It Starts with Empathy

A busy intersection with people walking

“You are surrounded by people. You pass them on the street, visit them in their homes, and travel among them. They are all children of God.” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, 2018). In Elder Jorge T. Becerra’s April 2021 general conference talk, “Poor Little Ones,” he shares… Continue reading

The Jury’s Not Out: Avoiding Judgment of Ourselves

The Righteous Judge

Jesus never condemned; we don’t need to condemn ourselves. Have you ever heard someone say, “Well, it’s too late for me, I won’t be saved”? Or even, “I’m already going to hell, so what’s the point of trying?” It feels like people are prone to making judgments of themselves that… Continue reading

The Ubiquity of God’s Grace

sunset

Hearing others’ stories of how God’s amazing grace is at work in their lives can help us see that he is also working miracles in our own lives. Too often, perhaps, we think that God’s grace can arrive only after we have somehow earned it. After all—as we read in… Continue reading

Small and Simple Actions

Baseball on the grass

We can strengthen our relationships with God, ourselves, and others through the “small things.” It’s easy to get caught up in big-picture goals and planning for the future, but this thinking can distract us from the moments of daily living that end up amounting to more than we may realize—the… Continue reading

A More Perfect Love

Group of smiling people sitting in grass

As we reach out to one another in empathy and love, our diversity can unite us. I love Berlin. Of all the wonderful places in the world, it’s one of my favorites because of its rich human diversity. While living in Berlin, I brushed shoulders with people from all over… Continue reading

You Are Everything to God

In a world with billions of people, it’s easy to feel insignificant. But you matter. Remember the last time you took a moment to stand still and look up at the stars? Doing so reminds me of how incredible our Heavenly Father’s creations are. It also reminds me of how… Continue reading

One Way to Help Loved Ones Come Back to Jesus

two friends holding a third friend. All of them are excited and happy

Sometimes helping our loved ones come back to Jesus seems impossible. How can we help them on their journey? We all know someone who has followed a path that leads away from Jesus Christ. We strive to love them, support them, and eventually bring them back to the Savior—but all… Continue reading

Conquering Comparison

One person holding a large pineapple holding it next to someone holding a much smaller pineapple

“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… Continue reading

One Thing You’re Forgetting When You Pray

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If you’re praying for God’s healing Balm of Gilead, remember that other people are too. You might be surprised how serving others will call down the power of heaven on your own behalf. Mortality is hard for all of us—nothing we do can earn us a pass from the “sore… Continue reading

Struggling Through Life Together

Sunrise over a field

We all go through hard things in life, but when we make time to help other people, we can better overcome difficulty. Someone who has never struggled through hard times has never lived. We all face challenges, and many of them are not easily fixed. Trials and challenges are part… Continue reading