Agency: Putting Choices in Context

A man facing a split path where one is dark and one is light

Agency is not the power to make choices in a vacuum—it is the power to make choices in relationship to our surroundings. We as children of heavenly parents have agency, or the ability to choose. The hymn “Choose the Right” expresses succinctly what we are to do with this ability:… Continue reading

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

You Are a Child of the Covenant—What Does That Mean for You?

Two men in white shirts with black tags waving at the camera

Being a child of the covenant isn’t just an identity. It’s a responsibility and a source of blessings. President Russell M. Nelson has told us that being a child of the covenant is one of our most important identities, but being a child of the covenant can feel like an… Continue reading

God Will Amplify Your Effort

Baskets full of flatbread and fish

If our job is to provide the loaves and fishes, what loaves and fishes can we actually provide? Believe it or not, Dallas Jenkins, the creator of The Chosen, started in the same place as you and me: as a young adult with a dream, unsure how exactly to achieve… Continue reading

Trust in God’s Plan for You

Orange van with suitcases tied to the top on pavement.

When facing stress, confusion, disappointment, and more, seeing the bigger picture can be a challenge. But God has a better plan for us than we can imagine. Everyone has expectations for life: make good friends, graduate college, serve a mission, marry and have a family, own a business, become a… Continue reading

What Can We Actually Do to Build Zion?

Four friends with their arms wrapped around each other, facing away from the camera

Building Zion seems like a massive undertaking, but there are many ways we can contribute in our own wards and branches. Have you ever not known where to start with a work as lofty as building Zion? Recent Church publications have focused on this theme of building Zion, but it… Continue reading

Building Belonging Through Friendships

A sign on a building that says "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Visitors Welcome"

In order to welcome others into our communities, we must actively build “higher and holier relationships.” Attending a new ward for the first time can be nerve-wracking for anyone. This can be even more true for people who look and act differently due to disability, gender presentation, or fashion and… Continue reading

Relief Society: A Covenant Community

Group of women in dresses sitting down listening to a man in a suit speak

The Relief Society was formed to encourage women to participate in the work of the Church. Today, women in the Church continue to change the world through God’s power. In March of 2025, the Relief Society General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met in the… 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

Faith Like King Lamoni’s Wife

Artist's depiction of King Lamoni being mourned over by his wife.

When I needed advice, King Lamoni’s wife provided an example that taught me how to receive personal revelation. One courageous woman in the Book of Mormon who sometimes gets overlooked is the wife of King Lamoni. Her husband believed what the missionary, Ammon, taught him about Jesus Christ and his… Continue reading