Growing Through Every Season

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can grow and flourish in every season of life.   Life rarely unfolds exactly as we expect. Plans change, opportunities are lost, and unexpected trials can leave us wondering why life is stagnant. In these moments, we can easily think that God has forgotten...

Ongoing Restoration

Renovations to Temple Square allow for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to be preached to the world like never before. During my mission at Temple Square, I sometimes struggled to keep Jesus Christ at the center of my conversations. I deeply wanted to share the joy of his restored...

Accepting Weaknesses Gracefully

How can I accept my weaknesses and grow without hopeless self-hatred, anxious disappointment, or worldly sorrow? The Apostle Paul is remembered as a great man of Christ. But in his own writings, he said, “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet...

Culture vs. Creed: Thoughts on Our Bodies

As we teach and learn together, we must distinguish between Church doctrine and local culture. I see a disconnect sometimes, especially in online echo chambers, between my lived experience and the lived experiences of others within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These differences are often benign or...

Even If…

Uncertainty is a reality of life that we all have to deal with. By acknowledging the imperfection of our own knowledge, we can still learn despite uncertainty. “Fear is asking, ‘What if…?’ Faith is saying, ‘Even if….’” My boss once shared this quote with me during a work training, and...
No Borders in Christ’s Kingdom

No Borders in Christ’s Kingdom

Although it may often seem that the world is divided by borders, religion, or politics, we are all one when we live in Jesus Christ’s kingdom. The year 2020 was defined by unrest in the United States. With a dangerous virus, a contentious election, and protests and riots taking place,...
How I Faked Conversion

How I Faked Conversion

I wasn’t even close to being a disciple of Christ, but I was able to fake it. Fortunately, God saw straight through me.  I think you should know right off the bat that I was born into a super-normal Mormon family. We went to church, we had family prayer, we...
#floodtheearth: Hastening the Work Through Technology

#floodtheearth: Hastening the Work Through Technology

In our media-filled society, what can we do to help the Lord hasten his work? Whether you’re a social media master or someone who hasn’t quite figured out what a tweet is, you can find help in Elder David A. Bednar’s 2014 Education Week address, “To Sweep the Earth as...
4 Lessons for the Year 2040

4 Lessons for the Year 2040

How can decisions from today affect you in the year 2040? Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offers four lessons to learn today that will help you make better decisions in the future. How often do you consider the future in your everyday decisions? The...
A Firm Foundation That Will Not Crack

A Firm Foundation That Will Not Crack

Building a foundation of faith is simpler than you might think. It always comes down to the basics.
What Should I Do?

What Should I Do?

You probably know how important it is to do God’s will, but how can you really be sure that you are making the right decisions?  President Thomas S. Monson has said, “Your decisions determine your destiny.” But how can you know you are making the decisions that will lead you...