Christ as the Good Shepherd

Understanding the roles of Christ as the Good Shepherd and Lamb of God helps us more fully trust his guidance and care. My favorite of Christ’s names is the Good Shepherd. There is something about that title that has always felt especially personal and reassuring to me. In his address...

A Safe Place to Land

As disciples of Christ, we must show empathy and compassion for those driven from their homes—because Christ taught us to relieve human suffering. As a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I taught the gospel to Cambodian Americans in Tacoma, Washington. They were the most welcoming...

We Can Be the Works of God

Every person on earth will face the trials of mortality, but we can have the works of God manifest in our own lives, and we can help manifest them in the lives of others.  The complex heart defects I have had all my life have at times felt like a...

When Faith Opens Our Eyes

Through personal revelation, simple experiences become opportunities to recognize God’s guidance. Life is full of seemingly ordinary moments—quiet mornings, routine classes, conversations with friends. Yet these simple experiences can carry profound meaning, often revealing God’s presence and guidance in ways we might not immediately notice. Faith allows even the smallest,...

Finding Growth Through Failure

Experiencing failure is part of our mortal existence, but through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can grow through those mistakes and progress toward perfection. We will all make mistakes and experience failure at various points in our lives. It is an inevitable part of being a human in this...
How Can I Feel the Spirit More?

How Can I Feel the Spirit More?

Do you want to feel the Spirit more fully? It’s possible, and the answer is pretty simple. One of the largest problems returned missionaries face is finding a way to feel the Spirit as strongly as they did on their missions. One young man asked Elder Don R. Clarke, a...
Faith in Christ, Faith in Yourself

Faith in Christ, Faith in Yourself

When you feel you’ve fallen short, you can combat discouragement by having faith in Jesus Christ and by remembering that he has faith in you.  We hear repeatedly that faith is the first principle of the gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:4). Most of us are pretty good at remembering...
What Should I Do When the Answer Is No?

What Should I Do When the Answer Is No?

When the answer to a prayer is no, it’s easy to get angry with God. However, we need to choose to have faith and trust the One who knows the end from the beginning. My husband and I had been anxiously waiting all day for his cell phone to ring....
Sisters, No Effort Is Lost

Sisters, No Effort Is Lost

While we may not always feel the significance of the little things we do, God keeps a perfect record and none of our efforts are lost. Have you ever gotten stuck thinking about all the people you neglected to help or about the things you failed to get done in...
Breaking News: There Is No “One and Only”

Breaking News: There Is No “One and Only”

Deciding whom to marry isn’t easy. But part of what makes it special is that both spouses use agency to choose their one and only companion. After three weeks of dating, he knew. After three months, he told me he wanted to marry me. But I wasn’t sure. I’d been...
Turn to the Source of Truth

Turn to the Source of Truth

It is more important now than ever before to proclaim the truth of the Book of Mormon and “hearken unto these words and believe in Christ.”  We are currently living in the last days: political turmoil, widespread economic upheaval, and a world turning to sin more and more every day....