Perfection and Spiritual Wholeness: How Can We Obtain It?

Girl on a swing looking over the water

Wholeness does not necessarily mean physical and emotional restoration in this life. Wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ. Throughout my life, I have struggled with the idea of needing to be perfect. On my mission, I strove to follow every rule in the missionary handbook… Continue reading

Upholding Your Standards When Others Might Mock You

Red flower on green grass field

It can be hard to stand out in a crowd as a disciple of Jesus Christ, but we are promised great blessings if we rely on Christ anyway. In our often intellect-based world, we can place a lot of value on being seen as “smart” and “logical.” Anything that doesn’t… Continue reading

Words Matter: The Hurting and Healing Power of What We Say

Black and white tiles with random words on them are scattered around

We have all heard the phrase “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Elder Rasband reminds us that words have great power, to harm or to help. “Ridiculous” “Disgraceful” “Shame” “Repugnant” These are some of the words that were directed at a classmate of… Continue reading

Navigating Grief and Death: Finding Hope Through Jesus Christ

A graveyard on a hill

It’s never easy to lose a loved one, but with a sure understanding of Christ’s Atonement, we can find peace and hope while in the midst of grief and death.  Imagine being one of Jesus’s disciples standing on the hill of Calvary witnessing his Crucifixion. Their friend, teacher, exemplar, and… Continue reading

The Best Christmas Gifts Only Christ Can Give

Woman holds Christmas gift to her chest

The truest desires of our hearts often can’t be bought and placed under the Christmas tree, but they can become a reality because of Jesus Christ. I have a very distinct memory of asking my dad what he wanted for Christmas one year. He simply said, “I just want you… Continue reading

Christ, the Universal Savior: Lessons from Third Nephi

Christ visiting the Nephites in Third Nephi

Jesus Christ’s presence as an active character in Third Nephi proves the Book of Mormon’s purpose of inviting all to come unto Christ.   When I was a missionary, my companion and I met every week with a recently baptized young adult. Our friend struggled with reading, so we would study… Continue reading

Get on Your Knees and Face It

Woman wearing red sweatshirt looking at top between trees near grass during daytime

When life is beating you down, relying on the Lord through prayer can help you confront your trials. A highlight of this week’s Come, Follow Me lesson is the classic scripture 3 Nephi 5:13, which starts off, “For behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.” It’s clear why this… Continue reading

Hear, Hearken, Obey: A Pattern to Overcome Adversity

Person sitting on a dock looking at a lake

When it feels like our life is cracking under pressure, how do we continue? Sometimes the answer is to submit to the will of God. I was 12 years old when I lost all my friends—for the second year in a row. Another move, another state. With burgeoning depression, I… Continue reading

3 Concrete Ways to Apply Jesus Christ’s Atonement

For the times when life seems hopeless, here are three concrete ways to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When discussing how to overcome trials in Sunday School, I frequently hear the comment, “Just apply the Atonement.” But when a crisis hits, I often wonder, “How do I apply the… Continue reading

Broken on the Covenant Path

Path

Week after week, I went to church and I felt nothing. I thought I was broken. But I learned that even broken people can walk the covenant path. Something was definitely wrong with me. Each Sunday when I sat in the pews at church, I felt nothing—not even a whisper… Continue reading