What Should I Pray For?

an image of a woman standing in front of a bush of flowers

With the enabling power of Christ’s Atonement, we can pray for strength to change our circumstances rather than for our circumstances to be changed. As I lay on my bed suffering from what I later learned was a herniated disk in my lower back, I didn’t know what to pray… Continue reading

Gaining Maturity by Cultivating Appreciation

field of flowers

The often-forgotten virtue of appreciation can transform your relationships with others and with God. Think of all the people you’ve interacted with today. Regardless of whether you’re related to them, whether you’re friends with them, or whether you just met them, did you treat them with kindness? Did you say… Continue reading

Life Got You Down? Lose Yourself in Service

an image of a woman is giving a man a hand

Life gets more stressful year to year. But President Gordon B. Hinckley describes a simple way we can overcome that stress. Sometimes day-to-day life gets really overwhelming. I, for one, seem to have problems left and right: the 8:00 a.m. bus is hot and crowded, the elevator quits working when… Continue reading

4 Steps to Break the Bands of Debt

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Debt can be a terrifying master, but there are resources to help you break free from debt’s chains. Debt can be scary, especially when you find yourself drowning in it. Thankfully, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has several programs intended to help people become financially self-reliant. Here… Continue reading

Emergency Prep 101: Six Tips

an image of a green emergency sign in a room

Whether there’s an unexpected storm, power outage, earthquake, or flood, preparing for emergencies can help keep you and your family safe. If you find yourself worrying about wildfires, tsunamis, or other natural disasters, preparing can help you stay safe and calm. The Gospel Topics section of LDS.org teaches that “preparation, both spiritual… Continue reading

4 Ways to Strengthen Your Spiritual Muscles

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How to keep your testimony strong no matter your location or circumstances. Growing up in an all-girls Anglican boarding school in South Africa, Calla Wilford was the only member of the Church in her school. Because she lived two hours away from the closest seminary building, she couldn’t go to… Continue reading

Sadness Is Not Suffered Alone

an image of a rain covered window with rain drops on it

As members of the Church, we can lean on our Heavenly Father, the Savior, and other members to lift the burdens of sadness and mental despair.  Since I was a young girl, I remember always feeling nervous. This nervousness persisted and became a part of my permanent thought process. Eventually,… Continue reading

3 Ways to Combat Major Regret

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Regret is relentless as it comes at us from all sides, but there are three goals we can shoot for to minimize major regret.  For all the positive emotions we experience on this earth, we have to feel many negative ones as well to help us grow and appreciate the… Continue reading

The Divine Role of Women in the Church

an image of a woman holding a sparkler in her hand

Women are daughters of God with an integral role in Christ’s restored Church. All people born into this world are children of God and, as such, have great worth. The words “I am a child of God,” found in a beloved Latter-day Saint children’s song, are true for all men,… Continue reading

How Prophets Help Us Differentiate Skunks from Kitty Cats

an image of a couple of skunks walking around a tree

The adversary tries to make good appear evil and evil appear good, but if we listen to our prophets, we won’t be fooled.  In his conference address “Deceive Me Not,” Elder Gary E. Stevenson tells the story of his sons who wanted to go outside to play at their great-uncle’s… Continue reading