Elliott Jolley

Personal insights from 3 Nephi 1 22 Satan sends lies among the people to harden their hearts, to the intent they might not believe. 23 Remission of sins brings peace, personally and collectively. (I'll be doing a chapter a day until I'm done with the whole Book of Mormon)

Scriptural thought for the day: 2 Nephi 11:4 – “Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ…all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.” I’ve mildly wondered about what this means - all things are typifying of Christ. I used to relate it a book of Mormon teacher who would go through a bunch of symbols of Christ in the scriptures: Bethlehem means house of bread, Christ is the bread of life, etc. After a long list, he would conclude with “All things testify of Christ”. I understood, but I was mildly curious. How does wickedness or sin testify of Christ? How is a maggot eating a dead carcass symbolic of Christ? Is that not included in the statement “All things testify of Christ”? I eventually concluded with some qualifying nuance: all things on the earth testify of Christ, because Christ created the earth. But all things does not include the evil that men do when exercising their agency. Rape does not testify of Christ. I was reminded of these thoughts when reading Nephi’s statement that “All things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him”. What struck me this time, and why I think this phrase is different than saying “All things testify of Christ”, is the phrase “which have been given of God”. It seems to be saying: Whatever Heavenly Father gives to mankind is symbolic of Christ because Heavenly Father gave Christ to mankind too. All good things, all blessings, whatever God gives, typifies Christ, because God gives Christ. All gifts from God are symbolic of Christ because Christ is a gift from God. He is the ultimate gift, the ultimate blessing, the ultimate good thing given of God.

@EricCMeadows One of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite books of scripture! This was fun to read. Thanks!

In many ways, the work of a skeptic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their faith and their lives to our judgment. We thrive on clever dismissal, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we skeptics must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of scripture is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a skeptic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new revelations, new scriptures. The new needs friends. Last year, I experienced something new: an extraordinary book from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the text and its translator have challenged my preconceptions about sacred writing is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for the idea that “a farm boy with a seer stone could restore ancient truth.” But I realize, only now do I truly understand what that claim meant. Not everyone can become a prophet; but a prophet can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the young visionary who translated this book—an uneducated farm boy in upstate New York, dictating page after page without notes, in the presence of witnesses, while the world laughed. But revelation is not the exclusive province of the past. It can be found in the humblest of origins today, and in the most unexpected of places. I, for one, would be very interested to see more.

@ChristoffDTodd I really loved your talk on this - such a fresh look at Christ's divine characteristics. I look forward to studying it more.

With faith in Christ, may our character come to mirror His so that “when he shall appear we shall be like him ... that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Moroni 7:48).

@erpwear @jesse_k_fox No pushback, no altering, just immediately accepting the new changes. If they ask us to use only full names, of course I will. If someone else uses the full names, no problem.

@feastscriptures @jesse_k_fox You can say whatever you want. What is the purpose behind immediately pushing back to alter direction from Church leadership and changing what they just directed?

We’ve been workshopping this all morning. Which noun is going to win?🥇 I have 4 adult daughters. One daughter is serving in Stake YW Pres. My wife is currently back in YW. Obviously, the names have to be shortened for convenience. We aren’t going to be at combined activities and say, “Deacons and Builders of Faith. No, that doesn’t work. So, what noun are they going to go by? We think the latter is going to work. Group Faith Group Hope Group Light Or, possibly, Faiths, Hopes, Lights???

@erpwear @jesse_k_fox We can say "Deacons" or "The Deacons Quorum"

@feastscriptures @jesse_k_fox Its not that hard to add the 2 words "Builders of" to "Faith". Just use the name of the class as designated.

@ITalkOfChrist @joshnaa2gez I'm thinking "Faith Class" or "Young Women Faith Class". "Who is the Hope Class president?" "What are the Priests and the Light class doing this week?" etc.

@joshnaa2gez We'll adopt the first name colloquially. What's more awkward, beehive or builder? Messenger or Mia Maid? Laurel or Gatherer? The old terms were acceptable because we got used to them. Same thing with Sunbeams and Valiants. There cringe, then they're okay

Hmmmm… maybe these will become the moto or theme for each age group. But no one is going to say… “I can’t wait for my daughter to turn 14 and become a Messenger of Faith!” “Sister Jones, what are the Gatherers of Light doing this Wednesday?” 🤣 sorry, I just don’t see it. These aren’t names that stick. Maybe I’m wrong, but you need a single word and it can’t be overly dramatic. Overly dramatic language, like “Gatherers,” feels awkward in casual conversations. People avoid saying it.

@joshnaa2gez I'm thinking "Faith Class" or "Young Women Faith Class". "Who is the Hope Class president?" "What are the Priests and the Light class doing this week?" etc.

@Ch_JesusChrist Love this, it will make it easier for bishoprics to minister to these YW and keep the age groups straightforward and parallel. The practical short names can simply be "Faith," "Hope," and "Light" classes. Relief Society is "Charity". Makes beautiful sense to me!

The First Presidency has announced new age-group names for young women—names that reflect their identity, growth, and purpose. The new age-group names are: • Builders of Faith (young women turning 12 or 13) • Messengers of Hope (young women turning 14 or 15) • Gatherers of Light (young women turning 16 or older) Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said the spiritual significance of the names became especially clear to her during a recent visit with young women in Tahiti. “As the girls sang, I was inspired to think of these covenant-keeping young women whose purpose and mission would be to build faith, share hope, and gather and reflect light around the world,” President Freeman said. “My eyes teared up as I realized the Spirit had been leading this process all along, inspiring names of faith, hope, and light that would help God’s daughters live as disciples of Christ and prepare them to enter a lifelong sisterhood of charity—the Relief Society.” Learn more by visiting the link below: newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/young-…

@TracerBuIlet Looks like a Greg Olsen painting, called "In the Beginning" gregolsen.com/gallery/in-the…

@feastscriptures I found it on Pinterest, I have no idea

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come. And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand’ring from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

@EyringHB This is a powerful teaching. - and Heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask him.

The feelings of your heart and the love for our Heavenly Father and for His beloved Son can be so constant that your prayers will ascend always.

@ClarkG_Gilbert Such a touching story. She was a lamb lost in the wilderness, and the Savior rejoices in bringing her home.

To those who feel they don’t belong: I’m inspired by the courage of Sister Anglesey, who had left her home and her faith 30 years earlier. She had long known something was missing, but felt overwhelmed to just walk back into church. She eventually mustered the courage to attend a temple open house. As beautiful as the visit was, Tammy later confided, “All I could see was an experience I would never have. No sealing and no [endowment].” Still, prompted by that visit, she dressed for Sunday church, only to park her car and watch others walk into the building. Overcome with anxiety, she simply drove home, changed her clothes, and wept. An inspired bishop sent a note inviting her back to church. I met Tammy on a ministering visit just after her temple endowment. She had been away for 30 years! She spent Sundays sitting alone in a church parking lot. But the Lord brought her home and restored her to His light, love, and joy. Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling all of us home.

@StevensonGaryE I love the perspective! Reminds me of Psalms: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moonand the stars"

As we live in this world of shifting values and beliefs, becoming a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ will anchor us to the truth. Join me and Lesa on May 3, 2026, for a worldwide devotional for young adults where we will discover together how to further our capacity to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.

@UchtdorfDF This is a brilliant idea! People will understand better when they are physically in these rooms.

This upcoming opening of the Temple Square Visitors’ Center on May 18 is just the beginning of an unprecedented public invitation to the world to come and see inside the historic Salt Lake Temple from April-October 2027.    This celebration will be a magnificent opportunity for all of God’s children to rejoice in the love of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

@Ch_JesusChrist A permanent open house!

The Temple Square Visitors' Center will be open to the public on May 18, 2026! All are welcome to experience interactive exhibits that show how temples are sacred spaces rooted in faith, family, service, and promises to God. Reservations for the "Inside a Temple" tour will be required and can be made by visiting TempleSquare.org or by downloading the Temple Square app.

This is a beautiful video and visitor's center - with replica rooms of the temple that people can walk through, like an open house all the time. youtube.com/watch?v=B5mFE2…

@Manhattva I love Brighton, but there's always someone who crashes on the way down the mountain at the end of the day. I'm sympathetic to them, but it's just inevitable on a good snow day. Last year we spent six hours in traffic.

A gondola would never have these problems. People can be as mad as they want at me for saying it though.