Relief Society: BYU’s Women’s Conference

Every year at the beginning of May BYU puts on a Women’s Conference. It is a short two-day conference that takes place on campus. This year the conference is April 20 and May 1, 2009. Additionally there are service projects that you can participate in while you attend the conference. This year the projects will be set up in rooms where you can also watch different class presentations while you serve. This conference has many presentations that focus on living the gospel and helping your family. The presentations are always uplifting and may offer spiritual insight into doctrine or they … Continue reading

First Presidency Message: Heeding the Voice of the Prophets

Our First Presidency Message for the month of July comes to us from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency. He reminds us that ours is a worldwide church, with members in nearly every nation, and that we all are children of our Heavenly Father, who shows us His love in part by providing us with living prophets. We have had an unbroken succession of prophets from Joseph Smith down to our present day, as we’ve recently seen with the passing of Gordon B. Hinckley and the sustaining of Thomas S. Monson. There is always a president at … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Doubting Thomas

Usually, when we think of those who did not walk in faith, our minds turn to the disciple Thomas. He proclaimed, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) However, as I reread the scriptures today, I saw other disciples who were equally doubtful – in fact, all of them! When Mary and the other women left the tomb, they ran to the apostles – to those who served most closely with Christ! … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Witnesses of the Resurrected Lord

Various witnesses who saw Jesus in His resurrected state. First among them were Mary Magdalene and other women who had come to the tomb to anoint His body for burial. Next were the Apostles of Christ. Their testimonies teach us of Christ, and we, in turn, bear our testimonies to teach others. In the beginning of the first three chapters we read for class this week – Matthew 28, Luke 24, and John 20 – we learn that several women ventured to the tomb to prepare Christ’s body. There, the find not their deceased friend Jesus, but two angels who … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Release Barabbas

When Pontius told the Jews that he found no fault in Jesus, he sought to release the Savior as a free man. Instead, the angry mob insisted that the murderer, Barabbas, be instead released. When asked what to do with the Lord and Savior, the crowd cried out that He should be crucified. The Jewish people chose a man of the world over a man of God. When Pontius gave them a second chance, they cried out again for the convicted criminal rather than the man free of all sin. They embraced the world rather than the Lord. Repeatedly through … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: The Flesh is Weak

When Jesus spent the night in Gethsemane, bearing upon Himself the sins of the world, He asked only one thing of His disciples: that they stay awake. He woke them twice, and found them asleep. As He pled for their support, He acknowledge that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Isn’t that the way it is with all of us? As we struggle with our daily trials, we truly long to be more Christlike. We strive to make the changes that are needed for us to be closer to Him. We try to repent … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Watch With Me

As I studied the scene of Christ in Gethsemane, I was touched in each version by His plea to the disciples to stay with him. “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death,” He said. “Tarry ye here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). In the midst of His trials, the Savior desired the companionship of those He loved to walk with Him. When we study the atonement, we often admire how Jesus took all of our sins upon Him. Only He could do it; only He could carry such a load. And yet, although He was divine while His … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Sorrow Turned to Joy

As Christ prepares Himself to leave His disciples, He warns them of His impending death. He knows that they will view His crucifixion with pain and sorrow. And yet, he promises that “your sorrow shall be turned to joy” (John 16:20). Two thousand years later, we look at the atonement of Christ almost always from a joyful standpoint. After all, it was because He took our sins upon Him that we are able to return home. Similarly, we would not be able to be resurrected had He not first suffered death and then resurrection, and so we would not be … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: Our Stewardship of Time

The second parable given in Matthew 25 is that of the talents. A master leaves three servants in charge of different portions of his estate; he gives each a varied amount of talents. When he departs, two have increased their talents and receive their reward; the third has done nothing and is punished. The Lord has made us stewards over many things, and we, too, shall find ourselves accountable to Him. There are so many different ways to interpret this parable and apply it to us. The talents could represent our callings, our role as parents, or our spiritual gifts, … Continue reading

Gospel Doctrine: The Faithful and Wise Servant

For the last blog on this week’s Sunday School lesson, I’d like to examine the parable of the servants given in JS-M 1:49-55. In this parable, the master departs, leaving a servant in charge of his household. The wise servant is anxiously engaged in doing the work the master left for him, but the evil servant is slothful and spends his time in riotous living. When the master returns, the servant receives his reward. Elder Bruce R. McConkie states in his book Doctrinal New Testament Commentary that “Jesus speaks here of his ministers, his servants, the holders of his holy … Continue reading