Becoming Whole Through Broken Hearts

Ceramic circle with cracked clay

When we offer our broken hearts to God, he can mend them and transform our brokenness into beauty. The first time I saw a piece of kintsugi pottery, I was struck by the gold cracks in the bowl. Once broken, the bowl was laboriously made whole again by a master… Continue reading

Repentance is Cool

close up on red and orange tulips in a field

We should not feel ashamed, scared, or angry about repenting. Repentance is an opportunity to heal, grow, and understand God’s love for us.  When I was serving as a missionary, my mission president would always enthusiastically say, “Repentance is cool!” I thought it sounded cheesy, but it was true. It… Continue reading

Overcoming Bad Habits

close up of someone writing in a journal

With Christ’s help we can replace our bad habits with good ones. We all have habits that we are trying to change, whether they are big or small. One habit I’m trying to overcome is spending too much time on TikTok. To change my habit, I decided I was going… Continue reading

Four Tips to Love Yourself

woman greeting sunrise with arms spread

Here are some ways you can love yourself, starting today. I hated myself for a long time. I hated my imperfections, my mental illnesses, my poor choices. It became hard to love myself because I believed that everyone around me expected me to be a perfect woman.  One day I… Continue reading

You’re Not Stuck to Your Life Story

woman in orange in front of a building

How would you tell your own life story? Many cultures use stories to explain things in life that we don’t understand. Greek mythology often explained trials by blaming them on some god’s whims or personal vendetta. Luckily, our God is not like the gods of ancient Greece. Though our God… Continue reading

Trials and Tribulations as Disguised Mercies

A man slumped.

When the burdens on your back are overbearing, remember that our stumbling blocks are God’s gifted stepping stones. Pandemic. Job loss. Family division. Controversy. Wars. Rumors of wars. We are all affected by the turmoil of the world right now, and it is scary. Some people shake their fists at… Continue reading

Choosing Faith

A woman sitting on a bed, stressed.

Choosing faith can be difficult, especially in the face of personal doubts and frustrations, but choosing to keep trying will bring us closer to our Savior. Asking questions is good. Asking questions can help strengthen our faith. But there are a lot of thorny questions about Church doctrine, history, or… Continue reading

Creating a Community of Covenant-Keeping People

Temple building

By keeping our covenants with God, we open the doors to a shared community of belonging with God and with each other. In an increasingly individualized society, it may be difficult to see how any of us can truly connect with and understand one another. However, we can create a… Continue reading

Beyond the Metaverse: Level Up

A woman biking down a road while wearing a VR headset.

The best achievements occur outside of virtual reality. We can realize meaningful achievements by setting aside technology and developing ourselves. If you’re anything like me, you quietly ignore the weekly usage report from your phone. I accidentally opened mine recently, and I saw that I had spent an average of… Continue reading

Strength in the Struggle

hiking on a snowy mountain

Recognizing repentance as a divine gift of hope and healing can transform the way we view our mistakes. One Tuesday evening as I sat in the back row of an institute class, I read a sentence from Elder D. Todd Christofferson that changed my life: “Real repentance, real change may… Continue reading