5 LDS Talks to Read With Your Valentine

When we were engaged and newly married we received a lot of advice on how to be successful in marriage. Some of it was good, some was not so good. We did some research and reading ourselves too. Each read offered helpful and inspiring insights into the new world of marriage. The 5 Love Languages gave us secular knowledge and understand of one another, and Between Husband & Wife: Gospel Perspectives on Marital Intimacy respectfully taught us about the wonderful unknown of marriage. 

In the end, some of the most helpful lessons have come from reading the inspired messages in the Ensign and words of prophets and apostles. Together, we decided to share five LDS talks and articles that have taught us lessons about marriage and love. We hope that you can gain something from them too. Enjoy.

A Bishop's Testimony

A bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has many responsibilities, including working with full-time missionaries, less-active members of the church, and Young Men and Young Women. The greatest challenges is not to bring converts into the church, reactivate members, or help Young Women and Young Men through their challenging years; the greatest challenge is to bring individuals and families to a greater understanding of Jesus Christ and teach them of the love He has for each of them. My testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel is built on the following truths.

1.    In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

In the October 2015 General Conference, Elder Devin Durrant invited us to ponderize on one verse of scripture each week. In the Book of Mormon, Jesus commanded us that when we are in doubt, we should ponder: “Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.”[1] The word ponder is also found in Proverbs 4:26, Proverbs 5:21, Proverbs 24:12, Luke 2:19, 1 Nephi 11:1, 2 Nephi 4:15, 2 Nephi 32:1, Helaman 10:2, 3 Nephi 17:3, Moroni 10:3, D&C 30:3, D&C 138:1 and in Joseph Smith history 1:47.

The hardest LDS temples quiz you will ever take

Do you know all about LDS temples? Last week we discussed what really happens inside Mormon temples. This week, test your knowledge on interesting facts and current events!

Poll Maker

To learn more, visit lds.org/church/temples.

What Really Happens in "Mormon" Temples?

If you’ve ever seen an LDS temple, chances are you’ve wondered what it is and what goes on inside. Or you may have even heard some rumor about the “strange” or “mysterious” rituals that take place there. Growing up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I’ve probably heard them all; and I’d agree with anyone who said that some of them are, well…pretty weird. 

The truth is, there are a lot of misconceptions about LDS temples, including the idea that what goes on there is some big secret. On the contrary, an entire section of the church’s official website is devoted to answering questions about temples and what happens inside them. But my purpose here is not to review all of the FAQs of temples; there are plenty of other resources offering that kind of information (a few of these are listed at the bottom of this post). Instead, I’d like to take a more personal approach by sharing some of my own experiences inside the temple and the blessings that have come through those experiences.

5 Words That Changed Elder Holland's Graduate School Experience

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is a beloved speaker and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a master teacher, with a gift for sharing experiences from his life in a powerful way that imparts memorable lessons. Many of us can recall, for example, his story of pulling a small U-Haul trailer behind his family's old car, only to have the car break down--twice--after driving just 34 miles of his family's 2,600 mile journey to graduate school.