Enter a search term below. If searching by episode number be sure to include the comma, for example 4,707
Life, with its ups and downs and twists and turns, has sometimes been compared to a roller coaster. It can be exciting and fun one moment, just as it can be frightening and exhausting the next. Even as we stand in line and wait for our turn on the ride, we are never fully prepared for what lies ahead.
It’s been said that everyone has a story. And the older we get, the more stories we have. Truly, our “seasoned citizens” are treasure chests of experience and wisdom—and with each passing year, they become more valuable. But do we value and cherish their knowledge? Do we take the time to get to know them?
This historic Tabernacle on Temple Square—built with the ingenuity and grit of 19th-century pioneers—has hosted many major civic events since its dedication in 1875. In particular, several presidents of the United States have stood at the podium. The list includes Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush. Records show that thousands—sometimes more than twice the normal capacity—crowded into the Tabernacle to hear them speak.
Every love story is different. Whether it’s fictional or real, from our family history or our own lives, each story includes its share of heartaches and joys. Many are characterized by moving, poetic declarations of love and devotion. But the stories that stand the test of time are those that chronicle love in action: lived affection and demonstrated caring.
We never know the whole story of anyone’s life. We might know bits and pieces, parts of a person’s background or circumstances, but never the whole story.
One of the remarkable things about humans is that we care about others—those we know personally and even those we don’t. With a few rare exceptions, most of us genuinely care about the well-being of others, and we do our best to help and not harm. And yet in our technology-filled world, we sometimes don’t even notice others or their needs, and so our good intentions go unfulfilled.
When Nelson Mandela strode onto a Johannesburg field at the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup wearing the shirt of the largely white national team, the entire stadium was stunned. Here was the new president of South Africa—the first black man ever to hold that office—wearing the green shirt that for millions of blacks symbolized the indignities of white rule. But Mandela saw the national rugby team as an opportunity to unite and heal his fractured country, and he had called for blacks in townships across the nation to wear green shirts in support of the contest as well.
Every parent knows that being a good mom or dad is the most difficult job in the world. No challenge is greater than giving your all to raise a child to become a responsible and honorable adult. And while it can seem exhausting and never-ending at times, the day soon comes when that son or daughter leaves home. It can be as challenging to see your children go as it was to raise them. In some ways, perhaps it’s even more difficult.
Whenever we start something new—whether it’s a new year, a new day, a new project, or a new goal—it typically means putting an end to something old. Even when it’s a positive change, it can be hard to let go of the familiar past and step into an uncertain future. But while we certainly can’t live in the past, we can always learn from it. Jeffrey R. Holland expressed this truth in these words: “We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. . . . Then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future.”1
“A Note of Hope” As its name suggests, Charles Dickens’s classic tale A Christmas Carol was written primarily for the Christmas season. However, its timeless message is fitting for any season of the year. In the story, miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge, through a series of ghostly visitations, comes to realize how selfish he has been, […]
“The First Noel” Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. The sights and sounds stir within us a sense of excitement—and of reverence. As we jubilantly sing the songs of the season, we think of all that is good about Christmas: the renewed hope, goodwill, and good cheer that typify this time of […]
Over 2,000 years ago, shepherds tending their flocks by night heard the herald angels’ song of peace on earth and good will toward men.[1] With haste they went to Bethlehem to see Jesus, the Prince of Peace, born in the most humble circumstances. When He grew to manhood, Jesus “went about doing good”[2] and teaching […]
At this time of year, people all over the world turn their thoughts to Bethlehem, as did the shepherds of so long ago when they declared, “Let us now go . . . unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass” (Luke 2:15). The ancient city of Bethlehem is located along an […]
A common characteristic of happy people is that they feel grateful; even happier, however, are those who express their gratitude. It’s one thing to take stock of blessings silently, to be thankful in your heart; it’s quite another to give voice to those feelings. Recently, social scientists confirmed this observation—they noted a slight increase in […]
We rejoice whenever someone embarks upon a worthy pursuit, especially in service to others—from joining the military to serving a religious mission to volunteering in a humanitarian effort. We give thanks for their sacrifice as we imagine the countless lives that they will touch for good.And we commend our loved ones who choose to serve. […]
It was only a two-minute speech, given 150 years ago, but as long as freedom is prized and those who fight for it are honored, it will never be forgotten. It was given on a rural battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the site of the deadliest battle of the Civil War. It was in this setting […]
Obituaries are snapshots of a life. In short order, they give us a glimpse into a person’s experiences and character. Granted, they do not claim to paint a complete picture—every life is more nuanced than what can be summarized in a few lines in the newspaper. But there’s something noble about focusing on the positive […]
If you’ve ever tried to help a toddler eat, you know how important independence is to human nature. The older a child gets, the more she insists on feeding herself—no matter how messy it gets. To the child (and, to a lesser degree, to her parents) the increased independence is well worth getting some food […]
While serving in the president’s cabinet as United States Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich kept a hectic and pressure-filled schedule at the heart of the nation’s decision-making process. So busy were his days that he rarely had contact with old friends and saw little of his wife and two sons. One evening he called home […]
In 1941, Viktor Frankl was a prominent Jewish psychiatrist and neurologist in Vienna, Austria. The threat of Nazi concentration camps was increasing, but Viktor had found a way out: a visa that would allow him to take his new wife and his promising career to America—and to safety. But Viktor knew that when the Nazis […]
Not long ago, a family decided to spend a hot summer afternoon floating down a river on inner tubes. A river guide gave them clear instructions to make their trip enjoyable and safe. In particular, he warned them about a stretch of river where a bridge produced a strong undercurrent. He instructed them to get […]
Two busy parents of a large family recently discovered the difference one caring person can make in the life of a child. It’s a simple story, really, and similar stories take place often and all around us, but the results are sometimes profound. Their six-year-old son, Micah, was stubborn about learning to read. Although he […]
Over a hundred years ago, Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote The Secret Garden, an enchanting novel about a young girl, Mary, who is orphaned during a cholera outbreak and sent away to live with relatives she has never met. Her childhood has been filled with loneliness and neglect, but Mary’s personality begins to blossom as she […]
A masterpiece is a work that demonstrates extraordinary talent, artistic skill, or workmanship—a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement. Historically, a masterpiece represented an artist’s finest piece of work, evidence that he or she, after years of perfecting a craft, had achieved the rank of master. Yet when we see or read or listen to a […]
It has been said that while pain and heartache are inevitable, misery is optional. In other words, even amid the difficulties and adversities of life, we can choose happiness and reject misery. Misery so often leads to a sense of defeat and despair, the feeling that life is either so painful or so hard that […]
At the funeral service of his father, a middle-aged man stood to express his feelings. “Father provided well for our family,” he said. “He always made sure we had what we needed, but the greatest gift he gave me was teaching me how to work.” With tears in his eyes he continued, “Dad loved us, […]
Isaac Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion; and likewise, an object at rest tends to stay at rest. Unless something acts upon the object, it will remain in its current state of motion or rest. This law from classical physics has been used to explain […]
Has anyone ever given you a gift and said, “This reminded me of you”? Did it make you stop and wonder what traits or qualities stand out to others when they think about you? Consciously or not, we spend a lifetime crafting our reputation. Of course, we can’t really control what people think of us, […]
We live in an age of rapid change, when longevity and consistency are rare. And so it seems appropriate, once or twice in a decade, to pause and reflect on the long legacy of our weekly broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been broadcasting since the early days of radio. […]
In May 1860, four men were vying to be their party’s nominee for president of the United States at the Republican convention. Delegates were expected to give the nod to well-known and experienced Senator William Henry Seward, with Ohio Governor Salmon P. Chase the next most likely candidate and Judge Edward Bates another viable choice. […]