In recognition of its welfare contributions in Madagascar, LDS Humanitarian Services received the Chevalier de L’Ordre Nationale Madagascar award in June 2008 from the country’s Ministry of Health.

For the children of the central African city of Luputa and nearby villages, an 18-mile-long pipe being laid near their homes means a lot more than access to clean water for their families.

It also means that they will be healthier and able to attend school more regularly, according to Marie Christensen, an Idaho woman who recently returned with her husband from D.R. Congo after 18 months of volunteer humanitarian service.
 

After recent severe storms in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Mormon missionaries joined with local Latter-day Saints to help residents deal with the damage.

After a day spent diverting and damming overflowing rivers, volunteers helped victims move out of flooded and damaged homes. They removed mud (up to three and a half feet deep) and water-logged goods and furniture from homes.
 

With continued growing interest and attendance, LDS Philanthropies’ National Planned Giving Council (NPGC) is pleased to announce the 3rd Annual NPGC Seminar to be held October 2-3, 2008, at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City, Utah.

To begin your registration, click here.

To learn more about the National Planned Giving Council, click here.

To register for membership in the National Planned Giving Council, click here, and you’ll receive all of the news from NPGC and LDS Philanthropies.

Sister Julie B. Beck, general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, addressed more than 1,000 Brigham Young University-Idaho graduates at summer commencement exercises held Friday, July 18, teaching them to stay true to the standards of the gospel.

"While you have been here, you have been recipients of one of the finest educations available in the world," Sister Beck said. "You have also been educated in an environment where the spirit of the Lord could flourish."
 

News reports on May 25, 2008, predicted the mile-wide tornado that had wiped out half of Parkersburg, Iowa, would head north. But as Wes Godfrey videotaped the tornado from his home to the east in New Hartford, Iowa, the rotating funnel started to slowly fill up his camcorder’s screen.

Brother Godfrey rushed his 8-months-pregnant wife, Erin, and two children into their tornado shelter and huddled his family together to pray. As Brother Godfrey asked Heavenly Father to spare their lives and the lives of their neighbors, the Spirit touched his heart, and he immediately knew two things: (1) they would be okay, and (2) they were going to get hit.