What Can I Do to Help?

“For those of us who have watched news of recent events and have felt helpless to know what to do, the answer might actually be right before us.” —Bonnie L. Oscarson What can one person do against the impossibly dark flood of war, disease, poverty, and hate? Christ answers with… Continue reading

Rein It In: Controlling Our Anger

Lightning in the sky at night above a city

To build a testimony of Jesus Christ, we need to control our anger toward His other children, even when we don’t share the same opinions. When I was a child, one of my father’s favorite spiritual lessons was about bridling passions (Alma 38:12). He would explain what the function of… Continue reading

Giving the Gift of Receiving

As we give gifts to bring happiness to the people around us, we must also receive gifts cheerfully and thankfully, especially the ones from God.  About 1,990 years ago, Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane and died on a cross. His life on Earth was spent giving gifts of joy and… Continue reading

My Second Life … As a Latter-day Saint

The Salt Lake City Temple

The first time I heard the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision was at Temple Square in Salt Lake City during a guided tour. I believed it. But my family didn’t. My father said it was the most bogus story he had ever heard. I was crushed and… Continue reading

How Church Structure Brings Us Closer to Christ

Three Women Laughing

Without loving leaders and members at church, there would be few places for us to be buoyed up and “nourished by the good word of God”.  Sister Reyna I. Aburto was nine years old when a devastating earthquake rocked her home country of Nicaragua. Her brother died in the earthquake,… Continue reading

With Open Arms

Red hearts in a row with one green heart standing out

It’s easy to feel like you’re on the outside, but there is a place for everyone in Christ’s arms. I have never liked giving talks or saying prayers in front of a crowd. I felt like I couldn’t thank the Lord or express my thoughts as well as those around… Continue reading

Inspiring Others With Your Identity

The backs of four women hugging

Having a unique identity can seem important, but what’s more important is loving those who choose different paths than we do. We live in a world with ever-increasing controversial opinions and views. Each of us may want a strong sense of individual identity, including our political perspectives, social outlooks, and… Continue reading

The Secret Behind Cultivating Inclusivity at Church: Charity

A colorful picture frame with the words “You Belong.” The frame is surrounded by big green leaves.

Charity is cultivating inclusivity at church—it’s recognizing the signs of exclusion and learning to be inclusive toward excluded members. Moving to a new location usually means moving to a new ward. For shy people like me, the thought of starting over fills us with dread. Will I make friends? Will… Continue reading

Demystifying Ministering

Four young people in a side hug

Without a to-do list describing how to minister to our brothers and sisters, ministering may feel a little bit mystifying. But the Spirit can teach us how to fulfill the Savior’s invitation to minister in his way. The revised ministering program in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints… Continue reading

Becoming One Through Christ

Silhouette of someone helping pull someone else up

Society and the world often feel fractured in our day, but when we turn to Christ, we can come to truly love our friends and our enemies. While the world has always dealt with conflict, the past several years have been especially tense, with disputes arising over politics, religion, culture,… Continue reading