Death, Patriarchy, and the Struggle of Discipleship

Tunnel over railroad tracks in the fall.

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… Continue reading

Uprooting Negative Body Image

man looking at reflection in window

Seeing ourselves as God sees us can improve our “body image resilience” in an objectifying world. We’ve all been there. We’ve all looked in the mirror and found things we disliked about our bodies, be it our height, weight, hair, glasses, braces, or acne. We’ve wondered why our appearance isn’t… Continue reading

Avoiding Pinterest Perfect Comparisons

On social media we usually see only the “picture perfect” ideal. We must learn to embrace reality for all its glorious imperfections. Have you ever scrolled through social media and felt horrible about yourself? With so much pressure to portray a certain image, social media too often becomes a platform… Continue reading

Selfless Service through Self-Reliance

Old pier at sunset with flying seagulls.

Self-reliance gives us the freedom to follow Christ’s commandment to “lift up the hands that hang down” (Doctrine & Covenants 81:5). “Let’s not be gullible gulls. We…must preserve our talents of self-sufficiency, our genius for creating things for ourselves, our sense of thrift and our true love of independence.” In… Continue reading

Magnifying Your Calling from Home: Service during COVID-19

A photograph of a woman video chatting with a man; both are wearing cloth masks

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the world needs our service. Here’s how you can magnify your calling in these turbulent times. During the COVID-19 outbreak, how can we magnify our callings if we can’t meet together?  Sister Sharon Eubank, the first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, sheds light on… Continue reading

How to Become a Spiritual First Responder

God sometimes asks us to be a first responder to a spiritual emergency, but how do we open our hearts to hear his Spirit’s call? In emergencies, first responders such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics are usually the first ones on the scene. Just as they are called to… Continue reading

Space for Agency: Loving Our LGBTQ Brothers and Sisters

An egg with the words "Come Together" and a wreath of flowers painted on it.

God’s call to love one another and his call to stand for truth seem to clash, but that’s only because we don’t understand that we can love people without conforming to their choices. When I reconnected with an old friend online, she stated that she was saving up for sex… Continue reading

When the Economy Goes Down, We Look Up

College graduates throwing their blue caps with red tassels into the air next to a tall building with windows.

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, it feels like everything is falling apart, but we can rely on God and grow from these unexpected experiences. COVID-19 is an epidemic virus that has affected the world and has shut down many businesses throughout the world. Because of the… Continue reading

Creating a More Welcoming Church Community

Four girls sitting in a grassy field, facing away from the camera, holding their hands together to form hearts

Everyone has a place in the Church, and as disciples of Christ we can help new and returning members feel like they belong. When my family first moved to Southern California, I found it challenging to figure out how to fit into the new community. When we joined The Church… Continue reading

Embracing Our Forever Trials

Sun shining through a hole in a dried leaf.

There are some trials that you just can’t shake—no matter how much you’ve healed, they’ll be with you for the rest of your life. And that’s okay. One day you wake up and your whole life is different. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one. Maybe you’ve suffered from an accident,… Continue reading