“All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness.”—President Russell M. Nelson After the October 2019 General Conference ended, I kept thinking of these words: happiness and holiness. While President Russell M. Nelson was giving his closing remarks, he shared the temple recommend questions that were recently edited for… Continue reading
It’s easy to be kind to those who are nice to us, but what about being kind to our enemies? Why should we even try? Being kind to those who are hurtful to us can seem very counterintuitive. After all, it’s rare that we ever feel like being nice to… Continue reading
Through prayer, faithful obedience, and service, we can draw near to the Savior and feel his love. This week, my niece chose the blessing of baptism. As she prepared to enter the water and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, I found myself reflecting back on my own baptism… Continue reading
With the enemy of righteousness surrounding us on every side, we need to ensure that we put on the armor of God every day. Suppose you woke up one morning and knew that you had to fight in a medieval battle later that day. So, you shower, get dressed, brush your teeth,… Continue reading
To conquer pride and develop humility, we must first understand pride and its consequences and then choose to be humble. We’re all plagued by pride. Despite our valiant efforts to be humble, pride always seems to slip in, perhaps because we don’t fully understand pride and how it can be… Continue reading
Our mission as leaders in our families and communities is to actively apply the gospel of Jesus Christ in each of our daily interactions. Powerful leaders have often left destruction and sadness behind them in their quest for control and power. But Jesus Christ, the perfect example and leader,… Continue reading
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
Can our efforts ever be good enough when we are imperfect at best? Do our desires and our less-than-perfect efforts count for anything? I desire to do good and to improve myself, yet I frequently fall short of my expectations. I feel edified and motivated one day, yet find myself struggling the… Continue reading
Christ instructs us to be “perfect,” but when we study his words and actions, it’s clear that he looks at our effort more than our outcomes. The modern world preaches that outcomes are the key indicators for success. What counts is whether or not we hit a metric, achieve a… Continue reading
Sometimes God feels distant and unknowable, but he doesn’t have to be! Restored scripture and prayer can show us what he’s like. Humanity has wondered about the nature of God for thousands of years. The stories in the scriptures sometimes endear him to us, but other times seem to paint… Continue reading
