The Spiritual Power of Pausing

Man in a red jacket standing in the outline of a circular rock formation overlooking three mountain peaks.

When restlessness and anxiety rise within us, we can take a deep breath and remember the words “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). If I had been asked what I missed most while on my mission, my answer might have been surprising: Google. I’m naturally curious,… Continue reading

Life Is Our Highway

A two-lane road leading toward mountains.

Sometimes I feel like I’m living life in the fast lane and can’t find my exit. How can I slow down? A close friend recently told me that she felt as though she had zoomed through life. She completed all the things she had been told to do and achieved… Continue reading

How to Find Joy in Jesus Christ

Sun shining on girl in a field

Joy can be hard to find in a world that feels so dark. Elder Patrick Kearon says that “joy in Jesus Christ…changed [his] world,” and invites us to focus on that same joy. A few months ago, I was reading Mosiah 5 in the Book of Mormon. In it, King… Continue reading

Anchors in the Storm

A sailboat on a still sea with storm clouds on the left and a clear sky on the right

We don’t have to wait until the storm is over to find joy. Amy A. Wright gives us four anchors to help in this process. November 2024 marked the beginning of a dark time for me. I was battling seasonal depression and wondering when I would overcome the obstacles that… Continue reading

Five Ways to Practice Gratitude at Thanksgiving and Beyond

A surface is shown from above with fall leaf decorations, a mason jar, and the words “give thanks.”

Gratitude is the parent of all virtues. Here are five specific, actionable ways to practice gratitude and increase thankfulness all year long. It’s easy to look backward and feel gratitude—after all, hindsight gives way to insight. When I was a sophomore in college, I experienced consistent failures in my academic… Continue reading

Discovering Light in the Dark: The Power of the Book of Mormon

Light comes from the Book of Mormon.

We can know through the example of the brother of Jared that the Book of Mormon is a radiant source of light, guiding us through life’s darkness and illuminating the path ahead.  What does absolute physical darkness actually look like? It’s hard to imagine that kind of darkness when modern… 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

Doing as Dancers Do to Make Meaningful Life Changes

Dancer

How can we become in tune with ourselves and focus our attention on what matters most?  “Abby, point your toes, tuck your pelvis, and drop your hip.” Growing up as a dancer, I would often hear these comments from my teachers as I spent countless afternoons in the dance studio.… 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

Suicide Doesn’t Define Eternity

Hand reaching out over ocean

When someone we love takes their own life, how do we respond? I always tried to be sensitive to the complex emotions and pain of people who were affected by suicide, but I never truly felt those emotions myself until recently, when a close friend decided to end his life.… Continue reading