The Best of Mormon Humor from the Internet

We Mormons love our humor, so we rounded up some of our favorite LDS giggles from the Internet to share with you.

From Sistas in Zion.

From My Religious Blog.

Listen to This: Primary Music Helps for 2013 + Free Download

President Harold B. Lee once taught that "The most effective preaching of the gospel is when it is accompanied by beautiful, appropriate music." This can be even more true in Primary, where kids have short attention spans, and there are tons of resources available to you—including a complimentary song download.

Primary can be a difficult but also very rewarding calling. Sometimes short attention spans and boundless energy can make it seem almost impossible to focus the lesson on the gospel and keep the class in control--and that's when you're really greatful for "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "If You're Happy and You Know It," and the snowman and popcorn songs.

Sometimes, though, music can also produce a calming spirit that can touch the children in a way your words just can't seem to get through to them, and those moments can be beautiful. The Children's Songbook can be a great tool for this, but there are also other resources available to you that can be a great help.

Dave Says: When Should We Buy a House?

When is it the right time to buy a house? Dave says a two- to three-year window may not even be enough.

Dear Dave,

My husband and I are on Baby Step 2 of your plan. We move every two or three years due to our jobs, so would it ever make sense in our situation to buy a house?

Janelle

Dear Janelle,

In most cases like this it doesn’t make sense to buy a house, especially if the real estate market in your area is lethargic. Some markets have bounced back and are doing very well, while some are worse than slow. It all depends on where you’re moving.

Here’s the big question: Can you get the place sold quickly the next time you have to move? Another thing to consider is whether or not you can sell it for more than it cost when the time comes. If not, you’ll be writing a check for home ownership, and that’s not a good plan.

As a general rule, a two- to three-year window is not enough time to own a home. There are rare exceptions to this rule, places where you have a hot, escalating price market. But if you’re not careful you’ll end up leaving behind a rental property and playing landlord, whether you want to or not!

—Dave

Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover andEntreLeadership. 

LDS Living Presents the Top 100 Greatest LDS Songs of All Time

Contemporary Latter-day Saint composers have had a profound impact on Mormon culture with their beautiful melodies and inspiring messages. We at LDS Living wanted to pay tribute to these talented people and preserve an important part of our Mormon heritage by searching out the 100 greatest LDS songs of all time. After an extensive survey, you made your voices heard, and we are proud to present the results.

Read the stories behind the top three songs online, or buy the January/February issue of LDS Living to learn the stories behind all the top 10 songs, from the high school student who wrote one of them late one night for a seminary devotional the next day to the struggling artist whose song launched a prolific career.

Want to listen rather than read (or both!)? Buy the album, which includes 15 of our favorite songs from the top 100. You can also download the entire album or individual songs.

1. “A Child’s Prayer,” Janice Kapp Perry (iTunes)(Amazon)

{A&E} Photo Gallery: The Art of James C. Christensen

For more than 30 years, world-renowned LDS artist James C. Christensen has been translating the world around him into masterful and inventive art. In his new book, Passage by Faith—the first ever for a Latter-day Saint audience—he explores the spiritual elements of his work and unveils the visual metaphors, symbols, and "meaning behind the meanings" of some of his most popular fantasy pieces, as well as his deeply meaningful scriptural images. Here are some of our favorites.

Read more about James Christensen and his art here.

Hold to the Rod, the Iron Rod
This "poofy guy," as Christensen calls him, represents human foibles and failings. His many layers of fancy clothing make him almost spherical, restricting movement and progression. In this painting, he is so burdened with "stuff" that he cannot reach up to hold to the rod above his head for fear of losing any of the material possessions he has accumulated throughout his life.