsroom site for the full text of these statements.)

We understand that some may have questions about Mormon history and this priesthood ban. But as the statement says, we don’t fully understand it. So, rather than try to participate in speculations about the whys on the priesthood ban for blacks from Mormon history, we wanted to share links to personal thoughts, experiences, and testimonies of black members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hearing their stories may help answer the question that some people may have: Why would someone who is black choose to be Mormon? We’ll let our black brothers and sisters answer that (and other questions you may have about Mormon life and beliefs) for you.

And we hope that if you have questions about this issue, that you will take your questions to the Source of answers — God, our Heavenly Father. It is through prayer and receiving answers to prayer that these people have chosen to follow this faith. Going to God with questions and relying on Him for guidance is central to Mormonism, and something we encourage anyone to do in their life, regardless of what the questions may be.

Meet Mormons of Black or African-American descent at Mormon.org

More content about and from black Mormons will be featured in posts for the rest of this week. 

The post Black Mormons and their Faith appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Daisy, a Mormon woman, shares how she came to know for herself that the Mormon Church was the right one for her.

Sally talks about how she works to help the homeless and those who have challenges with substance abuse and mental illness.

The post Meet Mormon Women: Daisy and Sally appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

On the mormon.org Facebook page,  this was recently posted. Following are a few of the hundreds of responses:

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me endure to the end.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me to live happy, overcome my trials, have hope and feel loved and immensely grateful.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me get through each and every day.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me maintain recovery of an eating disorder. My faith in my Savior reminds me that through him I can do hard things. It reminds me that I am a daughter of God and that he loves me. He loves me so much that he gave me the atonement and that I can be purified through him. My faith in the Savior teaches me that although we all have our own battles he knows them and loves us anyway….

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me keep life’s trials in the proper perspective.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me to have hope and a more eternal perspective when things are hard and stressful.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me to not stop and give up. So Grateful for the many blessings He gives me every day and for the trials. He is my ROCK.! I want to be the strong and right woman as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me stay strong and do what I know is right. It helps me have hope in life, even when it’s difficult. It helps me know that I can repent and be forgiven of my sins if I sincerely repent. It helps me know I am loved.

My belief in Jesus Christ  helps me to help others

My belief in Jesus Christ helps me sleep.
Helps me try harder.
Helps me stay motivated.
Helps me be calm.
Helps me try to help others.
Helps me be inspired.
Helps me always have hope.

How does your belief in Jesus Christ help you?

The post “My belief in Jesus Christ helps me ___________” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.