How Christ’s Atonement Applies to Body Image

We’ve been taught to treat our bodies as sacred gifts from God. But what help has God promised us when we struggle to love our bodies and ourselves? We’ve all had those days—or maybe even months or years—when we just aren’t happy with how we look. Maybe we wish we… Continue reading

How Can Your Gospel Questions Make You Stronger?

A man, whose upper body is hidden from view, squats down to hold and lift a barbell.

Just like the soreness of muscles after a hard workout, the pain of the questions we ask is a sign of growth, not of weakness.  During my first year of classes at Brigham Young University (BYU), I was confronted with complexities in the Church’s history and doctrine that I had… Continue reading

Work for Peace; Triumph through Trust

As we build bridges of trust, we direct our thinking toward the importance of peace, the central feature of what disciples may hope to achieve.  Discipleship grows when we place peace at the center of our decisions. As we work for peace, the key to triumph is trust. We can come… Continue reading

The “Be” I Will Always Remember

Photo of orange maple leaves.

President Hinckley taught us many things to be, but out of them all, the one I have learned the most from is “be grateful.”  President Gordon B. Hinckley addressed young adults in a general conference talk “A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer For Youth.” In this talk, he introduces six “B’s” to… Continue reading

In Our Eyes Too

Group of people taking photo near brown tree

We often separate ourselves into categories based on our differences, but these categories do not define our inherent value as eternal children of God. We often repeat the scripture that says “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (see D&C 18:10). However, sometimes the perceived differences… Continue reading

Emulating Christ’s Ministry to the Margins

Silhouette of people on hill photo.

To become better disciples of Christ, we must have “the courage to confront our own prejudices and to challenge the assumptions we make about ­others.” —Phillip D. Rash We may feel we belong when most of the people in our communities look like us and have similar experiences to us.… Continue reading

You Were Meant to Be Different

Assorted sliced citrus fruits on brown wooden chopping board.

You may feel you don’t belong in church because you are different, but God designed you to be different, and he needs you and your unique strengths in his plan. There may be some times in the Church when you feel like you don’t belong. But you do belong—of course… Continue reading

Gospel Lessons from Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series can teach us more about sacred gospel principles than may initially meet the eye.  In Bridgitte C. Madrian’s BYU devotional “Harry Potter and the Five Gospel Truths,” we read about five gospel principles we can learn from Harry Potter. 1. “All Are Alike unto God” Harry’s… Continue reading

A History of Hope

Holding up a light on a starry night.

The present is made from the hopes of the past, and our hope today will empower our future against anxiety and despair. In April of 2020, I listened in despair to the Church’s general conference—not because of the quality of the talks, but because of my own trials. Anxiety has been… Continue reading

How to Prioritize and Accomplish What Matters Most

With our long to-do lists, it can seem like there’s never enough time. But if we refocus our priorities, we’ll accomplish what’s most important. More often than not, your to-do list is far longer than time permits. By the end of the day, it seems there are more things on… Continue reading