More than a Holiday Special

Celebrating the Easter story is not meant to be reserved for the holidays; Christ lives—today! During the Easter season, Church leaders have reminded us of the significance of the Easter story. But the truth of the Atonement, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is not simply a holiday message. In...

A Mighty Heart Workout

How to become like Jesus: a transformation made possible through his grace. Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, For these are the things Jesus taught. (“I’m Trying to Be like Jesus,”...

Faith: A Power Rooted in Eternal Principles

We often wait for the fog to lift before taking another step. Learning instead to walk through it is real faith. The modern world is a chaotic echo chamber, reinforcing our own thoughts about who to be and how to plan our lives. We may try to rely on our...

Rejoice with Those Who Rejoice

Even in seasons of sorrow and grief, we can rejoice with those who rejoice. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I try to live by the principle to “mourn with those who mourn” and “comfort those that stand in need of comfort,” as taught...

Faith to Affect and Faith to Accept

The absence of a miracle doesn’t necessarily mean we lack faith—the faith to accept God’s will is an equally valid expression of devotion. President Russell M. Nelson once told the story of two contrasting yet powerful examples of faith. In his April 2021 general conference talk “Christ Is Risen; Faith...
Is There Just One Right Way to Be a Mormon Woman?

Is There Just One Right Way to Be a Mormon Woman?

As disciples of Christ, we don’t all have to be exactly the same. If we are each firmly rooted in our testimonies of Jesus Christ and are committed to following him, the exact circumstances of our lives don’t matter.  In this modern world marked by social media, our lives are full of comparisons. For me, it takes...
To Beard or Not to Beard? The Question on Latter-day Saint Faces

To Beard or Not to Beard? The Question on Latter-day Saint Faces

Here are some snippets about growing and shaving beards in LDS Church history. Reflecting on the beards of Brigham Young and numerous other past leaders, some current members may wonder why the Church encourages its male members to be clean-shaven. Questions are especially prevalent among some at Brigham Young University....
Missions Are for Everyone—Just in Different Ways

Missions Are for Everyone—Just in Different Ways

I wasn’t inadequate. I wasn’t second class. And I still could do a lot to serve the Lord. When I was a sophomore in high school, President Monson announced that worthy young women could serve a mission as early as age 19. From that moment on, people were constantly asking...
The Beauty and Value in Messiness

The Beauty and Value in Messiness

Life is messy. Luckily, there is holiness in the mess. In her essay titled “This Holy Mess,” Sharlee Glenn shared an experience she had while in Italy. Glenn’s tour guide said something that struck her as they were rushing to make it to mass: “Hurry!… We can’t be late for...
Finding Our Place in the Restoration

Finding Our Place in the Restoration

The Restoration isn’t over. The miraculous translation of the Book of Mormon is only the start of our role in the Restoration. We’ve been told that the Restoration is an ongoing process. But what does that mean for us? Where is our place? The early Restoration contained countless miracles, but...
The Three Pillars of Eternity: Creation, Fall, and Atonement

The Three Pillars of Eternity: Creation, Fall, and Atonement

By learning about these three great events of the plan of salvation, we can better understand God’s eternal plan for us. In a 1981 Brigham Young University devotional, Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85), then serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, teaches about the “three pillars of...