Sexual Purity: Why It Matters

Picture of two wedding rings on a rock

Sexual purity is ordained of God; learning the doctrine can help us understand why. With the world’s changing views of marriage and sex, it can be easy to lose sight of why chastity is so important—and why keeping sexual intimacy within marriage between a man and a woman is part of… Continue reading

Staying Planted in Christ 

man in aspen trees

Even the strongest testimonies can be shaken, but there are ways you can keep holding on to your faith and stay planted in Christ.  Some Latter-day Saints are experiencing what LDS scholar Patrick Q. Mason refers to as a “faith crisis”: they are questioning their beliefs and seeking answers to… Continue reading

Loving the Sinner

It hurts when those closest to you fall into sin. Although there are probably many ways to help them, the best thing to do is love them. Throughout life, you’ll run into many people who are making wrong choices. Making mistakes is, after all, part of the human experience. Sometimes,… Continue reading

The Foundation of Joseph’s Powerful Community

Joseph Smith has affected the way millions of individuals connect with God and with each other. Joseph Smith founded a religion that has grown at an impressive rate. However, Terryl Givens explains in “‘Lightning Out of Heaven’: Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community” that Joseph really did much more than that.… Continue reading

Have Hope: The Light Will Come

brilliant light shines at the end of a row of white columns

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… Continue reading

The Good in Grief

Small purple flowers poke through newly fallen snow and dead leaves.

When we understand our part in God’s plan, the pain we feel at the death of a loved one can be more meaningful and help us grow emotionally. We all have our share of everyday setbacks that make us exclaim “good grief.” These troubles can range from just annoying to… Continue reading

Why Did Christ Establish a Church?

Christ ordaining and setting apart the twelve Apostles

Although there are many reasons Christ established his church on the earth, perhaps the greatest reason is to satisfy God’s desire to see us progress. In today’s world, a growing number of people seem to be moving away from organized religion in favor of finding their own path to spirituality.… Continue reading

What Does God Feel for Millennials?

an iPhone rests against a tree

It’s not easy to live with millennial stereotypes, but knowing who you really are and what God thinks of you can make all the difference. If you are reaching adulthood in the new millennium, society considers you a “millennial.” Modern statistics and surveys provide superficial perspectives on millennials, but in… Continue reading

Creativity: A Link to Father in Heaven

man crouching on a rock overlooking a the tops of clouds and a sunrise.

Not everyone is a master in the arts, but everyone is born with a spirit bursting with creativity. Unlocking this gift can help us establish a closer connection to our Heavenly Father. Some people don’t think they are very creative because they can’t play a musical instrument or have never… Continue reading

Contest Winner: A Girl, Her Journal, and the Memories that Saved Her

Gratitude has the power to heal desperation, shame, sadness, and more. As I wrote down the ways I’d seen God’s hand in my life every day, my burdens lifted. I have a little black journal I write in every night. It has a tight red elastic band that has left an indent… Continue reading