Reaching in the Savior’s Way

Blue, white and yellow abstract painting

When we practice empathy, we actually practice loving in a divine way. In a world enamored with contention and discord, it can be difficult to feel God’s inclusive love for all of His children. Between cancel culture, competing media, and increasingly polarized views, we can find ourselves “othering,” or alienating,… Continue reading

Spiritual Wonder in a Stressful World

Misty sunrise looking down on a green mountainside

Too much homework? Upcoming job interview stressing you out? Find peace in what nature has to offer. When I was 12, my family held a reunion at Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Cousins, aunts, and uncles came from all over the country to spend time together in the majestic forest. For… Continue reading

Need a Hand to Hold?

A winding mountain path

Life can be overwhelming to face alone, but the Lord has promised to hold your hand. When I was sixteen, I had a memorable hike with my ward. On the way down the mountain, the path became very steep, and I began to move very slowly. My friends got ahead… Continue reading

Rediscovering My Connection with God

Train tunnel.

When our connection with God feels weak, we can find strength by remembering he is our Father and the Savior is our Redeemer. Oftentimes we’ll go above and beyond to regain a missing internet connection on our cell phone: we’ll try everything that normally does work, and it just won’t… Continue reading

We’re Better Together

Group of people making stars with fingers.

Fostering an atmosphere of inclusion and respect will help members of the Church achieve greater unity with one another and with those not of our faith. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long history of love and service. While its members aren’t perfect, the Church’s doctrinal… Continue reading

Are You Headed in the Right Direction?

Boy walking on paved road

Though we may experience different challenges and opportunities, we each have divine potential and the ability to choose the right direction for our lives. At times we may feel that our starting place determines our destiny; feeling that we’re already behind, we lose hope in leading a successful life. I… Continue reading

The Transformative Power of Incremental Change

Person cycling on a grassy mountain road

We all face challenges that can seem overwhelming. But we can find strength to overcome our trials when we make incremental changes in our daily lives. Some problems in our lives can feel impossible to overcome. Perhaps a goal seems too challenging to accomplish or a trial too difficult to… Continue reading

Choosing to Trust God Unconditionally

Ocean waves and a zipline over a beach.

When we learn to trust God completely, we can move forward with faith, knowing that he will support and guide us through life’s most challenging moments.  The higher I climbed, the more I questioned my sanity. It was the end of summer break, and I had decided to go zip-lining… Continue reading

Choose to Forgive

Close up of grass in a field during sunset.

When we make the choice to forgive those who have hurt us, we free ourselves from unnecessary pain. We all face hardships in our lives, and many of those hardships come as a direct result of other people’s actions. It is easy to wallow in victimhood when we find ourselves… Continue reading

And Yet, Hope Persists

Small yellow flowers in a pile of rocks.

The world sometimes feels so dark and full of despair. And yet, even in darkness, hope persists. Lately, I have found myself feeling anxious and depressed when I read the news. It seems like every day there is some new tragedy happening somewhere in the world. With hard things all… Continue reading