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Cover Story:How Does the Lord Speak to Us?

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2008 CAMIE Awards

The stars were out as the 2008 CAMIE (Character and Morality In Entertainment) awards were presented in Hollywood on May 3.

By Levor Oldham

Handling Life with Humor

Bringing humor into situations and life puts others at ease, relieves tension, and is therapeutic. The old maxim “Laughter is the best medicine” has much truth to it. The following are glimpses into the humor of several former general auxiliary presidents.

By Janet Peterson

The Book of Mormon Title Page — “For a Wise Purpose”

According to Monte Nyman, the Allegory of the Olive Tree goes on to span the history of the House of Israel until the end of the earth.

Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)

Beautifully Modest

Beautifully Modest combines the latest in fashion, elegance, and style in every dress we design. Click Here to see more.

Finding Self-Confidence in the Bedroom

Sexual self-confidence is the self-assurance — and God-assurance, even — that one is loved and acceptable to one’s self and to God. This is coupled with sexual knowledge and application within marriage.

By Laura M. Brotherson

Exact Change

Some things, whether they be things of faith or opinions about the timing of explosive devices, are open to continuing revelation.

By Marvin Payne

New Genealogy Guides for England and Scotland

FamilySearch has announced the release of two new free research tools that will help those with British and Scottish roots to find their ancestors.

Pray and Stay Awake!

Sometimes in the scriptures, there are stories that parallel each other that command our attention and teach principles. Such is the case of the two accounts in scripture where Jesus was with his apostles and commanded them to watch and pray always lest they entered into temptation.

By Janet Lisonbee

Jerusalem vs. Bethlehem

Critics point out that Alma 7:10 says Jesus would be born “at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers.” We all know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. They say this mistake is evidence that Joseph Smith forged the Book of Mormon.

From FAIR, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research

Three Months to Live

For each of us, there are a few split seconds in our time on earth where the river bends and life proceeds in a new and very different direction. Perhaps it's meeting your spouse, when a child is born, or when you discover the gospel for yourself.

By Carolyn Allen

Mormon Youth Put Life on Hold to Serve as Missionaries

Each of the more than 53,000 young Mormon missionaries serving as volunteers for the Church has a different story to tell about leaving behind career and studies to serve missions.

A Need for Unity — as Citizens and as Disciples

In this election year, we would do well to consider two ways how God would have us work with one another and how we may make wise decisions in the civic arenas.

By Stephen M. Studder

Is the Gospel Vision of the Arts No Longer Valid?

President Spencer W. Kimball had a gospel vision of the arts. Some 31 years later, is that vision coming to pass?

By Greg Hansen

Fablehaven — Grip of the Shadow Plague Sells Out Before Release at Amazon

A Brigham Young University graduate is poised to capture the top position in the New York Times Best Selling Children's List with his third book in the Fablehaven series.

By Kjirstin Youngberg

The Way was Opened

A simple act of courtesy on a tennis court makes possible an apostle's visit to Germany after World War II.

Edited by Laurie Williams Sowby

Treasured Friend and Treasured Recipes

People are like an encyclopedia, filled with information but not often opened. Here is the story of one human encyclopedia, along with a recipe she shared along the way.

By Dian Thomas

Responding to Uncertain Times

Two weeks ago Meridian Magazine quoted prophets who warned us of calamities. Now the news media are making the same predictions. What has happened in the past two weeks? Plenty!

By Carolyn Nicolaysen

Church Works with Governments to Strengthen Families

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and government officials in the Philippines are joining together to provide resources to help strengthen families and communities.

President Thomas S. Monson to Give Closing Address at BYU Women's Conference

President Thomas S. Monson will be the concluding speaker during this year's Brigham Young University Women's Conference. He will address the attendees at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, May 2, in the Marriott Center.

Were the Three Witnesses Hypnotized?

Some critics claim the Book of Mormon witnesses may have been sincere in their testimony, but they were actually the victims of “hallucinations” or “hypnosis” induced by Joseph Smith.

From FAIR, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research

Lesson 18
“God Himself ... Shall Redeem His People"
Mosiah 12-17

Lesson 17
"A Seer ... Becometh a Great Benefit to His Fellow Beings"
Mosiah 7-11

McKay School of Education at BYU to Offer New Doctoral Program

The David O. McKay School of Education at Brigham Young University will initiate a newly designed doctoral degree program beginning fall semester 2008 titled Educational Inquiry, Measurement and Evaluation (EIME).

Becoming a Godly Healer

Inadvertently, the young bishop closed off the channels of communication. He was suckered into a debate about the merits of a ward member's complaint and missed the cry of her soul.

By H. Wallace Goddard

The Making of a Modern Parable

Parables are fun to create, and there are great benefits in the making of modern parables. Children would always rather listen to a story than a lecture, so creating a story for an important issue is an effective teaching tool. In the process of creating a parable, you can also see gospel principles in new ways.

By Steffani Raff

Visiting Teaching Success Stories

After all these weeks of discussing visiting teachers (including ourselves) who didn't measure up, here are some stories that will make you realize why it's all worthwhile.

By Kathryn H. Kidd

Defending Marriage and Moral Values in Oregon

A battle regarding gay rights and marriage is at a pitch in Oregon, and if you live there, your help can make a difference.

By Kenneth Stevens

It's Time to Be Outdoors

Take a few minutes to think about what nurtures your soul and be sure to get that on the calendar. It will make the hard things a lot easier.

By Dian Thomas

New Online DVD Rental Store Features LDS Movies

A new online DVD rental company has opened its doors, and unlike Netflix or Blockbuster this site is specific for the LDS market.

Mom's Personal History

Want to help mom write her life's stories? 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.

How Dark Were the Dark Ages?

Ah yes -- those famous Dark Ages. Were they really so dark and miserable?

By Davis Bitton

BYU-Idaho’s Three-Semester System is Working

Enrollment statistics released for summer semester 2008 at Brigham Young University-Idaho show that the goal of fully implementing the three-semester system is becoming a reality.

25 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself

There are many other books more entertaining, more diverting, and more fun to read if you want to stay in your head. If you want a book to help you to search your heart, this may be it.

A Book Review by Darla Isackson

Defining Marriage

No matter how you slice it, “separated” reads “still married.”

By Susan Law Corpany

LDS Women Reach Out to Serve

Why do these three Mormon women and thousands of others of their faith reach beyond the boundaries of their own homes, even their own communities, to provide relief to people in need?

Lesson 19
“None Could Deliver Them but the Lord”
Mosiah 18-24
By Scot and Maurine Proctor

Lesson 18
“God Himself ... Shall Redeem His People"
Mosiah 12-17

Energy Medicine — Is DNA the “Final Answer?”

Cells, and the objects of which the cells are comprised, while seemingly impermeable, are capable of storing memory. What does this implication have for modern medicine?

By Stan M. Gardner, M.D.

Gracefully Parting with Church Magazines

When an issue of your favorite church magazine has lived its useful life, how do you dispose of it without feeling guilty?

By Kathryn H. Kidd

Latter-day Laughs

Kathy Harrison from Alabama writes: “One day on the way home from church, we were talking about the branch president and his wife having a new baby, and guessing that they were going to have twins. One of my younger sons said, ‘She can't be having twins. If she were, she'd have two humps!'" Come laugh with us.

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

The Arrangement of Marriage

On the day of his son's marriage, a father wonders about the blending of families and the intricacies of the extended family institution.

By Richard Eyre

Fantasies to Keep Youngsters Turning Pages

Are you looking for a great fantasy? Here are some books that will have your nine-year-old — and older — turning pages quicker than you think possible.

By Holly E. Newton

Global Warming — Latest Excuse for the War on the Family

Global warming cultists are starting to blame religion and family as a big source of what they see as climate change—and in a recent article, the Latter-day Saints were mentioned by name.

By Don Feder

Lehi's Dream of the Tree of Life — 20 Years Later

An artist uses friends and family to illustrate his large illustration of Lehi's dream.

By Steven Lloyd Neal, MD

Osmonds to Join Tabernacle Choir for Concert

The entire Osmond family, including the Osmond Brothers, Donny, Marie and Jimmy, will be featured as guest artists for this year's Pioneer Day Concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

New Books Celebrate Women

Several new books in the LDS market hold special appeal for women and would make welcome Mother's Day gifts. Some combine art, prose, and music in delightful packages, while others offer words of wit and wisdom.

Reviewed By
Laurie Williams Sowby

Utopia? Count Me Out!

Ah, Utopia — the perfect world. Do you really want to live there?

By Davis Bitton

How to be a Somebody

There are lots of little ways you can be somebody. Every one of us can make a difference.

By Mary Ellen Edmunds

Straight Talk About Casual Sex

"We live in a sex-saturated society where supposedly the majority of young people are "doing it," more often than not without "benefit of marriage." The time for some straight talk about casual sex is long overdue, and every young person needs to know the truth about this risky behavior."

The Almighty Jacket Layer

What good does a jacket do? Why spend time or money on a jacket?
By Judith Rasband

A Twenty-Something’s Guide to Spirituality, Edited by Jacob Werrett & David Read

This one-of-a-kind book captures the perplexities that confront us in the college years, but does so with refreshing honesty and a faith component that denotes real desire to perform God’s will.

Reviewed by Catherine K. Arveseth

President Monson Announces Two New Temples in Arizona

Plans to build two new temples in Gila Valley and Gilbert, Arizona, were announced today by Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This will bring the total number of temples to 134 already in operation or in the planning and construction phases.

Picking up the Pieces

Is there one of us that does not relate to Brooke White on “American Idol” last week? We're prepared and ready. We've prayed and done absolutely everything possible for success — then something happens. We lose our instincts and our way, and then we have to pick up the pieces.

By Carolyn Allen

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First Line News

Monday, May 12, 2008

Bush: Daughter Jenna’s Wedding ‘Spectacular’
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush didn't share their daughter's wedding with the nation, but the president eagerly shared their joy on Sunday about Jenna Bush's marriage to Henry Hager.

Over 20 Dead in South After Storms
Crews and search dogs hunted today for survivors or bodies in piles of debris after tornados and storms rumbled across the region a day earlier and killed at least 21 people in three states.

Taxpayers Cut Out of Rebate Program
An estimated hundreds of thousands of taxpayers — from legal immigrants to soldiers based abroad — who be getting a share of the stimulus package because of a provision aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from getting rebates.

Gates Defends Troop Quality
Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that long combat tours in Iraq have strained the military, but he disputed that the quality of U.S. forces has suffered because of exceptions made for borderline recruits and the practice of sending troops deemed medically unfit for combat into the war zone.

Veterans’ Medical Costs Set to Soar
Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come — even as the total population of America’s vets shrinks.

Stamp Prices Rise to 42 Cents
The cost of mailing a letter goes up a penny to 42 cents on Monday, the latest in what are expected to be annual price adjustments by the Postal Service.

Dalton Ready to Lead a ‘Return to Virtue’
Elaine Dalton, sustained last month as Young Women general president in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is leading the way for about 555,000 12- to 18-year-old girls worldwide. Ministering to girls "one by one" and ingraining in them a sense of their "divine nature" and "individual worth" is the presidency Dalton, 61 and the mother of six, envisions.

Romney Honored for Commitment to Religious Liberty
This is the text of a speech former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney delivered on Thursday night before the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty’s Canterbury dinner, where Romney and his wife, Ann, were honored for their commitment to religious liberty. The text is the as-prepared version provided by Romney’s office.

Placing Intimacy in the Right Perspective
Everything human beings need to learn about healthy sexuality can be learned without ever having sexual relations outside of marriage or viewing pornography.

Women Respond to Challenges of Being Mormon and Single
By some estimates, single women account for one in three women in the LDS Church. In a church where marriage and motherhood are theological imperatives where does that leave the unattached?

University Seeks to Preserve Native Language
The University of Michigan is trying to preserve an American Indian language spoken by 10,000 — but 80% of them are older than 60.

Court Hears Autism-Vaccine Case
Families claiming that a mercury-based preservative in vaccines triggers autism will challenge mainstream medicine Monday as they take their case to a federal court.

MySpace Walls Come Tumbling Down
MySpace has forged agreements with other popular Internet sites -- Yahoo, eBay, Photobucket and Twitter -- to permit MySpace users to migrate their data. Profiles, videos and friend networks are among the content that can be ported.

Wall Street Looks to Consumers for Direction
With millions of stimulus checks going out to taxpayers, Wall Street wants to know where that money will be spent — and this week’s data could help investors gauge the mindset of the average consumer.

The Changing Face of Private Equity
The credit crunch has resulted in fewer financing options for big buyout firms. Now they're having to reinvent themselves.

State Programs Add Safety Net for Poorest
Over the last two years, officials in Arkansas and at least a dozen other states have announced plans to extend a safety net — through monthly cash payments — to thousands of low-income workers struggling to gain a foothold in the work world.

Bush Odds for Mideast Peace Wane
Since Mr. Bush's first visit, hopeful talk of a miracle — a Middle East peace agreement — has been replaced by a renewal of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. The prospects for a peace deal by the end of Mr. Bush's term have dimmed, and the mood in Israel is by many accounts grim.

U.S., Russia Sign Civilian Nuclear Pact
Russia and the U.S. signed a key agreement on civilian nuclear power Tuesday that will give Washington access to Moscow's nuclear technology and potentially hand Russia lucrative deals on storing spent nuclear fuel.

Unbending Regime Still Blocks Aid
For international aid workers trying to reach cyclone survivors in Burma (Myanmar), it's a race against time to reach up to 1.5 million stricken people. To Burma's reclusive military rulers, though, the calculus of aid looks very different, and the goal remains to keep absolute control over a cowed population.

Boat Carrying Cyclone Aid Sinks
Myanmar's monumental task of feeding and sheltering 1.5 million cyclone survivors suffered yet another blow Sunday when a boat laden with relief supplies — one of the first international shipments — sank on its way to the disaster zone.

Spread of Nuclear Capability is Feared
At least 40 developing countries from the Persian Gulf region to Latin America have recently approached U.N. officials here to signal interest in starting nuclear power programs, a trend that concerned proliferation experts say could provide the building blocks of nuclear arsenals in some of those nations.

Serbia’s Pro-Western President Declares Victory
Serbia's pro-Western president declared victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections — a stunning upset over ultranationalists who tried to exploit anger over Kosovo's independence. But his rivals vowed to fight on, and it was unclear if he could stave off their challenge.

Drug ‘Civil War’ Rages in Mexico
A full-scale civil war is raging in Mexico -- and few are paying attention. Drug cartels seeking to keep control over huge swathes of Mexico have been on a rampage. In the past two weeks alone, at least 10 police officials have been murdered -- including the chief of Mexico's federal police.

Civility May Be At All-Time Low
From bullying on the playground and in the workplace to abusing handicapped parking privileges to language packed with enough four-letter words it would make people at your granddad's Navy reunion blush. Yes, civility seems to be at an all-time low. Rudeness reigns in our stressed and impatient society.

Genetic Sleuths Unmask Secrets of Big Tomatoes
The secret behind growing large tomatoes lies not in the fertilizer or the perfect soil conditions, but in just a few genetic changes that over time have resulted in tomatoes 1,000 times bigger than their wild ancestors, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.