“You are surrounded by people. You pass them on the street, visit them in their homes, and travel among them. They are all children of God.” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, 2018). In Elder Jorge T. Becerra’s April 2021 general conference talk, “Poor Little Ones,” he shares… Continue reading
Active love and acceptance transcend mortal politics—but how can we live it? To say that the last year has been a charged one would be an understatement. Division has been at an all-time high, with issues like racial injustice, mask mandates, and even expansionist dogma on the world stage. It… Continue reading
As human beings, we all crave a sense of belonging. How should we reach out to others to satisfy this hunger? Creating an atmosphere of unity and inclusion is certainly easier said than done. But if there is anything to learn from the 2021 BYU Women’s Conference, it’s that we… Continue reading
Because of the Savior, we have infinite opportunities to learn from our mistakes. We all make mistakes. But this fact is not a mistake in the plan of salvation for humankind. In his talk “Until Seventy Times Seven,” Elder Lynn G. Robbins explains that “repentance isn’t [God’s] backup plan in… Continue reading
Everyone has a place in the Church, and as disciples of Christ we can help new and returning members feel like they belong. When my family first moved to Southern California, I found it challenging to figure out how to fit into the new community. When we joined The Church… Continue reading
During a difficult time for my family, an unexpected visitor brought us hope when we needed it most. Who is my light at the end of the tunnel? I could give you the standard answers—my mother, my father, my boyfriend, my bishop. You probably wouldn’t expect it to be the… Continue reading
Compassion is essential to making righteous judgments and maintaining respect in relationships. Many people interpret the Savior’s counsel “judge not” (Matthew 7:1) to be absolute and final. However, it is difficult to be truly nonjudgmental in our day-to-day lives. There are many situations in which we must make distinctions—or judgments—between… Continue reading
An unsung immigrant painter’s work resonates with Latter-day Saints. Individual suffering and heartache are not common themes in LDS artwork. Many of us prefer “uplifting” and familiar scenes—pioneers fearlessly crossing the plains, Helaman leading his stripling warriors, Christ descending from the heavens. Although most of the paintings by Joseph Paul… Continue reading
Through our suffering, we learn to have Christlike empathy for others. If God loves us, why do we suffer? Most of us have had to face this question, and modern revelation provides sound, intellectual answers. But when we’re struggling through trials, sometimes the intellectual answer isn’t enough to carry our… Continue reading
Heavenly Father has given us differences from the very beginning to make the world more beautiful, not to divide us. Have you ever felt that someone is so different from you that you have absolutely nothing in common and can’t possibly become friends? We live in a world where social… Continue reading
