Latter-day Saint Life

Being a ‘virtuous woman’ is less about chastity, modesty, or a completed to-do list and more about our covenant relationship with God.

One Latter-day Saint’s journey to fashion success started with the Relief Society and has taken him all the way to the runway. Here’s how.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on LDSLiving.com in January 2019.

Whether your teen is headed to the school scene, the MTC, or the world of the working, use this list of 10 important skills to make sure they're adequately prepared to fly solo. 

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.

“When we focus on our many amazing blessings, we become more and more aware of them, and thus more and more content and humble and grateful. And I might add, happier and more peaceful.”

The 'Twilight' fan community on TikTok has adopted Lee Benson, a seasoned Deseret News reporter and Latter-day Saint, as their dad.

With hundreds of pages of scriptures, manuals, and Church magazines, it seems impossible to use it all. But tools like the Gospel Library app are a wonderful way to study the scriptures, general conference talks, or the teachings of latter-day prophets anytime and anywhere. Check out these six things you didn’t realize the Gospel Library app could do to make studying the gospel just a little bit easier and more meaningful.

This story was originally published by LDS Living in November 2016.

Joseph Fielding Smith changed John Bytheway's life in five words when he said, "We read scriptures too fast." Check out these five "sermons in a sentence" from the scriptures that could change your life, too!

If there's one group of people the Savior had a problem with, it would probably be the Pharisees. Christ calls the Pharisees fools, serpents, and vipers, and at one point even says that they are "full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanliness" (Matthew 23:27). At every point in the Savior’s earthly ministry, there always seemed to be a Pharisee lurking about, trying to trip Him up or make Him look foolish. Is it any wonder that they frustrated Him so much?

Over the last couple centuries, a lot of questions have surrounded the Book of Mormon—queries about its origins, its authenticity, and its teachings have been perpetuated by skeptic and believer alike. The book's contents are no different. From the first writings of Nephi to the dying testimony of Moroni, the Book of Mormon contains questions from an astounding 61 individuals—including prophets, missionaries, investigators, and apostates. Alma the Younger asked a grand total of 103 questions, Nephi posed 41, and the Savior Himself included 35 questions during his short ministry among the Nephites.

The following article previously ran on LDS Living in September 2016.

The following article originally appeared on LDS Living in 2015.

The following article previously ran on LDS Living in February 2015.

Ever heard of the “Latter-day Saint headache”? I first heard this phrase from my mother when I was growing up. She would tell us funny little stories of going on dates with guys who would close their eyes and put their head in their hand before they ate their meal at a restaurant, as a way to say a quick silent blessing on the food. Situations like this bring up an interesting question:

After Jesus fed the 5,000 with the loaves and fishes, He instructed His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” So if you’re one of those people who scrupulously saves every last penny, nickel, and dime, you’re actually following Christ’s example. It’s true that as the dollar value shrinks, spare change increases in insignificance, but reading this list of 10 church products that a few coins can buy might just reinflate your motivation to penny-pinch.

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.

For many faiths, today is known as Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of the season of Lent—a 40-day period dedicated to fasting and repentance in preparation for Easter. Christians who celebrate Lent traditionally give up specific bad habits, fast, pray, and practice increased spiritual discipline.

In a bold disregard for male superiority, the Savior was not ashamed to describe Himself by using feminine images. He is the mother hen yearning to protect her own under her ample wings if they will come to Him in faith (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:37), and the woman who searched her house until she found the lost coin (Luke 15:8–10). He invited all who were thirsty to come to Him and drink from His koilia (John 7:37–38), an interesting but debated image. The term refers to a “hollow of the body” and is typically translated as “belly” or “womb.”

The following was originally published in LDS Living magazine in February 2015. This month marks the five-year anniversary of when Jensen Parrish lost her mother, father, and two brothers while serving her mission. We are republishing this article to commemorate their lives and to reflect on the powerful lesson's Jensen shared following her sudden loss.

This article recently appeared in the September/October 2018 issue of LDS Living magazine.

We all love our Book of Mormon heroes, which got us thinking, how would Buzzfeed (or any large website) report the major Book of Mormon stories if they were happening today? Below we've included a few pretty good guesses.

There are few moments so touching in the New Testament as that memorable day when the Savior of the world bid the children in the crowds to draw near to Him. Said Jesus, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16).

If I had to pick the most universal and painful human experience, I’d probably say heartbreak. It’s something all of us understand, as it comes in many forms and degrees throughout our lives. There’s the heartbreak of divorce or a hard breakup, the heartbreak of losing a loved one or watching a loved one make wrong choices, the heartbreak of seeing our families hurting, or the heartbreak of our lives going in a direction we never wanted them to.

For many retired people, serving a senior mission can sometimes seem a distant dream, but recent changes to missionary service put this goal well within the reach of many couples. And no matter what your age, if you want to serve a senior couples mission, you can start preparing for it now. Read on to find out how.

Between the garland and holly, the cinnamon and turkey, there's something about Christmas that makes it more magical and memorable than any other time of the year. With family and friends gathered around, we share recollections of the past and create new stories to recount for years to come.

Chances are you have heard someone utter the phrase: “the Church is the same everywhere.” I have traveled quite a bit and attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all over the world. In my experience, this statement is absolutely true. Also, completely false.

I was teaching a courtship and marriage Institute class for young single adults when I first read The Family: A Proclamation to the World (hereafter referred to as the Proclamation). In 602 words, 15 prophets, seers, and revelators gave us the Lord’s priorities for achieving successful, happy relationships. After studying this inspired proclamation, I felt it was perfect to use with my students. I explained to them that this proclamation was a revelation from God and therefore doctrine for the Church. It was a guide for them to make a proper choice in a marriage partner in order to achieve a successful and happy marriage.

Like many of us I’m intrigued by symbols—perhaps because I’m active in a church that honors symbolism, or maybe because of a poet heart or that I like to think about things deeply, especially things that make me feel deeply. Most likely it has something to do with all of the above working in collaboration to teach me, or at least remind me of, what is significant.

Straight from our family to yours, here are six of our favorite traditions, recipes, tips, and crafts to make your holiday more memorable.

Editor's note: For a more in-depth article on the history of CTR rings, see this article from 2022.

November 18, 2018, was Mickey Mouse's 90th birthday! Check out this little-known story about how the iconic mouse was influenced by a Latter-day Saint.

As Latter-day Saints, we've got a lot of things figured out. And we're pretty good at talking about our beliefs in a way that makes sense. So why is it that we keep using this outlandishly common four-word phrase that we don't even really believe in?

We've seen a few Latter-day Saint lego creations—like a 13,500 Lego-block Bountiful temple and a nine-years-in-the-making Salt Lake temple, complete with wedding groups crowding the stairs.

We've all had those moments when we open our hymn book and suddenly realize a Church song we thought we knew really doesn't mention toilet paper, elephants, or badgers eating squirrels.

See how many problems you can spot in this personal story:

Sometimes it's easy for lifelong members to forget not everyone grew up a Latter-day Saint. All it takes is a new member, investigator, or non-member friend to remind us that sometimes, we're speaking a different language.

C.S. Lewis' books are widely read, and he seems to have a special niche within the Latter-day Saint community. We came up with three possible reasons why.

Have you ever had a moment where you pause to take a breath and appreciate something small? These little wonders can be tender mercies in our lives. Here are 21 such simple pleasures that Latter-day Saints in particular might find in their everyday lives.

It's a well-known fact that there are many great ideas on Pinterest that are cute, helpful, or just plain clever. It's also well-known that Mormons love Pinterest. It enables us to find new recipes to try for family or church events; it helps us to find inspiration; we can use to share the message of the Gospel; and Pinterest provides dozens of thrifty ways to make our homes look pleasant without spending a lot of money. It's also a well-known fact that some of these Pinterest ideas end up looking nothing like their internet counterparts.

This year, celebrate our LDS pioneer heritage with a good laugh at these 14 hilarious pioneer-based comics and memes.

This ill-fated adventure would be a singular event in Mormon history because it would be the only known shipwreck that claimed the lives of multiple Mormon pioneers on their way to Zion.

From Knee-fights to lemonites and everywhere in between, these LDS Church puns are so bad-—you might just call them puns of perdition-—that you'll find yourself chuckling at how hilariously awful they are.

I can remember when I heard my very first Mormon myth. I was 8 years old, and one of my older sisters came to me and said, “Guess what? Steve Martin is a Mormon!"