Studying the Scientific Details of Creation

Selective Focus Photography of Green Fern Plant

Both scientific and religious viewpoints of creation can contribute to a meaningful understanding of the world around us. The debate between creationism and evolution is a rhetorical minefield, and adherents on either side would have us believe that reconciliation is impossible. Yet Dr. Daniel J. Fairbanks has a foot in… Continue reading

How to Develop Our Talents

girl studying

We are all blessed with talents. Through three divine steps, we can develop our talents and use them to benefit the kingdom of God. All of us are blessed with unique abilities. Based on the Savior’s parables, we know we should develop our talents, but we don’t always know how. … Continue reading

Familiarity Among Strangers

Image of sunrise through destroyed buildings

We should develop an appreciation for the diversity around us and see everyone as fellow citizens in the household of God. Anyone who has visited another country may attest that it can be deeply disorienting to exit the plane and find yourself immersed in an unfamiliar culture. I know the… Continue reading

Our Identity Gives Us Purpose

A group of people standing in a line, supporting each other and facing away.

Our identity isn’t determined by worldly labels or arbitrary divisions. We all inherit a divine identity and purpose from our eternal parents. I’ve always had a lot of identities. I’m a Southern Californian, a redhead, an oldest sibling, a student, a book-lover, a woman, and a daughter. There are so… Continue reading

Called to Be an Apprentice

A man using woodworking tools.

Because we are not yet masters, God has not asked us to produce a masterpiece. Instead, he invites us into his workshop as apprentices to Jesus Christ. At age 17, I struggled to pound and twist and mold my messy life into a masterpiece. Alone, I strove to right my… Continue reading

How the Internet Divides Our Soul

A cell phone.

The internet allows us to spread ourselves too thin; careful use of our agency is essential for getting the most out of the technology we use. The ability to multitask by using technology allows us to be in many places at once. Thanks to the internet and cell phones, we… Continue reading

Embracing Our Quirks on the Path to Perfection

An aerial view of many different, multi-colored ceramic bowls

Our quirks and peculiarities are a strength as we strive to become more Christlike. I wear a dinosaur backpack around my college campus. I always arrive ridiculously early to the airport. Every year I celebrate several made-up holidays, such as the anniversary of the first time I got stitches. My… Continue reading

Letting Your Light So Shine: Uncovering Your Spiritual Gifts

A small candle is lit on a wooden fence, with a few other candles blurred in the background

We don’t need to wander in darkness—by learning to recognize the Spirit’s influence in our lives, we can uncover and use our spiritual gifts for good. During Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, he teaches us to let our “light so shine before men” as an uncovered candle shines its light… Continue reading

Faith in the Giver of Blessings

A fire lighting up the darkness.

When our faith is placed not in blessings but in the God who gives them, we will find strength to withstand our trials. Three young men found God in a furnace. Thrown into the flames for sustaining their religion, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego grasped for faith with their words, “Our… Continue reading

Learning What Inner Beauty Looks Like

A woman stands in front of the sunset while looking up to the sky

I believed beauty was only determined by what is on the outside, but I have learned that it is our inner goodness that makes us beautiful. “Suck in your stomach.” “Straighten your hair.” “Those clothes don’t look good on you.” Hearing these comments from those around me was normal. Physical… Continue reading