How can we use spiritual experiences to gain strength in moments of doubt and uncertainty? Years ago, I was sitting in church and singing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” When I sang, “He lives to silence all my fears. He lives to calm my troubled heart,” I felt encompassing… Continue reading
How I found belonging as a single member of the Church It was my first week in a family ward when the Relief Society president asked me to introduce myself. I offered a brief spiel, and after a moment’s pause, an older sister asked, “Are you married?” I felt several… Continue reading
Recognizing repentance as a divine gift of hope and healing can transform the way we view our mistakes. One Tuesday evening as I sat in the back row of an institute class, I read a sentence from Elder D. Todd Christofferson that changed my life: “Real repentance, real change may… Continue reading
Life is hard. Faith makes it easier. In Elder Rex D. Pinegar’s October 1982 general conference address, “Faith—The Force of Life,” he shares an experience when his daughter was departing for college and was just now understanding the extent of the responsibilities lying ahead of her. After considering them all,… Continue reading
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
When our faith is placed not in blessings but in the God who gives them, we will find strength to withstand our trials. Three young men found God in a furnace. Thrown into the flames for sustaining their religion, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego grasped for faith with their words, “Our… Continue reading
Music—especially singing—can heal our souls from the pain inflicted by life. Alma 5:26 poses a poignant question: “If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” Several months ago, my answer… Continue reading
Find God’s love in your own life. I promise you, it is there. “Brothers and sisters, do you know how completely God, our Heavenly Father, loves you?” Sister Susan H. Porter, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, shares this sentiment in her talk “God’s Love: The Most Joyous to… Continue reading
God cares about our mental health, and he hopes that through these trials we will choose to lean on him and trust in his healing process. Facing unrelenting fear can be destructive. When I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, I experienced days where I couldn’t function emotionally or physically.… Continue reading
Jacob 5 isn’t just a story about some olive trees and a few blue-collar workers; it’s a testament that Christ loves each one of us and that he, the Lord of all, rejoices and weeps with us through our mortal experience. In October 2018, I was diagnosed with a lifelong… Continue reading
