My Dad, the Ultimate Babysitter

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

At a Crossroads: Learning by Study and by Faith

When two of my greatest dreams seemed to be at odds, the Holy Ghost taught me they could complement each other beautifully—but only if I remembered to put God first. As I walked home in the rain, I found myself dreaming about gathering around a mahogany table stacked with books… Continue reading

Satan’s Ad Campaign: Are You Buying into It?

When we recognize Satan’s false advertising, we can avoid miserable consequences and instead receive God’s blessings. Satan is trying to attract followers—and he knows that eternal misery isn’t a tempting pitch. In the talk “When Evil Appears Good and Good Appears Evil,” Elder Quentin L. Cook invites us to imagine… Continue reading

Homesick for Heaven

God is calling out for you to come home—and asking you to help your brothers and sisters on their journey back. Whether your family situation is idyllic and peaceful or strained and uncomfortable, you have a perfect home waiting for you up above. In the talk “A Yearning for Home,”… Continue reading

Finding the Right Bowl of Porridge: 10 Things to Consider before Marriage

Deciding whom to marry is one of the most important choices you’ll ever make. Considering these 10 traits and habits can help you make the right decision. When Goldilocks broke into the house of the three bears, she tried each bowl of porridge until she found one that was “just… Continue reading

When Friends Leave the Church

When your friends leave the Church, you don’t have to leave them. Read these five tips for maintaining great relationships with friends who are no longer Latter-day Saints. Several of my friends have recently left the Church. Even though I love and care about them, I have really struggled to… Continue reading

Improving Your Family by Improving Yourself

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

It Is Well with My Soul: Reclaiming the Sanctity of Sex

In a sex-saturated world, it’s important to remember the true doctrine of human intimacy. There are so many mixed messages and misconceptions about sex—what it is, when it’s okay, and what it should be like. We see sex portrayed in movies, books, and TV shows, and with all these messages… Continue reading

Faith Divided, Love United: Looking within to Bring Your Family Together

Instead of trying to change your family members, try changing yourself. During my junior year of high school, most of my close family members decided they didn’t want to be a part of the Church anymore. When I noticed their feelings changing, it was like a punch in the gut.… Continue reading

“Where’s the Baby?”: Some Questions We Just Shouldn’t Ask

When to start a family and how many kids to have are personal decisions. People’s well-meaning questions can create unhelpful pressure—and even pain. “So are you planning on having kids soon?” The first time I was greeted with this question, I had been married for three weeks. My husband and… Continue reading