Imperfections Are Not Limitations

an image of a woman with a backpack is walking up a rocky path

Weaknesses are part of human nature. But if we give our imperfections to the Lord, he will shape us into something beautiful.  We’re all imperfect and thus have weaknesses. Oftentimes, we see these limitations as failures. We aspire to reach our full potential but are unable to reach that point… Continue reading

My Mother’s Prayer

an image of a train traveling over a bridge in the mountains

I’ve seen the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise in Doctrine and Covenants 19:38 many times. That blessing was particularly meaningful one night on a train in Europe. When I was a junior in high school, I and 80 classmates in AP European History went on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe.… Continue reading

Before the Doctrine and Covenants

glasses on scriptures

The “Revelation Books” preceded what we now know as the Doctrine and Covenants. Thanks to these books, the path for publishing modern revelation was open.   As the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith was given power by God to translate the golden plates… Continue reading

What Does It Mean to Be the “Seed of Abraham”?

dandelion seed

Often we are reminded that we are connected to the prophets of old, but how? And why does that matter? If you’ve ever tuned out at the words “seed of Abraham,” this article is for you. With modern-day advances in technology, transportation, and daily living, and the centuries that separate… Continue reading

How You Belong in the Family Proclamation

A woman and two boys play with a dog

Even if you feel like your family is broken or simply does not reflect the structure of other families in the Church, you still have a place within the family proclamation. If you feel like your family is broken or incomplete, it can be difficult to understand how the principles… Continue reading

How to Avoid the Rut of Spiritual Apathy

Green mountains

Remembering God’s love will strengthen your spiritual resilience and protect you from the trap of spiritual apathy. I peered out through the dense fog at the Ribeira da Torre Valley of Santa Antão, Cape Verde. As the clouds parted and sunlight illuminated the view, my jaw dropped. Enormous mountains covered… Continue reading

Joseph Smith’s Seer Stones: Coming to Grips with Troubling Information in Church History

sketch of Joseph Smith showing the golden plates to a group of men

Paradigm shifts can rock our world, but they can also bring greater understanding. Before 1697, Westerners believed the idiom “all swans are white.” But when a Dutch explorer discovered a black swan in Australia, his discovery “instantly demolished an apparent reality while also enabling a new, more informed state of… Continue reading

“Neither Dupes nor Slaves of Men”: Witnesses from Women in Polygamous Marriages

Hands holding a photo album

Who better to help you in your understanding of the practice of polygamy in the early Church than the women who were plural wives themselves? Many people feel confused about the practice of polygamy and its fairness to women in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of… Continue reading

Calvary and Gethsemane: Where Did Christ Atone for Our Sins?

an image of a man with a crown of thorns on his head

We tend to emphasize the role of Gethsemane in Christ’s Atonement, but the Crucifixion at Calvary also plays a crucial role. How can we come closer to Jesus Christ by learning about his death? Where did Christ’s Atonement take place? In Dr. John Hilton III’s interview titled “The Atoning Crucifixion,”… Continue reading

The Parable: Simply Complex

woman looking through binoculars

While parables can simplify confusing doctrine, the parables themselves have complex layers that require the reader’s full attention in order to grasp the full doctrine. Jesus’s parables are practically magic; through them, we can see ourselves in almost every character, apply them to current situations, and understand complex doctrine. The Savior’s parables are an almost… Continue reading