A Day of Great Importance

Rio de Janeiro Temple

Life is full of important days. How do we know what choices can prepare us for them? I recently attended the temple sealing of a good friend. As I sat in the sealing room and listened to the words of the ordinance, I could feel the eternal importance of that… Continue reading

How Christ Can Help You Heal from Sexual Assault

Holding hands

Being a victim of sexual assault often leads to confusion, hopelessness, and guilt. Yet the versatility of Christ’s Atonement can still be a comfort for guiltless victims.  There are few things more devastating than being sexually abused. The aftermath of one’s agency being ignored is often full of regret, anxiety,… Continue reading

Abortion: Clarity from a Prophet

an image of a woman is playing with a baby in the grass

Quiet the voices of the world and refocus on the sanctity of life by remembering President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel. Today, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are truly peculiar in the eyes of the world. The commandments of God differ from many popular opinions, and… Continue reading

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?

an image of a close up of a wave in the ocean

Trials—those seemingly bad things that happen to us—give us opportunities to learn patience, humility, and faith; ultimately, they teach us how to become more like God.   God is all-powerful and all knowing, right? Yes. And God can stop any bad thing from happening, right? Yes. So that means God… Continue reading

Creating Faithful Families in a Fear-Filled World

The sky and light visible through tree branches.

The world seems to be spiraling ever downward, but we can have faith that the Lord understands our circumstances and that our families will be protected from the evil around us. Have you ever wondered how your personal family situation fits into God’s plan? It might sometimes feel like Church… Continue reading

Choosing to Be Chosen

Two sign posts going in opposite directions

Being an “agent unto yourself” balances doing things of your own will and seeking God’s will. When we think about agency, we imagine the divine gift of the right to choose for ourselves. We often hear of agency in connection with being an agent, someone who actively makes decisions and… Continue reading

Hope Is a Call to Action

Graffiti on an electrical box that says "Be the Change" with a heart.

God doesn’t expect us to sit and hope for heaven—he expects us to hope as we work to make heaven here on Earth. Take one look at the state of the world, and it makes sense why so many in our generation deal with anxiety, depression, and despair: think chaotic… Continue reading

Agency: Putting Choices in Context

A man facing a split path where one is dark and one is light

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:… Continue reading

The Gospel and Sexual Assault

A man looking away from the camera

The plan of salvation shapes the way we respond to sexual assault. As society grapples with sexual harassment and sexual assault, Latter-day Saints join with others in condemning such offensive behavior. In a devotional address given at BYU, Benjamin M. Ogles, dean of the College of Family, Home, and Social… Continue reading