Trust in God’s Plan for You

Orange van with suitcases tied to the top on pavement.

When facing stress, confusion, disappointment, and more, seeing the bigger picture can be a challenge. But God has a better plan for us than we can imagine. Everyone has expectations for life: make good friends, graduate college, serve a mission, marry and have a family, own a business, become a… Continue reading

Not So Bad

When life doesn’t make it easy to sing “all is well,” try “not so bad.” Science and religion agree about the benefits of gratitude. Research and scripture alike show that grateful people are happy people. But what about when I fail a test, have a bad day at work, or… Continue reading

Hear, Hearken, Obey: A Pattern to Overcome Adversity

Person sitting on a dock looking at a lake

When it feels like our life is cracking under pressure, how do we continue? Sometimes the answer is to submit to the will of God. I was 12 years old when I lost all my friends—for the second year in a row. Another move, another state. With burgeoning depression, I… Continue reading

But How Can I Know He’s a Prophet?

In an era oversaturated with access to information and opinions, is it possible to know for certain whether a prophet is called of God? The first time I questioned my testimony about Joseph Smith was during a bike ride with a district leader on my mission. I still vividly remember… Continue reading

Doing as Dancers Do to Make Meaningful Life Changes

Dancer

How can we become in tune with ourselves and focus our attention on what matters most?  “Abby, point your toes, tuck your pelvis, and drop your hip.” Growing up as a dancer, I would often hear these comments from my teachers as I spent countless afternoons in the dance studio.… Continue reading

Finding Our Place in the Restoration

The Restoration isn’t over. The miraculous translation of the Book of Mormon is only the start of our role in the Restoration. We’ve been told that the Restoration is an ongoing process. But what does that mean for us? Where is our place? The early Restoration contained countless miracles, but… Continue reading

Service Starts with Self-Love

Girl skipping through a field

When the daily to-dos of life overwhelm us, contributing good to the world can be as simple as practicing self-love. Attend a team meeting, schedule an appointment, complete a ten-page essay, call mom, make dinner, stop by a friend’s movie night, clean the apartment—for many of us, the list of… Continue reading

Does Heavenly Father Care About Your Education?

Person with backpack and books

We know we can pray for help in gaining spiritual knowledge, but is it wrong to pray for help in gaining academic knowledge? Continue reading

The Foundation of Joseph’s Powerful Community

Joseph Smith has affected the way millions of individuals connect with God and with each other. Joseph Smith founded a religion that has grown at an impressive rate. However, Terryl Givens explains in “‘Lightning Out of Heaven’: Joseph Smith and the Forging of Community” that Joseph really did much more than that.… Continue reading

Creativity: A Link to Father in Heaven

man crouching on a rock overlooking a the tops of clouds and a sunrise.

Not everyone is a master in the arts, but everyone is born with a spirit bursting with creativity. Unlocking this gift can help us establish a closer connection to our Heavenly Father. Some people don’t think they are very creative because they can’t play a musical instrument or have never… Continue reading