Agency: Putting Choices in Context
Agency is not the power to make choices in a vacuum—it is the power to make choices in relationship to our surroundings. We as children of heavenly parents have agency, or the ability to choose. The hymn “Choose the Right” expresses succinctly what we are to do with this ability:...
Proved Before God and Yourself
As we trust that trials are for our good, we will be proved before God and ourselves. Life can be a struggle, a pain, and a test of endurance. Sometimes it’s easy to view the trials in our lives as evidence that God doesn’t care about the difficulties we face—or...
Tithing: More Than the One Thing I Do Right
As we faithfully pay tithing, it becomes not only a habit but a meaningful ritual of service to the Lord. Tithing often brings to mind the miracle stories: A poverty-stricken family pays their tithing and is miraculously blessed. Some are suddenly given just the amount of money they need to survive. Or they...
Lessons Learned from a Broken Bow
When Nephi breaks his bow in the Book of Mormon, he teaches us by example how to deal with adversity. The first part of the Book of Mormon follows the journey of Lehi and his family out of Jerusalem, through the wilderness, and across the ocean to the promised land....
Choose Joy—Choose Repentance
The choice to forsake sin and repent may be hard, but it will bring joy. Some people struggle with charity. Some people struggle with purity. But as a kid, Elder Dale G. Renlund struggled with lighting firecrackers before sacrament meetings. In his talk “Repentance: A Joyful Choice,” Elder Renlund describes how, when he...
Building the Church through Friendship
Strengthening our relationships with others is a big part of living the gospel. The third hour of my Sunday church block generally goes like this: I walk into Relief Society, grab my usual seat next to my roommates, and promptly leave as soon as the meeting ends. In other words,...

