Families: All Shapes and Sizes

A man holds a child's hand while they stand in the ocean during sunset

Families are essential to the plan of salvation, but what do we do if our family doesn’t fit the traditional mold? Every birthday as a little girl, I would wish to become a fairy-mermaid when blowing out my birthday candles. When I was older, I asked my mom what she… Continue reading

Humble Like a Child

A little girl in a pink jacket standing with her hands clasped together and her eyes closed

If we act with love, faith, and humility like children, we can better connect with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I frequently babysit my little cousins, and the five-year-old frequently loses his toys. His first instinct when this happens is always to pray because he knows God will help… Continue reading

Improving Your Family by Improving Yourself

an image of a bride and groom looking at each other

Happy marriages and families don’t happen overnight. They’re built through personal daily acts of compassion, selflessness, and love. Marriage isn’t easy, and families aren’t perfect, no matter how much we wish they were. Although we like to believe that family life will always be blissful, that’s not how life—or marriage—works. Difficulties… Continue reading

From the Mouths of Babes

Four children with their arms around each other.

We can learn a lot from children, including how easy it is to share the gospel with our friends.   Stories of the funny things kids blurt out travel far and wide and sometimes become some of the best family memories. However, there are also moments when children say insightful… Continue reading

Stop the Judgment: How to Help Couples without Children Feel They Belong

Couple in front of a lake

Couples without children may feel out of place in church and family circles. We can help them by showing greater sensitivity in our words and actions. During the past year, my husband and I wanted to have kids, but for a while, we were unable to realize our dream. This… Continue reading

Diary of a Soon-to-Be Mother

pregnant woman with hand on stomach

With two more semesters to go before my college graduation, my husband and I discovered that I was pregnant. How could I do what the Lord wanted while fulfilling my own goals? As a young woman, I always had a fear that I wouldn’t get married or have a family. But… Continue reading

Keeping Homes Intact: The LDS Church and the Children of Same-Sex Couples

an image of a boy standing on the beach looking out at the ocean

The policy change regarding children of same-sex couples is not intended to discriminate against these children. Its intent is to prevent them from getting caught in a tug-of-war between the Church and their parents. In November 2015, LDS Church officials issued an instructional letter clarifying that children living in a same-sex… Continue reading

Finding Joy in the Process

an image of a man and woman hugging each other in a black and white photo

Fact: life can be tough. However, as we look toward Christ, we can find the joy we need to endure even the most difficult trials. We never think that we will be the ones who will have to suffer through a particular challenge or trial—until it is staring us in… Continue reading

Remembering Our True Identity

Person standing in the middle of a road

When we remember our true identity, we’re better prepared to serve our spiritual brothers and sisters. I’m the type of person who, during a one-hour drive, can listen to all sorts of music—classical, country, rock, indie, pop, opera, and Broadway. So, I easily connect with people who also love all… Continue reading

Marriage: Then and Now

shot of bride and groom feet

By using “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” as our standard, we can see how far off-center the world’s idea of marriage has become, how it got there, and how we need to define marriage today.  A judicial system has to balance social and individual interests—the good of the… Continue reading