Tonight I want to talk to you fathers and sons about how you talk to each other. There is no other relationship quite like that which can and should exist between a boy and his dad. It can be one of the most nurturing, joyful relationships in life, one that can have a profound impact on who boys become and also on who dads become. Now, I understand that some of you young men do not have fathers with whom you can have these kinds of conversations. And some of you men do not have sons or have lost your sons to accident or illness. But much of what I say tonight will apply to uncles and grandfathers and priesthood leaders and other mentors who sometimes fill the gaps for these significant father-son relationships. You see, we’re all on a journey. Dads are a little further down the road, but none of us has yet arrived at our final destination. We are all in the process of becoming who we will one day be. Fathers and sons can play a critical role in helping each other become the best that they can be. (Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship)

More recently Mormon Messages launched this video about how a father and a son were able to improve their relationship. In this case the story is about a step son and a step father, and those relationships are usually fraught with more challenges, but the principles taught by Elder Ballard apply to every father and son relationship.

I quote a few passages from the article: (link to the full article: The rise of a new generation of Mormons)

A New Generation of Mormons

… the Mormon church is the outstanding religious success story of the past hundred years. Approximately 1.7 per cent of the US population are LDS members, just slightly fewer than describe themselves as Jewish. Global membership rose from 250,000 in 1900 to one million in 1948, to 13 million today. The church is probably the world’s richest per capita religious institution, too, with assets estimated at between $25bn and $30bn. (That’s £16bn-£20bn; the Church of England’s portfolio in 2009 was £4.4bn.)

Religious sociologist Rodney Stark, at Baylor University in Texas, has predicted that the LDS will in the latter half of this century become the first new world religion since Islam – just one reason that Smith, who founded the church in the 1830s, is sometimes described as the “American Mohammed”. There is something special about Mormons, but what is it? The most fashionable theory regarding religious success at the moment comes from economics, drawing on approaches developed by the University of Chicago’s Gary Becker. Becker, a sociologist and economist, argues that American church pews are kept full – while those in Europe empty out – because the US is unencumbered by religious monopolies (such as the Church of England or the Catholic Church), leaving plenty of room for competition and choice. And indeed, one-quarter of US Mormons are first-generation converts. The US’s National Council of Churches data from 2008 rank the LDS fourth among church membership in the US, with 5.8 million members – a rise of 1.56 per cent from the previous year.

Yet growth alone doesn’t explain why some religions break into the boardroom and why some don’t. American Jews and Hindus stand out in socio-demographic surveys for their exceptional incomes and professional accomplishment, but this flows not from growing membership, rather from heavy investment in education and, in the case of Hindus, successive waves of immigration by highly trained elites such as doctors and engineers. Mormon success is different: unlike Hindu immigrants, the newest LDS members in America – converts – tend to be poorer and less educated than those with longer heritage in the church. ..

Perhaps the most telling sign that Mormon success springs from different roots is this fact: the church’s most successful members, in terms of education and wealth, are also its most fervent. In most religions, piety and professional success mix badly. Devout Jews earn less, and tend to be less educated, than their less-orthodox brethren. American Christian evangelicals save and earn less than those from more moderate traditions.

According to the Financial Times (and my experience) it is generally true that the most successful members are also the most fervent, characteristic that is not usually found in other religions, where many of the most successful people become skeptic of their religion and distance themselves from it. But why does this happen?

An easy answer from a convert to the Church (myself) is that the reason is because what the Church teaches is true, and when we apply its teachings to our life over a period of time, our life become successful, and this success confirms and strengthen our faith, and do not destroy it.

On the other hand, those who are members of the Mormon church but do not apply the principles of their religion to their lives, are usually less successful, and they tend to lose faith in their religion because they do not receive the support they were hoping for. The problem is that some of them do not realize that their lack of success is in part due to their actions, and therefore they do not make the corrections that are needed, and end up accusing the church for their failure.

But why is that in other religions more educated and wealthy people tend to be less devout then?

Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie explains:

After the Millennium-what? Is this great day when there shall be peace on earth and goodwill in the hearts of men-is it an end in itself? Is this the day of rest and righteousness, when there is neither sorrow, disease, nor death-is it the summun bonum  of all things? When Israel triumphs and wickedness ceases and the Lord Jehovah lives and reigns on earth-will we then reach the great end and goal toward which all things point? Or is the millennial era but a way and a means to prepare most of the spirit hosts of an Almighty Elohim for even greater heights of joy and peace, of glory and exaltation?

… The Millennium is simply a means to an end; it is that portion of the earth’s temporal continuance during which billions of our Father’s children will so live as to gain eternal life. Out of the millennial era will come, without question, more saved souls than will result from all the rest of the ages combined. And after the Millennium will come celestial rest and glory.

This earth is destined to be a celestial sphere. It is now in a telestial state and will return to its Edenic or terrestrial state during the Millennium. Its final destiny, in John’s language, is to be “a sea of glass like unto crystal” (Rev. 4:6), which our revelation identifies as “the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state.” (D&C 77:1.) The inspired word also says: “The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; but they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire. . . . The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon.” (D&C 130:6-9.)

During the Millennium, Satan is bound. Because of the righteousness of the people, he has no power over them. “And when the thousand years are expired,” John tells us, “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.” (Rev. 20:7.) This means that once again men will begin to give heed to his enticements. Satan was bound among the Nephites during their golden era. None of the people were then subject to his wiles; all lived in righteousness, and all were saved. But in A.D. 201, “there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world. And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them. And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ.” (4 Ne. 1:24-26.) Soon there were persecution, crime, murder, and evil of every sort. So shall it be at the end of the Millennium. Men will begin again, gradually, to partake of the things of this world; pride and carnality and crime will commence anew; true believers will be persecuted and false churches will arise. Satan will be loosed because he is no longer bound by the righteousness of the people.

“And when he [Satan] is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth.” This “little season” is presumed to be another thousand years. The reasoning is that Christ came in the meridian of time, which means both the high point in time and the middle of time. The millennial era will be the seventh period of one thousand years of this earth’s temporal continuance; thus an added thousand-year period is needed to place the meridian of time in the midpoint in history. But be that as it may, “he that liveth in righteousness”-at the time of the actual end of the earth-”shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire.” This will be a second day of burning, the day when this earth becomes a celestial globe. “And the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire, and their end no man knoweth on earth, nor ever shall know, until they come before me in judgment.” (D&C 43:31-33.)

“And again, verily, verily, I say unto you,” saith the Lord, “that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season.” The language here bears out the concept that apostasy and its consequent evil way of life will be the key that opens the prison in which Satan is bound. “And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth.” There was a new earth and new heavens when the Millennium commenced. This is a second new heaven and new earth; it is the celestial earth and its heaven. The language in each instance is similar, but the meaning is different. In one instance the new earth is the paradisiacal earth; in this case it is the celestial globe. “For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; and not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.” (D&C 29:22-25.) All forms of life shall then be immortal; all shall come forth from death and live in a resurrected state forever; the resurrection applies to men and animals and fowls and fishes and creeping things-all shall rise in immortality and live forever in their destined orders and spheres of existence. (Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man, p.693-696)

I am happy to see that things have changed, and now the Church is including in her new or renewed websites some of the things that we first started at the More Good Foundation (e.g. online testimonies of normal members, videos on youtube, more searchable content on the internet, and so on) when many members were still wary of participating on the internet.

One of the last improvements that the Church is doing is related to the new Mormon.org.  According to an article on another blog (ByCommonConsent):

The new mormon.org will launch this summer (current plan: mid-June). The preliminary index page offers several screenshots that give a preview of different facets of the site. Without question, the main event is the collection of personal profiles, the individualized building blocks of the site which have the potential to offer visitors a wide spectrum of perspectives on being a Mormon.

Here are a few details about the profile pages:

–Each page features an individual member of the Church

–Any member 18 and older can create a profile (you need your membership # to do so; there’s a separate site for youth)

–Profiles include your name, photo, and text you write yourself as prompted on the profile creation page

–Required sections include “About Me,” “How I live my faith,” “Why I am a Mormon,” FAQs and personal stories.

–Thought questions are provided for the FAQ and personal stories sections—the former are somewhat objective questions about what Mormons believe (What does Mormonism teach regarding baptism?); the latter focus more directly on your personal experience as a member of the Church (How has the Book of Mormon helped you understand the purpose of life?). You must answer at least one of each.

Recently I was reading from the scriptures while in there and I was struck by this scripture in the New Testament, John 12:27:

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

When troubles come and problems seem to overcome our confidence in the Lord and in what we are trying to do, this is a good verse to remember. The Lord Jesus was troubled. So, it is acceptable to be troubled, it is normal to have really bad moments in our lives, but “what shall we say? Father save us from this hour?”

Troubles and problems are part of lives and are important for our progression, therefore we should better ask for strength to endure and overcome them, instead of praying to avoid them.

In the previous verses (24 and 25) we are taught that

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

and

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

It is easy to forget these principles, especially when everything seems to go well in our lives and over time we start thinking that someway we are almost entitled to those blessings because we are keeping the commandments.

In part this may be true, we receive many blessings because we keep the commandments. However, we are never so obedient that we do not need correction once in a while to help us move to a higher level, and even more important, there are things we can only learn through adversity. Moreover,

(our) adversity and (our) afflictions shall be but a small moment (D&C 121:7)

and as the Lord told Joseph Smith in a very difficult moment of his life,

The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (D&C 122:8).

Properly Elder Holland responded to this question in his talk Lessons from Liberty Jail

No, Joseph was not greater than the Savior, and neither are we. And when we promise to follow the Savior, to walk in His footsteps, and be His disciples, we are promising to go where that divine path leads us. And the path of salvation has always led one way or another through Gethsemane. So if the Savior faced such injustices and discouragements, such persecutions, unrighteousness, and suffering, we cannot expect that we are not going to face some of that if we still intend to call ourselves His true disciples and faithful followers.

Usually, people who think this, also think that a modern prophet must be a false prophet by default, and they even use the scriptures to show passages about false prophets.

What many of these people seem to miss, is that the scriptures talk about false prophets to distinguish them from the true prophets. Therefore, there must also be true prophets. And even more important, people may be acting and teaching as a prophet even if they call themselves with other names. Political leaders in many cases act as prophets, even rock bands spread their “gospel” through their music.

I think that the following discussion from Bruce McConkie is very useful to help us understand the purpose of prophets and the real difference between true and false prophets.

True Prophets Reveal True Doctrines (Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man, p.68)

Our attention now turns to what the inspired word has to say about the false teachers, false ministers, and false prophets who shall spew forth their damning doctrines in the days of desolation and sorrow that precede the Second Coming of the true Teacher, the chief Minister, and the presiding Prophet. Their presence is one of the signs of the times, and they shall prophesy and teach so near the truth “that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (JS-M 1:22.)

Lest we be deceived, we must know the differences between true and false prophets. “Beware of false prophets,” Jesus said (Matt. 7:15), and we cannot recognize a false prophet unless we know what a true one is.

Our whole system of revealed religion calls for us to believe in true prophets, to cleave unto their counsels, and to conform to the word of the Lord that falls from their lips. Prophets and seers, how great they are! They stand in the place and stead of the Lord Jesus in administering salvation to fallen man. Their vision is endless and their understanding reaches to heaven. What, then, is the nature and mission of a true prophet?

A prophet is a living witness of the divine Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is one who knows by personal revelation that Jesus is the Lord who worked out the infinite and eternal atonement by which salvation comes. This “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10), and one so gifted and so endowed has power, if need be, to “prophesy of all things” (Mosiah 5:3).

A prophet is a legal administrator who has been called of God to represent him in teaching the doctrines of salvation to men on earth. He is one who is empowered to perform the ordinances of salvation so they will be binding on earth and sealed everlastingly in the heavens. He is a teacher of eternal truth; he expounds the plan of salvation. He is a witness of the Lord; he testifies of Christ. He is a minister; he does everything for mortal men that is needed to save and exalt them in the highest heaven. When called to the ministry, he holds the priesthood and is endowed with power from on high. It is his privilege to receive revelation, to see visions, to entertain angels, and to see the face of God.

True prophets are always found in the true Church, and false prophets, as we shall see, are always found in false churches. In setting forth the chief identifying characteristics of the Lord’s Church, Paul said: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” (1 Cor. 12:28.) Indeed, the saints and the Church “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” (Eph. 2:19-20.)

Where there are apostles and prophets, there is the Church and kingdom of God on earth; and where these are not, the true Church and the divine kingdom are not present. How can a church be the Lord’s Church unless it receives revelation from him? Who can head up the Lord’s work on earth if there are no prophets? Who can preach and teach true doctrines without prophetic insight? Who can perform the ordinances of salvation with binding certainty and sealing surety unless they are legal administrators endowed with power from on high?

And so it is written that Christ “gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers”-all given as “gifts unto men.” For what purpose? They are given “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

How long are they to remain in the Church? “Till we all come in the unity of the faith”; until that millennial day when every living soul is converted to the truth; until righteous men are prepared to receive their own instructions direct from the Lord.

What blessings come to men because there are apostles and prophets? These are many. The chief are that obedient persons have power to press forward in righteousness, to gain “the knowledge of the Son of God,” to perfect their souls, and to become joint-heirs with Christ, than which there are no greater blessings. Further, those who give heed to true prophets and who take apostolic counsel are not “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” They know the truth and are not deceived by false prophets and teachers. Those who “lie in wait to deceive” to have no power over them. They are not moved “by the sleight of men, and [the] cunning craftiness” of evil and designing persons. (Eph. 4:11-14.)

In this probationary estate we must choose between good and evil, virtue and vice, light and darkness. We must pursue an upward or a downward course; we must get nearer to the Lord or nearer to the devil. God’s voice and his counsel come from the light of Christ and by way of his prophets; the devil’s enticements are whispered into the minds of men from an evil source and are taught by false prophets who represent him whose word they teach. All men follow either true or false prophets. Those who do not give heed to the divinely sent representatives of the Lord, by virtue of that fact alone, follow those who are not of God.

(more later about false prophets)

” Many scriptures attest that “the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.” (D&C 110:16.) In our revelations the Lord says, “The time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory” (D&C 34:7), and that “the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand. . . . For in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment” (D&C 43:17, 29). Speaking of his coming, the Lord says in one revelation that it shall be “not many days hence” (D&C 88:87), and in another, that the wars to precede it are “not yet, but by and by” (D&C 63:35). These and like sayings fall into perspective when we hear him say: “These are the things that ye must look for; and, speaking after the manner of the Lord, they are now nigh at hand, and in a time to come, even in the day of the coming of the Son of Man.” (D&C 63:53.) We conclude that in the eternal perspective the coming of the Lord is nigh, but that from man’s viewpoint many years may yet pass away before that awesome and dreadful day. And we must remind ourselves that he will not come until all that is promised has come to pass.

Time, as measured “after the manner of the Lord,” is that which prevails on Kolob. One revolution of that planet is “a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning,” such “being one thousand years according to the time appointed” for our earth. (Abr. 3:4.) This earth was created and destined to pass through “seven thousand years of . . . continuance, or . . . temporal existence,” with the millennial era becoming its Sabbath of rest. “We are to understand,” as it is set forth in the revealed word, “that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things.” Certain named events are then specified to precede his coming. They are “the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years-the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.” (D&C 77:6, 12.) That is to say, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come “in the beginning of the seventh thousand years.” We, of course, cannot tell with certainty how many years passed from the fall of Adam to the birth of Jesus, nor whether the number of years counted by our present calendar has been tabulated without error. But no one will doubt that we are in the Saturday night of time and that on Sunday morning the Lord will come.

Peter had the Lord’s time in mind when he wrote that “there shall come in the last days scoffers,” mockers who do not believe the scriptural accounts stating that God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. They will say: “Where is the promise of his coming?” They will reject the Second Coming with its millennial era of peace, with its new heaven and new earth wherein death and sorrow cease, because, as they falsely reason: “Since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” They will say such things as: ‘How can there be a millennial era during which men will live to the age of a tree, when everyone knows we are the end product of evolution and that death has always existed on earth?’ But Peter says that they “willingly are ignorant” of God’s true dealings with reference to the creation, with reference to the flood of Noah, and with reference to the coming day of judgment, a day when “the elements shall melt with fervent heat” and all things shall become new.

To the saints, among whom are we, he says: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise. . . . But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” (2 Pet. 3:3-13.)

Thus, also, we read in latter-day revelation: “Now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man. . . . For after today cometh the burning-this is speaking after the manner of the Lord.” (D&C 64:23-24.)

With reference to that day of which we write, Joseph Smith said: “I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter. I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.” (D&C 130:14-17.) A few days after making this statement the Prophet referred to it in a sermon and said: “I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written-the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old.”

It was in this same sermon that he said: “Were I going to prophesy, I would say the end [of the world] would not come in 1844, 5, or 6, or in forty years. There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes.” The rising generation includes all those yet to be born to parents then living. Manifestly many of these are now among us and will be living after the year A.D. 2000 has come and gone.

In this sermon also the Prophet said: “The coming of the Son of Man never will be-never can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out: which judgments are commenced.” (Teachings, p. 286.) At this point he alluded to Paul’s statements that the saints are the children of light and not of darkness and that the coming day should not overtake them as a thief in the night. And it is on these points-that he will not come until the signs of the times are fulfilled and that the children of light will recognize the signs-that we shall take our stand as we go forward in our studies.

To all of this we must append this verity: When the day arrives, he will come quickly. The time for repentance and preparation will be passed; the day of judgment will be upon us. His presence “shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. . . . And it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.” (Isa. 10:16-17.)

Hear, then, this counsel, O ye saints: “Be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls.” (D&C 54:10.) Also: “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord.” (D&C 87:8.)

During his speech at Harvard Law School Elder Oaks remembered that most colleges’ and universities’ founding purpose was that of producing clergymen and to educate in the truths taught in their chapels. However, currently

“With but few exceptions, colleges and universities have become value-free places where attitudes toward religion are neutral at best. Some faculty and administrators are powerful contributors to the forces that are driving religion to the margins of American society. Students and other religious people who believe in the living reality of God and moral absolutes are being marginalized.”

In his talk, Elder Oaks also addressed basic Mormon beliefs such as the purpose of life and personal revelation.

See the full article at Deseret News.

Clean-living  Mormon star Torah Bright is a sponsor’s dream.

But Why? According to the article,

As well as her good looks and obvious talent, Bright’s Mormon upbringing and clean-living ways — she does not drink alcohol and has no drug, tobacco or even caffeine habit — will make her highly sought-after, particularly in the wake of the scandal over Tiger Woods’s secret infidelities. Now more than ever, advertisers are looking for sponsorship cleanskins following the biggest sponsorship fall from grace in recent memory.

In speaking about the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) on her personal life, Bright has said, “I have strong beliefs and they never waver. (The gospel) keeps me grounded and gives me purpose to what I am doing. I think the way we believe as Latter-day Saints is amazing, especially in the world today.”

Bright is one of several Latter-day Saint athletes competing in the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Follow a couple of videos of Torah Bright.

Torah Bright on video.msn.com

Torah Bright on nbcolympics.com

My impression is that the Church is focusing its more traditional missionary efforts (deployment of missionaries in flesh and bones) in area of the world where people are more open and interested in the message of salvation.

Places like Europe or North America seem to be losing missions through combining of them, as it is happening in Italy, where the Italy Catania Mission will be absorbed by the Italy Rome Mission.

However, this does not mean necessarily a reduction in missionary work in Europe or North America, since those are also countries where the Internet is used by most people, and where the message of the restoration can move forward through electronic means, such as the Internet, saving the missionaries some of the effort of finding people interested in their message.

Since the number of Mormon missionaries is naturally declining, more and more people in the world will have to learn about the message of the restoration through their friends, in person or by electronic means, or they will hear from church members who they do not know.

This may seem like a problem, but ultimately, nobody in his sane mind and who understand the mandate to the Church of preaching the Gospel to each creature before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ – and who believe that the Second Coming is not 300 hundred years away, could honestly believe that we will ever have enough missionaries in flesh and bones to knock on the doors of 6 billions people.

Therefore this is one more confirmation (if we ever needed one at this point), that modern technology, including the Internet, and perhaps future inventions we still do not know about, are key to the progress of this work and to the fulfillment of the mandate of the Lord to his apostle to go and preach the gospel to all creatures.

For the full article about where the new missions will be located go to ldschurchnews.com