Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.

New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device. New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device.

This is a heading 2 heading

New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device. New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device.

This is a heading 3 heading

New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device. New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device.

This is a heading 4 heading

New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device. New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device.

New features in version 5.5 of the Member Tools app can help you fulfill your callings more effectively from the convenience of a mobile device.

Improvements to Class and Quorum Attendance

Class teachers and organization leaders can now record teacher attendance right alongside children and youth attendance, making the process faster and easier. By default, teachers will automatically see only their assigned weeks for a streamlined experience. Plus, they can get a quick, at-a-glance view of class attendance summaries to better support and minister to class members.

Quarterly Report

The quarterly report (available in both Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) and the Member Tools app) organizes attendance into categories that can help leaders identify needs and minister more intentionally. For example, you can see a list of individuals who attend church regularly, prospective elders who have attended Sunday School this quarter, and youth with a current temple recommend.

• From the Menu, navigate to Reports and tap Quarterly Report.

Custom Member Lists

Member Lists, formerly called Groups, are a great way to organize custom groups of people who you want to contact regularly but who may not be organized under Organizations. For example, you can create unique lists, such as people on your ward council, members who volunteered to be substitute teachers, members who live nearby, or parents of children in a Primary class. All lists are private and for your personal use.

• Apple iOS: From the Menu, navigate to Member Lists, tap the plus icon (+) and name your group. To add people, tap on your new group name, then tap the plus icon (+) to see your unit directory. To add people from another unit in your stake or district, tap the three dots at the top, then tap the unit’s name, and a drop-down menu will appear with additional options.
• Android: From the Menu, navigate to Member Lists, tap the plus icon (+), and name your group. To add people, tap on your new group name, then tap the three dots in the right corner, select Edit, and search for the names of members you want to add.

Account Support

You can configure your Church account settings by visiting account.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Here, you can manage the visibility of personal details, subscribe to emails from the Church, and manage a loved one’s account.

If you need help creating or recovering your Church account, visit account.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/recovery.

Download Print-Friendly Version

Imagine you live in an apartment with roommates. One is a bit of a slob, struggles with school, and eventually stops doing the dishes altogether. 

A sociologist is curious about what’s happening and comes to interview you and your roommate. The sociologist asks you why you think your roommate stopped doing the dishes. You tell the sociologist that your roommate is probably struggling in his broader life, doesn’t have a very clean personality, and might even be a bit lazy.

The sociologist then asks your roommate why. The roommate answers that it was because the rent was too high, school got busy, and you weren’t doing your fair share in other areas.

The sociologist then announces that you didn’t know why your roommate stopped doing the dishes. 

Replicate this experiment across dozens of apartments, and suddenly the sociologist announces a trend: “roommates who do the dishes know the least about why people stop doing the dishes.”

The headline is absurd. We all know this intuitively.

People can’t truly be trusted to self-report their rationales. We barely understand our own rationales sometimes. This is even more true when we are feeling defensive about a choice we made.

This level of understanding is akin to telling a betrayed partner that the reason they don’t get along with their ex is that they just don’t understand the reason they cheated, and if they would just sit down and listen, then the relationship could be healed.

As absurd as this scenario sounds, it is a narrative that is often accepted when discussing religious disaffiliation.

We Can’t Trust the Stories We Tell About Ourselves

There is a simple sociological reality we ought to admit more often: people don’t fully and reliably understand their own motivations and report them correctly.

That sentence can sound harsher than it is. It is not an accusation that people are mostly liars. It is not a claim that ordinary self-explanation is worthless. And it certainly is not a license to treat our neighbors with cynicism.

But it is an acknowledgment of something that every parent, teacher, therapist, spouse, bishop, manager, and friend already knows: human beings are not transparent to themselves.

And it’s not because people are bad or dishonest. It’s because people are people. 

This leaves it nearly impossible to know for certain why people do what they do. In that vacuum, those who seek to study these kinds of questions use self-reporting as a stand-in. It’s the best data we have, even if it’s not truly answering the underlying question.

The trouble is that when we extrapolate self-reported rationales for actual rationales we are left with a childish sociology. Listening to people’s self-reported reasons is important. It’s important in interpersonal relationships. It is important in developing empathy and charity. But it’s not particularly good science. 

And when something is the best available science, but also not particularly good science, we tend to give it way more credence than it deserves.

When we are trying to respond wisely to human behavior, people’s own explanations for their behavior is often not a particularly useful starting point.

Why People Misunderstand Themselves

There are many reasons people misreport their own motives. Some are innocent. Some are self-serving. Most are mixed. 

The first reason is simply that introspection is limited. We experience ourselves from the inside, but that does not mean we understand ourselves from the inside. Much of human action emerges from habit, desire, fear, loyalty, imitation, resentment, exhaustion, social pressure, or appetite, before it ever becomes a conscious thought.

Then, after we act, the conscious mind gets to work explaining. It does not always investigate, it usually narrates.

The relationship between the reasons we give to others and the actual reasons is varied. Sometimes the actual reasons are buried so deep we don’t understand them. Sometimes we know and choose to lie. Sometimes the reasons we give are part of the answer, but the full answer goes deeper.

The second reason is that people are motivated to preserve a good opinion of themselves. This pattern is so deeply ingrained that communication scholars call it “the fundamental attribution error.” People don’t experience themselves as the villain. Even cruelty tends to arrive internally dressed as justice. Cowardice feels like prudence. Laziness feels like self-care. Pride feels like principle. Envy feels like fairness. 

That moral vocabulary may be sincere, but sincerity does not prove accuracy. In fact, sincerity can make error even more durable. A person who knows he is lying may eventually be confronted by it. But people who have successfully moralized their own impulses can become nearly impossible to reach. 

A third reason is that social incentives shape self-reporting. People learn which explanations will be rewarded in their community. In one setting, the acceptable explanation is trauma. In another, it is loyalty. In another, it is authenticity. So people reach for explanations that fit within the circle in which they derive their social standing. 

This doesn’t mean that they are consciously manipulating others. More often, they are simply absorbing the language of their tribe, and casting their own decisions within that framework. They learn the kind of story that makes their behavior intelligible and defensible. Over time, that story becomes not merely the public explanation but the private one as well. This doesn’t mean that the stated reasons are untrue, but it certainly means that they could be partial or shaped by the available scripts. 

The fourth reason is that people confuse causes with justifications. The cause of behavior is what actually produced it. The justification is what makes it seem acceptable afterward. These are not the same. And human beings are remarkably good at finding true things that are not the truest things.

This is one of the great complications of moral life. People rarely offer explanations that are entirely fabricated. They offer explanations that are selective. They emphasize the part of the story that protects them from the parts that implicate them.

The fifth reason is that identity changes perception. Once people understand themselves as a certain kind of person, they begin interpreting their own behavior through that identity. 

If I see myself as compassionate, my harshness must be “hard truth.” If I see myself as courageous, my unkindness may be “speaking out.” If I see myself as a enlightened, my contempt must be “clarity.”

Identity does not merely describe behavior. It edits memory, filters evidence, and assigns meaning. This is why the question “Why did you do that?” often produces less insight than we expect. 

Why Poor Self-Reporting Matters

The practical consequences of this can be enormous. If we accept everyone’s stated motives at face value, we lose the ability to understand behavior. 

Again, this isn’t cynicism. This doesn’t assume that people are trying to trick or deceive you. It’s wisdom. It recognizes that no one has perfect self-awareness, and it seeks to meet people where they are. 

A mature society needs that kind of wisdom. Without it, public life life becomes an endless competition of self-serving narratives. Whoever can produce the most emotionally compelling explanation wins the moral high ground. 

But the truth about human behavior is not determined by the eloquence of the explanation.

Discerning Truth

Listening is a key skill. But just listening is not enough when we are trying to respond to behavior. So what should we do instead?

Watch patterns, look at effects, look for incentives, look at what is sacrificed, listen to third parties who bear the consequences, notice timing, distinguish pain from interpretation, and apply this to ourselves first.

Understanding some of these principles should help make us more circumspect about our own self-serving narratives before anything else. The goal is not suspicion, it’s understanding. But understanding requires more than reflexively believing whatever narrative people tell about themselves. 

So when we are trying to understand complex phenomena like abuse, conversion, or job choice, we should listen, but we shouldn’t accuse other people of not knowing why people act the way they do, just because they see different reasons to explain that behavior.

The post The Fiction of Self-Knowledge appeared first on Public Square Magazine.

by Autumn Dickson

Moses was not allowed to go into the promised land with the rest of the Israelites. He wandered in the desert with them for 40 years, saw the promised land from a mountaintop, and returned to God before he could step foot into that land.

Deuteronomy 34:4 And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

The event that caused Moses to be barred from the promised land came at a time when the Israelites needed water. At one point in their sojourn, Moses was commanded to smite a rock in order to provide water for the Israelites, and it worked. At another time, Moses was commanded to speak to the rock in order to provide water. Instead, Moses hit it again. Because of this, the Lord told Moses that he would not step foot in the promised land.

And the Lord was true to His word. Moses never did enter the promised land that he had led the Israelites to. Despite the miracles and work and lessons that Moses had in his life as he led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, Moses didn’t get to help them take those last steps into the promised land.

Seems a bit harsh for those of us who are also not exactly obedient. Everything that Moses contributed was not enough to earn him entrance into the promised land.

Despite its seeming cruelty, this consequence handed down by the Lord is not harsh. It’s true to life and important to understand. There are two portions that we need to understand in relation to Moses being barred from the promised land.

1) When we are not exactly obedient, it can bring lifelong consequences.

It was such a small thing. Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it. He was supposed to hit the rock the first time. Was it really such a big deal that he hit it a second time? I wonder how Moses came to accept this punishment handed down by the Lord. Perhaps Moses accepted his punishment meekly and perfectly, but I’m going to show you a couple of potential responses from Moses that might reflect how we sometimes receive our own consequences.

“It was such a small thing. Why am I being punished so severely? I’ve done so much good. Isn’t that enough for the Lord?”

“I have to live with this the rest of my life. Every step I take towards the promised land is a reminder that I can’t ever go in. It’s too much to bear.”

“Why am I even walking towards the promised land if I can’t go in? Why can’t someone else lead them? What’s the point of me wandering for forty years if I can’t ever step foot in there?”

Sometimes the consequences of our disobedience seem too much to bear, but the fact remains that the Lord warned us. He doesn’t control us, and honestly, we would likely rail against Him if He tried. People rail against Him even when He merely tells them to stay away from certain behaviors and actions. He doesn’t want to control us, and we don’t want Him to control us, not really. So He warns us, and then He leaves us to decide whether we want to risk it.

No amount of service to the Lord is going to erase a DUI that hurt you, another passenger, or someone in the other car. Even if you’re doing everything right, pausing to look at pornography has the power to destroy your marriage or your happiness in marriage. Breaking the Law of Chastity just once can carry disease or bring a baby into the world who deserves two parents. None of these are things that you can’t overcome, and yet, these consequences follow you even when you continue walking towards the promised land. All of these little commandments handed to us by the Lord are meant to protect us because they carry potential consequences that will follow us for life.

This isn’t meant to shame; it’s meant to warn. You can choose what you want, and perhaps you’ll be one of the lucky ones. But don’t rail against the Lord if you end up with consequences that you have to carry with you until you die. He tried to warn you. He tried to help you set up a life that would be healthy and full of joy. He gave commandments for a reason.

Now here is my second point, and it is every bit as important as the first point.

2) Moses went to heaven even though he didn’t go to the promised land.

The Lord forbade Moses from entering the promised land, and that consequence followed him throughout his journeys in the wilderness.

BUT.

According to modern revelation, Moses was translated, so I’m not really worried about him. Maybe it hurt while he was alive. Maybe he carried that disappointment throughout his journeys. Maybe it hurt even as he stood on that mountaintop and the Lord showed him where the people were going without him.

But it’s not hurting anymore.

Moses is just fine. He carried those consequences; that’s an important part of life. Even despite our best efforts, most of us will carry consequences for life. We will have things we wish we had never done. We will have things we terribly regret that come back to haunt us occasionally.

But it’s worth continuing our walk towards the promised land even while carrying those consequences that are teaching us powerful lessons.

Because even if we don’t get to walk into the promised land here, there is one waiting for us on the other side. That’s the beauty of the atonement of Jesus Christ. The consequences are important for lessons, but lessons don’t have to be carried forever. Christ paid for it. We get to leave them behind and receive the fullness of the Lord if we keep walking towards the promised land.

I testify that the Lord tries to warn us and prevent us from carrying around things that hurt. I testify that even when we do it anyway, those consequences are gifts that teach us to rise to another level. I testify that we don’t have to carry those consequences forever, that Christ paid for them and we still get to go to the promised land even if it’s not the promised land we originally had in mind. I testify that Christ has something better in mind than we had for ourselves.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Download Print-Friendly Version

I couldn’t believe I yelled at my five-year-old for spilling milk. It happened so fast. The milk jug just slipped out of his hands. What a mess! 

Milk covered my son and the floor, and I felt frustrated. My daughter sensed the tension and rushed out of the room. My baby’s wails rang out. The milk spiller was in shock and scared of what I would do next. Everyone was upset because I was yelling—again. 

Before my husband and I had kids, I vowed never to be a yeller. But somehow I had become one. I wondered what would happen in the future if I hollered about insignificant, accidental things like this. Telling myself not to yell wasn’t enough, but what could I do?

This is parenthood, where showers and sleeping seem optional, and an overwhelmed parent sometimes serves tears for breakfast when milk spills. Realizing I wanted to change what I was serving, I began studying how the Savior’s example could help me with my parenting triggers. Each of our parenting journeys is different, but our source for comfort, peace, and direction can be the same. Jesus shows us the way in all things, especially in parenting. 

An Inspired Lesson

After the milk incident, I spent the next couple of days in a fog, discouraged by how I had handled things. I knew I could do better, but how was I going to “fix” this part of me that yelled when I felt stressed and overwhelmed?

The question “What would Jesus do?” came to mind, but my mind went blank. I thought of the loving Jesus who was kind and compassionate, but I wasn’t sure this version of Jesus could help me with my current dilemma. 

That Sunday, the incident still weighed on my heart during a Sunday School lesson about the Savior and the woman caught in adultery. I had always concentrated on the Savior’s compassionate response to the woman. But this time, the way He dealt with the judgmental scribes and Pharisees caught my attention. 

The difference between how the Savior responded and how the scribes and Pharisees handled this situation was notable. The scribes and Pharisees were ready to argue and came pointing their fingers at the woman to stir up trouble. (I have to admit, they reminded me of my kids when they accused their siblings of misbehavior!)

But Jesus didn’t let the actions of the scribes and Pharisees determine how He would respond. He decided to respond intentionally in positive, calm ways rather than react in anger. Jesus didn’t react. He acted.

Agency and Anger

We choose how we act when confronted, disappointed, frustrated, or caught off guard. As Elder Lynn G. Robbins, a General Authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught, one of Satan’s cunning lies is to “dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control.” When we say, “I lost my temper,” it implies we were not responsible: someone else “made” us act out in anger. But although we may be strongly provoked, we choose whether to let anger escalate and dictate our behavior. 

Jesus understood this and gave us an example to follow. John wrote that “Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.” The scribes and Pharisees were so busy shouting accusations about the woman that they could not listen. Jesus understood this and didn’t shout over them.  He waited for them to be quiet. When Jesus ignored their outburst, it seemed as though it did not affect Him. This was not the reaction they expected. And so in their stunned, quiet state, His simple words were enough to teach “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”

Practical Preparation

Staying calm during the outbursts of others isn’t easy, but it can quickly dispel anger. Dr. Glenn Latham researched this Christlike approach. He wrote: “I have been astounded to find that if parents remain calm, empathetic, and direct even in the face of outrageous reviling, 97 out of 100 times, on the third directive, children will comply.” It amazes me how consistently my children’s anger disappears after their third attempt to engage me in an argument. If I stay calm, their anger fades.

Another thing I realized is that Jesus didn’t just decide to be calm when problems arose. He took time to pray, reflect, ponder, and center Himself often. This may have been why He went to the Mount of Olives before going to the temple. When Jesus woke in the morning, He may not have known that angry men would confront Him while He was teaching, but He was prepared to respond intentionally. 

I also discovered that our trouble spots often occurred at the same time and were about the same things. The Lord prompted me to make some intentional changes, like establishing a nightly routine that helped everyone know what to expect. A healthy afternoon snack reduced tears before dinner. When milk spilled at breakfast (again!), I learned to take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and picture the Savior before responding. This helped me to stay calm and in control of my actions (most of the time). 

Leading with Love

From studying this Bible story, I realized I had developed the mistaken belief that yelling was necessary in parenting because it seemed to yield immediate results. I also recognized that, in the long run, my lack of self-control could provoke anger and resentment in my children. By not abusing my power, I could build a better relationship with them. 

Love and compassion were key to the Savior staying calm. Just imagine how scared and embarrassed the woman caught in adultery must have been. Jesus understood this. When we are compassionate, we try to feel what others may be feeling and consider how we would want to be treated. This softens our hearts, allowing us to respond with empathy rather than anger. I thought this aspect of the Savior wouldn’t help me with my dilemma. I was so wrong. Our charity towards others helps us approach contention differently. 

Jesus loved the scribes and Pharisees. I had overlooked this. These contentious men were also God’s children. Jesus was patient and looked for the best way to reach them. 

Jesus’s questions and calmness helped these men consider their own actions. Jesus gave them time to reflect while He bent down and continued writing in the dirt. His question pricked their hearts. It was something the men couldn’t argue with, and they went away. 

Jesus also modeled a vital parenting principle: Jesus reproved in private and praised in public. After the accusers left, He knelt near the woman and asked her questions. He didn’t congratulate the accusers for finding a sinner; instead, He encouraged the woman to change: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” Condemnation would not have helped this woman to change, but the Savior knew that love could. As the Joseph Smith Translation notes, “the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name.” Love brought about lasting change.

A More Excellent Way

What can I do to bring about lasting change? Learning from Jesus’s example, I can ask my children better questions instead of just telling them what to do. Giving children the responsibility of thinking about their own actions can help them learn to choose good for themselves. 

The milk incident happened over twenty years ago, and I am still trying to master my actions. Once in a while, the “yeller” returns, but I have made progress. I now view the times I get upset as opportunities to grow instead of an excuse to feel bad.

Recently, one of my daughters was having a rough morning before a volleyball tournament. She yelled about the early hour. She yelled about not being able to find her “stupid” socks. And she yelled about having to go to her sister’s “stupid” tournament. 

I chose to stay calm and compassionate. I didn’t argue or try to fix her “stupid” words in the moment.

A few days later, she asked me, “Mom, why didn’t you yell back?”

I told her, “I’m trying to be more like Jesus. He frequently had people yelling at Him, but He didn’t yell back. He chose to be calm instead of reacting in anger.”

She smiled and said, “Mom, you did that the other morning. I think I can do that, too.”

The Savior’s example of staying calm inspires. When we respond as He did, we not only become more like Him, but we invite others to feel His love and follow Him. We feel the joy that only comes from following Him. I may still occasionally burn the toast and undercook the eggs, but thanks to the Great Tutor, the “tears for breakfast” are becoming a thing of the past.

The post Tears for Breakfast appeared first on Public Square Magazine.

The With The Eyes of Faith video channel has published two excellent videos with tips on how to write and deliver a great sacrament meeting talk.

Watch “How to Write and Deliver a Great Church Talk, Part 1:”

Watch “How to Write and Deliver a Great Church Talk, Part 2:”

The post appeared first on Public Square Magazine.

In his April 2026 General Conference address, “Alive in Christ,” Dallin H. Oaks teaches that belief in the literal Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes not only what we believe about the future, but how we live, love, and relate to others today.

Yet in a world often marked by hostility and division, some may wonder: What does belief in Christ actually change about how we treat one another?

The conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity changes the whole perspective of our mortal life.

Common Criticism: “Religious belief doesn’t really change how people treat others.”

Some observe that even those who believe in Christ still experience conflict, division, and harshness in relationships. This can lead to the conclusion that belief alone has little real-world impact.

Fallacy at Work: Belief–Behavior Disconnect

This assumption separates belief from behavior, suggesting that what we believe has little influence on how we act.

But the gospel teaches the opposite: true belief in Christ transforms both perspective and conduct.

Doctrine: The Resurrection Changes How We Live and Love

President Oaks teaches that belief in the Resurrection is not abstract. It reshapes how we see:

• Life and death

• Suffering and limitation

• Our relationships with others

Because all are children of God with eternal futures, we are commanded to:

• Love our neighbors (Matthew 22:37–39)
• Love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

This eternal perspective gives meaning to our relationships and calls us to something higher.

President Oaks’s Correction

President Oaks teaches that discipleship requires more than belief. It requires becoming peacemakers.

Even in a world described as “toxic” or hostile, followers of Christ are invited to:

• Forgo contention
• Use kind and respectful language
• Treat even adversaries with love

This is not passive. It is an intentional, Christlike response rooted in eternal truth.

Solution

When we truly understand that all people are eternal children of God, belief in Christ begins to change how we treat them.

. . .let us follow [Christ] by forgoing contention and by using the language and methods of peacemakers.

Living Apologetics: Becoming Peacemakers

In daily life, it’s easy to respond to frustration, disagreement, or offense with defensiveness or harshness.

President Oaks invites a different response: Choose to be a peacemaker.

This might look like:

• Responding calmly instead of reacting quickly
• Speaking with kindness, even in disagreement
• Choosing understanding over escalation

He teaches that peacemaking happens in ordinary places:

• In families
• In friendships
• In conversations with those who disagree

Even small choices can reduce contention and increase understanding.

Practical Apologetic Use

• If someone says: “Religion doesn’t really change how people act.”

• You can respond: “President Oaks teaches that belief in Christ should lead us to become peacemakers, choosing love, even toward those who oppose us.”

Ways to Apply Today

1️⃣ Replace one reactive response today with a calm, thoughtful one.
2️⃣ Choose to speak kindly in a conversation where you might normally feel defensive.
3️⃣ Look for an opportunity to reduce tension rather than escalate it.

Keep This Talk With You

President Oaks reminds us that discipleship is not just about what we believe, but who we become.

Because of the Resurrection, we know that life continues. Relationships matter. Every person we meet is an eternal soul.

That knowledge invites a higher way of living.

This week:

• Pause before responding. Choose peace over contention.
• See others differently. Remember that every person is a child of God.
• Act with Christlike love. Especially when it is difficult.

As we do, something begins to change: contention gives way to understanding. Division gives way to connection. And belief becomes visible in action.

We do not just believe in Christ. We begin to live like Him.

How can I more intentionally act as a peacemaker in my relationships this week?

The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.

The post Alive in Christ appeared first on FAIR.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, 2026.

See a list of What to Do for Mother’s Day—Simple, Meaningful Activities.

“To Every Mother” is a non-denominational video message for Mother’s Day that was produced in association with several faith groups to remind people everywhere of the importance of families.

We pay tribute to all the mothers in our lives—those we know, and those who came before. We are who we are largely because of our mothers. Honor your mother by preserving the memories of her on FamilySearch.org.

Below are links to previous articles where we have shared videos and other ideas about Mother’s Day.

• Mother’s Day videos to watch and share
• List of Mother’s Day Videos
• Videos about mothers on the Church website
• Where to Find Mother’s Day Gifts for Latter-day Saints

by Autumn Dickson

In Numbers 11, we read about the Israelites getting sick of their miracle, namely the manna in the wilderness which fed them. They remembered all the good food they used to eat in Egypt, and they were mad about eating the same thing for every meal.

Numbers 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

Moses gets so sick of the Israelites complaining that he asks the Lord to kill him rather than having to deal with them anymore (same, Moses, same). The Lord responds by sending too much meat until they get sick of it.

I want to share my own story, and then I’ll bring it back to the Israelites.

My daughter was baptized in December. It was beautiful. A lot of my family was in town for the wedding and so they got to be there which was magical for me; it also actually complicated things.

The week before the baptism and wedding, the stomach flu went through our house. I rejoiced that we got over it in time for my family to come into town because I don’t get to see my family that often, and I adore being around my family. Unfortunately, the day before the baptism, one of my babies started throwing up again.

I was actually rather devastated. I hadn’t realized how much excitement I had placed on being with my family and having everyone with us for this huge step in my daughter’s life until it was potentially getting taken away from me. I pleaded with the Lord for it to be a fluke, that she would just throw up once and go a full 24 hours without throwing up again before the baptism. Unfortunately, this miracle was not to be. She threw up again the morning of the baptism.

I texted the family and warned them all that I was still going to my daughter’s baptism and that the baby would be there because I had no one else to watch her. I told them I understood if anyone was too afraid to come because everyone was traveling for Christmas (some on international flights), and there were some pregnant women and other little children. We had some immunocompromised family members. There were many reasons to stay away.

And then I knelt down. I told the Lord that I accepted what He chose to give and withhold, and I worked really hard to feel that acceptance and not just offer lip service. Heaven knows lip service wasn’t going to make me feel any better.

And you know what? He blessed me for it. He opened my eyes to see the fact that I was blessed for having a family that I wanted to be around. Not everyone has that. He helped me see that I have an eternity of Christmases to be with family and celebrate. And most importantly, He helped me see that my daughter’s baptism wasn’t just about that single day. It was about the fact that she was binding herself to her Savior forever. In fact, because of her baptism, I would be able to be with her and the rest of my family for eternity. It was definitely a moment to celebrate. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding it, it would be one of the greatest blessings of her life.

Now, my family all came anyway, as did my husband’s family who live closer to us. It was perfect and chock full of the spirit and a surprising amount of fun.

BUT. If my family had chosen to stay away that day, I would have understood. There were plenty of reasons to bail. I would have been terribly disappointed and sad, but it would have likewise been tempered by the Savior’s soft reminders.

I’ve gotten frustrated with the Lord often enough in my life that I’ve realized it’s fruitless. There have been times when I’ve been filled with anger or sadness or betrayal and turned to the Lord in my immense overwhelm; He has responded by giving me a clearer perspective and teaching me that I can trust Him.

So after a million and one experiences with the Lord and His wisdom, I was able to approach Him with a lot more faith this time. Rather than getting angry with the Lord for not preventing the problem, I approached Him with meekness. As with all things in the Lord, I was the one who was blessed.

We don’t approach the Lord with meekness to placate His ego. We don’t approach the Lord with meekness to try and get Him to change His mind. We approach Him with meekness because it blesses US. It allows Him to show us the reality of our situation.

The reality of our situation is this: even in the midst of fast and direct trials like Egypt or in the long and arduous and uncomfortable trials of a journey through the wilderness, we have already won! We actually have every reason to be grateful and when we commit to meekness, we have the Lord to help us remember that.

Important sidenote: I have learned that meekness can coexist with many different emotions. We often picture a humble, quiet servant who doesn’t talk back or ever complain, but I don’t think that’s the only way to be meek.

Even in the midst of anger or frustration or exasperation or devastation or annoyance, we can simultaneously say, “I know Thee, Lord. I know I am in Thy hands, and I know that Thou art doing what’s best for me.” You don’t have to turn down your emotions in order to successfully approach the Lord. Just simultaneously bring your knowledge that the Lord is watching out for you. Better yet, take those big emotions to the Lord and ask Him to help you see more clearly so that it’s not difficult to be meek.

When I approached Him in prayer about seeing my family while they were in town, I was bawling. I’ve definitely approached Him and carried my anger with me. We don’t have to seem all pious and restrained. We can simply cling to our testimony that the Lord loves us and wants what’s best for us.

The truth is, the Lord is often going to do what He’s going to do anyway. If the Israelites had simply approached Moses (or approached the Lord, directly) and asked for some dietary variety, maybe the Lord would have sent the right amount of quail rather than sending a difficult lesson alongside it. However, the blessing of meekness is that regardless of what the Lord chose to send, the Israelites could have been happy.

We came here to struggle. He can’t take that away without simultaneously robbing us of the purpose of the Plan of Salvation (growth), and meekness softens that struggle enough that we can see it more clearly. It enables us to see around it and rejoice anyway.

I testify that the Lord has your best interest at heart. I testify that He loves you. I testify that meekness over complaining is a gift that blesses us. It honors Him with the deference He deserves, but even our meekness before Him gives back to us. I testify that trials are gifts, and that the Lord provides.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

New features in the Gospel Library can help you find daily inspiration, better participate in meetings, and increase the effectiveness of your gospel study.

The following new features are available now in iOS and in Android. If you don’t see these new features, manually update your app version by going to the App Store or Google Play.

Image of the Week

A new Image of the Week card on the Gospel Library app Home depicts scenes from the life and mission of Jesus Christ. The images (unrelated to Come, Follow Me lessons) can help you center your life and mind on the Savior.

• To receive notifications when a new Image of the Week is posted, click the three dots and select Notifications.
• You can also add a new Image of the Week widget to your Home screen so you can see the image on your device without needing to open the app.

Ward and Branch Features

On Sundays, you can view the sacrament meeting hymns of wards or branches you may visit.

• Because this feature is geo-location based, you can simply tap the three dots on the upper-right side of the Hymns card and find wards near the meetinghouse you are visiting.
• Similarly, you can view the posted Relief Society and Elders Quorum lessons and choose which lessons you want to see.

These features are especially helpful to missionaries, high counselors, and frequent travelers who often visit other wards and want to engage more effectively.

Another helpful feature is an updated Callings card for members who have callings in multiple wards.

Featured Study Plans

You can now more easily create a personal study schedule for your featured study plans. You can also share a link to specific study plans, so your friends or family can follow the same material at their own pace.

These abilities are especially useful to the youth, who’ve been invited by the Young Women and Young Men General Presidencies to read together one chapter a week from the updated edition of the For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices from May to August (open this link with your mobile device to see the FSY study plan).

Full Screen Navigation

A highly requested feature allows Apple iOS users to choose whether or not they want to view the top and bottom toolbars. iOS users can simply double-tap to enter and exit a full-screen view. To enable the Full Screen on Scroll setting, go to Display Options.

Download Print-Friendly Version

“I feel so sorry for you.”

My relative’s words took me by surprise. We were enjoying an afternoon together at a big family gathering, immersed in a conversation completely unrelated to her abrupt and pitying sentence.

“Oh?”

“You must be so bored,” she said with compassion. “You’ve spent so many years on your education—reading the most difficult texts, solving complex legal problems. I can’t imagine how monotonous taking care of babies must feel compared to that. Do you ever miss the intellectual stimulation?”

Her tone was sincere. She genuinely worried I might not be enjoying my decision to put my legal career on hold—my decision to dedicate all my time and energy to my children. She wanted to make space for me to voice any frustrations or regrets.

But I had to tell her the truth: “Actually, parenting is the most intellectually stimulating thing I’ve ever done.”

And I meant it.

My relative’s words could have been my own five years earlier, when I assumed that life as a stay-at-home mother would be mundane, a waste of my potential, something I was too “smart” for.

At the conclusion of my bachelor’s degree, I dove headfirst into LSAT study, then entered law school, and then enrolled in every possible extracurricular. I set the stage for an illustrious legal career.

When my husband and I decided to welcome our first baby into our family halfway through law school, I didn’t expect much to change. Sure, I would have a child to take care of, but there was no way this little person would derail me from my ambitions.

Or so I thought.

Nothing could have prepared me for how wildly my first daughter would take over my heart and soul. As her birth approached, my legal career started to look less like the burning flame I thought it was and more like a meager candle—dim compared to the roaring sun of my daughter’s existence.

These feelings only escalated after Brea’s birth. The sacred trust of introducing another human into this world enveloped me. When I should have been studying for law school, I immersed myself in parenting books, striving to refine my personal parenting philosophy. The insights I gained lit up my mind and heart more than any legal text ever could.

I hung onto my career as long as I could. I graduated from law school, studied for and passed the bar exam, and worked part-time for a year. But from the moment Brea took her first breath, almost any time spent away from her was maddening. Listening to her cry for me while I worked—even though I knew she was safe with my husband—tore me to pieces.

When our second daughter, Scottie, was born, I quit my job as an attorney and changed my legal license to “inactive” status. And I haven’t looked back. Yes, legal work was incredibly intellectually challenging, but I haven’t lacked for intellectual stimulation one bit. If anything, stay-at-home motherhood feels more intellectually engaging than my career ever did.

In the months since my well-meaning relative suggested motherhood might bore me, I’ve reflected continually on why my answer was such an emphatic “not at all.” These reflections have turned into a list of all the ways motherhood fills my intellectual cup. I made this list for myself as a reminder of all the ways my mind can expand, even when my days might look outwardly mundane. But I’ve also felt compelled to share this list with other parents, especially parents wondering whether stepping away from paid work will mean stepping away from intellectual life.

My goal is not to tell any family what to do. I firmly believe that every family should pursue a life that aligns with their talents, interests, and values, in consultation with the Lord, regardless of societal or cultural norms. But I hope this list excites those who have chosen to parent full time: I hope it helps them revel in the opportunities that childrearing provides. And to anyone else, I hope it offers a different view of stay-at-home parenthood—the unveiling of a dimension beyond  dirty diapers and dino nuggets.

Motherhood Engages the Mind through Interpretation

Consider Your Child’s Perspective

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” Matthew 7:12

One of the most challenging yet rewarding intellectual opportunities parenting provides is the chance to grow in compassion.

It isn’t easy, especially when your child is acting in a way that you could never imagine yourself acting. But asking yourself the right questions can get the gears turning:

• If I were acting the way my child is, why would I be doing it?
• If I were the child in this situation, how would I want an adult to respond to my behavior?
• What might be the good intentions behind this behavior?
• What unmet need might be driving this behavior?

As I have asked myself these questions, even some of my toddler’s most confusing behaviors have become understandable. Perhaps hitting the baby is her attempt to get attention and connection. Sometimes “pushing my buttons” is really just her trying to find a way to play.

Compassion doesn’t make harmful behavior acceptable. But it does help me understand and address the root causes of that behavior. And often, it turns down the emotional volume of the situation. It puts me into a collaborative, solution-oriented mindset rather than a defensive one.

Get Curious About Your Own Behavior

“But let a man examine himself.” 1 Corinthians 11:28

As a parent, I’ve taken a page out of my toddler’s book and am constantly asking myself the age-old question:

Why?

I’ve come to question everything that I do, especially when it’s impulsive or reactive. I don’t do this in a condemning way, but rather with curiosity and compassion. Where did I learn this response to a child’s behavior? When did I learn that this is what a “good” parent does, says, or looks like? If I were to treat an adult this way, would that go over well? If I were treated this way, would I feel inclined to trust and cooperate—or to resist and shut down?

As Roslyn Ross, author of “A Theory of Objectivist Parenting,” put it well: “Raising children is an act of philosophy.” When we become conscious of why and how we do the things we do, childcare can become an intentional expression of our most deeply cherished values.

Motherhood Engages the Mind through Attention

Journal

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord.” Psalm 77:11

A journal has the power to romanticize the mundane. I use mine to catalog the moments that make each day sparkle: the hilarious things that Brea says, the way “mama” was Scottie’s first word, the memories of pen pal–ing, fort building, and flower picking—all collected into my own little whimsical volume.

A journal is also a tool for mental rehearsal. In mine, I reflect on my most challenging moments as a parent and write out how I intend to respond to similar moments in the future. Writing out a game plan makes it easier to act in a way that I’m proud of once I meet the heat of the moment.

Indulge in a Sense of Awe

“O how great the goodness of our God.” 2 Nephi 9:10

Albert Einstein said, “The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.” Nothing is more mysterious or beautiful than a newborn baby. When my first daughter was born, I was constantly awestruck by the miracle of her existence and the mystery of who she was and who she would become. Even the tiniest developmental steps felt like magic.

As our kids get older and our families grow, it can be easy to lose this sense of awe. But the truth is that every child at every age is just as worthy of wonder. Our kids are constantly changing, each day unveiling another piece of their unique spirits. Reminding myself of this truth helps me see beyond whatever the stresses of the day are and instead bask in the blessing of watching my children unfold right in front of me.

And often it is my children’s examples that remind me how else I might indulge in the awe and wonder of life. Hearing my kids point out all the wonders they notice as we go on walks or drive through town reminds me how much I’ve been taking for granted, and how much I could be using my brain to celebrate beauty instead of lamenting inconvenience.

Practice Presence

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” Matthew 6:34

Amidst the modern world’s accelerating pace, parents have the opportunity to slow to the (literal) crawl of brand-new people. Our children show us the pace that humans are biologically wired for.

I enjoy practicing the art of being present without preoccupation. Finding moments to be with my children without any ulterior motives—no desire to teach, distract, entertain, or manipulate. Just taking them in; learning their hearts.

Motherhood Engages the Mind through Growth

Make Talent Development a Family Affair

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

As parents, we sometimes obsess over stuffing our kids with a toolbox of talents. We simultaneously enroll them in ceramics, violin, gymnastics, and lacrosse, hoping our children grow into prodigies or Olympians.

But what if talent development were more of a team effort? What if it were less about parents managing their children’s careers and more about spending quality time together—time that is genuinely enjoyable and talent-enhancing for both parent and child?

For me, this looks like letting Brea measure and stir, sharing my passion for cooking delicious, healthy food. It’s challenging myself to improve my own lackluster drawing skills while Brea hones her mastery of the crayon. It’s reading a novel while nursing Scottie, with Brea nearby, flipping through picture books. It’s my husband taking Brea to the skate park in the evenings, letting her zoom around on her scooter while he practices skateboard tricks.

Set Flexible Goals

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” 2 Nephi 31:20

In our efforts to help our children “become something,” it’s easy to forget that we, too, are still in the process of becoming. Setting personal goals has been integral to my own sense that I am still “myself” as a parent.

Yet parenting requires flexibility, and one of the biggest learning curves for me has been learning to pursue my goals and plans even when they inevitably get derailed. Sometimes, a dirty diaper demands to be changed before a podcast episode can be recorded or a 5K can be run. The good news is that flexibility is a hallmark of mental health. While goals can foster self-improvement, learning to navigate unpredictability also boosts self-efficacy.

Strengthen the Muscles of Your Character

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians 5:22–23

I have grown to enjoy practicing all the traits I want to embody—patience, kindness, confidence—especially when they are tested. I have come to see each tantrum, “power struggle,” and milk spill as a workout for my character: an opportunity to dig deep and be the person I want to be, even when resistance is high. Although none of us will be perfect when we do this, each challenge is an opportunity to get stronger.

And when we are not in the midst of a “character workout,” we can work to cultivate our internal dialogue. I am learning to speak to myself with compassion and empowerment—the exact same way you would want your kids to speak to themselves.

See Through the Savior’s Eyes

Most poignant to me is how parenthood has driven me to the Savior. I’ve gone beyond asking, “What would Jesus do?” and now contemplate, “How would Jesus see, think, and feel in this situation?” I can think of nothing more intellectually engaging than trying to mirror the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.

I am only two and a half years into my journey as a parent. I don’t have it all figured out.

But this is why parenting is so intellectually fulfilling for me. Each day meets me with an abundance of lessons to learn. I get to figure life out, all over again, alongside my children. Teaching my kids what it means to be human is cracking me open and forcing me to learn the same lessons. It is challenging, humbling, and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.

And while I am confident I’ll one day return to the legal career that once filled my intellectual cup, I’m more than satisfied with the overflow God is pouring in during this crayon-filled season.

The post The Intellectual Life of A Stay-at-Home Mother appeared first on Public Square Magazine.

Critics of the Church use this as the smoking gun. Evidence that Joseph Smith was a fraud who couldn’t actually translate ancient records and just made things up. They ignore the fact that in addition to the one Papyrus fragment we have there were also long rolls of information.

But what if the characters actually do say Abraham?

And what if they actually do tell the story found in the the Book of Abraham.

Instead of being the “smoking gun” that Joseph Smith was a false prophet, they become one of the best pieces of evidence that he was not only a Prophet, but that he correctly translated the Book of Abraham.

Ptolemaic Egyptian Writings

Ptolemaic Egyptian is characterized by a “cryptographic” style where a single sign could carry multiple, layered meanings depending on the context in which it was read. In this system, scribes utilized “Degrees” where a character might represent a simple phonetic sound at the surface level, a specific physical object at a middle level, and a dense theological or cosmic concept at its highest degree.

Ptolemaic coding layers could use puns, homophones, alternate sound values, rebus readings, acrophony, anagrams, visual symbolism, divine associations, and theological wordplay to let a single character or cluster of characters “unzip” into multiple levels of meaning, “unzipping” into vast amounts of information for those trained to look beyond the literal surface translation. 

Abraham IS Found on Facsimile 1

An Amateur Egyptologist on X, Jayson PhD, using research from Hugh Nibley and Michael Rhodes deciphered sound values determined that yes, using an anagramic interpretation the name “Abraham” can be found in characters 4-9.

j / b / r / ḥ or h / m → jbrḥm / jbrhm / Ibrahm / Abraham

That’s pretty cool. Pretty convincing, but critics will likely dismiss this as coincidence.

But there is so much more. Using the same interpretation method, using all the characters he had in order he came up with this interpretation:

…in father’s house, I, Abraham, saw and reckoned it needful to escape to another circuit/enclosure/pasture…

It would be improbable enough to come up with just the name Abraham in sequential Egyptian Hieroglyphs, but to essentially tell the entire first part of the story of the Book of Abraham make the probability odds astoundingly low.

I’m not even an amateur Egyptologist, I have very little understanding of the ancient world. But I know a little something about using Artificial Intelligence for research. And I put this information into machine learning modules and the results are astounding.

It’s like 3D chess. I only understand the surface level of how it works, but my AI research has detected high-confidence structural patterns within these characters. When decoded through the lens of ancient Ptolemaic “degrees,” they tell the story of Abraham in a precise, layered sequence that mirrors the physical layout of the papyrus.

The Astonishing Sequence: A One-Way Narrative

One of the most compelling aspects of this “code” is that these characters function like a chronological progress bar for Abraham’s life. The characters act as a “one-way street.” The story always moves forward and never backtracks. They serve as a Sensen Index that helps us unlock the story in order.

It is organized into three distinct blocks that correspond perfectly with the narrative, creating a physical “handshake” between the ink and the illustrations:

• Signs 1–9: The Descent. This block physically sits next to the drawing of the altar (Facsimile 1). Appropriately, these characters “unzip” into the story of Abraham’s early life in Chaldea, his near-death experience, and his miraculous rescue. The text and the drawing are physically locked together.

• Signs 10–16: The Vision. As the characters move down the page, the story shifts from the earth to the heavens. This is where the code triggers the “Reckoning of Time” and the vision of the governing stars—the core content of Facsimile 2.

• Signs 17–19: The Coronation. The index terminates at the bottom of the column with a character representing a “Throne.” This leads the reader directly into the final scene of the record: Abraham’s arrival in Egypt and his ultimate Exaltation sitting on the throne (Facsimile 3).

This is a “Geographical Lock.” For this to be a fraud, Joseph Smith would have had to not only “guess” the meanings of the characters but also ensure those meanings perfectly mirrored the physical sequence of the drawings on the scroll. The papyrus acts as a storyboard; the story and the ink are in a permanent, physical handshake.

The “Statistical Lock”

This sequential consistency is what researchers call a “Statistical Lock.”

The characters are “perfectly synced,” the sequence of the 19 characters on the papyrus matches the chronological order of the Book of Abraham text.

The index begins at the top with a phonetic match for Chaldea (the setting of Chapter 1) and ends at the very bottom with the literal character for a Throne (the final scene of the book).

• Signs 1–5: Cover the events in Chaldea (Abraham 1).
• Signs 6–12: Cover the journey to Egypt and the famine (Abraham 2).
• Signs 13–17: Cover the vision of the stars (Abraham 3).
• Signs 18–19: Cover the exaltation and the throne (Abraham 4–5 and Facsimile 3).

The probability of nineteen random characters accidentally aligning with the narrative arc, the geography, and the visual facsimiles in the exact same order is nearly zero. It suggests that the papyrus serves as the “Hardware” upon which the “Software” of the Book of Abraham runs.

Why The Order Makes Coincidence Statistically Impossible

Critics will say that with enough Egyptian signs and alternate meanings you can tell any story.

Maybe.

But that’s much more difficult to accomplish if the meanings have to appear in a specific sequence.

The character flows of the hieroglyphics to the right of Facsimile 1 moves in the same direction as the Book of Abraham itself.

First comes the land and setting.
Then comes the father’s house.
Then Abraham is identified.
Then he sees.
Then he reckons.
Then he goes forth.
Then he moves toward another enclosure, pasture, residence, or circuit.

A single possible Abraham sound could be coincidence. A few scattered symbolic parallels could be coincidence. But a chain of characters that moves from Chaldea → father’s house → Abraham → seeing → reckoning → departure → another place,  and then when the same order is repeated multiple times, creates a much stronger probability problem.

The same column of characters gives the place, the person, the family setting, the conflict, the decision, the movement, and the destination in all the layers of narratives.

Random symbols don’t organize themselves into a coherent biography.

The characters unfold the opening story of Abraham in the same order Joseph Smith revealed it.

Interpreting the Layers

Using the order of the characters, we can now unlock the different meanings of the hieroglyphs using different layers or keys. These characters are packed with symbolic meaning.

When I initially put the information in Gemini it came up with the following potential keys and meanings:

Land Key: “From the house of my father, we traveled to the land of the southern waters to establish a new enclosure.”

This interpretation uses characters Reed (Sign 1), Water (Sign 6), Hill (Sign 17) treats the scroll as a record of migration, where the signs act as a “GPS” for a lost homeland.

Inheritance Key: “This is the record of the family estate; by the King’s authority, the inheritance is sealed within this boundary for the next generation.”

Characters Used: House (Sign 15), Scepter (Sign 18), Throne (Sign 19)

Creation Key: “Out of the dark waters of the house, the light was divided, and life emerged to begin its orbit.”

This turns the text into a Creation Myth similar to Genesis, where the “cipher” explains how the universe was organized.

Characters Used: Vertical Stroke (Sign 3), Sun Disk (Sign 9), Star (Sign 16).

Blueprints Key: “Lay the foundation by the water, align the corners to the heavens, and complete the outer wall to protect the sanctuary.”

Characters Used: Stroke (Sign 2), Coil/Rope (Sign 7), Loaf/Stone (Sign 12)

Temple Key: “Enter the house of washing, move through the filter of the priests, and join the eternal circuit of the gods.”

This would make the scroll a set of “password” instructions for the deceased to pass temple guards in the afterlife. It focuses on the Human Action signs.

Characters Used: Mouth (Sign 4), Legs (Sign 5), Eye (Sign 14)

Joseph Smith the Master Decoder

These potential meanings clearly demonstrate ties to the Book of Abraham and the Facsimiles.

The characters act as a Universal Code that can be read as a map, a deed, a blueprint, a creation story, or a temple text. When Joseph Smith translated the Book of Abraham, he was able to expand on the highest frequency of that code: the “Abrahamic Layer.”

This makes Joseph look like a “Master Decoder” who found the most important signal in a very busy transmission. He had no understanding of Egyptian. No training in Ptolemaic Egyptian coding, yet he received the meaning, the translation, by the gift and power of God.

And as cool as the meaning is, as fun as the conclusions and parallels are that AI was able to conclude. Once we plug in the codex, the deciphering key, we are able to unlock the zip file and see the expanded meaning.

The Kirtland Egyptian Papers Help Decipher the Code

The Kirtland Egyptian Papers (GAEL) have long been a target for critics who claim they prove Joseph Smith couldn’t translate Egyptian. Because the symbols don’t match standard English definitions, many assumed the project was a failure. However, the GAEL was never intended to be a simple dictionary or a “Rosetta Stone.” Instead, much like the complex Ptolemaic writings of ancient Egypt, it was designed to unlock multiple layers of meaning through a system of “degrees.”

This system reveals that the flowing characters adjacent to Facsimile 1 act as a high-density code. Not only do these signs contain phonetic “puns” that match the story’s geography in sequential order, but they also “unzip” into deeper narrative layers. These layers perfectly sync the entire record—mapping Abraham’s journey from the Altar in Chaldea (Facsimile 1), through the Governing Stars (Facsimile 2), and finally to his Exaltation on the Throne of God (Facsimile 3).

Think of a single Egyptian character as a zipped file. On the surface it is small, but by using the “Degrees” found in the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, you are essentially right-clicking and selecting “Extract All.” This process “unzips” a single stroke of ink into entire paragraphs of history, astronomy, and theology.

If these 19 characters are the “Desktop Shortcuts,” the original long scrolls, described as long enough to roll across a room, were likely the “Hard Drive.” The small, visible characters can help navigate and unlock the massive data stored on the larger record. The fact that the “shortcut” we have today matches the “hard drive” story perfectly is the ultimate proof of a synchronized system.

How the Interpretation Works

Before going through the degrees, it is important to understand how this is being tested. This is not supposed to be a game where any character can mean anything.

The strongest readings have to meet several controls:

1. They should use known or proposed Egyptian/Ptolemaic values, not invented sounds.
2. They should stay local to the character cluster.
3. They should move in the order the characters appear.
4. They should match the Book of Abraham story in sequence, not just in isolated words.
5. They should become stronger when checked against the Kirtland Egyptian Papers.
6. They should explain the facsimiles.

That is why the order matters so much. Anyone can find one symbol and make a creative connection. But a true code has structure and moves in a consistent direction. It should identify the setting, the person, the conflict, the action, and the destination.

That is exactly what appears to happen here. The signs unfold a sequence:

Kasdim → fruitful place → father’s house → Abraham → seeing → reckoning → going forth → another residence/enclosure/circuit

That is not random symbolism. That is the opening arc of the Book of Abraham.

7 Degrees of Meaning

With the documents from the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, Egyptian Alphabet and GAEL Notebook, my AI came up with the following degrees these same characters can walk us through.

1. Surface sign degree
   Ordinary Egyptian signs and object meanings.
2. Ptolemaic polyvalent degree
   Alternate values, sound play, homophones, rebus, acrophony, divine associations.
3. Anagrammatic name degree
   Hidden foreign names like Abraham, Kasdim, Chaldea, and possibly facsimile identities.
4. Narrative degree
   The signs unfold into the story sequence: land, father’s house, Abraham, seeing, reckoning, departure, another place.
5. Priesthood-theology degree
   Abraham leaves false inherited authority and seeks the true order of the fathers.
6. Temple-initiation degree
   Movement from one enclosure to another becomes passage through sacred space.
7. Cosmological-circuit degree
   Reckoning and circuit point toward heavenly orders, Kolob, and Abrahamic astronomy.

Surface Sign Degree

The Surface Sign Degree is the most basic layer. We are simply asking: what are the characters on the page, and what do they naturally suggest as visible signs?

A house is a house.
Walking legs suggest movement.
Water suggests water, washing, fertility, or life.
A throne suggests a seat, authority, or rule.
A sun disk suggests light, day, time, or divine order.
A star suggests the heavens.
A scepter suggests rule or priesthood authority.

Understanding the surface foundation is important because the higher degrees are built on the visible signs themselves.

Before we ever get to anagram, wordplay, or theological symbolism, the surface layer already gives us the raw materials of Abraham’s story:

land, house, water, movement, authority, stars, and throne.

That is the first degree. The characters begin as ordinary Egyptian signs and visual symbols. Then, as the higher degrees unfold, those same signs become names, places, actions, priesthood meanings, temple movements, and finally cosmic order.

The Surface Sign Degree is the foundation. It is the visible ink before the code begins to unzip.

Ptolemaic Polyvalent Degree

The Ptolemaic polyvalent degree is where the characters stop acting like simple letters and start functioning as compressed symbols. At this level, a single sign can carry a sound, an object meaning, a theological association, and a narrative role all at once. When the characters beside Facsimile 1 are read this way, the result is an Abrahamic world: house, fathers, seeing, reckoning, departure, and another enclosure or circuit.

• 1. W24 = m in / from
• 2. O1 = pr house / residence / temple
• 3. Water = father/Amun/jt layer father / fathers
• 4–9. Water, Q3, Z4, N37, N23, Z1 Abrahamic identity / seer cluster
• 10–12. Water signs saw / perceived / having seen
• 13. Z9 = ḥsb reckoned / calculated / considered
• 14. Walking legs = prj went forth / departed / emerged
• 15–16. Aa1 + water = ḫr n toward / for / in relation to
• 17. M23 = ky another
• 18. V1 = šnw / šnt enclosure / circuit / pasture / bounded place
• 19. G7 transition to next unit

The best reading at this degree would be:

“In the house of the fathers, the seer reckoned the way of departure toward another sacred enclosure.”

This matches the opening movement of the Book of Abraham. Abraham begins in the residence of his fathers, sees the corruption of that inherited order, seeks greater knowledge and priesthood, and goes forth toward another place of residence. The polyvalent reading does not require every sign to have only one meaning. That is the point. The signs work together as layered symbols, allowing the story to “unzip” from the ink in the same order as the Book of Abraham narrative.

Anagrammatic Name Degree

The Anagrammatic Name Degree is where the characters function like hidden name-tags. At this level, the local clusters provide the consonantal pieces of names and places.

Characters 4–9 supply the Abrahamic name cluster: j / b / r / ḥ or h / m, which can be rearranged into jbrhm / Ibrahm / Abraham.

The earlier place-name cluster can likewise supply k / ꜣ / sd / plural, which points toward Kasdim, the land of the Chaldeans.

The GAEL then strengthens the same layer by giving father-centered meanings such as “the first born,” “the first man,” and “father or fathers,” while the Egyptian Alphabet adds royal/Pharaoh authority language.

So at this degree, the code identifies the cast and setting of the Book of Abraham:

Kasdim, Abraham, the fathers, and Pharaoh.

That is why the anagrammatic name degree is so important. It gives the story its names. The polyvalent degree gives the story its action, but the anagrammatic degree tells us who and where we are dealing with.

Narrative Degree

The Anagrammatic Name Degree gives us the names and places. The Narrative Degree gives us the movement of the story.

At this level, the characters no longer function as isolated sound values. They begin to act like a compressed storyline. The sequence starts with the land, moves to the father’s house, identifies Abraham, then follows him as he sees, reckons, goes forth, and moves toward another place of residence.

The best reading at this degree is:

“In Kasdim, the fruitful ancestral place, Abraham was in the house of his fathers. Having seen and reckoned the condition of that order, he went forth toward another enclosure, pasture, residence, or circuit.”

This matters because the order is consistent with the Book of Abraham. The story begins where Abraham begins: in the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of his fathers.

Then the characters move forward.

Abraham sees.
Abraham reckons.
Abraham goes forth.
Abraham seeks another place.

That is the opening movement of the Book of Abraham.

This is why the Narrative Degree is so much stronger than merely finding a hidden name. A name can be dismissed as coincidence. But a name placed inside the correct geography, the correct family setting, the correct action, and the correct destination becomes much harder to dismiss.

At the Narrative Degree, the characters tell Abraham’s story in order:

Kasdim → fruitful residence → father’s house → Abraham → seeing → reckoning → going forth → another residence/enclosure/circuit

That is the Narrative Degree. It places Abraham in the correct land, in the correct family setting, gives him the correct action, and sends him toward the correct destination.

Priesthood Theology Degree

At the Priesthood Theology Degree, the characters are telling us why Abraham had to leave. This degree follows the same characters, in the same order, as the Narrative Degree, but it opens a deeper layer of meaning. Most of these added details come through the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, which help turn the storyline from simple movement into priesthood theology.

The best reading at this level is:

“In the house of the fathers, Abraham perceived that the inherited order had been corrupted by false priesthood and idolatrous authority. He reckoned the need to go forth from that house and seek another sacred enclosure: the true covenant order, the true priesthood, and the rightful blessings of the fathers.”

This degree fits the Book of Abraham because Abraham’s story is a priesthood story. Abraham leaves because the house of his fathers has become spiritually dangerous. The old ancestral order has been corrupted by idolatry and false priesthood. The altar scene in Facsimile 1 shows the crisis visually: Abraham is almost sacrificed by a corrupt priestly system.

The code appears to match this theology. The “house” becomes the inherited household order. The “fathers” become both the corrupted traditions Abraham leaves and the true patriarchal blessings he seeks. “Seeing” becomes prophetic discernment. “Reckoning” becomes spiritual judgment. “Going forth” becomes deliverance from false authority. “Another enclosure” becomes the true covenant order.

So at this degree, the sequence becomes:

Abraham left the corrupted house of the fathers to seek the true order of the fathers.

That is the theological heart of Abraham 1.

The Temple Initiation Degree

This is important degree as connects all three Facsimiles together.

At the Temple Initiation Degree, the characters describe Abraham’s movement through sacred space. This degree follows the same character order as the lower readings, but it interprets the movement ritually.

• Kasdim = fallen ritual world
• father’s house = inherited but corrupted order
• Abraham = initiate / chosen heir
• seeing = spiritual awakening
• reckoning = sacred knowledge of divine order
• going forth = ritual passage through a threshold
• another enclosure = true temple/covenant space
• circuit = heavenly order and sacred round

The best reading at this level is:

“In the fallen father-house of Kasdim, Abraham saw the corruption of the old ritual order. Having reckoned the true pattern, he was brought forth from false sacrifice and false priesthood toward another sacred enclosure, the holy house of purity, rest, covenant, and divine order.”

This degree tells the story that Abraham’s migration is a temple story.

Facsimile 1: The False Altar

Abraham is at the altar, but it is the wrong altar.
It is priesthood without authority.
It is sacrifice without truth.
It is ritual power turned against the righteous.

The character sequence begins in this world: Kasdim, father’s house, false inherited order.

Facsimile 2: The Heavenly Pattern

This is where reckoning and circuit become especially important. Abraham is shown ordered heavens, governing bodies, and divine hierarchy.

The initiate who was rescued from the false altar is now taught the true heavenly pattern. Abraham receives revelation of the true cosmic temple order.

Facsimile 3: The Presentation

Facsimile 3 then becomes the completion scene.

Abraham is no longer only the endangered victim at the altar. He is presented in a royal or divine setting, teaching or standing before figures of authority.

At the Temple Initiation Degree, the movement is:

false altar → heavenly order → divine presentation

The characters fit that movement. The “father’s house” becomes the old inherited order. “Seeing” becomes spiritual awakening. “Reckoning” becomes sacred knowledge. “Going forth” becomes ritual passage. “Another enclosure” becomes the true holy place, the sacred boundary Abraham is being brought into.

At this degree, Abraham is passing from a false temple order into the true temple order of God.

And there are so many more symbolic parallels that can be expanded on this for one who has gone through the temple.

The Cosmological Circuit Degree: From the Father’s House to the Governing Stars

At the Cosmological Circuit Degree, the characters rise from Abraham’s earthly story into the heavenly structure revealed in chapter 3 of the Book of Abraham. The sequence that describes Abraham leaving the house of his fathers can be read as a movement from a lower earthly order into another divine circuit.

The best reading at this level is:

“From the lower house of the fathers, Abraham saw and reckoned the need to go forth into another circuit, a higher realm of divine order, heavenly time, governing stars, and sacred hierarchy.”

This degree depends especially on the words seeing, reckoning, going forth, and another circuit.

“Seeing” turns Abraham into a visionary figure.

“Reckoning” points beyond ordinary decision-making and toward the calculation of time, stars, and heavenly orders.

“Going forth” becomes more than migration; it becomes ascent from one order to another. “Another circuit” becomes the strongest clue, because the Book of Abraham later centers on heavenly bodies, revolutions, times, and governing stars.

At this degree, Abraham’s earthly journey becomes a cosmic pattern.

He leaves one house and is shown another order.
He leaves one inherited world and is shown higher worlds.
He goes forth from the corrupted order of the fathers and is taught the ordered circuits of God.

This fits especially well with Facsimile which becomes the visual expansion of the same coded phrase: reckoning toward another circuit.

The Cosmological Circuit Degree tells us what that departure opened:

the heavens, the governing stars, the reckoning of time, and the divine order surrounding the throne of God.

How Could Joseph Have Known?

Joseph Smith did not know Egyptian.

How could he have known that these characters could be read through layered degrees of meaning? How could he have known that the same sequence could produce land, fathers, Abraham, seeing, reckoning, departure, priesthood, temple progression, and heavenly circuits in order?

Kirtland Egyptian Papers Are Evidence

For generations, critics have treated the Kirtland Egyptian Papers as an embarrassment. They point to the strange definitions, long explanations, and “degrees” of meaning as proof that Joseph and the early brethren had no idea what they were doing. But that may be exactly backwards.

The Kirtland Egyptian Papers show that in the earliest days of the Church, Joseph Smith, W. W. Phelps, Oliver Cowdery, and Warren Parrish were thinking about Egyptian characters in terms of degrees, layers, symbols, and expanded meaning. They were not treating these characters like a simple alphabet where one mark equals one English word. They understood that a symbol could contain multiple levels of meaning.

Symbolic Multi Layered Meaning

That is how much of ancient scripture works.

A symbol can be historical and prophetic.
A story can be literal and temple-centered.
A name can identify a person and also carry a theological role.
A journey can be geographical, priesthood-based, ritual, and cosmic all at once.

That is exactly what the Book of Abraham does.

Going through this exercise has helped me appreciate the Book of Abraham in a completely different way. This record is so much more than the story of Abraham leaving the land of his fathers. It is about Abraham receiving priesthood. It is about leaving a corrupted inherited order. It is about temple progression. It is about moving from a false altar to true heavenly order. It is about Abraham being taught the structure of the cosmos and the governing powers of heaven.

And the way the characters tie the facsimiles together is remarkable.

Facsimile 1 shows the crisis: Abraham at the false altar.

Facsimile 2 shows the heavenly pattern: reckoning, stars, governing bodies, and divine order.

Facsimile 3 shows the presentation: Abraham brought into a scene of authority and exalted standing.

How did Joseph know to order the Facsimiles that way? That is not random. That is progression.

If Joseph Smith was simply making up the Book of Abraham, why spend so much time setting up a system of degrees and layers?

Why involve W. W. Phelps, Oliver Cowdery, and Warren Parrish in writing down characters, sounds, signals, explanations, and degrees? Why create a framework where a short character can expand into a larger field of meaning?

And how did Joseph know the story would line up with the same sequential order as the characters of which he did not understand the Egyptian meaning?

That is the part critics cannot explain.

A fraud could invent a story.
A creative mind could produce religious symbolism.
But producing a text that matches a layered sequence of Egyptian characters, in order, through names, geography, theology, temple movement, and cosmology, creates a much bigger problem.

The characters begin in the world of Chaldea and the father’s house. They identify Abraham. They move into seeing and reckoning. They show departure. They point toward another enclosure, pasture, residence, or circuit. Then, at the highest levels, the same movement opens into priesthood, temple progression, and the governing stars.

So Much More Than Just Funerary Text

The results of the Ptolemaic code is far beyond coincidence. This is so much more than “just a funerary text.”

If this system of “Degrees” and “Zipped Indexing” is just a convenient theory to hide a fraudulent translation, then it should be easy to debunk. In science, we use a “Control Group” to see if a result is unique or just a random fluke.

Here is the challenge: If these 19 characters are truly just a common, random funerary permit, try to find another story in them.

Using the same phonetic anagrams, the same sequential order, and the same “layered” meanings, try to extract the story of The Odyssey, the life of George Washington, or even a different Bible story like the life of Moses.

You can’t. The “signal” only works for one specific story: The Book of Abraham. The phonetic values only spell out Abraham and Chaldea (the setting of Chapter 1). The icons only move from an Altar (the beginning of the book) to a Throne (the end of the book). For a “random” document to accidentally align with the protagonist, the geography, the chronology, and the visual illustrations of a 5,000-word text is a statistical impossibility.

This isn’t just a “lucky guess” by Joseph Smith—it is a unique synchronization that only happens when the right key is turned in the right lock.

Random Egyptian characters shouldn’t just organize themselves into the Book of Abraham’s structure. They should not begin with the correct world, identify the correct figure, follow the correct movement, and end with the correct cosmic direction.

My own hypothesis is that Joseph’s revelatory gift allowed him to see these layers in a way ordinary scholarship could not. The same revelatory power that brought forth the Book of Mormon may have opened the Abraham characters to him, as a layered sacred record.

He saw meaning packed into signs, names, symbols, degrees, and sequences. He became fascinated by it because he was seeing something closer to a pure language, a language where symbol, sound, history, priesthood, temple, and cosmos were all connected.

That would explain the Kirtland Egyptian Papers. They were so much more than just an experimental coding system.

Conclusion

The closing issue is simple:

How likely is it that all of these meanings line up in order by chance?

Chaldea.
Father’s house.
Abraham.
Seeing.
Reckoning.
Departure.
Another residence.
Priesthood.
Temple progression.
Heavenly circuits.
The facsimiles.

All in the same Abrahamic sequence.

At some point, coincidence becomes a weaker explanation than revelation.

Joseph Smith did not have modern Egyptological tools. He did not have Kurth’s Ptolemaic sign lists. He did not have modern discussions of Ptolemaic polyvalence, anagrammatic coding, or layered priestly symbolism. Yet the Book of Abraham he produced appears to match the very kind of layered structure  emerging from these characters.

The papyrus fragment critics used as their “smoking gun” may actually preserve the very code that vindicates Joseph Smith. This may be the very evidence that Joseph Smith correctly translated the Book of Abraham.

And if these characters really do unfold Abraham’s story in ordered degrees, then Joseph Smith did not guess.

He translated by revelation and restored eternal truths.

Informed Saints has published a video that debunks many of the lies about Brigham Young. The video features Dr. Daniel C. Peterson, scholar of Islamic and Latter-day Saint studies, professor at Brigham Young University, and executive producer of the Becoming Brigham documentary series.

Watch the video “ Scholar DEBUNKS the Biggest Lies About Brigham Young:”

Brigham Young has one of the most misunderstood reputations in all of Latter-day Saint history. Was he really a tyrannical dictator? A womanizing polygamist? Did he order the Mountain Meadows Massacre or even orchestrate the murder of Joseph Smith? In this episode of Informed Saints, they sit down with Dr. Daniel C. Peterson to debunk the top misconceptions about Brigham Young and uncover the real man behind the myths. Dr. Peterson shares insights from the Becoming Brigham documentary series, Le Jean Carruth’s groundbreaking shorthand transcriptions, and new research that paints a far more nuanced picture of the Lion of the Lord.