What’s Up?

“Rise to the stature of the divine within you.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1989, 94.

Be a Good Leader

President David O. McKay (1873–1970) was the ninth President of the Church. In the October 1968 general conference, President McKay spoke about several traits that characterize a successful leader or teacher in the Church:

1. “Implicit faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ as the light of the world, and a sincere desire to serve him. This condition of the soul will make for companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost.”

2. “Unfeigned love for the … members, guided by determination to deal justly and impartially with every member of the Church. Honor the … member, and the … member will honor you.”

3. “Thorough preparation. The successful leader knows his [or her] duties and responsibilities and also the members under his [or her] direction.”

4. “Cheerfulness—not forced but natural cheerfulness, springing spontaneously from a hopeful soul” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1968, 144).

LDS Gems

Would you like to get inspirational quotes from Church leaders sent directly to your e-mail address? How about news of the Church? At www.lds.org you can sign up for daily news and a variety of quotes that will come right to your e-mail. There’s even a subscription for Youth Gems. These quotes are specifically selected for youth and are sent out every Tuesday and Thursday. To subscribe to any of the items under LDS Gems, go to www.lds.org and look for the link under News and Events that says Free E-mail Subscriptions.

In a Word:
Spiritual Death

Spiritual death is separation from God. There are two sources of spiritual death: the Fall and our own disobedience.

“All mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual” (Helaman 14:16). During our life on the earth, we are separated from God’s presence. Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ redeems everyone from this spiritual death. “The resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord” (Helaman 14:17).

Further spiritual death comes as a result of our own disobedience. Our sins make us unclean and unable to dwell in the presence of God (see Helaman 14:18). The Savior offers redemption from this spiritual death, but only when we exercise faith in Him, repent of our sins, and obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel (see Helaman 14:19). (See True to the Faith [2004], “Death, Spiritual,” 48.)

Got Shoes?

The answer to this question from the Roy Utah Central Stake young women is a resounding, “Yes!” With a goal to collect 1,000 pairs of new or gently used shoes from the members of their stake, the young women organized a shoe drive. On the day of the drive, the young women collected, cleaned, polished, tied together, sorted, and boxed up 1,223 pairs of shoes. The week following the activity, shoes continued to trickle in. When the shoes were finally dropped off at the Church’s Humanitarian Center, there were nearly 1,500 pairs of shoes ranging from baby shoes to hiking boots to sneakers.

One person who donated shoes left a note for the young women that read, “Thanks for doing this. It is a super neat thing for you to do. You will bless many lives.”

I Believe in Christ

How did you gain a testimony of Jesus Christ? We want to hear from you about your testimony of the Savior and how the Spirit bore witness to you of Him. Was there a particular experience that helped build your testimony? Maybe it has come as you study His life in the scriptures, or as you serve others, or through your personal prayers. It’s often hard to put into words, but how do feel about the Savior?

Send your submissions by November 30 to:

New Era, I Believe in Christ

50 E. North Temple St. Rm. 2420

Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA

Or e-mail us at: [e-mail]

What’s up where you are? Let us know at [e-mail].

Illustrated by Steve Kropp

Photograph by Robert Casey

Leaving the Garden of Eden, by Joseph Brickey

Photograph courtesy of the Roy Utah Central Stake