Making the Most of This Issue

October 2001

Remembering the Pioneers

“On the anvil of adversity, [the pioneers] were hammered and shaped and tempered,” President Gordon B. Hinckley taught in a special program commemorating the 1847 arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. “Let us remember with gratitude and reverent respect those who have gone before us.” See p. 70.

Heaven in the Home

How can you have a bit of heaven in your home on earth? President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency, identifies four practices that contribute to a happy home. See p. 2.

For the Family

• When you feel surrounded by bad language, do you wonder what you can do about it? See how one couple turned a negative situation into a spiritually up-lifting experience, p. 65.

• “I love you.” Read how one member learned from the Prophet Joseph Smith’s example the difference those words could make, p. 62.

• Can an obstacle course, a three-legged race, and a team relay really be part of family home evening? One family shares ideas for creating a memorable sports activity, p. 69.

Forgive Him?

Abandoned as a child by an alcoholic father, a grown son now has to deal with the dying father’s plea for help. What will he do? See p. 16.

Easing Mental Illness Burdens

According to some statistics, one in five families has a member who suffers from a serious mental illness. What can you do to help people struggling with these burdens? See p. 32.

Strengthen Your Character

Counsel from President David O. McKay, ninth President of the Church, offers rich insights into developing “that something within.” See p. 22.

Your Tour of Welfare Square

The many aspects of Church welfare, from fruit canning to finding employment, can be seen in the model operations at Welfare Square in Salt Lake City. For a quick pictorial tour of the square, see p. 58.

Think You’re Prepared?

How can the experiences of the Mormon Battalion or the Latter-day Saints who survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake help us become better prepared today? See p. 38.

Ending the Struggle with Debt

Want an incentive to pay off a debt? Reward yourself as you do it. For ideas on reaching the goal to be debt-free, see p. 69.

Member-Missionary Work

Are there people you would like to help come back to the Church? People you would like to see enjoying gospel blessings? This article explains how we can increase the effectiveness of our member-missionary work. See p. 50.

Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers

Find the monthly messages on p. 2 and p. 57.

Did You Know?

Each month’s issue of the Ensign has an article supporting the family, focusing either on marriage or parenthood. This month’s is on teaching children to respect others. See “Cultivating Respect,” p. 46.