#Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

[abeehiltz1159]

“If we give our heart to God, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we do the best we can to live the gospel, then tomorrow—and every other day—is ultimately going to be magnificent, even if we don’t always recognize it as such. Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants it to be!”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You” (April 2016 General Conference)

[heathersdesk]

The Relationship between the LDS Church, Palestine, and Israel

I have a confession to make. As a younger person, I was obsessed with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.

"You and every Millennial."

NO. You don't understand. This went beyond "Neat, his talk is up next. He always does a good job. Let me tune back in to this two hour long meeting." This was a parasocial, fandom level, ADHD-fueled special interest that amounted to a kind of hero worship I can't fully explain now, other than to say I outgrew it. I had every talk of his that he had ever given that was available online on my various devices I had in college and would listen to them regularly. I knew them so well I could quote them in entire sections. One of my roommates met him in Southern Utah and got one of my books signed for me, and I cried when she gave it to me. I met him once at a Mark Twain performance (one of his favorite authors and the subject of his study as a student) at Sundance and I wasn't normal about it at all.

Elder Holland had a fan with Swiftie-levels of intensity in 2009, and it was me. It's deeply embarrassing to admit this, but it's crucial to understanding why I know the things I'm about to tell you.

Before Elder Holland became an apostle, he was the president of Brigham Young University. During his tenure, he entered into negotiations with Israel to build the Jerusalem Center, the extension of BYU's campus in the Holy Land. He raised $100 million for its construction. This required buy-in not only from church leadership and donors in the US, but the cooperation of the Israeli government. This was how he ended up winning the Torch of Liberty award from the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith. He was effective enough at building bridges between Latter-day Saints and Jews and the other communities in Jerusalem, he got people to open their checkbooks to pay for the facility that would be dedicated to building that interfaith understanding and cooperation into the future. Finished in 1989, it's one of the most important contributions to the Church in Elder Holland's legacy.

The Jerusalem Center exists because of Elder Holland. How well he handled its formation, in my opinion, is how he ended up becoming a Seventy, followed by the call to become an Apostle in 1994.

The Jerusalem Center was constructed on what used to be Palestinian land. The Church is aware of that fact and makes restitution for it in the form of student scholarships to Palestinian students. Sahar Qumsiyeh, a professor at BYU-Idaho, was formerly a Palestinian Christian. She was introduced to the Church and joined because she received one of these scholarships.

The Jerusalem Center became a real turning point in the Church's relationship with Israel and Palestine because they have strong, close partnerships with individuals and groups who identify with each group. They have sent humanitarian aid many times over years, and have committed to doing so now. I trusted that would be the case.

I do highly encourage you to read the links above, but the TL;DR version is that the Church got fully engaged in helping Palestinian refugees for the first time in 2006. I've given you multiple links for a reason, so you can see the way LDS attitudes to this conflict between Israel and Palestine have been evolving and changing over time. The rejections of Israeli violence and support for Palestine today are not new. They've been going on in the LDS Church for almost two decades now. The Church maintains the campus in Jerusalem specifically to expand our peoples' perspectives and understanding of that conflict, specifically so they won't unconditionally side with Israel and support everything they do. And that's not my interpretation. That's what one of the instructors who taught at the Jerusalem Center said of the program there.

While some Latter-day Saints have adopted unconditional support of Israel because of the influence of their allegiance with the Republican party, it's not a position that's endorsed by the Church. It's a position the Church has made deliberate efforts to undermine with the resources available to them on multiple fronts. In education through the Jerusalem Center, in humanitarian aid to Palestinians, in messaging from General Conference, and in their PR campaigns like "I Was a Stranger," church leadership (and, one could argue, God) has been trying to challenge Latter-day Saints to develop a more unconditional love that embraces the entire human family, not just those who are politically convenient to us in our current loyalties.

So when the Church made their statement regarding the outbreak of the Israel Hamas War, people criticized it for not saying enough. It didn't give the information that people wanted: what the Church's response was going to look like, how it would impact church members in the region, and what precautions the Church was going to take to protect them. Because the statement was given on October 12th, the answers to those questions weren't really known. But there was an additional question people wanted answered: Whose side is the Church on? They wanted the strongest possible condemnation, some in favor of Israel, and some in favor of Palestine, depending on what their political alignments were. And I will say those people missed the point. They didn't have the knowledge base of the Church's relationship to the Middle East to properly understand the statement.

The Church didn't "pick a side" in this conflict because of the longstanding relationships the institution has with both Israelis and Palestinians. No human life in that war is more or less valuable to them based on their ethnic background or national origin. To expect the Church to choose sides demonstrates a total lack of understanding of what the Church's goals are with their presence in the Middle East: getting people to recognize the value in interfaith relationships and developing love that rejects politically manufactured enmity.

If you're demanding the Church to pick sides in conflicts based on your political alignments, you're allowing the process of politically motivated dehumanization to cloud your judgement. You're asking them to choose an enemy, which couldn't be further from what the Church is supposed to do in this situation. The statement reflects a refusal to choose sides by condemning one thing, in the strongest language I've ever seen any modern church leader use: Violence.

All violence, no matter who enacts it or for what purpose, is "abhorrent" in the sight of God. That's what the statement said. Think about the implications of that statement. If a person is doing violence, they cannot please God. Those who please God cannot do violence.

Think about the longstanding relationships the Church has with civic leaders in Israel. Think about the fact that this statement was given on the 12th of October, before Israel's offensive even began. It would have been so easy for the Church to condemn terrorism in that moment instead of violence, but that's not what they did. They stated their commitment to care for Israelis and Palestinians in the coming conflict, drawing a line in the sand—prophetically, if I may add. I fully believe that the strength of the language of this statement anticipates how extreme the Israeli response has been, which the Church condemned before it began.

One of the unfortunate side effects of being terminally online and fluent only in American politics is that a statement like the one the Church gave reads to some as saying passively "all lives matter." That's not what was happening here. There was a reason I gasped when I read the statement and thought to myself "Woooow. They're big mad."

I studied Public Relations in college. Lying is the dumbest approach you can take as a PR strategy. It squanders good will, destroys your authority, and doesn't accomplish any organizational goals long term. A better strategy is to say exactly what you mean in the fewest words possible, and let people identify the implications for themselves. Only those who are truly invested in your message will understand everything you said without you having to say it.

The Church's statement was all but a slap in the face to the Israeli and US governments, telling them that God rejects them for bringing this violence into the world. They will not enjoy his protection while this violence continues. It also stands to reason that any other nation that assists Israel with their campaign of death and destruction will also stand condemned by God.

Church leadership, in partnership with PR, isn't going to say that part out loud. But they'll imply the hell out of it. Working in PR is operating on Jane Austen levels of subtext. I wish more people understood that so they could enjoy moments like this when the Church throws shade.

[pressforwardsaints]

"Please, never say: 'Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now and repent later.' Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with impunity crucify Christ afresh."

— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Personal Purity

[heartmarierose]

So BYU added the musket fire speech to their curriculum for incoming freshmen

An account that I follow on Instagram, @the.fourth.option, posted a call to contact BYU and ask them to remove the speech. It's included in the mandatory course, BYU Foundations for Student Success. I'm having a lot of feelings about this, despite having never attended BYU, so I wanted to post my message here.

The emails in the to-line are:

Reledinfo@byu.edu

Rich_Osguthorpe@byu.edu

Presidentsoffice@byu.edu

Carl_Hernandez@byu.edu

Oh and here's a link to the speech in question:

Good morning,

I am writing to ask that Jeffrey R. Holland’s speech “The Second Half of the Twentieth Century” be removed from the curriculum for the new University Foundations class for incoming freshmen.

I am a convert to the church, 10 years ago this year, and a nonbinary lesbian. I am having trouble articulating exactly how much Elder Holland’s speech hurt me, and many in the queer community. I firmly believe that it was never Elder Holland’s intent to cause such pain to the queer community. However, as disciples of Christ it is our responsibility to hear people when they say “this thing you did has caused me pain,” and then apologize for doing that thing and make every effort to never do it again.

To the queer community, this speech says "you do not and never will belong." To the queer community, this speech says "you are a danger to be removed using violence." To queer incoming freshmen at BYU, this speech says "you, your spiritual/emotional/mental well-being, and your physical safety, are less important than ensuring that BYU continues to receive donations from people who hate you."

To straight members of the church who harbor hatred for the queer community, regardless of the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, this speech says "I would like to hear a little more musket fire from this temple of learning." To those homophobic members, this speech says "your homophobia is justifiable and even Christ-like." To those homophobic members, this speech says "violence against your queer neighbor is okay and even encouraged by church leaders." You may include as many caveats about unequivocal love for queer people as you like, but you must understand that when putting "those who live with this same-sex challenge" and "musket fire" in the same thought, many will choose not to hear your caveats.

I appreciate that Elder Holland and other church leaders "have spent more time and shed more tears on this subject than [they] could ever adequately convey." I appreciate that they have "a little scar tissue of [their] own." Many of your incoming BYU freshmen have shed tears on this subject, and have scar tissue. Everyone is hurting here. But time and time again, Jesus Christ left the ninety and nine, the institution, the powerful - to comfort the one. To comfort the outcast. In a spirit of pleading and sorrow, why, then, would BYU choose to drive away the lost sheep, the outcast, the queer student in so much pain, by requiring that everyone read this speech?

Again, I believe that the intent with this speech was never to cause pain to queer members of the church. But, as queer members speak out and explain how such talks and speeches cause pain, seeing BYU and the church as a whole double down on these messages calls into question the the sincerity when we are told that these things are done with love. We do not feel love in these actions. 3 Nephi 14:20 says "Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them." The fruits of these actions are only pain, and sorrow, and hurt. Please believe us when we say that this thing you are doing is causing us pain, and please make every effort to never do it again. Thank you,

[my name]

she/they

Member of the [ward that I live in]

[miss-nerd-alert]

“My beloved brothers and sisters, Christianity is comforting, but it is not often comfortable. The path to holiness and happiness here and hereafter is a long and sometimes rocky one. It takes time and tenacity to walk it. But, of course, the reward for doing so is monumental.”

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

[gaymormonmike]

Jeffrey R Holland Apostle

I was looking to see why he was not at General Conference and ran into controversy over his being asked to be the commencement speaker at Southern University Utah. I am so proud of the many queer people and allies who spoke up and objected to Elder Holland being the speaker. They expressed their hurt and pain from a talk Elder Holland gave at BYU faculty meeting in August, 2021.I found the text of that talk to decide for myself about it. In the talk he quotes a talk by Apostle Neal A Maxwell given to BYU faculty in March, 2004. Elder Maxwell compares the BYU faculty to the builders of the Nauvoo temple who had a trowel in one hand and a musket in the other. He concludes that the faculty does the job of building students but also defending the principles of the Gospel. (Not his words, my interpretation). Then Elder Holland quotes Apostle Dallin Oaks from his address to BYU faculty in August, 2014. Elder Oaks quotes Elder Maxwell and then states, “I want to hear more musket fire from this temple of learning.”  Elder Holland then focuses on marriage being only between a man and woman. Later in the talk he makes it clear that he is more concerned  with the integrity of BYU as an institution than with the right of an individual student to declare his sexual lifestyle.  He states that some faculty when asked to support the churches position on the queer community fired their muskets not at those hostile to the church but to the “Point of Mountain.”  Then he summarizes with the following: “  My Brethren have made the case for the metaphor of musket fire, which I have endorsed yet again today. There will continue to be those who oppose our teachings—and with that will continue the need to define, document, and defend the faith. But we all look forward to the day when we can “beat [our] swords into plowshares, and [our] spears into pruninghooks” and, at least on this subject, “learn war [no] more.”16 And while I have focused on this same-sex topic this morning more than I would have liked, I pray you will see it as emblematic of a lot of issues our students, our communities, and our Church face in this complex, contemporary world of ours. “

I love and respect Elder Holland but even though he says he loves me as a queer man, his talk does not sound loving to me. He uses this unfortunate metaphor of musket fire, when queer people are being shot to death. I am grateful for those speaking out and expressing their concern about his talk. I also understand those who want to hear Elder Holland and do  not want to censor or prevent him from talking, even though he speaks against BYU queer people’s free speech.

I would come to hear him speak in the hopes that he hears all the reasons for protest and addresses them in the way Christ would address them. This shows me that not every word out of a general authorities mouth is inspired of God. It is my privilege to use critical thinking and personal revelation to discern what is true doctrine and how it effects my life.

[thecrafters]

"No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

[loveerran]

I got a chance to go into the 'tunnels' that lead to the Church Administration building! (though 'tunnels' as used here just means a very nice underground parking garage, with an entryway into the Church Administration building where I could wait while David went upstairs). The security staff were very nice and professional.

While I was waiting, it was interesting to see various church employees and leaders entering and exiting. Elder Christensen, president of the North America Southeast Area was the first I recognized. Elder Patrick Kearon, the third living apostle to be born outside the US, came by with his wife and we exchanged a brief smile.

I waited patiently and quietly and read a book I brought with me - until President Jeffrey R. Holland came through the area. "Elder Holland!" I exclaimed involuntarily (editor's note: the correct form of address should have been 'President Holland' as he is now the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). He waved an acknowledgement and said something in passing. I couldn't help but reflect on the many wonderful sermons I have heard from this man, from 'Of Souls, Symbols and Sacraments' to the difference between Love and Lust. From his teachings about Angels, seen and unseen, to the power of faith. And, of course, his sermons touching on mental health. President Holland has been much loved by the members of the church, something that made his now infamous 'musket fire' speech so difficult to bear for so many, a sorrow and pain he acknowledged in a recent interview with Sheri Dew. Words can have great power, and President Holland's words have been some of the most powerful uttered by a church leader in this generation. I am grateful for the many times his gifts have been used in the service of Christlike love and compassion.

And then the inner doors opened, and stayed open for awhile. Eventually, walking slowly, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency came into view. I stood and called out in a single motion, "President Oaks!" I had tears in my eyes as I did so. In 2007, President Oaks gave a talk titled "Divorce". It was a memorable talk for me, and one that gave me perspective when my own marriage was straining years later. I consider it to be one of the most influential conference addresses I have ever heard. I had wanted to thank him for that message for many years. He turned toward me. "Please forgive me for intruding, but I have wanted to thank you for a talk you gave a long time ago on divorce. That talk gave me a better perspective, and helped my marriage endure during a difficult time". He walked over to me and extended his hand. I reached out my hand and he took it. "Thank you". We spoke very briefly, just a few sentences, and then he left. I was filled with a profound feeling of reverence, love and respect for this man, born in 1932, who has done so much good in this world. I believe he is doing his best.

As a visibly transgender woman, it was a special opportunity to wait in that space as leaders of the church went in and out. Speaking personally, it was particularly meaningful to me to meet men who have said things that hurt members of our lgbt+ community - sometimes very badly. I recall a closeted queer friend in an institute class after President Holland delivered his musket fire speech, listening to the other students collectively decide queer people should really just leave. I remember the video of a man, possibly a priesthood holder, pouring water over beautiful chalk rainbows at BYU a few days later, saying "F*ggots, go to hell". And I think of the book @nerdygaymormon shared with the Renlunds, containing my story of attending an LDS family ward and Relief Society for the first time, and the way the love and acceptance of the sisters welcomed a beautiful spiritual experience into my life as we discussed a different talk from President Holland.

It has been healing beyond belief for me to associate with the sisters. I am heartbroken that our leaders' new church policies on trans people forbid me and others like me from approaching the Savior to partake of those healing experiences, perhaps because we are believed to be unclean or sinners. And then I think about how and why Christ died for me, and for those I love, and for those who have hurt me.

Love, Erran

Meeting with the Renlunds 2024

On my trip to Utah for the 2024 Gather Conference, I had an opportunity to meet with the Elder & Sister Renlund.

Gather Conference and Gatherings

I shared with them that I was in town for the Gather conference, which is for LGBTQ people, regardless of whether still in or out of the church, who are spiritual as the conference focuses on Christ. This year, in addition to having a big conference, Lift+Love began something called "Gatherings" where people host a group in their home, and to help them there is a guide with scriptures, stories & questions, and it follows the Come, Follow Me schedule. Later, I emailed the Renlunds the September guide and a link to the website showing Gathering locations.

Stake Executive Secretary

It came up that my calling is still stake executive secretary. Sister Renlund commented, "You've served in that capacity for a long time." Yes I have, 9 years. Elder Renlund shared this a calling that he covets because there's something appealing about being at the nerve center but not in charge of making the hard decisions. It's good to be the helper, to make a difference by organizing things and creating order out of chaos. By making things predictable, it takes some of the load from the stake presidency.

Elder Renlund told the me executive secretary to the First Presidency is Elder Brook Hales, and he's able to get things done without interposing himself, he is respectful of the First Presidency's desires. I commented that is how I approach my calling, I am not the president nor the counselors, I'm there as the secretary, but my stake president is clear that anyone in the room can receive inspiration and should share it. If time has gone by and I haven't said anything, the stake president will call on me and ask what I think. Elder Renlund then said, "Revelation is scattered."

Elder Renlund commented that when the stake president is anxious to hear from everyone in the room, that usually indicates he is a good one. The person who presides has to set that tone to encourage others to share. Those who don't preside should share their thoughts but not argue and make it difficult on the one who presides and make him feel he needs to negotiate or compromise. Then Elder Renlund added, "I think he's pretty wise to keep you on all this time."

Everybody is Equivalent when it comes to Revelation

The music text team for the new hymnal had asked if there is a notable author, like Janice Kapp Perry, whose song is going to be included, should those lyrics be treated the same as the rest of the hymns? Elder Renlund directed them to treat all identically.

Years ago President Nelson wrote a hymn titled "Our Prayer to Thee," and the choir has sung it at General Conference. With living authors, they won't make changes without their approval. The music text team proposed 12 minor changes to the lyrics along with explanations, and brought them to Elder Renlund.

President Nelson could have said, "Dale, you shouldn't even be asking. I was inspired to do it this way, I can't believe you're even suggesting this." Instead, President Nelson reviewed the changes and proclaimed that these made it better, and accepted 11 of the proposed alternatives. A leader should be humble enough and confident enough to accept correction. Elder Renlund used this example to illustrate his point that everybody is equivalent when it comes to getting revelation, but there's one person who is different, which is the person who presides.

The New Hymnal

Elder Renlund mentioned Elder James E. Faust's lyrics for "This is the Christ" which says, "How many drops of blood were spilled for me?" It's not doctrinal that each individual has a few drops of Christ's blood directly shed for them. Elder Renlund, the cardiologist, says that if there's drops for everybody, that would exceed the amount of blood in the human body. Sister Renlund then commented that it's poetic, it's a metaphor to ponder what did I contribute to His grief.

Next Elder Renlund spoke about the hymn "Love at Home" and how there's some lines that could be uncomfortable to sing if a person doesn't have the kind of home described in the song. Just as with the drops of blood, Elder Renlund shared another example of concrete thinking with the line "Roses bloom beneath our feet," and said if they're underneath your feet, you smash them. The lyrics were changed to "Roses bloom around our feet." Elder Renlund actually didn't want this song included in the hymnal because it was used in minstrel shows of the 1800's to say that life for slaves on America’s plantations was full of joy and love. Elder Renlund felt that alone should disqualify the song from being included in the new hymnal, however the committee overruled him. I agree with Elder Renlund, I’ll never think of that song the same way and will probably decline to ever sing it again.

Translating each one of the 450 or so songs into every language version of the hymnal is a large undertaking and some were concerned about the cost. While saying it's important that every member have access to the same songs, it’s a matter of equity, he added that the cost of translation is "probably no more than installing 5 scoreboards at the BYU campus." 😂 The impact of the new hymnal on the church will be universal if it's done in each of the languages.

Music Invites the Spirit

Elder Renlund stated that for him there's very few things which invite the Spirit more than music, it has the ability to set the right tone. I responded that I think music has a key to our hearts that words alone don't. At weddings or funerals, someone may or may not cry at other times, but if they are going to cry they will do so when the music plays.

Sister Renlund shared that they are traveling to Houston, TX and will meet with the missionaries. They invited questions be submitted ahead of time, and one they received is "How do we invite the Spirit into our lessons more?" In addition to prayer, scriptures, and an expression of gratitude, she will suggest music is a great way to invite the Spirit. Whether it's singing or using the phone to play music, it's a way to quickly set the tone for a spiritual message.

Elder Renlund shared that years ago he was in Edmonton, Canada and visited the home of a family. Two sister missionaries sang "Where is Heaven" by Janice Kapp Perry, and the non-member dad felt the room flood with the spirit. Any concerns, any doubts, just disappeared. The music opened his heart.

I commented that at last year’s conference I met Janice Kapp Perry and she had written a song for the conference which I find moving. Elder Renlund said, if you bump into her, tell her that her music has an impact.

All Are Alike Unto God

The song for last year's conference is titled, "All Are Alike Unto God.” Janice wrote the music and Megan Decker, a lesbian member of the church, wrote most of the lyrics, which are generic enough that they could apply to anyone, but for people in that room it touches on themes we often wrestle with, such as "Am I enough? Am I loved? Am I wanted?" As we sang this song at the conference, I felt the Spirit so much.

Elder Renlund queried, "In the song, does she reach a conclusion, is there an answer to those questions?" "Yes it does." "That's right, the answer is 'yes.'"

He then said, "The one thing I absolutely know is that anything that's unfair in life will be made right by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I don't know how, but it will."

In the follow-up email I sent with information on the Gatherings, I let them know the song “All Are Alike Unto God” was released on streaming platforms, and included a link to Spotify.

Cambodia

They were in Cambodia earlier this year and made a visit to the killing fields where about 1 million people were executed by order of Pol Pot. There were stacks of skulls along with notes of what kind of farming implement killed them because the regime was trying to save bullets. It's a demonstration of absolute evil, yet Elder Renlund felt absolute peace as he felt the message that "We don't need to worry about these people, I've [Christ] got them." The atonement is infinite. We may have questions we don't have answers to, we have situations which aren't fair and which are difficult, but people who do the best they can are going to reap great rewards.

The Book of Queer Mormon Joy

At the end of our visit I gifted them a copy of The Book of Queer Mormon Joy. Being in this space of being LGBTQ and a Latter-day Saint is difficult, but there is joy, too. These aren't simple stories of joy, they're complex and the joy has to be worked for. A lot of the stories are of people choosing to change their situation, changing what they think is possible for their life, or what they want for their life.

There was a song from the 1960's, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" based on Ecclesiastes 3, which says there's a time for joy and a time for sadness. Often we think of it as separate times, but often we experience joy while we deal with hard things, we don't have the luxury of waiting for the hard times to pass.

I bookmarked the story I wrote of my friend Kris who is trans masc. I also bookmarked my good friend @loveerran’s story of her first time going to an LDS family ward and attending Relief Society presenting as her feminine trans self and how meaningful that was for her. I mentioned she had given me a ride and was waiting for me downstairs.

They promised to read both stories.

Then, they handed me a book they had written and asked if my friend Erran would accept a gift, they'd like her to have it as a thank you for bravely sharing her story💗 and for giving me a ride😆.

[teressamdraher]

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

[uada-animus]

Goddamn. As if I didn't already feel unsafe enough when Elder Holland's Musketfire(TM) talk came out, this shooting takes the cake!

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is, in my opinion, 100% complicit in the 5 deaths from the shooting in Colorado and any more that stem from the wounded.

I can hear my shelf creaking and groaning in the background 😰

[abeehiltz1159]

“We thank our Father in Heaven we are allowed to change, we thank Jesus we can change, and ultimately we do so only with Their divine assistance. Certainly not everything we struggle with is a result of our actions. Often it is the result of the actions of others or just the mortal events of life. But anything we can change we should change, and we must forgive the rest.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Broken Things to Mend” (April 2006 General Conference)

[michaelofgondor]

For those of you upset over Elder Hollands talk, get over yourselves. 

Doctrine is the same as it’s always been. It’s not changing for you. 

[demigodofhoolemere]

Dear 2020, don’t try it

[haylionthemoose]

Jump into the pool and swim. Don't be immobilized wondering if you should do the backstroke of the dog paddle.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

[sirius-bizdness]

My plea today to our youth, and to you parents and adults who advise them, is to begin your search for happiness by embracing the bounty we have already received from the giver of every good gift. At precisely the moment many in the world are asking deep questions of the soul, we ought to be answering with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which holds aloft the mission and message of the Savior of the world, offers the most eternally significant way to both find good and do good at such a needful time.

~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (source)

[rucbarthatbowtiesarecooldw]

"Here in mortality, perfection is still pending."

Elder Jeffrey R Holland