A Facebook-post-turned-video about lost-and-found belief, a beauty pageant winner who championed modesty and an LDS father who spends time with his family making Doritos commercials were among the most popular faith-centered stories of 2015.
The following is a list of the most-read feature stories on DeseretNews.com that have appeared in our Faith section since Jan. 1.
1. 'How I lost and regained my faith': LDS man shares 18 lessons he learned
“I’ve learned over the first 32 years of my life that everyone experiences setbacks and makes mistakes,” wrote Rich Millar, whose story was recounted on Facebook and then later in a "His Grace" video created by the Mormon Channel. “And it can be destructive to go through life pretending that’s not the case. I’ve also learned that a lot of heartache can be avoided if we will learn from others’ mistakes. With that in mind, I’d like to offer up some of my mistakes and what I’ve learned from them in hopes that it will help someone else avoid the pitfalls and pain I experienced.”
In his Facebook post titled “How I Lost and Regained My Faith," Millar shares 18 lessons he learned from his experience of leaving and then returning to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. Returned missionary wins Ms. Virginia title, champions modesty and shares faith
BUENA VISTA, Va. — Bekah Pence, 29, didn't enter the Ms. Virginia United States pageant for the glitz and glam or the 15 minutes of fame. The recently returned LDS missionary saw it as a way to continue sharing her beliefs.
"I didn't get into this pageant because I wanted to," Pence said. "It actually was an opportunity that I felt like, by the Spirit, Heavenly Father wanted me to take."
3. Emma Smith’s copy of the 1841 Book of Mormon found
Lynn and Tanya Bascom, an LDS couple from Bountiful, Utah, went on vacation in June, touring some of the nation’s historical sites in the Boston area. At the home of John Quincy Adams, they found an 1841 copy of the Book of Mormon that originally belonged to someone very special in church history — Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
4. LDS dad among finalists for Doritos Super Bowl commercial contest
MCLEAN, Va. — Jason Johnson enjoys spending time with his family, and for the past three years, entering the Doritos Super Bowl commercial contest has been an opportunity to do just that. But this year, the video Johnson created has far exceeded his expectations.
Johnson, a member of the LDS Church and a professional creative director from Virginia, worked with his wife, their six children and several friends to create his Doritos commercial, which was announced as one of the 10 finalists in the "Crash the Super Bowl" contest on Jan. 5.
5. Family of slain California LDS bishop finds purpose, ways to 'carry on'
VISALIA, Calif. — On Aug. 29, 2010, Bishop Clay Sannar was shot and killed in an LDS meetinghouse in Visalia, California. His wife and six sons are working to make the tragic experience a force for good.
“I feel in everything the Lord has certainly prepared us and not left us without a way to carry on,” said Julie Sannar, Clay Sannar's widow.
6. Arianna Rees: Why Lindsey Stirling's Billboard dress doesn't matter
Last month, I watched as a picture Lindsey Stirling posted on Instagram was flooded with dozens of negative, shaming comments. One read, “You’re so talented and smart. Why would you dumb yourself down with religion?” Another: “Go crawl back to your little church and beg for your faerie tale god to forgive you for being the very thing you think he created, little slave.”
It was a picture of the Savior with her testimony.
This week, I watched as another picture Lindsey Stirling posted on Instagram was flooded with dozens of negative, shaming comments.
7. Spiritual journey leads 3-term U.S. senator to LDS Church
CHEVY CHASE, Md. — The announcement was ordinary and without fanfare. Larry Pressler would be confirmed a member of the LDS Church during the weekly services of the Chevy Chase congregation.
But those who know the man from his three terms in the U.S. Senate and who have shared in his spiritual journey count Pressler — whether referring to him as "senator," "brother" or just "Larry" — as extraordinary.
8. Stop looking for a soul mate, BYU professor advises
One way to cause problems in a marriage before it even begins is to go looking for a soul mate.
Scott Braithwaite, an assistant professor of psychology at BYU, taught that happiness in marriage comes as a person accepts the responsibility of choosing his or her spouse for himself or herself.
9. 6 lies early returned missionaries tell themselves
We all know "those" returned missionaries.
The ones who came home early. The ones who were honorably released, but didn't serve a full term. Whether it's one week or 17 months or 22 months, they can end up, sadly, being the talk of the ward. Was it depression that made it so the elder couldn't even make it out of the MTC? Could the sister not handle the mission rules so she asked for her own release? And since sister missionaries aren't "required" to go, don't they get an honorable release no matter what?
Consider for a moment how these missionaries are feeling.
10. Son shares story of miraculous reunion with mother after 12 years of separation
Chun Chen was just a little boy, not yet 4 years old, when his parents took him to a playground. He wandered off and found an arcade where people put coins in machines and played video games. He was mesmerized, but suddenly he realized his parents had disappeared. His tears brought people who tried to help him, offering him food and comfort.
His frantic parents looked everywhere for him. When they went to the police they were told that their son had probably been kidnapped, a common occurrence in 1990 in Taipei, Taiwan. They shed many tears as the years slowly passed.
Email: ashill@deseretnews.com
Twitter: @aaronshill