Adoption

In 2004, a woman prayed that her newborn twins would find a loving home. On the other side of the world, an Arizona couple felt called to adopt.

“I felt a missing part of me kind of fill in a little,” said Elder Micah Beckstead of reuniting with his biological sister.

When most people think of Mother’s Day, they think of cards and flowers and declarations of gratitude. But, for a large population of women, Mother’s Day can be a day of discouragement.

Of all the places 12-year-old Karin slept when the sun slipped beneath the horizon at night, the Oakland California Temple grounds were her favorite.

After struggling with health issues, Alo and Ashley Moli were led to adopt 6 foster siblings. Watch their story of hope and how they became a family. Adoption photos: Sadie Vaenuku @sjphotoandfilm Still haven’t subscribed to LDS Living on YouTube? ► https://www.youtube.com/user/LDSLivin... CONNECT WITH LDS LIVING Web: www.ldsiving.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LDSLiving/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ldsliving/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LDSLivingMag Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ldsliving/ ABOUT LDS Living gives expression to what it means to live as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By sharing practical information and seeking out the best things in Latter-Day Saint culture, we hope to empower our readers to make the most of the joys and challenges of life and enjoy their unique heritage to its fullest. We provide articles that inspire and uplift our readers with endless ideas, featuring articles online and in print on issues real-life Latter-day Saints are dealing with, recipes, self-help, parenting and relationship advice, behind-the-scenes looks, and in-depth coverage of a wide variety of topics important to Latter-day Saints.

In this week's episode of This Is the Gospel, Holly and her husband explain that they never imagined they would adopt multiple children during their lifetime. But after seeing the devastation of the Romanian Revolution, Holly and her husband felt the Spirit directing them to adopt children who were hard to place or neglected. And after feeling confirmation from the Spirit to adopt three girls from Africa in 2006, Holly felt that their family was about to grow yet again—until a devastating turn of events caused Holly to question her faith and trust in the Spirit.

More than anything, Justin and Kristi Osmond wanted to start a family. After marrying a little later in life, the couple tried everything they could to have a child of their own, spending thousands of dollars on expensive and painful treatments. But despite the procedures, medications, and doctor appointments, Kristi miscarried five times.

Marie-Françoise Euvrard was born in Paris, France, and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1960. She is the mother of two wonderful boys whom she and her husband adopted from Nepal. Professionally, she is a piano teacher and translates hymns and songs for the Church. She and her husband, Christian, serve as directors of the visitors’ center adjacent to the temple in Rome, Italy.

I was seventeen years old when my parents took us to meet Anthony.

Dorothy doesn't remember the crash.

For Tarrin Philpott, years of diagnosed “unexplained infertility” led her and her husband, Tyrell, to adoption. And it was a shift in strategy and heart.

All Brittany wanted was someone to fight for her and her five siblings.

Last Christmas, Ed Kehl's wife bought him a DNA kit, but he didn't even bother with it.

After Alo Moli shared the story of how he and his wife, Ashley, overcame the heartbreak of infertility by adopting six foster siblings, four of whom have special needs, theirtouching story and testimonies went viral.

As an 11-year-old living in Vietnam, Don Skanchy made the decision to run away. He had no idea that that single decision would lead him a half a world away and back or if he would ever see his family again.

Thanks to KSL for making us aware of this story.

“I said, ‘You get your forever family, honey,’ and then you see her jump into my arms,” Jackie Alexander, a school office manager, said.

Editor's note: Though we realize not everyone's experience with or opinions of adoption are the same as those described by this LDS blogger, we feel that there are some points in this article about how adoption can be related to the gospel that are worth sharing.

It might seem crazy that within 30 seconds of meeting someone, you can know that these people were meant to raise your baby, but that’s how it was for me. I just knew. On Christmas day I called them and asked if they would take this baby in and raise her as their own.

LDS 23-year-old Elijah Thomas from Orem, Utah, recently met his biological father for the first time, and caught the candid experience all on film. Shortly after his birth, Thomas was given up for a closed adoption, meaning he could not contact his biological parents until 18 years old.

Twenty-Five years ago Gusty and Teri Graham had to make one of the hardest choices of their lives when they placed their son Devin up for adoption. But recently, with the help of the TLC show Long Lost Family, they were able to reunite with Devin again, turning their initial pain and struggle to overwhelming joy and gratitude.

The Hymas family is about to more than triple in size thanks to the opportunity this couple has to become parents through adoption.

When Shermeka saw her niece's face on the news, she couldn't believe it. This little girl, who suffered from severe medical challenges, was suddenly living with strangers unable to tell them about her family.

In bringing home our son, Elie (A’lee) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) five years ago, my previously only-Caucasian family added layers of complexity and richness to our lives. The benefits and challenges continue to emerge.

With many of their children working as service missionaries, there's no doubt the Jamesons are doing what they can to keep a strong family and help others come unto Christ.

LDS pianist Garth Smith announces the release of his music video Families Can Be Together Forever, featuring a new arrangement of the beloved song and dedicated to those who choose adoption.

Life for Andy and Tania Young had been relatively simple; Tania took care of their two children, Andy worked as a high school teacher, and the family was active in the Gospel. They were residing in Saratoga Springs, Utah and desired to grow their family, but those hopes seemed futile as they struggled with fertility issues. They strived to understand and follow the Lord’s plan for them and listen to the promptings of the Spirit, but their willingness to be obedient was put to the test when Tania received a prompting that would fundamentally change their lives forever.

The Church recently announced changes to its adoption policies and a partnership with Adoption.com.

In October, the Church released a transparent video explaining the sacred nature of temple garments by comparing them to religious clothing worn by people of other religions. The video generated a lot of public interest, drawing the attention of major news outlets such as the Washington Post and USA Today and becoming explosive on social media where it generated a lot of positive feedback.

The Steele Family: Mark and Colette and their children Anton (24), Sterling (21), Peter (20), Jadriene (19), Kristina (18), Sabrina (17), Brigham (13), Macormick (10), and Mischa (8). Their fifth daughter, Elena (20) was on her mission at the time of this photo. For the Steele family of 12, missionary work is their motto. With four kids currently serving missions and returned missionaries themselves, Colette and Mike Steele not only understand but live the principle of sacrificing and devoting their all to the Lord. “We are a big missionary family. And we love to do member missionary work, not just full time missions,” Colette said.

Photo courtesy of Terra Cooper Terra Cooper thought she’d be different.