The Faith Decision

golden sunset over lake

Faith is a decision that triumphs over personal doubts and trials. In his article  “Starving Our Doubts and Feeding Our Faith,” Robert L. Millet, professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, explores the reality of the Spirit’s occasional absences and ways we can keep our faith during those tough times. “Faith… Continue reading

Peace Is an Action, Not a State

Man standing on hill looking at mountains in the distance

Peacemaking requires courage, restraint, and faith as we respond to conflict in a way that reflects the Savior’s example. Recently, while reading comments on a news article, I watched an argument spiral. One person tried to calm everyone down, but they were quickly dismissed. “Now is the time for action,”… Continue reading

You Are Encircled in the Arms of God’s Love!

Rays of light shine into a cave through a narrow entrance.

Isolation can be overwhelming, but it is never all-encompassing; Christ’s love is greater than our loneliness. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened to the sacrament hymn being sung around me. But I wasn’t crying because I felt the Spirit—I was crying because I felt nothing at all. Physically,… Continue reading

The Joy of Forgiveness Is a Miracle Waiting for You

Exterior image of the Orem Utah Temple. The image is in black and white.

How can we get over the shame of talking to our bishop? Trusting in God’s desire for us to return, despite imperfection, can lead us to healing, worthiness, and deeper discipleship. Recently, I’ve felt God’s presence strongly in my life. I work hard throughout the day, and at night as… Continue reading

Spiritually Creating Your Day

Flying through a storm into the sunset

God created all things spiritually before he created them temporally. Similarly, we can “spiritually create” our day through meaningful prayer. I always seem to have a billion things to do, which makes it hard for me to keep track of everything and even harder to remember to involve God in… Continue reading

The Faith to Become Divine

Young Man Looking Out Window

Sometimes we feel that our hard-exercised faith is not yielding the blessings we desperately need. But the Lord is not abandoning us—he’s offering us an opportunity to become divine. A few weeks ago, my husband and I anxiously waited to hear whether he would receive a job offer for a… Continue reading

Stop Judging, Start Loving

A vibrant rainbow in pink and blue skies going over a bridge in a lagoon.

When we let the love of God fill our hearts, we find strength to forgive others—and ourselves. It’s easy to notice when others judge, gossip, or hold grudges. Yet recognizing those same tendencies in ourselves can be far more difficult. We often justify our anger as righteous or dwell on… Continue reading

Families: All Shapes and Sizes

A man holds a child's hand while they stand in the ocean during sunset

Families are essential to the plan of salvation, but what do we do if our family doesn’t fit the traditional mold? Every birthday as a little girl, I would wish to become a fairy-mermaid when blowing out my birthday candles. When I was older, I asked my mom what she… Continue reading

The Blessings from Connecting with Our Ancestors

hands opening a black and white family picture book

Connecting with and learning from our ancestors is a simple way for us to receive a multitude of blessings, including increased faith and strength. Family history work—the act of learning and discovering more about our ancestors—is a way that we can connect with our family. The simple effort of researching… Continue reading