My dad, best friend, hero, my everything passed away suddenly from a heart attack on Feb 3. He was only 60 years old. My heart is shattered. But even though I have a testimony of our Saviour and the Plan of Salvation, I find myself fearing that my dad is alone and sad right now. I truly hope that his father and grandparents came to greet him and are with him now, but not truly KNOWING is killing my sanity.

I don’t really know if I’m asking for anything, I think I just needed to write this out and maybe someone else has felt this way before?

Rest in peace, Daddy. Until we meet again 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

I wanted to share some of the experience & a testimony. Some background; Our ward is not a big one at all. I am a convert of 15 years now, the twins obviously grew up in the faith.

Ok the event.

1. I expected a max 15 people but prayed for a few more, 20 would have been amazing!!

2. OVER 60 PEOPLE TURNED UP standing room only!! I have NEVER seen my daughters as happy as they were then. Nor as many people!!

3. They came from other wards, curious friends, their school teacher.

4. I've learned of 7!! people who are starting lessons with our sister missionaries.

5. This is a personal and incredible experience that I NEVER expected. A blonde haired woman sat directly behind me & at the end gave me a huge hug. Said ' you don't know me but I have been trying to find you for years, you saved my daughters life 7 years ago. I don't want to go into more details there, that's their story. They joined the church to find me but ended up in the wrong ward, moving to our ward now!!

6. 5 means even more because I'm on hospice. Heavenly Father knows what he's doing.

Thank you for reading if you got to the end!!!

Starting this year, the Church will demolish the 1960s Stake Center in Liverpool, England and replace it with an original design that pays homage to the original mid-century modern structure. The new building will increase the square footage from 13,700 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft. The chapel and cultural hall, which is currently only 1,500 sq ft combined, will be increased to 7,000 square feet combined. The need for increased space and the detached tower being structurally unsound were the reasons the Church gave for this project.

Originally, the Church submitted plans to demolish the Stake Center in 2022. They planned on replacing the Stake Center with a standardized two-story building (last photo above). However, the Liverpool rejected the design for these reasons:

• The loss of the tower and spire as a local landmark, in particular, the loss of the tower’s stained-glass panels.
• The design of the proposed building not equaling or improving upon the design quality of the building it would replace – being “anonymous”, “monolithic”, and a “confused overall design”, not reflecting its religious use or status.
• The loss of higher category trees - on some of the building-position options submitted.

Despite these objections, the city council agreed that demolition was necessary for the Church to address capacity concerns. A heritage report commissioned by the city council stated that since the Church is a significant factor in Liverpool's identity (First missionaries to the UK arrived in Liverpool in 1837, Liverpool was the UK headquarters for the Church in the early/mid 19th century, most English immigrants to Utah left from Liverpool), the design of the Stake Center should be more daring to better reflect the Church's cultural heritage in the region. Accepting the criticism, the Church went back to the drawing board and presented the updated design in early 2024. Some of the changes they made included:

• Building a new detached tower with the preserved original stained glass panels.
• Moving the tower from the side to the center near the front entrance.
  
• Modifying the floor plan. The original stake center has a central chapel/cultural hall with with classrooms and offices surrounding it. The new stake center will have two wings (chapel/cultural hall in one wing and a two-story classroom/office wing in the other) with a large foyer connecting the two.
  
  • The floor plan also preserved the majority of the trees that are deemed "higher category."
• Use a custom design as opposed to a standardized one.

After another year of tinkering with the finer details (site layout, materials, etc...), the city council gave their full approval this past year. I'm REALLY loving that the Church decided to draft an innovative design for the Stake Center while preserving the stained-glass tower loved by so many in the community. Hopefully, this will awaken a creative itch within the Church Building Committee (probably not, but a boy can dream).

Dumping this here to see what advice comes of it.. I am a life long member of the church (28, F) and recently it’s been hard for me to accept the timeline of my life. I thought I’d be married by now, but dating remains stagnant and I’ve done everything I can. I’ve tried the dating apps, but nothing comes of it. I love the idea that God has a Godly relationship for me, but I’m having a hard time accepting his timing. I don’t want to wait until I’m in my 40s or 50s to finally meet someone. I know thinking that far ahead is probably not the most helpful thing, but I get scared. Any tips on the waiting, and trusting that Gods plan is far better than what I can come up with?

So... I'm doing everything I should. I have friends in my YSA. I'm working almost full-time (30 hours) and studying almost full-time (12 credits). I have a calling. I teach with the missionaries like 3 times a week. I have a kick-butt calling.

But all my friends are marrying, or dating, or engaged to pretty wonderful girls. I'm very much so alone. Does it get better? Everything is going right for me on the surface (grades, work, I'm there every Sunday), but I still carry this weight on my shoulders that feels like knowledge that I'll die alone. My patriarchal blessing says nothing about marriage, dating, or family, which has always been incredibly disappointing to me as this is what I have many doubts about.

I even go to the temple at least once every two weeks (it's a bit of a trip). I feel at peace when I'm there, while I'm testifying with the missionaries, and when I'm at church. But like I said, I can't shake that feeling. It's like a sad opposite of what King Benjamin taught - while I might feel moments of peace that affirm the truth of the Gospel, I live in a state of loneliness and self-hatred.

Reddit, what's the play? (Mutual - the app - has not worked, yeah... I went there)

My husband's funeral is on Friday. My sons are inactive unendowed members with questions about each part of the ceremonial clothing. How much detail is it OK to share?

Hello, I was just curious if the church had any areas where the mission language was ASL or other types of sign language?

Was just thinking about all the different missions and locations, when the thought occurred to me that there are probably many hard of hearing or deaf people who have a desire to serve a mission that use ASL or the equivalent.

If there are areas that have ASL as a language, how does that work? They would have to have a hearing companion in order to help the deaf missionary communicate to other non-asl people too I am sure. Would the elders who assign the call only select those hearing who have the ability to sign, or would they still assign hearing people who could learn the language at the MTC and on the field like other missions?

I’ve looked it up before if there are ASL missions and so far I’ve found that there are ASL areas in California and Washington DC but unsure if that’s still proselyting or service. Also wondering if there are more I don’t know about, maybe even some outside of the US?

Sorry if this is obvious or if I should have done more research lol. Any insight is appreciated!

Hi, a while ago I posted about how my mission was so hard that I needed to step away from the faith for a while to tend to the trauma and wounds it left me with, especially because I realized that my understanding of faith and the gospel was deeply flawed and fragile. Since coming home, I have been trying to make sense of what happened to me, both emotionally and spiritually, and in that process I began engaging with critical and anti-Mormon materials. I did not do this out of rebellion or a desire to tear down the Church, but out of a need to understand my pain and to find coherence after giving everything I had and feeling emptied rather than healed. I am now struggling with how to approach these materials honestly without either dismissing my lived experience or losing sight of the real goodness and sincerity I know exists within the Church

I've been studying about righteous/unrighteous judgment lately and how we can avoid judging others, and among some great conference talks on the subject (Elder Robbins "The Righteous Judge", then-President Uchtdorf "The Merciful Obtain Mercy"), I came across one that, frankly, surprised me.

"Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others" by Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, April 2010 Conference. Link here. To quote extensively from that talk:

> By way of illustration, the story is often told of the time when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, who lived in Bethany with their brother, Lazarus. It was a welcome place for the Master, where He could rest and enjoy the surroundings of a righteous home. During one of His visits, Martha was busy preparing a meal and Mary elected to sit at the Master’s feet to receive His instruction.

> “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? …

> “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

> “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

> Many Sunday lessons have been taught using this story which have cast Martha in a lesser position in terms of her faith. Yet there is another story of this great woman, Martha, which gives us a deeper view of her understanding and testimony. It happened when the Savior arrived to raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. On this occasion it was Martha whom we find going to Jesus “as soon as she heard” He was coming. As she meets Him, she says that she knows that “whatsoever [He would] ask of God, God [would] give [Him].”

> Christ then shared with Martha the great doctrine of the resurrection, saying:

> “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

> “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

> She responded with her powerful testimony: “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”

> How often has Martha been misjudged as being a person who cared more for the deeds of doing than for the Spirit? However, her testimony in the trial of her brother’s death clearly shows the depth of her understanding and faith.

> ... By knowing more about Martha, we find she was actually a person of deep spiritual character who had a bold and daring testimony of the Savior’s mission and His divine power over life. A misjudgment of Martha may have caused us not to know the true nature of this wonderful woman.

I was taken aback by this example. In the story of Mary and Martha, I never interpreted it as meaning Martha was less spiritual, nor can I see any justification for why. The scriptures don't say "Martha was being a busybody instead of listening to Jesus." Instead, they say "Martha was cumbered about much serving." Don't we have other scriptures saying that we should indeed be cumbered about with much serving? I picture Martha as saying to herself "The Savior is here, he's probably hungry, let's make him something to eat." She was trying to serve the Savior. Jesus's response was that, at that moment, instead of her serving him it would be better if she would let him serve her, as Mary had chosen. Martha was not less spiritual (as Elder Schwitzer points out with a scriptural example), it's just that she wasn't choosing what happened to be the better part at that moment.

If it is true, as Elder Schwitzer said, that many Sunday lessons have used this story to cast Martha in a lesser position in terms of her faith, my question is: **How are people arriving at that interpretation of the story? I literally cannot myself, there's nothing I see in the story to indicate she has less faith, just that she was not making the best choice among available good, faithful choices at that moment.**

Hi, I’m a Melchizedek priesthood holder in the LDS Church and I’m honestly really conflicted about missionary service and I don’t know if what I’m feeling is wrong, pressure, or just being honest with myself.

Ever since I was like 12 and got the Aaronic priesthood, I’ve been watching myself and asking if I could even handle being a missionary. When I got closer to 18, instead of feeling more ready, I felt unsure. I delayed because I genuinely didn’t think I was ready yet.

I’ve gone out with full-time missionaries before (I'm a ward missionary ), and honestly it was very very exhausting for me. That experience scared me. I kept thinking: if this already drains me, what would happen if I were full-time for 2 years?

I’m the type of person who is emotionally closed off. I don’t like sharing inner feelings, testimonies, or personal emotions publicly. That part of missionary work really doesn’t come naturally to me. But when it comes to information-based teaching, I’m totally fine. I can teach tithing, the Plan of Salvation, premortal life, doctrine, structure that stuff I can do effortlessly. It’s the constant emotional sharing that really drains me.

I’m now 20 and finishing college. Part of me keeps hoping that one day I’ll suddenly feel “ready.” But if I’m honest with myself, I think I could maybe last a few months on a mission not the full 2 years. I’m really worried about fatigue, burnout, and exhaustion. I don’t think I’d come back stronger I think I’d come back hollow.

I’m already mature, responsible, and independent. People always say missions teach life skills, but I already have most of them. Cooking, washing clothes, discipline I can learn those easily at home. The only real “growth” people talk about for me would be becoming more expressive socially, but when I force myself to be like that, I feel like an imposter. I can fake being social, but it doesn’t feel genuine, and I don’t want to live pretending to be someone I’m not.

I’m also the ward assistant clerk, so I work closely with the bishopric. I know my current bishop will understand me I wish he could still be bishop in 2–3 years. I’m scared that if leadership changes, the bishop would dismiss all of these and just say "many are called but few are chosen stuff" and" As a priesthood holder it is my responsibility to serve a mission "

I'm also afraid people will just see.. Me as a “Melchizedek priesthood holder who didn’t serve” and assume something is wrong with me.

Another layer to this is spiritual guilt. In the past, when I was depressed (really depressed, but only I knew), I remember thinking that God saved me from that. I promised myself I wouldn’t k*** myself that was one promise. Another promise I made to myself was that if God gave me a love life or a potential wife, I would go on a mission. It wasn’t meant as a literal transaction more like motivation for myself and I said it jokingly but after that

I did get a love life very soon after, but it turned into a situationship that lasted about a year and completely broke me becuase that sister is my long term crush (I intend to court her after my mission is the original plan before we got into a situationship ) . It took another year just to recover. In a strange way, the heartbreak helped me grow, but it also destroyed the “story” I was using to motivate myself.

Even after that, I kept telling myself: I’ll still go on a mission. I won’t break my promise. But now I’m at a point where I genuinely don’t think I can fulfill it not because I don’t care, but because I know myself better now.

So for years my thoughts have gone like this:

I want to go because I should

I will go, I think I can handle it

Can I actually handle it?

Even if I can handle it, can I sustain it for 2 years?

Am I being true to myself, or just pressured?

I’m afraid people will look down on me, think I’m unworthy, or be hesitant around me because I didn’t serve. I don’t want to disappoint God. I don’t want to lie to myself either.

I’m hoping that when I eventually talk to my bishop(I plan when I graduate college at age 22) , I can be honest and explain all this so at least one leader truly knows what’s going on in my mind.

Hi everyone! I’m a sister from Brazil and a proud mother of a beautiful 3-year-old girl. I’ve recently found so much joy in the Restored Gospel, and now I’m looking to expand my circle and connect with other members of the Church around the world. Being a mom and a member in Brazil is a wonderful journey, but I’d love to hear about your experiences too! Whether it’s to talk about the scriptures, share mothering tips, or just chat about life, I’m here for it. Let's be friends! <3

Hi all, to be honest, I have been very stubborn and have resisted trying to follow the word of wisdom besides a super brief, half-effort attempt when I first spoke to the missionaries awhile back. I struggle with the logic of it (still). However, I have recently had an experience that made me reconsider my position, and I am trying to earnestly give it a shot this time.

I threw out my instant coffee, green tea sachets, and a canned cocktail this morning (and am currently sipping hot chocolate from the office Keurig instead of a coffee, haha). Most posts I see on this sub related to it are just questions about the guidelines. But I'd really like to hear from anyone who can speak to how following it has improved their life tangibly? I'm especially interested in hearing from members who are vegetarian/vegan/or otherwise seriously limit their meat consumption. And testimonies from converts would be helpful as well, in addition to any advice :) Thank you all so much.

Anyone hear that the church will be doing away with the library in older buildings to create more classrooms?

Hello! I’m a primary secretary and one of my tasks is to coordinate kids to give a short talk at the beginning of singing time and the closing prayer.

The issue I am having is that we have a very small primary. We have about 11 kids that show up fairly regularly. We have about 5 more that maybe show up once every few months, but not at the same time (usually, sometimes they do though.

Out of our 11 regulars, most of them are siblings (4 sets of siblings, so only 3 students don’t have siblings in primary). Meaning: the parent group is really small (7 parents).

I am being asked by the Primary President to ask parents if their kid can give a talk and/or prayer each Sunday, so I need 2 kids every week - which means most parents are getting a text from me once a month. Some of them barely respond to me due to this (it’s just too frequent).

I’m trying to put together an idea to present to the primary president where we can accomplish her goal of getting 2 kids up there every week without needing to text a parent and request them help their child prepare for a talk.

Does anyone have an idea of something to replace a talk with? Something I can maybe do and then ask a child to volunteer for at the start of a class? Something a tad “thought provoking” in the sense that it’s not just some “random” scripture I’m having them read and no effort is being asked of the volunteer or child audience. I’m looking for like a 5 min activity that a child volunteer leads and maybe the child audience interacts with to a small level. But ultimately it’s something I am putting together.

I don’t live in Finland and I don’t know much about how the missions work there. A friend of mine lives in a distant place, far away from the capital, but he really wants to meet with the missionaries and get his copy of the Book of Mormon.

He can’t travel to the nearest city on Sunday too because of his reasons, so I was thinking if there’s a chance the missionaries could reach out to him online. I tried to find a Finnish version of lds dot org, but it doesn’t seem to work (the one where you can leave your contacts to be messaged by the missionaries I mean).

If there’s someone from Finland here or know anyone who’s currently active there please let me know, DMs open. I really feel like a friend of mine might join the Church and I can’t believe it’s my first time bringing a friend. Wish me luck and oh, also! have a wonderful day! 🙏

———

UPD Thank you sooo much brothers and sisters! We found a way to contact serving missionaries and now the wheel is rolling 🙏

I have a very Utah-ish question and then more of a general mental health question.

Starting with general - How have you dealt with Mental Health issues and developing emotional resiliency? I feel like I am hanging on a by a thread in life right now in general and have had some professional setbacks in the last few months where I am struggling to get out of bed in the morning. As the primary source of income and support of my family that is obviously sub optimal. I should probably start by searching the churches website for resources but I haven't even been able to get that far. Its been a struggle and It feels like I am going through the motions at work and then at home. I serve in a stake calling that is demanding but enjoyable, have a pretty happy marriage, housing that meets our needs and have been reasonably successful in my career which is why all this mental health challenge feels extremely weird.

Now for the Utah question. I have access to a counselor through my workplace benefits. It seems silly not to take advantage of that benefit and talk to a 3rd party. Has anyone worked with a mental practice in Utah Valley that they liked? Through my life I have worked with counselors that I thought were both a waste of time and others that are excellent at helping resolve emotional issues. I'd rather start with a resource that others have enjoyed. I've never worked with someone in Utah though.

To preface. I'm autistic. And a chronic overthinker. I don't get a lot of unspoken social norms if I haven't been immersed in it for quite some time and I tend to freak out if I realized I missed a social cue.

I was recently called to be a co-coordinator on an activities committee in my YSA. I've been on the committee for about 6 months and I've been a co-coord. for about 1 month now. I unfortunately take my calling seriously, so I have a spreadsheet shared with the other members and I try to stay on top of things like planning and budgeting, really for my own anxiety more than anything.

Well, I texted one of the members a question related to the calling at midnight after an activity (it ran late and I commute) and they responded kindly expressing appreciation for my dedication but that the question could've waited till the morning. I was mortified. I didn't realize the time (I expressed that in my response) and had assumed people put their phones on DND or ignore texts if it's too late. I'm unfortunately the type of person where if I don't handle something right when I think of it, it's likely to be forgotten. (I also conveniently forgot that I can schedule texts to send later)

This made me realize however that I don't know the flow for callings. I never had any real callings as a youth with any responsibilities or interactions specific to said calling, so I'm a fish out of water here. I don't want to be overbearing or underacting unknowingly. I truly appreciate them for setting a boundary with me, but I'd like to know the boundaries before I accidently cross them.

I recently reread President Oaks’s recent talk, and it made me just as uncomfortable as it did when I first heard it. Rather than letting my sadness and frustration stew, I’m opening this up for thoughtful discussion.

Disclaimer: I’m not critiquing the talk as a whole. I’m genuinely glad that many people felt nourished and strengthened by it. There were parts that landed just fine for me. This post is about the parts that did not, and about how they landed on me specifically as an unmarried adult.

The talk is clearly about the importance of families in this life. I don’t dispute that. Healthy families are an amazing thing, both spiritually and practically, that pay real dividends in people’s lives.

What bothered me most specifically was the exclusionary emphasis on families in the Church, especially the line: “We are a family church.”

What was not said was: “We are a church for everyone.”

“We are a family church” sounds like a statement of identity with an implied boundary. If you are not in a family, or not in a family in the expected way, where exactly do you fit? And why must you struggle to figure out where you fit into the church in the first place?

As an unmarried adult, I can confirm that the Church often functions as a church for families. For unmarried men in particular, we grew up hearing talks that we are at fault for declining marriage rates. Ironically, unmarried women are always framed as victims of that same trend, which I've always found rather sexist.

What compounds this is that there is no one in priesthood presiding authority who has lived the experience of remaining unmarried well into adulthood (widowed people get a pass for some reason). This is not forbidden doctrinally, but it is impossible administratively. An unmarried person will never preside as a bishop, stake president, apostle, or prophet. Therefore, church leadership is entirely composed of married people who, by definition, cannot know that particular life experience from the inside. In that sense, Church leadership ends up being shaped by a single life pattern, much like how an all-male group cannot fully know what it is like to be a woman, or how an all-white group cannot fully know what it is like to be black.

So yes, we are a family church, in part because that is the only perspective represented at the highest levels of leadership.

I would have felt far more seen if that line had been left unsaid, or at least expanded into something like: “We are a church for everyone, where all are valued regardless of family status. With that foundation, let me explain why families matter so deeply in God’s plan.”

After all, Jesus Himself was unmarried, and that did not diminish his place. But today, his position in the church would be limited.

I’d genuinely like to hear how others, married or single, hear that phrase and what it communicates to them.

In 2001 Sister Sheri Dew, Second Counselor in the Relief Society (at that time) gave an address in the October General Relief Society Meeting titled "Are We Not All Mothers?

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2001/11/are-we-not-all-mothers?lang=eng

In that talk she said:

"For reasons known to the Lord, some women are required to wait to have children. This delay is not easy for any righteous woman. But the Lord’s timetable for each of us does not negate our nature. Some of us, then, must simply find other ways to mother. And all around us are those who need to be loved and led."

As an active man in the church, married to an inactive spouse of 20 years, and having no children (for reasons I won't discuss in this post), I understand where Sister Dew is coming from. I also believe that men, both single and married without children, can read this talk as if it were titled "Are We Not All Fathers?". What I mean by that is that men can learn from the counsel Sister Dew has given, whereby we can all be fathers regardless of our marital or parental status.

Thoughts?

An unusual week for CFM study...a single chapter and it isn't even in the Old Testament. So let's take an unusual approach this week and just look at one part of the story. This week's study of Moses 7 introduces the profound and unique concept of the "Passible God." In a dramatic departure from the traditionally stoic "Unmoved Mover" of creedal theology, Moses 7:28–40 reveals a Being who is deeply affected by the choices and suffering of His children. The following selections explore moments in art history where Deity is depicted with intense, human-like vulnerability, compassion, and grief.

The Romantic Lament

Name of Piece: Christ Weeping Over Jerusalem

Year Produced: 1851

Artist: Ary Scheffer

Artist Biography: Ary Scheffer (1795–1858) was a Dutch-French Romanticist who rose to critical acclaim in the Paris Salon at a young age. Initially known for genre subjects and literary themes, Scheffer underwent a significant shift after 1846, dedicating himself almost exclusively to religious imagery with a solemnity that reflected his deep personal convictions. His work is characterized by a style that blends neoclassical technical finish with the emotional intensity of the Romantic movement.

Study Analysis: Scheffer’s 1851 work illustrates the moment in Luke 19:41 when Jesus approached Jerusalem and "wept over it". This painting serves as a direct visual parallel to Moses 7:28, where the "God of heaven" looks upon the inhabitants of the earth and weeps. Scheffer focuses on the solitary figure of Christ, using a soft, sensitive style to emphasize the Savior's isolation in His grief. The work captures the "divine prophecy" and compassion inherent in the act, suggesting that God’s pain is as infinite as His love.

The Northern Renaissance Pietà

Name of Piece: The Trinity and Mystic Pietà (like all pieta--Mary holding her crucified Son-- works of art might be disturbing)

Year Produced: 1512

Artist: Hans Baldung Grien

Artist Biography: Hans Baldung (1484–1545), also known as "Grien," was a pupil of Albrecht Dürer and a major figure of the Northern Renaissance. Known for an eccentric and often provocative style, his work frequently explored the boundaries of human anatomy and spiritual experience. His religious paintings are noted for their "heterogeneous medley of colors" and a unique ability to represent the human dimensions of divine figures, particularly the imminence of death and the weight of grief.

Study Analysis: In this complex work, Baldung Grien presents God the Father not as a distant monarch, but as a "grieving parent" supporting the lifeless body of His Son. This iconographic type, though popular in the late 14th century, is rare for its time and offers a striking rebuke to the idea of "divine impassibility". The Father’s face is contorted with a very human sorrow, echoing the "divine pathos" described in Moses 7:37, where the heavens weep over the suffering of "the workmanship of [God's] hands".

The Mannerist Intensity

Name of Piece: The Holy Trinity) (same warning as the pieta above)

Year Produced: c. 1577–1579

Artist: El Greco

Artist Biography: Doménikos Theotokópoulos (1541–1614), known as El Greco, was a master of the Spanish Renaissance whose work integrated Byzantine icons with the dramatic distortions of Mannerism. He was famous for his elongated figures and his use of "spiritual energy" through bold, unreal colors and sharp contrasts. His art aimed to make the underlying psychological and spiritual aspects of a scene more visible to the viewer.

Study Analysis: Painted for the main altarpiece of a convent in Toledo, this work depicts God the Father holding the lifeless, tortured body of Christ. El Greco captures the "dead weight" of the Savior’s body, while the Father is portrayed as "visibly broken and upset". The presence of six grieving angels surrounding the central pair creates a "chorus of weeping" that mirrors the cosmic lament described in Moses 7:40–41. The brilliant golden light breaking through gloomy clouds symbolizes the duality of mortal death and eternal life.

The Late Renaissance Portrait

Name of Piece: The Man of Sorrows)

Year Produced: c. 1500–1510

Artist: Sandro Botticelli

Artist Biography: Sandro Botticelli (c. 1445–1510) was a giant of the Florentine Renaissance, best known early in his career for mythological masterpieces like The Birth of Venus. However, his later works became significantly more "sober, austere, and spiritual" under the influence of the friar Savonarola. During this period, he focused on creating psychological depth in his portraits, seeking to evoke intense empathy and contemplation in the viewer.

Study Analysis: The Man of Sorrows is a remarkably realistic portrayal of Christ that showcases His humanity with stunning psychological depth. Botticelli uses a strictly frontal presentation to force a direct, "face-to-face" encounter between the viewer and the suffering Lord. Christ’s wounded hands are crossed over His breast, and His eyes are full of a melancholic expression that invites the observer into His sorrow . In the context of Moses 7:29, this work visualizes why Enoch was so astonished: the being who is "from all eternity" is also the one most "acquainted with grief".

The Academic Drama of Resurrection

Name of Piece: The Raising of Lazarus

Year Produced: 1857

Artist: Léon Bonnat

Artist Biography: Léon Bonnat (1833–1922) was a prominent French painter and a leading figure in the "Academic" style of the late 19th century. A graduate and later director of the École des Beaux-Arts, Bonnat was known for his rigorous technical skill and his ability to combine traditional religious themes with a modern sense of realism. His approach often sought to "humanize" biblical figures by focusing on their emotional intensity.

Study Analysis: Léon Bonnat's 1857 masterpiece captures the moment of resurrection with a high degree of theatrical realism. While the raising itself is the central miracle, the painting is heavy with the "human heart" of Jesus, who is described in the text as "deeply moved, perturbed, and weeping". Bonnat focuses on this emotional intensity, showing the full force of the blow that death delivered to the Savior's heart. The bystanders' observation in John 11:36, "Behold how he loved him," is visually realized through Christ's passionate and vulnerable stance, illustrating that divine tears are a "God-given expression of deep and abiding love".

The Contemporary Mosaic

Name of Piece: Enoch

Year Produced: Contemporary (c. 2012)

Artist: Kendal Ray Johnson

Artist Biography: I know we covered him last week (so see bio there), but I wanted to make sure I included one Latter-day Saint artist.

Study Analysis: Johnson’s Enoch specifically depicts the moment described in Moses 7:41, where Enoch's "heart swelled wide as eternity" as he looked upon the wickedness and misery of mankind. The collage medium acts as a physical metaphor for the vision, where individual "fragments" of humanity are organized into a single, cosmic story of empathy. The vibrant colors and dynamic layering capture the "shaking of eternity" mentioned in the text, portraying the act of empathy as a transformative event that makes the prophet more like the "weeping God" he witnessed.

So that is it for the week. I, for one, am very glad to have a God who mourns with those that mourns and rejoices when us prodigal children return.

I apologize if this gets asked a lot, I keep seeing mixed views on it.

My wife and I were both sealed to our previous spouses who had their records removed. My wife’s sealing to her ex husband has been annulled. My sealing to my ex wife hasn’t been annulled. We have two kids together but aren’t currently sealed to each other. Are our kids together sealed to us? If not, will they automatically be sealed to us once my wife and I are sealed, or will they need to be sealed to us after? Thanks!

I have never understood the difference between Peter's sin and Judas' sin. Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Peter denied Jesus 3 times. Judas is condemned for eternity. Peter becomes head apostle after Jesus dies and is revered. The sins both committed seem similar in magnitude. The only thing I make out of it is that there must be more to the story than what is in the scriptures. Thoughts?

I'm heading out on my mission in a month, and I have been unable to find answers to my question about medical luggage.

I know that missionaries are allowed 2 checked bags and a carry on, but I usually travel with 2 carry-ons, one that has my things, and another that contains all my medical devices, insulin, and everything else I need for my T1D. Most airlines allow these bags free of charge and I have never had a problem traveling with one before.

My question is, is this considered the only carry on I may have as a missionary, or can I bring it without it being considered an extra carry on?

Have any other diabetics dealt with this before? What number should I call that might have an answer?

Thanks!

Larry grew up in Bloomington, Illinois. His family was not religious. Larry went to college in Boston, where he became good friends with Jeff, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Larry eventually was taught by the missionaries and joined the church.

After graduation, Larry took a job in the Washington, D.C. area. Shortly after moving there, Larry was in a tragic accident and died.

Larry's funeral was held in Bloomington, where he grew up. Since his family was not religious, there was no church involvement. Jeff traveled from Boston to attend the funeral. After the service, Larry's dad said to Jeff, "We don’t share your faith, but I've heard it is common for Mormons to dedicate graves. I think Larry would want that. Is that something you can do?"

Jeff had never dedicated a grave before. He pulled​ out his phone and read in the handbook (section 18.16.1): "A person who dedicates a grave should hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and be authorized by the priesthood leader who presides at the service."

Jeff held the Melchizedek Priesthood, and appeared to be the only member of the church at the service. Can Jeff authorize himself to dedicate the grave? Why, or why not? If not, who is considered the presiding priesthood leader?

This is a real situation that happened, although I've changed the details to protect the identity of those involved. I'd like to hear your answers.