Building the Courage to Stand Alone

In 2011, Thomas S. Monson counseled us all to “dare to stand alone.” What can we learn from his words 15 years later? My high school in San Diego, California, had nearly two thousand students. Around 15 of those were members of the Church, including my brothers and me. Throughout...

What We Ought to Know About Eternity

What does the gospel of Jesus Christ teach us about our life’s purpose and eternal destiny? Familial bonds don’t end with mortality. There are millions of pop culture portrayals of the afterlife and speculations about what it’s like. For instance, I recently watched a movie with a depiction of an...

Faithfully Acting on Revelation

Faith is what allows us to hear the Lord’s voice and act on his will. I packed my backpack for the first day of class after changing my major for the third time. I felt excited to begin the semester, convinced I had finally found my calling. However, as the...

A Gift More Precious Than Rubies

Despite its miraculous origins and exquisite teachings, we sometimes forget how important the Book of Mormon is in our lives. What is it worth to you? One way to realize how much we value something is to remove it from our lives. President Russell M. Nelson encourages us to engage...

Start Where You Are

Being a disciple of Christ doesn’t need to be complicated, and it doesn’t come with a list of prerequisites. In his October 2015 general conference talk, “It Works Wonderfully!,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf emphasizes the Savior’s grace in the journey of discipleship. He asks us to consider whether we are...
The Joseph Smith Papers: Preserving Precious History

The Joseph Smith Papers: Preserving Precious History

The Joseph Smith Papers project is one of the most significant ongoing projects the Church has ever taken on to preserve its history. Find out how historians are making it happen.  Have you ever tried reading old family records? These records can be nearly impossible to read. The ink is...
The Power of “Ponderizing”

The Power of “Ponderizing”

Even in the midst of our busy lives, we can be spiritually enlightened by “ponderizing” the scriptures daily. When our lives get hectic, it’s tempting to put scripture study on the back burner. We might skim over a few verses before bed or just skip our scripture study altogether. Either way, we...
You Are Everything to God

You Are Everything to God

In a world with billions of people, it’s easy to feel insignificant. But you matter. Remember the last time you took a moment to stand still and look up at the stars? Doing so reminds me of how incredible our Heavenly Father’s creations are. It also reminds me of how...
Social Media Ministering: Four Ways to Reach Out in Love

Social Media Ministering: Four Ways to Reach Out in Love

We can use social media to further God’s work and minister to our brothers and sisters using four simple L’s. In August 2014, David A. Bednar gave a devotional called “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood,” counseling us to use technology for ministering and missionary purposes. He said,...
When the Answer Is “You Choose”

When the Answer Is “You Choose”

God will always answer our prayers, but sometimes his answer is that we should decide which choice is best. The other day, I was talking with my dad about an important decision I needed to make. I turned to him because he has always been my confidant and has given...
Our Guiding Mistakes

Our Guiding Mistakes

Because of the Savior, we have infinite opportunities to learn from our mistakes. We all make mistakes. But this fact is not a mistake in the plan of salvation for humankind. In his talk “Until Seventy Times Seven,” Elder Lynn G. Robbins explains that “repentance isn’t [God’s] backup plan in...