You Are Encircled in the Arms of God’s Love!

Rays of light shine into a cave through a narrow entrance.

Isolation can be overwhelming, but it is never all-encompassing; Christ’s love is greater than our loneliness. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I listened to the sacrament hymn being sung around me. But I wasn’t crying because I felt the Spirit—I was crying because I felt nothing at all. Physically,… Continue reading

My Dad, the Ultimate Babysitter

an image of a man holding a child on his shoulders

Little did I know that babysitting would involve doors I couldn’t open; a child I couldn’t communicate with; and my father, who could do both. A small army of children were piled haphazardly on top of each other watching a movie. I was their proud commander, keeping them confined to… Continue reading

How Death Strengthens My Testimony

Creepy graveyard

With faith in Jesus Christ and in his resurrecting power, we know that death is not the end. I’m familiar with death. My parents were older than many parents when I was born, so my grandparents were older than many of my friends’ grandparents. Now that I am twenty-three, many… Continue reading

Smoothing Our Transitions, Maximizing Growth

knitted scarves

When facing major transitions, maximize your growth by following four simple steps. Few things can be as exciting and intimidating as big transitions. In the 1996 BYU devotional address “Transitions,” Janette Hales Beckham, then serving as Young Women general president, shares four tips to smooth transitions when we’re experiencing the major changes that come with moves, missions,… Continue reading

Cultivating Constant Companionship

two women looking at Ensign

When we strive to listen to the Holy Ghost, we can be blessed not just with occasional guidance but with constant companionship. Standing with his father in a hospital room, President Henry B. Eyring watched his mother succumb to cancer. After years of fighting the disease, she passed from this… Continue reading

Following the Spirit to Comfort Others

Sun behind white wispy clouds drifting over a blue sky

Sometimes a little comfort is all you need to make it through a particularly bad day, week, month, or even year. The Holy Spirit is quiet, but if we let it, it can make a powerful difference in our lives. Not only does it help us to make hard decisions… Continue reading

Finding Rest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

A tired woman throws herself facedown across a couch.

If you have felt “weary in well-doing” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33), hear the words of the prophet and find peace in Christ. As I approach the end of my last semester in college, my most prominent feeling is usually tiredness. I’m tired in my 8 a.m. lectures, I’m tired when… Continue reading

Facing Tragedy with the Blessings of the Gospel

an image of a field of lit up lanterns in the dark

How can we find peace in the moments of greatest tragedy? When a lone gunman opened fire on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he caused grief and heartache for many families. Among those personally affected by this tragedy are Madeleine “Maddy” Wilford, who was shot but… Continue reading

The Whys of Suffering

Why does an all-powerful God allow his children to suffer? If we are God’s children and he is a loving and perfect God, why does he allow suffering? This question has perplexed and troubled many people for years, and it’s truly difficult to come to terms with the immense suffering… Continue reading

You Are Enough

an image of a white sheep standing on a lush green field

I realized that even in the darkest of times, God is always available to me. We are never too unworthy to talk to God. The Paris train station was getting more crowded by the minute as I made my way through customs. It had been a phenomenal trip, but the… Continue reading