Navigating Grief and Death: Finding Hope Through Jesus Christ

A graveyard on a hill

It’s never easy to lose a loved one, but with a sure understanding of Christ’s Atonement, we can find peace and hope while in the midst of grief and death.  Imagine being one of Jesus’s disciples standing on the hill of Calvary witnessing his Crucifixion. Their friend, teacher, exemplar, and… Continue reading

How Can I “Think Celestial”?

The Christus statue from the Salt Lake Temple visitor's center

In the face of adversity, it can be difficult to believe that God loves and wants the best for us. We can manage this doubt by thinking celestial. I had a rough year in 2019 (little did I know what 2020 had coming for us all!): my family moved from… Continue reading

The Best Christmas Gifts Only Christ Can Give

Woman holds Christmas gift to her chest

The truest desires of our hearts often can’t be bought and placed under the Christmas tree, but they can become a reality because of Jesus Christ. I have a very distinct memory of asking my dad what he wanted for Christmas one year. He simply said, “I just want you… Continue reading

How to Slow Down and Savor the Scriptures

Appreciating a work of art

Is speed-reading the scriptures a regular habit? This principle for appreciating art may aid in slowing down and savoring the word of God once again. I dreamed of seeing the painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I for almost ten years. When I finally stood in the main room of the… Continue reading

Service Starts with Self-Love

Girl skipping through a field

When the daily to-dos of life overwhelm us, contributing good to the world can be as simple as practicing self-love. Attend a team meeting, schedule an appointment, complete a ten-page essay, call mom, make dinner, stop by a friend’s movie night, clean the apartment—for many of us, the list of… Continue reading

12 Steps to Hope and Healing

a woman walks on the beach, leaving footsteps in the sand

Watch a powerful video series depicting the true accounts of recovering addicts who found hope through the 12 steps of the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program. (Warning: Videos address mature addiction-related topics.) Addiction is a serious condition—one that should be addressed with both frankness and compassion. The Mormon Channel accomplished this… Continue reading

Perfection Is Not a Prerequisite

puzzle pieces

Focusing on God’s promises can help you access the power of Jesus Christ—even when perfectionism tells you you’re not enough. My friend was doing everything she thought she should be—attending church regularly, praying and studying the scriptures daily, and striving to keep her covenants—but she still felt like she was… Continue reading

Peaceful Politics: What Past Leaders Teach Us about Civic Charity

The examples of past American leaders can help us apply charity to politics and further democratic principles. I grew up in a family whose political opinions were quite different from the general opinion of the area. I was and am often hesitant to share my opinions for fear of being… Continue reading

When Acquainted with Grief

woman sitting at a window

Welcoming grief as a natural expression of love helps us understand the Savior as we search for peace and healing. “I never cried for her once this week until the funeral” was what I wrote in my journal after my grandmother died. My emotional indifference was an accomplishment for me.… Continue reading

Work for Peace; Triumph through Trust

As we build bridges of trust, we direct our thinking toward the importance of peace, the central feature of what disciples may hope to achieve.  Discipleship grows when we place peace at the center of our decisions. As we work for peace, the key to triumph is trust. We can come… Continue reading