Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice

A white sheep with a black head stands on a rocky mountaintop

The most important decision we can make in our lives is to hear the Shepherd’s voice. In our lives, we are often called upon to make decisions. Decisions about careers. Decisions about family. Decisions about relationships. The decisions we make on a daily basis are innumerable. Yet, the most important… Continue reading

All or Nothing? Physical Health Is Not About Extremes

A father and his son plank together in their living room.

Physical health should not be a spectrum of extremes, but how can I be healthy when extremes feel like the only options? I consider myself an athlete. I’ve played nearly every sport under the sun and find immense joy in being physically active. But when I graduated high school and… Continue reading

The Final Words of a Prophet

President Nelson of the LDS church shakes the hand of a child

What can we learn from President Nelson’s last general conference address and from the legacy he left with us?  President Russell M. Nelson left an impressive legacy, from his amazing career as a heart surgeon to his incredible role as prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.… Continue reading

Why Does It Matter That No One Sits Alone?

We are often encouraged to reach out to those who are alone and forgotten, but what is the true motivation behind that? When I taught a church lesson on Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s talk “No One Sits Alone,” I was struck by something that had never previously occurred to me.… Continue reading

Gaining Confidence Through an Objective Perspective

A yellow-tinted camera lens/filter is held in front of a camera.

By objectively setting new goals to become more like our Savior, we will gain confidence and become more dedicated disciples of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Recently, I felt the fire of my faith burning low and felt a dire need to feed its flame. As I turned to my sweet… Continue reading

Finding Growth Through Failure

Scrabble tiles on a white background that spell out “learn from failure.”

Experiencing failure is part of our mortal existence, but through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can grow through those mistakes and progress toward perfection. We will all make mistakes and experience failure at various points in our lives. It is an inevitable part of being a human in this… Continue reading

Broken and Better for It

A broken plate, mended with gold in between the cracks.

The wounds that seem too deep to heal are what Christ uses to make us the best version of ourselves. In his general conference address “Broken Things to Mend,” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland speaks to people who feel their lives are broken beyond repair. After nearly losing a loved one… Continue reading

Three Gifts That Guide Our Journey Back to God

Three lit candles on dark and rainy windowsill.

Our journey to return to our heavenly home is not aimless. God has provided us with several gifts, including scriptures, prophets, and personal revelation, to help us return to him. Every New Year’s, my family watches The Lord of the Rings. I’ve always loved the sweeping story, not just for… Continue reading

How We Can Rise from the Fall

apples growing on a tree with the sun shining through

The Fall of Adam and Eve opened the way for us to be lifted to eternal life. When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and separated from the presence of God, they entered a fallen world filled with sin and death, enabling the entire human… Continue reading

A Shield from Our Self-Doubts

A person holding up a shield while another person hits the shield with a sword.

When constant scrolling on social media leaves us feeling inadequate, the knowledge of our divine identity offers a powerful shield against self-doubt. Social media, while a great resource and tool in the modern day, is also a trap of seemingly endless scrolling and constant comparisons that fills time but leaves… Continue reading