The Best Christmas Gifts Only Christ Can Give

The truest desires of our hearts often can’t be bought and placed under the Christmas tree, but they can become a reality because of Jesus Christ. I have a very distinct memory of asking my dad what he wanted for Christmas one year. He simply said, “I just want you...

Christ, the Universal Savior: Lessons from Third Nephi

Jesus Christ’s presence as an active character in Third Nephi proves the Book of Mormon’s purpose of inviting all to come unto Christ.   When I was a missionary, my companion and I met every week with a recently baptized young adult. Our friend struggled with reading, so we would study...

Get on Your Knees and Face It

When life is beating you down, relying on the Lord through prayer can help you confront your trials. A highlight of this week’s Come, Follow Me lesson is the classic scripture 3 Nephi 5:13, which starts off, “For behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.” It’s clear why this...

Lessons from Pahoran: Accepting Feedback with Humility

If we follow Pahoran’s example and practice humility, we can improve our lives and collaborate better with others.  One of the most unexpected lessons I’ve had to learn as an editor is that I need to be just as comfortable receiving feedback as giving it. Editing is a collaborative effort,...

Remembering the Relief Society: How to Incorporate Women’s History into Church History

With Pioneer Day around the corner, let’s remember the role women have played in Church history—beyond entering the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. A few years ago, I had never heard the names of Zina D. H. Young (third Relief Society General President and suffragette), Jennie Brimhall Knight (one of...
Do I Have To?

Do I Have To?

We often selfishly ask ourselves if the commandments to love and serve others really apply to us. The Savior lovingly reminds us that they do. Two very different people each asked an unassuming and easily justifiable question. One asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Another asked, “And who is my...
Failing on the Path to Perfection

Failing on the Path to Perfection

Why keep trying if we just keep failing? BYU’s new president, Kevin J Worthen, explains the surprising role failure can play in our quest for perfection. In a January 2015 devotional, Brigham Young University president Kevin J Worthen addresses the tricky relationship between perfection and failure. Jesus Christ taught us to...
Conquering Comparison

Conquering Comparison

“Charity renders powerless this temptation to compare.” –J. B. Haws  If you have ever been caught in the trap of self-demeaning comparison, you are in good company—it’s a shared human weakness. If we are to become like Christ, we need to overcome the tendency to compare ourselves to others. But...
The Lord’s Joyous Message

The Lord’s Joyous Message

The divine message of the gospel is the good news we’ve all been waiting for. Share it with everyone around you—boldly, genuinely, and persistently. In his April 1972 general conference talk, “A Missionary and His Message,” Elder Hugh B. Brown recounted an experience he had while serving as a young...
Called to the Cavalry

Called to the Cavalry

You don’t need a name tag, satchel, and pair of walking shoes to effectively share the gospel. When my dad was in high school, he was less active in the Church. At the end of his senior year, a friend encouraged him to pray and ask if God exists. “If...
Learning to Let It Go

Learning to Let It Go

Vulnerability does not mean weakness. Being open and honest may be the cure to the disease of perfectionism. Have you struggled with comparison, perfectionism, or the need to keep up a façade of someone who seems to have it all together? Brené Brown, a researcher whose work is highlighted in...