Church magazines will be provided at no cost to members

[webbles]

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-begins-offering-its-magazines-at-no-cost

Quote

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is offering print subscriptions at no cost to its three magazines, which are currently published in 50 languages and distributed to millions of Church members worldwide.

The availability will be staggered:

Quote

Beginning August 1, 2023, households in the Church’s Asia North and North America West areas will be able to subscribe to the Church magazines of their choice at no cost. The no-cost subscription system for the Brazil Area has been delayed and will be released at a later date.

Beginning December 1, 2023, households in the Church’s Africa Central, Africa South, Africa West, Asia, Caribbean, Central America, Europe Central, Europe East, Europe North, Mexico, Middle East/Africa North, Pacific, Philippines, South America Northwest and South America South areas will be able to subscribe.

Households in the Church’s North America Central, North America Northeast, North America Southeast, North America Southwest and Utah areas will be able to subscribe beginning February 1, 2024.

 

[MustardSeed]

Finally.  

[JAHS]

4 hours ago, webbles said:

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-begins-offering-its-magazines-at-no-cost

The availability will be staggered:

 

I haven't had a hard copy of the magazine for years. I read them all on-line and I suppose that's what many members do now. So it will most likely be easier cost-wise for the Church to provide them for free.

[JLHPROF]

I read them online.  In my opinion the content has continually declined in quality for several years along with the reading level. There's little of interest except in the Conference talk issues.

It makes sense though that they're trying to reach all adult members in all walks of life so keeping content completely basic and uplifting is the choice.

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, JLHPROF said:

I read them online.  In my opinion the content has continually declined in quality for several years along with the reading level. There's little of interest except in the Conference talk issues.

It makes sense though that they're trying to reach all adult members in all walks of life so keeping content completely basic and uplifting is the choice.

It does make sense, same for Sunday school, but it makes things harder for a lot of seasoned members too.

Edited August 2, 2023 by bluebell

[LoudmouthMormon]

20 years ago, I enjoyed my daily checking of the mail.   These days, I dread being forced to drag myself to the mailbox once every 2 weeks, just to have to chuck the unwanted 80% of my mail that consists of bulk ads and unwanted offers disguised as important letters.

Edited August 2, 2023 by LoudmouthMormon

[JLHPROF]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

It does make sense, same for Sunday school, but it makes things harder for a lot of seasoned members too.

Seriously. The adult magazine content is barely more advanced than the children's magazine.

[blackstrap]

We could use a new  " Times and Seasons " for old timers and seasoned members. 🤭

[JAHS]

1 hour ago, blackstrap said:

We could use a new  " Times and Seasons " for old timers and seasoned members. 🤭

Speaking of old-timers, anyone remember the old Relief Society magazines?

[CV75]

7 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

I read them online.  In my opinion the content has continually declined in quality for several years along with the reading level. There's little of interest except in the Conference talk issues.

It makes sense though that they're trying to reach all adult members in all walks of life so keeping content completely basic and uplifting is the choice.

I find that reading level has little to do with intrinsic value of the content, and that the content, especially that geared for young adults, is quite topical and relevant to the needs of the day. Good to see the world through another's eyes; it certainly helps with personal "examination" and ministering. I think the basic doctrine serves as a reminder that superior intellects still need to apply them as a little child and that the Spirit works wonders. 

On a related matter, I'm finding the emphasis on personal responsibility in spiritual learning to be increasing in the CFM lessons this year, and from what I've seen of the upcoming changes, the personal revelation and spiritual learning President nelson has been encouraging the past few years.

I'm finding that scholarly articles are increasingly more available for those that want them, and the Church certainly encourages us to study such areas of personal interest. That avenue is still open to the Liahona reader at any reading level and who seeks beyond the devotional kind of reading, which the Liahona articles in my opinion are not designed to be. I see them divided into doctrine, testimony and application of doctrine and testimony.

[CV75]

6 hours ago, bluebell said:

It does make sense, same for Sunday school, but it makes things harder for a lot of seasoned members too.

I know a lot of seasoned members (present company excluded. of course, !) in sore need of a return to the basics and ways to find empathy in matters affecting the less-seasoned, e.g., young adults, new converts, people with serious personal issues and difficult life experiences.

[bluebell]

42 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I know a lot of seasoned members (present company excluded. of course, !) in sore need of a return to the basics and ways to find empathy in matters affecting the less-seasoned, e.g., young adults, new converts, people with serious personal issues and difficult life experiences.

I’m not sure why the two needs are seen as mutually exclusive, especially since I don’t really know any seasoned members that don’t also have serious personal issues and difficult life experiences. That’s pretty much the MO of life regardless of age or gospel experience (for lack of a better term).

And though we are losing seasoned members, I don’t think it’s an issue of them (or anyone else) just not being empathetic enough.

[JLHPROF]

50 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I know a lot of seasoned members (present company excluded. of course, !) in sore need of a return to the basics and ways to find empathy in matters affecting the less-seasoned, e.g., young adults, new converts, people with serious personal issues and difficult life experiences.

While we all need to keep up on our basics you cannot grow if you aren't being fed.

Keeping things at a kindergarten level makes sure we are solid in kindergarten but eventually we need to get a high school education before we "move out".

[CV75]

13 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I’m not sure why the two needs are seen as mutually exclusive, especially since I don’t really know any seasoned members that don’t also have serious personal issues and difficult life experiences. That’s pretty much the MO of life regardless of age or gospel experience (for lack of a better term).

And though we are losing seasoned members, I don’t think it’s an issue of them (or anyone else) just not being empathetic enough.

They are not mutually exclusive; I agree with both your comments, along with mine of course Posted 1 hour ago, which accepted, for discussion purposes, the narrow intimation that seasoned members find the magazine lacking and uninteresting, namely for reviewing the basics and sharing others' life experiences at a lower reading level and in lieu of more scholarly or meatier doctrinal essays.

[CV75]

34 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

While we all need to keep up on our basics you cannot grow if you aren't being fed.

Keeping things at a kindergarten level makes sure we are solid in kindergarten but eventually we need to get a high school education before we "move out".

I think this is why the emphasis is on taking responsibility for our own feeding, and the Liahona accomplishes this for everyone when what it offers is applied according to our needs, "seasoned member" or not. I don't take the Liahona articles to be kindergarten stuff at all, but I guess it's like not being perpetually edified by sacrament speakers or a Sunday School class because of "them" and not "me."

[JLHPROF]

53 minutes ago, CV75 said:

I think this is why the emphasis is on taking responsibility for our own feeding, and the Liahona accomplishes this for everyone when what it offers is applied according to our needs, "seasoned member" or not. "

I think the "responsibility for our own feeding" is a bit of a cop out.  Even the most diligent self starter of a student needs teachers.  I don't think the Liahona does much teaching at all.  It's inspirational, not informative 

Quote

I don't take the Liahona articles to be kindergarten stuff at all, but I guess it's like not being perpetually edified by sacrament speakers or a Sunday School class because of "them" and not "me."

I'm reading the August Liahona, a lot of temple articles which is great, and here are some examples of the issue:

"A major help from heaven comes in the form of temple ordinances and covenants that keep us “grounded, rooted, established, and settled” in our quest to come unto the Savior. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that “entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier.” He did not say that making covenants makes life easy, “but yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.”. Elder Andersen 

All completely true.  Covenants good, closeness to God good, temple attendance good.  Zero information on why, how, what is a covenant, how they work, why they have an effect. How does the covenant relationship make life easier?  Encouraging yes, informative no.  It's like telling a child that eating vegetables is good for them but they know nothing about nutrition.

[MiserereNobis]

6 hours ago, JAHS said:

Speaking of old-timers, anyone remember the old Relief Society magazines?

That’s a very traditional Mary. 
 

ETA: I originally said Catholic

Edited August 3, 2023 by MiserereNobis

[manol]

4 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

While we all need to keep up on our basics you cannot grow if you aren't being fed.

Keeping things at a kindergarten level makes sure we are solid in kindergarten but eventually we need to get a high school education before we "move out".

Maybe once a person has graduated from kindergarten, their campus expands.

With apologies to BYU, maybe after a certain point the world is our campus. 

Maybe there's a reason why "seek, and ye shall find" is among the most oft-repeated themes in the scriptures, AND in early Mormonism. Maybe "seek, and ye shall find" is NOT something we outgrow just because we are confident of having the basics down pat:

“We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true Mormons.”  Joseph Smith, emphasis mine

"One of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may." Joseph Smith

''Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."  D&C 88:118

“Mormonism is truth; and every man who embraces it feels himself at liberty to embrace every truth: consequently the shackles of superstition, bigotry, ignorance, and priestcraft, fall at once from his neck; and his eyes are opened to see the truth... The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same.”  Joseph Smith, emphasis mine

"We believe that [God] will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God."  9th Article of Faith

“Every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.”  Moroni 7:16, emphasis mine

Edited August 3, 2023 by manol

[Calm]

2 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

I think the "responsibility for our own feeding" is a bit of a cop out.  Even the most diligent self starter of a student needs teachers.  I don't think the Liahona does much teaching at all.  It's inspirational, not informative 

You can waste a lot of time and thought if you don’t have direction and basically just go grab books/click on websites that look interesting. Many members in my experience are leery of starting out of worry they will go wrong pretty quickly. 
 

I wish the Church had serious academic type sections on beginning personal research, how to look for trustworthy names who are citing others to learn how to expand on possible resources for example. 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Calm

[CV75]

12 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

I think the "responsibility for our own feeding" is a bit of a cop out.  Even the most diligent self starter of a student needs teachers.  I don't think the Liahona does much teaching at all.  It's inspirational, not informative 

I'm reading the August Liahona, a lot of temple articles which is great, and here are some examples of the issue:

"A major help from heaven comes in the form of temple ordinances and covenants that keep us “grounded, rooted, established, and settled” in our quest to come unto the Savior. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that “entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier.” He did not say that making covenants makes life easy, “but yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.”. Elder Andersen 

All completely true.  Covenants good, closeness to God good, temple attendance good.  Zero information on why, how, what is a covenant, how they work, why they have an effect. How does the covenant relationship make life easier?  Encouraging yes, informative no.  It's like telling a child that eating vegetables is good for them but they know nothing about nutrition.

The Liahona simply has a specific mission which doesn't happen to meet your particular expectation, which can be better satisfied elsewhere. The scholar and seasoned member can still benefit if they use it properly and as intended by the publishers:

https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/liahona/the-liahona-for-all-adults?lang=eng&adobe_mc_ref=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/liahona/the-liahona-for-all-adults?lang=eng&adobe_mc_sdid=SDID=52953E6FB339BCC1-656A530CF218AF62|MCORGID=66C5485451E56AAE0A490D45%40AdobeOrg|TS=1691069256

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2006/10/news-of-the-church/how-to-use-the-liahona?lang=eng

[CV75]

10 hours ago, Calm said:

You can waste a lot of time and thought if you don’t have direction and basically just go grab books/click on websites that look interesting. Many members in my experience are leery of starting out of worry they will go wrong pretty quickly. 
 

I wish the Church had serious academic type sections on beginning personal research, how to look for trustworthy names who are citing others to learn how to expand on possible resources for example. 

The Church doesn't endorse or promote specific vocations or avocations, which is why, as a general magazine, the Liahona would lack a regular feature section covering serious academic topics. The focus on personal discipleship and revelation are a different pursuit altogether (not that there's anything wrong with someone choosing or preferring the pursuit of serious scholarship). I do recall the Liahona presenting the occassional theme and article covering the preservation of discipleship while engaged in responsible scholarship.

[Tacenda]

18 hours ago, JAHS said:

Speaking of old-timers, anyone remember the old Relief Society magazines?

Back when women had more say, IMO.

[manol]

15 hours ago, Calm said:

Many members in my experience are leery of starting out of worry they will go wrong pretty quickly.

This sounds a lot like the fearful servant in the Parable of the Talents.  The "talents" in the parable can represent "teachings given by the Lord which are of enormous value".  Rather than taking the teachings he had been given out into the marketplace of ideas and adding yet more truth even if there was risk involved (see the quotes in my previous post on the subject of "seek and ye shall find"), the fearful servant played it safe.  Which was not the path of growth.

Fear is a liar.  Perfect love casts out fear.  We cannot serve two masters, so we inevitably pick a lane whether we intend to or not.  If we choose not to decide, we still have made a choice.

And we can always make a course-correction.  Or to put it another way, yes there are two paths we can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road we're on. 

15 hours ago, Calm said:

You can waste a lot of time and thought if you don’t have direction and basically just go grab books/click on websites that look interesting.

Long before young Joseph Smith picked up the Bible and read that pivotal verse in the epistle of James, he was pursuing an interest that felt right to him. 

Imo THAT is where we start!

15 hours ago, Calm said:

I wish the Church had serious academic type sections on beginning personal research, how to look for trustworthy names who are citing others to learn how to expand on possible resources for example. 

I agree that kind of resource would be great, but whether or not it ever happens, the seeker has been promised that he or she will find.

*  *  *

I agree with @JLHPROF that we are "saved no faster than we gain knowledge."   Going back to the basics, the hymn "I am a child of God" used to teach this principle.  The original lyrics said, "teach me all that I must know to live with him some day."  That principle was removed; the song now says "teach me all that I must do to live with him some day."  How many good sincere Latter-day Saints fall short of all the things they "must do"?  Yeah.  Changing that one word sets everyone up for failure. 

The original wording - "teach me all that I must know " - had it right.

So imo even "the basics" are worth keeping an open mind about. 

And at some point after kindergarten, imo who we look to for those teachings shifts as well.  The song in our hearts shifts to "teach me all that I must know to live with You some day."

Imo the paradigm shifting doesn't stop there either. 

Edited August 3, 2023 by manol

[bluebell]

13 hours ago, Calm said:

You can waste a lot of time and thought if you don’t have direction and basically just go grab books/click on websites that look interesting. Many members in my experience are leery of starting out of worry they will go wrong pretty quickly. 
 

I wish the Church had serious academic type sections on beginning personal research, how to look for trustworthy names who are citing others to learn how to expand on possible resources for example. 

So much of church focus is reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, attending your meetings, doing your calling, and going to the temple and that makes sense because those are all really important parts of discipleship.  But I think they can sometimes get divorced from the "whys" of discipleship and become checklist activities that are not at all fulfilling or helpful to someone's spiritual development.  They become the end of the means rather than a means to an end.  But trying to figure out how to end that cycle by going to church sources can be really frustrating.

I have a facebook friend who recently asked people how to have better prayers because she felt like she wasn't getting much out of praying, even though she had faithfully prayed multiple times a day for decades.  She didn't really have any church resources so she ended up asking for help on facebook.  I see that quite a bit in different groups too.  

If good information leads to good inspiration, as so many of our leaders are now teaching when it comes to extending callings, then that is true for learning as well, right?  We need good information to all the spirit to personally reveal things to us.  

[bluebell]

16 hours ago, CV75 said:

I think this is why the emphasis is on taking responsibility for our own feeding, and the Liahona accomplishes this for everyone when what it offers is applied according to our needs, "seasoned member" or not. I don't take the Liahona articles to be kindergarten stuff at all, but I guess it's like not being perpetually edified by sacrament speakers or a Sunday School class because of "them" and not "me."

I really struggle with the idea that all we need is the spirit to learn, understand, and apply the doctrines of the gospel in our lives, and that outside input isn't really very important.