Getting to know the new lds.org

This week we're going to shift gears a bit, but we'll still focus on tools that will help us learn about the gospel.

You may or may not know that the Church launched an all new lds.org recently. One of the best updates is a unified login. This started transitioning a while ago, but your login now accesses so much more than just your ward/stake website. Through one login, you can now access FamilySearch, stake/ward websites, your own personal "study notebook," your profile on mormon.org, the online store, and so much more!

Beyond that, have you had the time to explore it at all? There are some wonderful tools I don't want you to miss! Since many of you will likely be visiting the website this weekend to stream General Conference, I thought this was a good time to point some of them out. Here are some highlights:

• The main homepage: Totally redesigned, you may feel lost momentarily compared to the "Classic lds.org" design, but it's all there! I like the Quick Links and Related sites listed in the left column. Also the events listed on the right column too. The Latest Features, listed down the middle, are constantly changing, and I almost always see something of interest. Check them out!
• Prophets and Apostles Speak Today: You can get to this from the main homepage (on the right side) or find it listed under "Menu" at the top. WOW! What a resource! I love the recent message transcripts because it lets you read addresses from our leaders that you may not otherwise have heard or seen. Also the Gospel Classics. A great resource, and a wonderful place for personal study!
• Study Notebook: This is one is amazing!! Click on the "Tools" menu on the main page to find it. You can highlight text in any of the materials you study on the website, save it to your study notebook, make notes, add a journal entry... so many things! You'll want to fiddle around a bit to figure it out, but it will be worth your time!
• Your Patriarchal Blessing: Did you know you can request a copy of your patriarchal blessing by just signing in and clicking? Also under the Tools menu on the main page. Check it out!
• About the Church: Click on "Menu" at the top of the page and explore the options listed under "The Church." I learned a lot! I especially liked reading bios on our leadership under "Organization."
• Study: Under "Menu" this section looks fairly similar to the old links, but don't let that fool you! They have made each section much more robust and more easily-navigated. For example, special for today, check out the Activities for Children for General Conference! I'm also looking forward to the "Media Library" being launched.
• Helping in the Church: I'm so excited to tell you about this one! Click here to visit the Helping in the Vineyard website. This is a new endeavor allowing members all over the world to volunteer on a variety of projects. Literally ANYONE can help and even in only five minutes increments. (I was especially pleased to see some editorial work for me!) It's just in its piloting stage, but this is sure to be a great way to contribute!

And just for fun, since it's Conference Weekend, take a behind the scenes look at how Conference all comes together!

I hope this little tour gets you excited to go see what resources are available to you. New features are being added each day, so it's worth checking back often!