We are often encouraged to reach out to those who are alone and forgotten, but what is the true motivation behind that? When I taught a church lesson on Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s talk “No One Sits Alone,” I was struck by something that had never previously occurred to me.… Continue reading
The pressure to be perfect can be immense, but because of Jesus Christ and the power of repentance, a second chance is always available. From chasing impeccable grades to creating seemingly flawless social media accounts, young adults face intense and exhausting pressure to be perfect. I have often worried that… Continue reading
Our journey to return to our heavenly home is not aimless. God has provided us with several gifts, including scriptures, prophets, and personal revelation, to help us return to him. Every New Year’s, my family watches The Lord of the Rings. I’ve always loved the sweeping story, not just for… Continue reading
Our trials may seem senseless, but by transforming them from tragedy into victory, we can find inherent meaning. My life has taken many unexpected turns, often as a result of sudden challenges. One of my toughest moments was when I started my full-time proselytizing mission in March of 2020—just ten… Continue reading
Jesus Christ’s ministry shows us his love. That love and his Atonement are the greatest gifts ever given. The last two lines in the song “Gethsemane” read, “Jesus loves me, / So He gives His gift to me from Gethsemane.” This simple song tells us why Jesus performed his Atonement:… Continue reading
For the times when life seems hopeless, here are three concrete ways to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When discussing how to overcome trials in Sunday School, I frequently hear the comment, “Just apply the Atonement.” But when a crisis hits, I often wonder, “How do I apply the… Continue reading
Eternal truths can be found when we understand the blessings of Gospel doctrines. We’re very familiar with the phrase in James 2:17: “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” But we’re less familiar with the truth that agency without responsibility is also dead—and becomes just a series of decisions.… Continue reading
Latter-day Saints do not normally wear physical crosses, but instead take up a symbolic cross in order to come unto Christ. Why do Latter-day Saints not wear crosses? I recently talked about this question with a fellow member of the Church. She told me that she did wear a cross… Continue reading
Even when the world around us is falling apart, God is always by our side. The first temple in the former Soviet Union was announced only eight years after Ukraine opened to Latter-day Saint missionaries. It would take another decade to build, but the Ukrainian Saints were faithful and patient.… Continue reading
Though we may experience different challenges and opportunities, we each have divine potential and the ability to choose the right direction for our lives. At times we may feel that our starting place determines our destiny; feeling that we’re already behind, we lose hope in leading a successful life. I… Continue reading
