Through the power of storytelling, inspired author and former YSA bishop Richard H. Ostler brings to life the experiences of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints in his book Listen, Learn, and Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints.In a November 2017 devotional address given at Brigham Young University, President M. Russell Ballard challenged us to "Listen to and understand what are our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing." This book, which is supportive of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its leaders, and its doctrine, is for all Latter-day Saints. It goes hand-in-hand with the Listen, Learn, and Love podcast, which brings hundreds of stories together in a comprehensive review of the many topics concerning LGBTQs and Latter-day Saints.With the help of this inspired book, we can now better support LGBTQ members in their unique and often difficult road. We can do better in recognizing their gifts and contributions in our wards and families. Listen, Learn, and Love makes a wonderful addition to the spiritual and intellectual curriculum of all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Many faithful children of our Heavenly Parents find it difficult to stay in the Church, not because of doctrine or a lack of desire to keep the commandments, but because of Latter-day Saint culture. The good news is that we need not wait to be more welcoming and inclusive. We can all be part of the solution. In these pages, you'll find stories about improving our culture by being: - less judgmental and more loving - not measuring progress by Church callings - better hearing and valuing women - acquiring a better framework for ending pornography use - hope-filled repentance - creating better understanding of mental illness and suicide - overcoming scrupulosity (religious OCD) - embracing early-release and service missionaries - manifesting love in political differences - and compassionately ministering to those with questions. Through the power of storytelling, former YSA bishop Richard Ostler invites all of us to listen, learn, and love so we can do our part to improve Church culture. This book-which is supportive of the Church, its leaders, and doctrine-is an extension of Ostler's enormously popular podcast Listen, Learn, and Love and his earlier book, Listen, Learn, and Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints.

Evan Smith believed the anti-gay messages he heard in church during his childhood, which contributed to some negative views he held toward LGBTQ people. Later, as a bishop and then a counselor in a stake presidency, his heart softened as church members came to him seeking guidance about feeling attracted to others of the same gender. Evan's investigating and study became personal when his own son came out as gay. In this topically navigable book, Evan tackles the issues with a lawyer's mind and a penetrating analysis of scriptures and church doctrine. He addresses such questions as these: "What insights apply from the end of polygamy and the race-based priesthood/temple ban?" "Why do I stay in the church?" and, most importantly, "What words are hurtful/helpful to LGBTQ people and their families?"

"This book examines the role of white American Christianity in fostering and sustaining white supremacy. It draws from theology, critical race theory, and American religious history to make the argument that predominantly white Christian denominations have served as a venue for establishing white privilege and have conveyed to white believers a sense of moral innoeence without requiring moral reckoning with the costs of anti-Black racism. To demonstrate these arguments, Brooks draws from Mormon history from the 1830s to the present, from an archive that includes speeches, historical documents, theological treatises, Sunday School curricula, and other documents of religious life"--

Second Edition, with a new chapter on ministering to and within mixed-faith marriages and families. With the advancement of the internet, changing worldviews, and the rising generation of millennials, Latter-day Saints today face unique challenges to faith on an unprecedented scale. Unlike most books written to help those struggling with their testimonies, Bridges: Ministering to Those Who Question is geared at helping local leaders and family members better understand the sources of these challenges and how to minister to those affected by them. This ministering is done through building bridges of love, empathy, and trust regardless of whether or not someone retains their belief or continues to participate. Author David B. Ostler, a former mission president, utilizes surveys with local leaders and disaffected members, research from social science and religious studies, and teachings from Church leaders to show how Latter-day Saints can work to better support those who have questions and create church environments where all can feel welcome.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Talent Code unlocks the secrets of highly successful groups and provides tomorrow’s leaders with the tools to build a cohesive, motivated culture. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BLOOMBERG AND LIBRARY JOURNAL Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing? In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world’s most successful organizations—including the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs—and reveals what makes them tick. He demystifies the culture-building process by identifying three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and explains how diverse groups learn to function with a single mind. Drawing on examples that range from Internet retailer Zappos to the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade to a daring gang of jewel thieves, Coyle offers specific strategies that trigger learning, spark collaboration, build trust, and drive positive change. Coyle unearths helpful stories of failure that illustrate what not to do, troubleshoots common pitfalls, and shares advice about reforming a toxic culture. Combining leading-edge science, on-the-ground insights from world-class leaders, and practical ideas for action, The Culture Code offers a roadmap for creating an environment where innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded. Culture is not something you are—it’s something you do. The Culture Code puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams that can accomplish amazing things together. Praise for The Culture Code “I’ve been waiting years for someone to write this book—I’ve built it up in my mind into something extraordinary. But it is even better than I imagined. Daniel Coyle has produced a truly brilliant, mesmerizing read that demystifies the magic of great groups. It blows all other books on culture right out of the water.”—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Option B, Originals, and Give and Take “If you want to understand how successful groups work—the signals they transmit, the language they speak, the cues that foster creativity—you won’t find a more essential guide than The Culture Code.”—Charles Duhigg, New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better

OUR DEAR YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN, we have great confidence in you. You are beloved sons and daughters of God and He is mindful of you. You have come to earth at a time of great opportunities and also of great challenges. The standards in this booklet will help you with the important choices you are making now and will yet make in the future. We promise that as you keep the covenants you have made and these standards, you will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, your faith and testimony will grow stronger, and you will enjoy increasing happiness.