The ChurCh of Jesus ChrisT of LaTTer-day sainTs • oCTober 2009 Blessings of the Temple, pp. 7–21 Ministering like Our Prophet, pp. 26, 30, F2 Why There Are No Ugly Ducklings, p. 36 The Tortilla Miracle and the Temple, p. F6 LIAHONA, OCTOBER 2009 AdultsFIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE 2 Finding Strength through Obedience By President Thomas S. Monson VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE 25 Nurture the Rising Generation FEATURE ARTICLES Youth FEATURE ARTICLES Blessings of the Temple By Elder Robert D. Hales 12 Worth the Wait By Valeria Salerno The opportunity to enter the temple and to take upon 7 I became impatient as I waited to do baptisms for the ourselves the sacred covenants there is one of the dead. Then I realized that the people for whom we greatest blessings available to us in mortality. were doing this work had waited centuries. My Privilege to Serve By Michael R. Morris 16 Place of Peace By Richard M. Romney Sister María José de Araújo, who serves each day in 8 A beautiful building or a sacred reminder of their the Recife Brazil Temple, says that those who worship hopes and dreams? For some youth, the temple is regularly in the temple come to understand its real both. meaning and power. Ugly Duckling or Majestic Swan? It’s Up to You! A Temple-Going People By Ryan Carr 36 18 By Elder Errol S. Phippen Fellowshipping, family history work, and baptisms You are a chosen son or daughter of God. Choose to for the dead inspire one ward’s members to receive live up to the divine potential that lies within you. their own endowments. 40 Begin with Prayer By Janet Thomas 22 The New Gospel Art Book By Michael G. Madsen “Prayer is a great habit to acquire,” say the teens of More than 100 images in this affordable new book the Ottawa Ontario Stake as they tell how prayer has can help us teach and learn the gospel. brought healing, comfort, and stronger testimonies. 26 The Blessings of Ministering Four stories of Latter-day Saints who changed the DEPARTMENTS lives of fellow ward members. 24 Poster: Virtue—the Gold Standard 30 Me? A Shepherd in Israel? By Elder Daniel L. Johnson 34 Questions and Answers The sheep we are “bringing . back to the fold” are In my family I am the youngest by many years. “dear to the heart of the Shepherd.” The Lord will I always feel left out of my siblings’ activities and guide us and inspire us in what to do to recover conversations. What can I do to improve our our brothers and sisters. relationship? DEPARTMENTS 44 Latter-day Saint Voices An atheist’s prayer in the forest; curious about the temple; hoping to feel something special; an international Thanksgiving dinner. 48 Using This Issue Family home evening ideas and topics in this issue. ON THE COVER Front: Photo illustration by Matthew Reier. Back: Mural in the Los Angeles California Temple; photograph of Panama City Panama Temple doors by Matthew Reier; photographs may not be copied. October 2009 Vol. 33 No. 10 LIAHONA 04290 Official international magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen ChildrenCOME LISTEN TO A PROPHET’S VOICE Editor: Spencer J. Condie Advisers: Keith K. Hilbig, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Paul B. Pieper F2 A Prophet’s Love By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Editorial Director: Victor D. Cave Senior Editor: Larry Hiller FEATURE ARTICLES Graphics Director: Allan R. Loyborg The Tortilla Miracle By Jane McBride Choate Managing Editor: R. Val Johnson F6 Assistant Managing Editors: Jenifer L. Greenwood, Adam C. Olson F13 Cleaning the Temple Grounds By Joshua J. Perkey Associate Editor: Ryan Carr Assistant Editor: Susan Barrett THE FRIEND COVER Editorial Staff: David A. Edwards, Matthew D. Flitton, LaRene DEPARTMENTS Illustration by Craig Porter Gaunt, Annie Jones, Carrie Kasten, Jennifer Maddy, Stapley. Melissa Merrill, Michael R. Morris, Sally J. Odekirk, Joshua J. F4 Sharing Time: We Believe the Family Is Ordained Perkey, Chad E. Phares, Jan Pinborough, Richard M. Romney, of God By Cheryl Esplin Don L. Searle, Janet Thomas, Paul VanDenBerghe, Julie Wardell Senior Secretary: Laurel Teuscher F8 From the Life of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Art Director: Scott Van Kampen A Generous Man Production Manager: Jane Ann Peters Design and Production Staff: Cali R. Arroyo, Collette F10 Trying to Be Like Jesus Nebeker Aune, Howard G. Brown, Julie Burdett, Thomas S. Child, Reginald J. Christensen, Kim Fenstermaker, Kathleen See if you can find Howard, Eric P. Johnsen, Denise Kirby, Scott M. Mooy, F12 Music: The Priesthood of Our Ginny J. Nilson Lord By John Craven the Fijian CTR Prepress: Jeff L. Martin ring hidden in this Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick F14 Friend to Friend: Temples Are Distribution Director: Randy J. Benson a Gift from Heavenly Father issue. Choose the For subscriptions and prices outside the United States and By Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi Canada, contact your local Church distribution center or right page! ward or branch leader. F16 Coloring Page Send manuscripts and queries to Liahona, Rm. 2420, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0024, USA; or e-mail: [email protected]. The Liahona (a Book of Mormon term meaning “compass” or “director”) is published in Albanian, Armenian, Bislama, Bulgarian, Cambodian, Cebuano, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Fijian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Haitian, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kiribati, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malagasy, Marshallese, Mongolian, Comment Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Sinhala, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tahitian, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tongan, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Answers to My Questions at a time. We use the extra magazines Vietnamese. (Frequency varies by language.) © 2009 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. I am very grateful for this marvelous as gifts for our neighbors. One neigh- Printed in the United States of America. magazine and for the testimonies, new Text and visual material in the Liahona may be copied bor told me that when she came home for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Visual material may not be copied if restrictions are indicated in information, explanations of the scrip- tired and depressed from work, it the credit line with the artwork. Copyright questions should be addressed to Intellectual Property Office, 50 E. North tures, and material for teaching lessons made her happy to find the magazine Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150, USA; e-mail: [email protected]. it contains. So many times when I have in her mailbox. I know that everything The Liahona can be found in many languages on the Internet asked questions of Heavenly Father, in the magazine is inspired—from the at www.liahona.lds.org. For Readers in the United States and Canada: October I have been led by the Holy Ghost to General Authority messages to the 2009 Vol. 33 No. 10. LIAHONA (USPS 311-480) English (ISSN 1080-9554) is published monthly by The Church of the Liahona, where I have found the stories from members—and reading Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150. USA subscription price is $10.00 per answers to my questions. I receive it brings me knowledge and blessings year; Canada, $12.00 plus applicable taxes. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. Sixty days’ notice each issue with joy. and helps me gain love and under- required for change of address. Include address label from a recent issue; old and new address must be included. Send Evgenija Samarskaja, Russia standing for my fellowman. USA and Canadian subscriptions to Salt Lake Distribution Center at address below. Subscription help line: 1-800-537- Bertha Viola Rétiz Espino, Mexico 5971. Credit card orders (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) may be taken by phone. (Canada Poste Information: Happy to Find the Liahona Publication Agreement #40017431) I love the Liahona, and my husband Please send your feedback and suggestions to POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Salt Lake [email protected]. Letters that are printed may Distribution Center, Church Magazines, PO Box 26368, and I have had up to five subscriptions be edited for length or clarity. Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368. 2 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Finding Strength through Obedience BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON n our world today, the accent is on plan of our God, we enter mortal existence youth. Everyone wants to look young, to taste of youth but once. I feel young, and be young. Indeed, vast sums of money are expended each The Fountain of Truth year for products that people hope will Although there is no fountain of youth restore the youthful look. Well might we that we may wisely seek, there is another ask ourselves, “Is the search for youth fountain containing more precious water, new to our day, to our generation?” We even the waters of eternal life. This is the need but to thumb the pages of history fountain of truth. to find our answer. The poet captured the real significance Centuries ago, in the great age of of the search for truth when he wrote these There is no need to exploration, expeditions were outfitted immortal lines: sail uncharted seas and ships containing confident and adven- in search of the foun- turous crews set sail on uncharted seas Yes, say, what is truth? ’Tis the brightest tain of truth.