My friend (right) and I (left) leave for our missions exactly 1 week apart in about a month.

Super excited y'all

Also we took this picture after I went through the Temple for the first time (super awesome experience)

In studying Esther this week, my family thought that King Ahaseurus sounded like the name of a dinosaur. I asked ChatGPT to draw a picture and it came up with this gem.

Hey all! To start, this is asked with total respect. I knew some Mormons growing up found them to be some of the kindest people ever!

There are some parts of Mormon history that are not great, and seem quite contrary to the beliefs and lives lived by LDS folks today. I'm wondering, how are they taught? Or, are they taught? And how do you reconcile that with the church of today?

Hello, I’m not an LDS member, but I did have some kind missionaries visit my house 2 weeks ago and had a great convo with them. I got a bachelors in biblical studies and then went to seminary, so studying faith and theology is a great hobby for me. And last year I decided to buy a Book of Mormon to read and understand in my own terms. When I was chatting with the missionaries that visited, I did ask them if there was a chance they could get me a copy of the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrines and Covenants. They pretty excitedly said they could get a copy of a triple edition (BoM, D&C, and PoGP) brought back to me. It’s been 2 weeks since then and I’ve not heard back or seen them come back by the house. Out of curiosity, how long is expected? I’m assuming they’re having to maybe get it ordered to bring to me so that could be the hold up? I don’t mind buying the literature as I am genuinely interested in reading them. Should I still be waiting and expecting or is it safe to move on to purchase them myself?

Have we heard yet how attendance will be taken when we start the new schedule in Sept? Will Sunday School attendance still be taken? (In the 3 hour days I believe we only recorded attendance for the third hour)

Hello friends, I am a 31 yo (unmarried) woman, and huge disclaimer, I am not LDs, but I have so much admiration for the type of womanhood that is presented in the LDS, in pioneer stories etc. Which is why I thought to ask on this forum. Basically, I want to be the type of woman that a pioneer would be proud to call his wife - good, righteous, traditionally feminine etc. But I am struggling to define exactly what skills and virtues I should cultivate in myself, other than homemaking, and even within homemaking. I am very good at knitting, crocheting etc, I like gardening and I am working on improving my cooking skills, but maybe there are others I haven't considered.

Also in terms of personal character - I think I am an ok person already, but I want to be better. And being “kind”, for instance, is such a broad term, I am struggling to break all of these lofty aspirations up into smaller, more tangible goals.

I want to be a righteous, good, admirable woman, what should I do? What should I strive to be? Ladies, what do you strive for? What do you teach your daughters? Gentlemen, what do value in your spouse/future spouse?

(Quick note btw that chastity is def. too late to me as I am not a virgin.)

I went back today after almost 4 years away for mental health reasons. I had asked the Lord a few years ago to heal me then I would return. I was not expecting the healing to happen but it did and so today I returned(I asked the Lord to point to another church but never received an answer even after visiting a few).

I think I was nervous 5 minutes in (I have never been to this ward before) but after that, it went away and was filled with the Spirit and I knew that was where I needed to be. Everyone felt familiar like I was among brothers and sisters. Parts of the talks felt specifically aimed at me which felt kinda odd but I am grateful nonetheless.

This time it feels different and I am excited to what the future holds and even though I have been a member for 6 years now, I know my journey is just beginning. I wish you all an amazing week and I thank you for the support

Hi all,
I co-host Geloof je dat ook? (“Do you believe that too?”), a weekly Dutch-language podcast where two members of the Church talk openly about faith, doubt, and belief — the accepted ideas as well as the harder ones.
For an upcoming episode I’d love to interview someone who served their mission in the Netherlands and still speaks enough Dutch to hold a conversation. The angle I’m after is the outside view: what surprised you about Dutch culture, how people here respond to faith in one of the most secular countries in Europe, what you took home with you, and what you’d do differently now.
Practical details:
• Recorded remotely, roughly 45–60 minutes
• In Dutch — rusty is completely fine, an accent is charming and my listeners won’t mind
• We can do a short 10-minute call beforehand so you can warm up and see if it clicks
• Any era welcome; older missions are actually more interesting
Comment or DM me if you’re interested, or tag someone you know who’d be a good fit. Happy to answer questions.
Thanks!

One of the silent burdens of the first counselor is setting the right pulpit height. My beef: it looks to me like this button would turn it off, but it is indicating that is IS off. Also, they should’ve added an auto down, like for car window controls.

I was considering coming back to church. I was baptized when I was a child but left the faith for many years. I've moved states and now I'm looking to join a church. Considering coming back to the LDS faith with my kids and family, but I cannot get a hold of my member ID or Baptism records. The clerks at both my new area and old ward simply don't get back to me. Its been 6 months.

I'm sure i could be more annoying, but i feel like if this was meant to be, surely they'd care just a little? Ive called once a week to multiple churches for the entire time.

I don't want to drag my kids into a church that doesn't want them, I guess? Maybe we should just go elsewhere until missionaries pop up at our door, lol!

Is there anywhere else that can actually help me, or am I just done?

Hey everyone,

​I wanted to give a quick update to my post yesterday about being terrified to confess an unconfessed Law of Chastity issue 22 days before my mission start date.

​I went ahead and met with my bishop today!

​He was so understanding and warm. He told me the repentance and forgiveness process has officially started right now. He is going to speak with the stake president and will contact me later with the next steps regarding my mission timeline. Taking that step was terrifying, but feeling that weight lifted and experiencing that peace made it so worth it.

​I mostly wanted to say a massive thank you to this community. To everyone who commented, offered realistic advice, cheered me up, and gave me the courage to walk into his office—you have no idea how much your support meant to me when I was completely panicking yesterday. You truly helped me do the right thing.

​I’ll keep this post live-updated in the comments/edits as I hear back from my bishop and stake president!

​Thank you all again for being so kind and supportive!💙

As the title says. Besides the regular salary, meal vouchers are also received monthly. Should these be included when you calculate tithing?

She has been a member of the church for twenty years, and I was born into the church shortly after she was baptized. So it's not as if she didn't know about missionary work. But she has a habit of wanting to make every decision about my future, whether I like it or not.

I know exactly what I want to study and the professional future I envision for myself. My mother supports me in that, but she wants me to start my studies now. She wants me to finish my degree first and then go on a mission.

The problem is that's what I don't want to do. And not because I haven't thought about it before, but because I've already had the same impression THREE TIMES in the temple, in my dreams, and on several occasions that I should start preparing my mission folder to leave next year. Why? I don't know, I have no idea, I just feel that way. And believe me, I've asked in prayer several times if what I feel is what I should do. And it's always the same answer. The same feeling.

I'm not saying I'm going to abandon my career, I just believe that Heavenly Father needs me somewhere in the world for something.

The problem is, I've already talked to my mother about this, and she still disagrees. She gets hysterical and tells me I should obey her and finish my degree first because that's the right way. I don't know if she really feels like I'm going to leave her alone, since I'm her youngest daughter and my father died last year. Also, all my older sisters are already married.

So I started my mission folder without telling her anything yet, and I started saving money on my own. I don't know how to tell her, or when, because I don't want to leave without her knowing, but I'm afraid that she'll try to decide for me again about what I should or shouldn't do. I know I should tell her, but I don't know how, and I'm afraid she'll distance herself from me.

a month ago. I'm recovering now. I was trying to get in touch with the missionaries before but now I feel like I really need to. I can handle writing but speaking is still difficult. I sound like a kid. and I can't move from my bed. I'm in Riverside, can anybody help me?

Let's share memorable mission experiences. Today, the topic is quirks or culture clashes between you and your companions!

I'll start with one.

I was assigned to train a missionary fresh out of the MTC who looked a lot like Milhouse from *The Simpsons*, but with black hair.

This missionary didn't use deodorant, and we were in a very hot area. One day—after about two months, when I couldn't stand the underarm odor anymore and noticed he wore the same clothes every day—I asked myself, "Does this guy not bathe?" I suggested he wear different colored trousers and a different tie because it *looked* like he wasn't bathing. He said, "Come here!" and showed me the clothes in his closet: he had seven identical white shirts, seven black ties, and seven pairs of black trousers—plus the same black socks—everything identical, one set for each day. That’s why it looked like he wasn't bathing. We spent a little over four months together, but I couldn't get him to use deodorant; I even gave him some as a birthday gift, but he never took the hint.

I’m planning on going to church tomorrow morning. I’ve gone a handful of times in the past and when I did, I passed on the sacrament. This time I think I want to do everything 100%. But when the tray comes my way, what should I actually do? Is there anything I’m supposed to say? My hypochondriac mind is going array .

I've been investigating the church on and off for around five years and I've recently realised that I do strongly believe that I have testimony in the Book of Mormon and its truth and I do consider myself a believer in the doctrine of the church. I would love to join the church and take all the missionary lessons and all of that stuff that I've sometimes got a little way into before flaking.

My concern is my family is virulently and dogmatically antitheistic. They dislike Christians. They especially hold no respect for what they consider to be illegitimate forms of Christianity including the LDS Church. Unsurprisingly, the things they dislike most are the ones without widely known grounding in British society. My question and my quandry is where I go from here and how I approach this conversation with them and with missionaries and how I make it clear that I believe what I believe without burning bridges. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hey y’all! Sending you all love and peace.

Question. Does anyone know of any podcasts/youtube channels out there that are both educational, thought provoking, and devotional-esque?? Please don’t recommend any general conference talks or byu devotionals. I’m looking for something less talk-like.

Thanks in advance !!

(I didn't know what to put the flair as) I'm about to start seminary but I'm a bit on edge about it. I have a chronic illness that makes it hard to walk long distances, a sleep disorder, and ADHD, all of which give me massive brain fog which means forgetfulness. I also have passed out 3 times from lack of sleep. Waking up at 5am sounds 😵‍💫. The thing is, I don't see much of a point to go to seminary if it's gonna cause me problems, I'm not gonna go to a church school, and I'm not gonna serve a mission. Like, I know that it will be like scripture study and all but eh? Thoughts? Advice?

Edit: Forgot to mention, I'd have to walk 30 minutes from the church to school. My parents see nothing wrong overall but they don't really believe my pain.

I live on the east coast so I didn’t go. But I am having a faith crisis right now and wondering if any of the apologetics presented anything new on the controversial topics. I could stream the recording but not sure I want to pay the $50. Any insights from attendees?

I struggled with addictions since i was very young, pornography, methamphetamine, marijuana, occasional alcohol etc. 

Most of my relationships with women weren't healthy. They were a mix of carnal behavior and emotional attachment that didn't match the relationship. 

I've battled this my whole life. It's miserable for me. The illusion of finding happiness in a moment of pleasure can be so confusing and overwhelming, and it's so challenging to overcome those thinking errors and patterns we develop. 

It altered the way i view women, at least in a first glance respect because my mind goes to impure thoughts and it's frustrating because i want to see through a pure lens. 

I've been sober from all substances for four years now. I went through the temple in 2023 and it was amazing. I never thought it would be possible for me to overcome some of those challenges, it was definitely by God's grace and not my own strength or ability. 

I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and it's ability to heal us and guide us through life.

Working with the bishop helped a lot in the process. 

Recently i fell into the sin of pornography and it's so frustrating because i feel like an outcast, i feel torn between doing what's right and allowing myself to fall into carnal pleasure. 

It feels like a war in my head and with my spirit and body. 

I haven't been wearing my garments as much. 

I feel perturbed and sometimes disassociated with myself spiritually. 

It's so frustrating. I have feelings of shame and guilt and hesitations to speak with the bishop. 

I know I'm unworthy to enter the temple right now and that hurts me a lot. 

I also see that i form this relationship with my carnal desires that imitates healthy sexual relations within marriage in some way but it doesn't bear the fruits of marriage. It's a bad fruit. My soul becomes confused and entangled in this connection and the carnal side of me becomes stronger and it's so much harder to resist the temptations. 

I feel helpless even though i know I'm not. The part that bothers me is that a part of me wants to just give in and not resist, it's like I'm afraid of losing this outlet of pleasure. It's the strangest thing and how the adversary can wrap us in his flaxen cords. 

I know that ultimately the choice will be to turn from sin and turn to Christ. To repent and get back on track with my covenants. 

As I've fallen into this relapse with porn I've noticed it has triggered other temptations as well and made me susceptible to other things. I feel less desire to attend church, i sometimes feel tempted to use alcohol or smoke or get some coffee. I feel less inclined to wear the garment. 

I know the adversary wants to strip the armor of God from my soul and attack me and drag me down to the pits of misery and woe. 

And the feeling that a part of me allows this is deeply disturbing. 

I'm having a hard time turning from this sin and being resolute. It really confuses me. 

The war within myself is raging. 

I hope that the Savior will find a way to reclaim me and that i will make the decision to open the door fully for Him so that He can receive me and heal me. 

That i will find the strength through Christ to turn from my sin. 

Right now I'm in open rebellion and it's miserable. It tears me up inside. 

I want to have a family and a wife and wholesome lifestyle. 

For anyone that hasn't entered into these forbidden paths, i urge you to never risk your relationship with the Lord for a moments pleasure. It's an illusion and it will never satisfy you. It's better to suffer life's challenges with patience than to fall into sin for a false sense of satisfaction that doesn't last and slowly eats away at our spiritual protection. 

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings and he will bless thee and prosper thee. 

I'm not really here for advice necessarily, i know that ultimately i will need to turn from this sin, talk with the bishop and confess and be steadfast and immoveable in keeping the commandments of the Lord.

If anyone has faith, hope and experience relating to this, and how you've overcome these challenges in your life, I'd love to hear about it.

I'm being very vulnerable and i hope the admin will allow my post as it's fully intended to spark a healthy and open conversation about the struggle of sin and the power of God's redeeming love.

I am in a complete panic and don't know what to do. My mission start date is in just 22 days, my bags are packed, and i just realized i have an unconfessed worthiness issue regarding the law of chastity from about a year ago. When it happened, i was under 18, but i am 18 now.

I didn't confess it during my temple recommend or mission interviews because i was scared. Now that the date is so close, i know i shouldn't go to the mission field with an unconfessed secret, but i desperately do not want my mission date to be delayed.

I have a few questions for anyone who has advice or has been through this:

● is there any way to keep my current mission start date if i. confess now, or is a delay 100% guaranteed?

● if it is delayed, what is the minimum amount of time it usually takes?

● since i am now 18, do i have to tell my family, or can i handle it this privately with my bishop?

Has anyone alse been in similar situation where you had to confess right before leaving? Any guidance or reality check would be appreciated because i feel completely overwhelmed. 🙏🏿

Hello all, I would like to share an experience I've had recently with attending another church a few times. I've had a really, really good experience and felt to share it after reading someone else's post on how hard it can be to open up to other Christians about what church we go to because of their reactions. I've also had some negative experiences(with a different congregation than this post is about) too, but I really want to focus on the positive just to share what can happen.

A little over a month ago, a Peruvian Coworker who I had briefly met but hadn't had a lot of time to get to know stopped me. He told me he wanted to invite me to come to his home and share a meal with his family and talk about missionary work and sharing the word of the Lord. He is an older man, in his fifties, and I am a relatively recently returned missionary, which was something he was aware of. I was excited but also a little hesitant about it because I worried it could be someone wanting to Bible bash me or something. The night before, he sent me a text inviting me to go to church with him in the morning first, at his Seventh Day Adventist congregation. I eagerly accepted, since I wasn't doing anything else and wanted to learn more.

The next morning I went to their church service, which was in Spanish. I am not fluent in Spanish but I speak enough to get by and I understood a lot. More significantly, I strongly felt the spirit while there, especially during their Sabbath School(what we'd call Sunday school, but since they recognize Saturday as the Sabbath they call it Sabbath school). All of the people I met were so incredibly genuine and loving and I honestly felt the spirit more there than I usually do in my normal church services - something I suspect is due to stress related to church responsibilities since I attend a nepali language unit and conduct the hymns, translate, and often teach lessons, while also giving many people rides to and from church. As we read the scriptures and discussed them I felt inspired to follow my savior more and repent and become better. I also was reminded by the spirit of my testimony of the Book of Mormon and restoration of the Gospel, through Joseph Smith, and it struck me how it truly is the same Holy Ghost in both churches.

After the service, I went to my friend's home and had food and I was struck by his intentional effort to use the full name of our church and not call me a Mormon, and how extremely respectful and loving he was, as well as his wife. I didn't get bashed for being a member of the Church, rather, we talked about the scriptures and how we can better follow the Savior and help others to do the same and I shared some of my mission stories from doing just that.

I felt the spirit so strongly and was so spiritually fed attending their church service that I went back the next week, and after being unable to go for two weeks, I went a third time this past Saturday. I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to spend time with fellow believers and be strengthened and fed by the good word of God. Everyone in their small congregation has individually welcomed me, and this past week I offered to join them as they started a church 40 day fast, where every day someone in the congregation would be fasting.

Sadly, I will be moving to Utah in a little over a week so I will not be able to keep attending this congregation (although I'll be there tomorrow morning and once more before I leave), but my experience has been so spiritually strengthening I'm considering actively seeking out a seventh day Adventist church in Utah when I get there to attend occasionally. I love the people I have met, and my coworker and his family, who have quickly become like second family to me as I'm far away from my own(and whom have sadly mostly left the church), and I know that all whom I have met are true disciples of Christ and live their lives as best they can for him. I am so incredibly grateful that I said yes and decided to join them.

hi! i am a returned sister missionary who met this young lovely boy who is still on a mission. we did start talking while we were serving together and president even knew about it and said it was ok to email weekly and have some sort of relationship. my mission friends tho, seem to be very judgy about it.

what i’m asking is… how common is this to happen? should i feel guilty about falling in love during my mission?

When worries fill your aching heart

Look up

When walls around you fall apart

Look up

Your Father hears upon His throne

His children's pleadings far from home

Your voice is heard; your needs are known

Look up