“Contents,” Ensign, Dec. 2007, 1–3

Ensign

August 2007

Volume 37, Number 12

Do You Have a Story to Tell?

The Ensign invites you to share your experiences with applying the scriptures. Has a story or verse in the scriptures ever changed your outlook, brought comfort, or provided an answer to a question or problem? How have such experiences affected the way you view scripture study? Please label your submission “A Scripture That Changed My Life” and send it by January 18.

We also welcome other submissions that show the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in your life. Ensign Magazine Writers’ Guidelines are posted at http://ensign.lds.org.

Send submissions to ensign@ldschurch.org or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple St. Rm. 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. Include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, ward (or branch), and stake (or district). Because of the volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt. Authors whose work is selected for publication will be notified. If you would like your manuscript, photos, art, or other material returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The Ensign can be found on the Internet at http://ensign.lds.org

Using This Issue

Celebrating Christmas. Even if Christmas is a difficult season for you, there are many ways to find happiness. See pages 10–21 to learn about how you can feel the “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10).

Using agency to teach children. Pushing children can generate feelings of resentment and resistance. Find out how teaching children with and about agency led to better results for two parents (p. 25).

Learning about the Prophet Joseph Smith. The journals of the Prophet Joseph Smith teach us much about the first President of the Church and early Church history (see p. 34). You can find additional information from this period—including the journal entries of others, quotations, photographs, artwork, and maps—at the Web site JosephSmith.net.

Gospel Topics in This Issue

Adversity, 48

Angels, 10

Arts, 40

Atonement, 44

Charity, 60

Children, 4, 25

Christmas, 10, 52, 61, 62, 66

Church History, 28, 34

Conversion, 22, 54, 61, 65

Example, 44

Family History, 67

Family Home Evening, 67

Food Storage, 67

Gifts, 52, 62

Holidays, 16

Hope, 48

Jesus Christ, 10, 21, 44, 48

Loneliness, 16

Missionary Work, 22, 54

Mothering, 40

Music, 21

Parenthood, 4, 25

Peace, 16

Plan of Happiness, 48

Prayer, 64

Promptings, 64

Record Keeping, 28

Resurrection, 44

Scripture Study, 67

Service, 16

Smith, Joseph, 34

Teaching, 4, 25

Testimony, 44

Visiting Teaching, 60

Worldwide Church, 54

Coming in January

Look for articles on:

Feeling at home in your ward.
The Prophet Joseph Smith and the new course of study for Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.
How the Book of Mormon can bring peace to our lives.

On the cover: Front: The Wise Men, by William Fredericks, circa 1903, © 2007 Providencecollection.com, all rights reserved, image 00466, may not be copied. Back: Madonna and Child, by Avard Fairbanks.

Inside front cover: Joseph Smith’s Second Ohio Journal, 1835–36. While most of the Prophet’s second Kirtland journal was recorded by Warren Parrish, as noted in the accompanying article (see pp. 34–39), Warren Cowdery, brother of Oliver Cowdery, was scribe for this entry of April 3, 1836. Here, on the last pages of this journal, Warren Cowdery recorded the vision that became Doctrine and Covenants 110. During this vision on Sunday, April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple, Christ appeared to the Prophet Joseph and Oliver. Then Moses, Elias, and Elijah each appeared and committed their keys to the Prophet.

Inside back cover: His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful, by Simon Dewey. (© Simon Dewey, may not be copied; background © Corbis Images.)