Emotions Surface as New Museum Opens

When Lynn Stowell, a volunteer guide at Saturday’s opening of the new Northwest African American Museum, helped a man find information about his grandfather, the man wept. Such was the very personal response among some of the guests.

Storing Water for Your Family

What if your children were separated from you during a traumatic event? Would they know they need drinking water within three to five days or they might die? This week's FHE lesson will empower your kids and help them to make a difference in storing life-giving water for your family.

By C.S. Bezas

Michael Ballam to Perform at D.C. Temple Visitor’s Center

Michael Ballam, a world renowned operatic star, will present a recital and discuss how music is therapeutic and brings hope and happiness to peoples’ lives. The event, which is free to the public, will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2008, at the Washington Temple Visitor’s Center, and begins at 7 p.m.

Personal Historian

Overwhelmed with the thought of writing a personal history? Personal Historian makes it easy to organize, write, and publish personal histories. It brings timelines, photos, documents, and genealogy together to write a
life story. Download your free trial today.

The Failure of the Hookup Mentality

Our culture’s sexual attitudes are self-destructive. Nothing about the casual sex thrown at us at every turn can possibly incline and prepare people for the lifelong sexual fidelity critical to marriage and family stability.

By Maurine Proctor

New Zealanders Spruce Up Neighborhoods

More than 5,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their neighbors joined together on Saturday in a nationwide day of service to improve and beautify neighborhoods.

Overcoming the Natural Man

Latter-day Saints sometimes think that we do not believe in the concept of “original sin” found in Christianity. Actually, the Book of Mormon clearly teaches this idea. Where we differ from some other Christians is that we do not believe that the sin of our first parents was sexual in nature or that infants are born in sin.

By John A. Tvedtnes

How to be a Good Visiting Teacher

There is no slowdown in the number of letters Meridian Magazine been getting about visiting teachers. We've all had good ones and bad ones, and many of us have been good ones and bad ones. There's something we can all learn from this topic.  In fact, even home teachers can get tips from today's letters.

By Kathryn H. Kidd

Distinguishing Wants from Needs

Whether we're genuinely hungry and it's time to eat, or we find ourselves with food on our minds and in our hands and mouths when it's not time to eat, the question, “What do you need?” will instantly elicit life-sustaining bread, and not rocks.

By Carolyn Allen

Mitt Romney, Mormons, and Bigotry: Some Hypothetical Questions

Although Evangelical Christians can (and do) tolerate Mormons serving on the federal appellate courts, in Cabinet positions, and in the Senate and House, perhaps elevating a devout Mormon to the Supreme Court is just a little "too much." Mormons can serve in high public office, but not in the highest of those offices.

By Lowell Brown

Three Ingredients of Joy

Someone once said that the best part of travel is coming home.  Perhaps the two best parts of travel are the things you notice by being away from the familiar of home, and the things you notice about home when you return.

By Richard Eyre

Books to Take Children Round the World

Children can learn about so many things when reading books. Here are some outstanding picture books that reflect various cultures or are written and illustrated by authors from around the world. All of the books are good for ages five through adult.

By Holly E. Newton

Network Founder Tells NPR Parents Should Do More

In an interview with National Public Radio recently, philanthropist Sheila Johnson said that moral standards in the media were declining and that parents needed to step up.

Lessons from the Lives of Auxiliary Leaders
Serving the One

Although church auxiliary leaders were given the responsibility to administer worldwide organizations, their acts of service showed that they realized the importance of serving individuals.

By Janet Peterson

Two Latter-day Saints Shine on “American Idol”

Six months ago nobody had heard of David Archuleta or Brooke White, but now, thanks to their soaring on American Idol, the television show that seeks to find the country’s new vocal superstars, they have become household names with their own fans, websites, blogs and pictures splashed across the Internet.

By Maurine Proctor

Abraham had several wives and numerous children after the death of Sarah, but he was more than a father in the biological sense.

By E. Douglas Clark

New Book to Help Victims of Pornography Find Hope:  A Call for Submissions

Submission are being sought for a book that talks about the effects of pornography on society and how families have battled pornography and won.

By Cherilyn Bacon Eagar

Hallelujah!

Only a man like George Careless could pull off a complete performance of the Messiah in the western frontier of Salt Lake City in 1875.

By Davis Bitton

Volunteers Help Restore Earthquake-Damaged Town

More than 300 Latter-day Saint volunteers endured a whiteout snowstorm a week ago as they helped residents repair their town following a series of earthquakes. After an initial 6.0 quake on February 21, several aftershocks have hit the town, damaging homes and other buildings.

2007 Whitney Award Winners To Be Announced March 22

The winners of the 2007 Whitney Awards will be announced during the final evening of the LDStorymakers annual Writers Conference, March 22, 2008. Special Lifetime Achievement Awards will also be presented that night to three persons whose bodies of works and tireless efforts have made a significant impact on the field of LDS popular fiction.

Latter-day Laughs

A Meridian reader writes: “My sister's children were recently pretending to be at church. Seven-year-old Andrea stood up and shared these feelings: ‘I'd like to bear my testimony. I really love all of you, and I want to bear my testimony that you can love all of you, too. And I know that our prophet, President Hinckley, really did die. Amen.'” Come laugh with us.

Edited and Compiled by Trish Manwaring, Assistant Editor, Meridian Magazine

The Laie Hawaii Temple One Beautiful Morning

Few places on earth bring such peace and rest to the soul as the temple. Few temples are set more beautifully than the one in Laie, Hawaii. Give yourself some peace and rest and come walk with me through these beautiful photographs of this paradisiacal place.

A Photographic Essay by
Scot Facer Proctor

We All Want the Same Things

It doesn't matter whether parents are Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, or Latter-day Saint.  We all want the same things for our children.  There are goals and dreams that all of us share.

By Richard Eyre

Quality Books for New Readers

New readers have a huge advantage these days — there is a wealth of books geared specifically for them. Today there are many publishers who have found really great authors who write for the interest of young readers who are on the brink of discovering the joy of reading.

By Holly E. Newton

An LDS Washington DC Insider Says America is in Danger

Steve Studdert, who has been a White House advisor to three U.S. Presidents, says that ignorance is not bliss when it comes to understand ten major dangers looming on the horizon for America.

By Maurine Proctor

The Machine-Sewn Swimming Pool

With a little creativity, two children learn that it's possible to make a swimming pool with a sewing machine.

By Dian Thomas

BusinessWeek Ranks BYU Undergraduate Business Seventh in Nation

Brigham Young University's undergraduate business programs rank seventh overall and first among recruiters according to BusinessWeek magazine's comprehensive ranking of U.S. undergraduate business programs.

New Website Focuses on Life and Teachings of Christ

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has launched a new multimedia website about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The site, JesusChrist.lds.org, was almost a year in the making.

A Little-Known Periodical

Looking for another great source of additional spiritual nourishment? You can't go wrong with BYU Studies.

By Davis Bitton

Chipping Away at Marriage in California

California residents probably thought they had the job of protecting marriage completed when they passed Prop 22 keeping marriage only between a man and a woman by 61.4% in 2000. But understanding what’s happened since then to chip away at the statute is a lesson in how unscrupulous politics can be in undercutting the will of the people.
By Maurine Proctor

Marriage Hangs in the Balance in the California Supreme Court

Mormon — The Man Behind the Name

Who was the man Mormon? What qualities of character qualified him, among all God’s spirit children, to receive the stewardship of compiling and composing the Book of Mormon?

By Darla Isackson

Sniffing Out False Beauty Claims

To help you separate fact (what works) from fiction (what doesn’t) concerning beauty, diet and exercise, be alert to these characteristics of a myth-informer.

By Judith Rasband

Bishops See National Trend in LDS Congregations

The nation trend toward more personal religious experiences is reflected in Latter-day Saint congregations, Mormon bishops say.

How to Survive Your Visiting Teachers

By Kathryn