Dear Mother Earth

Being stewards of the earth is one of the best ways we can practice our discipleship. Dear Mother Earth, who day by day Unfoldest blessings on our way, Alleluia! Alleluia! The flow’rs and fruits that in thee grow, Let them his glory also show, Alleluia! Alleluia! (“All Creatures of Our...

Can Gratitude Bring Happiness?

Genuine happiness feels so hard to find sometimes—but maybe if we slow down a bit and consider our lives with gratitude, we can be “made glorious.” Everyone wants to experience happiness—but sometimes we get so caught up in searching for it that we forget to appreciate what we already have....

Finding the Voice of the Shepherd Through the Spirit

We must learn how to recognize the Holy Spirit to recognize the voice of the Shepherd. Jesus teaches, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). To be a disciple of Christ, we need to know his voice—but what if we don’t recognize...

Finding God in Stillness

God always has time for you, but do you make time for him? Like many young adults, I often find myself absolutely swamped with various school and work responsibilities and social obligations, which come with an overwhelming sense of stress. Only one thing truly eases that stress for me and...

The Process of Becoming

Many people talk about missionary work, but what about the time leading up to a decision to serve?  Preparing for a mission can be daunting. There can be so many voices trying to influence your decision. So what can you do when the choice feels out of your reach? In...
Death, Patriarchy, and the Struggle of Discipleship

Death, Patriarchy, and the Struggle of Discipleship

The answer is not to give up when tough questions arise—but to understand that the struggle is part of something greater.  From one overthinker to another, I’m going to be real with you: this time, you’re not overthinking it. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
What Fatherhood Can Teach Us About Trust

What Fatherhood Can Teach Us About Trust

Applying the characteristics of a good father in our lives can help us develop trust in our relationship with Heavenly Father. Trust can be difficult to develop, and broken trust can seem impossible to mend, but there are tried-and-true principles that can help us achieve the stronger relationships that may...
Becoming Ambitious for Christ

Becoming Ambitious for Christ

The world demands that we be ambitious if we want to be successful, but what would happen if we focused our ambitions on Christ? When American academic William S. Clark went to Japan in 1874, he left his students with a rousing speech. The most famous part of that speech...
The “Be” I Will Always Remember

The “Be” I Will Always Remember

President Hinckley taught us many things to be, but out of them all, the one I have learned the most from is “be grateful.”  President Gordon B. Hinckley addressed young adults in a general conference talk “A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer For Youth.” In this talk, he introduces six “B’s” to...
The Weekly Call: How Do I Support My Missionary?

The Weekly Call: How Do I Support My Missionary?

With more opportunities to communicate with missionaries serving from our families, what can we do to better support and encourage them? In an exciting recent announcement, the First Presidency stated, “Effective immediately, missionaries may communicate with their families on their weekly preparation day via text messages, online messaging, phone calls...
Have Hope: The Light Will Come

Have Hope: The Light Will Come

I thought this new calling would be my worst nightmare. Instead, it was exactly what I needed.  The first few years of college were hard for me. Really hard. Three years into college, I still found myself struggling. It wasn’t just schoolwork. I felt strangely drained. My workload was what...