Back So Soon?

an image of a woman standing next to a woman holding a book

Returning home early from a mission can be devastating. But with the support of loved ones and Heavenly Father, returning missionaries can press forward to achieve what the Lord has in store for them. For most missionaries, coming home is a joyous occasion. As the proud returning missionary is greeted… Continue reading

Trials Can Be For Your Good

an image of a person standing on a cliff overlooking a valley

Our success and happiness are determined by how we choose to react to trials. By Heavenly Father’s eternal design, mortality wasn’t meant to be easy. Though trials may weigh us down, we can face them with confidence as we look to Christ. The challenge? To have an eternal perspective in… Continue reading

Finding Power through Forgiveness after Abuse

an image of a woman standing on a hill with her arms outstretched

Those struggling to forgive after abuse can find healing through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I was convinced that I would not find peace until he was in prison. I needed justice. But I was an eighteen-year-old with few resources and he was a much older man with criminal lawyers… Continue reading

Be True, Be You, Be Millennial

an image of a close up of a cell phone with various apps

The title millennial is not a scab of leprosy but a crown of royalty. Wear it boldly with honor, courage, and reverence. “It must be a millennial thing.” The generational label millennial is often used in a negative way, suggesting all that is wrong with the world’s young people: they… Continue reading

What Hurts the Most

hands typing on a laptop

Are you sure your partner would be okay with that text you just sent? Today, it is more likely than ever before that infidelity will be based in technology. According to licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Lori Cluff Schade in her Ensign article “Marriage, Technology, and Emotional Infidelity,” “texting, email, games,… Continue reading

When What We Want and What We Need Aren’t the Same

an image of a person walking down a path in a forest

We all face choices. What can we do when what seemed like a good plan starts to fall apart? When I got home from my mission, I had it all planned out.  I wanted to leave for college early to see my friends, find a place to live, and settle… Continue reading

Getting the Most from Your Temple Worship

an image of a group of people walking down a sidewalk

By treating the temple as a place of learning, our visits can become more meaningful. “Go to the temple.” It’s something we hear from Church leaders almost as much as the exhortation to read our scriptures and say our prayers. But no matter how many times it has been said,… Continue reading

Making Sense of Mental Illness

an image of a woman with her back turned to the camera

Whether you struggle with mental illness or want to help someone who does, you can find hope by understanding it more thoroughly. “She’s gotten so crazy!” “He had so much potential.” “Snap out of it!” We often say things like this when we don’t understand how to help friends or… Continue reading

Sacrificing Seconds to Seek Service

an image of a group of people climbing a mountain together

Sacrificing time for service will help you love those you serve. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are asked to perform many acts of service, especially through our callings. Sister Cristina B. Franco notes in her talk “The Joy of Unselfish Service” that in… Continue reading

Church Disciplinary Councils: Acts of Love

Christ comforts the woman taken in adultery

High-profile cases of Church discipline have recently made national headlines, leading some people to question the need for excommunication. Church disciplinary councils lovingly invite those who seriously transgress to repent and start over with the full blessings of the gospel. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve… Continue reading