Testimony: Our Divine Motivation

Hands clasped on a wall

Testimonies can be far more than checkboxes on a developmental to-do list. We can experience promised blessings and enact meaningful changes in ourselves when we are motivated by our testimonies. “Get a testimony” is only one of many tasks on our spiritual to-do lists, but it is arguably the most… Continue reading

Stormy Days and Mountain Waves: Finding Strength

Ocean waves at sunset.

We were created to withstand and overcome even our most challenging trials. Have you ever asked the question, “How could God let this happen?”  I have. I was 17 and struggling with severe depression, and I couldn’t understand why God didn’t just take it away and help me feel normal… Continue reading

Choosing to Identify as a Child of God

Jesus walking with a child in a forest.

When we identify first and foremost as children of God, we are able to see ourselves as God does—individuals with eternal divine worth. When I was five years old, I believed with the utmost confidence—as only a child can—that I was Heavenly Father’s favorite child. As I grew older, however,… Continue reading

You Can Have a “Happily Ever After”

you can have a happily ever after

The world may teach us to stop believing in “happily ever afters,” but Heavenly Father has encouraged us to believe otherwise. As children, we were taught to hope. We believed in happy endings. But as we grew up, hope started to seem juvenile, and happiness felt impossible. “Happily ever after” became… Continue reading

Remembering Who You Are

Young Japanese girls in graduation kimono

“Many traditions can reinforce gospel standards and principles.”  —Elder Donald L. Hallstrom When I was growing up, my family didn’t celebrate a lot of the traditions of our Mexican culture. I think a lot of it was because my parents and extended family members didn’t want to stand out more… Continue reading

Strengthening Our Foundation in Christ

A lighthouse on the edge of a rocky shore.

As times become more tumultuous, strengthening our personal foundation of faith in Christ is more important than ever. Sometimes we may feel that we are walking on unstable ground—literally and figuratively. As our world and our lives are thrown upside down by a pandemic, unemployment, natural disasters, and other personal… Continue reading

Are You There, God?

an image of a person holding a loaf of bread in their hands

Sometimes when it seems like God is silent, we need only to be patient, and we will see his hand in our lives. “Are you there, God? It’s me, Mackenzie.” “Heavenly Father, are you really there? And are you hearing and answering my prayers?” I know I’m not the only… Continue reading

When the Economy Goes Down, We Look Up

College graduates throwing their blue caps with red tassels into the air next to a tall building with windows.

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, it feels like everything is falling apart, but we can rely on God and grow from these unexpected experiences. COVID-19 is an epidemic virus that has affected the world and has shut down many businesses throughout the world. Because of the… Continue reading

The Second Miracle: Made Confident through Christ

Jesus hugging the man who was born blind

There’s no shame in simply starting with what you know. If you just continue moving forward, Christ will help you build your confidence. When we doubt, we may think that we lack faith; however, we do not need to be ashamed of our doubt. The story in John 9 about… Continue reading