The Gift of the Fast

Dinner table with plates and cutlery

There is power in sacrifice. Fasting and prayer can bring us closer to our Savior and grant us greater access to his power. Recently, my family and I fasted and prayed at the request of two of my brothers. They needed to make a difficult decision for their company and… Continue reading

How to Become a Spiritual First Responder

an image of a firefighter ' s gear and helmet on the steps

God sometimes asks us to be a first responder to a spiritual emergency, but how do we open our hearts to hear his Spirit’s call? In emergencies, first responders such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics are usually the first ones on the scene. Just as they are called to… Continue reading

Asking Hard Questions in the Gospel

an image of a woman sitting on a couch looking out a window

Rosemary Wixom describes a spiritually healthy way to respond to tough answers we may receive when asking questions about the gospel. “As the questions [grow] harder, so [do] the answers. And sometimes there [are] no answers—or no answers that [bring] peace.” Rosemary Wixom points out in her April 2015 general… Continue reading

What’s So Great about Prayer?

family praying in a circle

How do we pray? What should we do if we feel distanced from God when we pray? Elder Richard G. Scott instructs us on how to access the power of the divine gift of prayer. As Mormons, we have different kinds of divine communication. Some, such as sacrament prayers, use… Continue reading

Getting Your Feet Wet: The Faith to Act

Feet in water

As you wait for the waters to part, don’t hesitate to start walking. Trust that soon enough you’ll see the dry ground beneath your feet. As a high school senior, I prayed daily about which college to attend, but I did not get an answer from God. Frustrated, I eventually… Continue reading

Intellectual Integrity

an image of a person holding a book with their hands

To truly be intellectually honest, we need to consider the evidence in favor of God’s existence. It’s pretty difficult to make it through life without your faith being challenged at some point; sometimes it happens sooner, sometimes later, but it almost always happens. What we choose to do in those… Continue reading

Gracefully Accepting God’s Will

an image of a woman standing on a beach with her arms outstretched

We may not understand why certain things happen, but we can be certain that trusting God’s plan leads to eternal happiness. When President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave the talk “Fourth Floor, Last Door,” I felt humbled and realized his words had completely changed the way I think about my faith… Continue reading

What Should I Pray For?

an image of a woman standing in front of a bush of flowers

With the enabling power of Christ’s Atonement, we can pray for strength to change our circumstances rather than for our circumstances to be changed. As I lay on my bed suffering from what I later learned was a herniated disk in my lower back, I didn’t know what to pray… Continue reading

Help God Help You

an image of a person reaching up to the sun in the sky

In a time of great personal trial, I followed a prompting that allowed me to help God help me. When I was younger, I tried to find peace and happiness in every way but the right way; that is to say, God’s way. I ended up suffering from addiction, as… Continue reading

Do You Find Yourself Doubting Answers to Your Prayers?

an image of a woman standing in a field at sunset

Many of us struggle with doubt and fear after receiving personal revelation. Elder Holland suggests three ways to stay confident after God has revealed his will to us. Have you ever faced doubts after receiving an answer to a prayer? Elder Jeffrey R. Holland addressed these doubts at a BYU… Continue reading