Overcoming Self-Doubt with Positive Self-Talk

sidewalk chalk

How you speak to yourself can greatly influence not only what you believe but what you achieve. As children of God, we have incredible divine potential. Our Heavenly Father sees it; we need to see it in ourselves too. Having a negative mindset can damage all areas of our lives.… Continue reading

My Second Life … As a Latter-day Saint

The Salt Lake City Temple

The first time I heard the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision was at Temple Square in Salt Lake City during a guided tour. I believed it. But my family didn’t. My father said it was the most bogus story he had ever heard. I was crushed and… Continue reading

Forgiving the Wayward: Finding Peace

Sunset with shrubbery

When you forgive someone who wronged you, you aren’t just helping them—you’re also healing yourself.  We have all had moments when we have felt wronged and the person who wronged us hasn’t appeared apologetic in the slightest. Whether it was a small incident, like someone cutting you off while you… Continue reading

Doctrine in Doubles

an image of a person standing on a dirt path with a shovel

Eternal truths can be found when we understand the blessings of Gospel doctrines. We’re very familiar with the phrase in James 2:17: “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” But we’re less familiar with the truth that agency without responsibility is also dead—and becomes just a series of decisions.… Continue reading

Finding Rest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

A tired woman throws herself facedown across a couch.

If you have felt “weary in well-doing” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33), hear the words of the prophet and find peace in Christ. As I approach the end of my last semester in college, my most prominent feeling is usually tiredness. I’m tired in my 8 a.m. lectures, I’m tired when… Continue reading

Giving the Gift of Receiving

an image of a stack of three gift boxes with lights on them

As we give gifts to bring happiness to the people around us, we must also receive gifts cheerfully and thankfully, especially the ones from God.  About 1,990 years ago, Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane and died on a cross. His life on Earth was spent giving gifts of joy and… Continue reading

Answering the Challenging Question: Why?

A group of young adults talking together

As members of the Church, we often meet people who ask why we act a certain way. Keeping Christ as the common denominator can aid in answering these questions. Continue reading

Rein It In: Controlling Our Anger

Lightning in the sky at night above a city

To build a testimony of Jesus Christ, we need to control our anger toward His other children, even when we don’t share the same opinions. When I was a child, one of my father’s favorite spiritual lessons was about bridling passions (Alma 38:12). He would explain what the function of… Continue reading

Mountains Out of Molehills

an image of a person standing on top of a mountain

Our situation may seem rough in the midst of our trials and hard decisions. Who can we turn to for help? Mountains are beautiful; in many parts of the world they surround us with their towering peaks and treacherous slopes. We often see these slopes as a challenge and try… Continue reading

Your Endowment: A Lifelong Journey

Man with his arms outstretched

Your covenants give you more power than you think—heaven is behind you.  When you hear the word endowment, what do you typically think of? If you think of going to the temple to ‘get your endowment out,’ you would be in the majority; however, it isn’t something you ‘get out’… Continue reading