Start Where You Are

Two boys hiking.

Being a disciple of Christ doesn’t need to be complicated, and it doesn’t come with a list of prerequisites. In his October 2015 general conference talk, “It Works Wonderfully!,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf emphasizes the Savior’s grace in the journey of discipleship. He asks us to consider whether we are… Continue reading

Beat the Blues by Serving Others: President Spencer W. Kimball

elderly couple reading.

Learn from President Kimball how serving others and sharing the gospel can help you—and help you help others—stride over hurdles in your life. “Lengthen your stride.” You’ve probably heard this quote from President Spencer W. Kimball’s (1895–1985)  October 1974 address urging members to engage in missionary work. (Also see “Lengthen… Continue reading

When Is Envy a Virtue?

Dome of the Rock

Interfaith experiences can help the deeply religious learn more about God. When the Stockholm Sweden temple opened in 1985, many Swedes were unhappy about it. But defense for the building came from an unexpected source: Krister Stendahl, Bishop of Stockholm for the Church of Sweden. Stendahl, who was also the… Continue reading

Love Thyself as Thou Lovest Thy Neighbor

ring on hand

We are told to love our neighbors as we do ourselves, but what do we do when we struggle to love ourselves? When a friend or a neighbor makes a mistake or does something that makes us mad, we might be annoyed or frustrated at them for a while, but… Continue reading

Developing Christlike Self-Discipline

an image of a woman standing in a field with her hands clasped

Rather than focusing on our mistakes and losing hope, we can discipline ourselves with kindness in a Christlike way. At the end of one long week, I sat quietly in a pew waiting to take the sacrament. The familiar words of the prayers went in one ear and out the… Continue reading

Intellectual Integrity

an image of a person holding a book with their hands

To truly be intellectually honest, we need to consider the evidence in favor of God’s existence. It’s pretty difficult to make it through life without your faith being challenged at some point; sometimes it happens sooner, sometimes later, but it almost always happens. What we choose to do in those… Continue reading

Will Being Holier Really Make Me Happier?

an image of a woman blowing bubbles in the air on a city street

We can increase our personal happiness today by taking the needed steps to become more holy.  “Keeping the commandments makes you happier.” At times, this may feel like a line said by well-meaning parents and leaders simply because they want us to improve our behavior. In fact, we may think… Continue reading

How to Gain Power Through Patience

an image of a woman standing on a sidewalk next to a building

Jesus Christ practiced the power of patience throughout his life. As his disciples, we can follow his example and be patient. Patience is the ability to endure well through the trials of life without constantly feeling angry or negative. While being patient may seem impossible at times, we can learn… Continue reading

The Necessity of Being Judgmental

an image of a building with columns and a clock on top

Although we should be careful how we judge, judgment is necessary for our eternal progression. I hear what people say when they call for no judgment: love the sinner, not the sin. But too often people, whether out of good intentions or bad, blur the phrase, taking it into dangerous… Continue reading

How to Be Great Now

surface with water droplets on it

Small and simple actions add up to a meaningful life. Christlike love transforms our simple, everyday living into something extraordinary. Have you ever looked closely at a single drop of water? In a massive ocean, a drop doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. But the ocean is made… Continue reading