Joseph Smith’s Patriarchal Blessing

The patriarchal blessing that Joseph Smith received from his father helps us understand that no matter who you are or what you’re called to do, your most important title will always be “child of God.” Joseph Smith Jr. was a prophet, seer, and revelator; a religious and political leader; and… Continue reading

Sharing the Christian Message—Hand in Hand

Latter-day Saints share many of the same beliefs as other religions, including our stance on the family. We can work together as religious people to share elements of the gospel with the world.   As the fight for the family becomes more heated in modern society, people of different religions… Continue reading

Catching a Vision of Your Future

Preparing for your future starts with the decisions you make now. Young adulthood has been described as a decade of decisions, but it can also be a decade of dreams. As Elder Erich W. Kopischke counsels in “What Do You Envision in Life?” it is important to have a clear vision… Continue reading

Single and Still Faithful

In a church that focuses so much on dating, marriage, and family, how can you avoid feeling discouraged when you are single? Being single is often difficult for members of the Church, no matter their age. Even as a young adult, you may feel unwanted and doubt that you will… Continue reading

Relationships and Peeling Grapefruit

Grapefruit and pomegranate design

We all have tiffs at some time or another with family, friends, or our significant other. But are all of these issues really significant? Having problems with your boyfriend or girlfriend, fiancé, or spouse? Have you ever openly talked about the differences that might cause rifts in your relationship? Once… Continue reading

How I Faked Conversion

a girl wearing a backwards baseball cap gazes out toward the ocean

I wasn’t even close to being a disciple of Christ, but I was able to fake it. Fortunately, God saw straight through me.  I think you should know right off the bat that I was born into a super-normal Mormon family. We went to church, we had family prayer, we… Continue reading

What the Temple Can Teach Us about Marriage

In the current turbulent discussions surrounding marriage, it can be pretty hard to know what that relationship should really look like. Fortunately, we can look to the temple.  With so many models of marriage being proposed today, it can be hard for any of us to understand what an ideal… Continue reading

Contest Winner: When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan

mother and child in big city

When life doesn’t go according to my plan, maybe it’s going according to God’s plan. From a very young age, I had a general plan: make it through school, attend BYU, marry an attractive returned missionary, have a fantastic career, raise a family, and live happily ever after. Up until… Continue reading

Remember to Remember

dad and little boy in his arm

The principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot change us if we do not remember them. Almost everyone has lost something important—car keys, a cell phone, that thing you just know you saw five minutes ago. The search becomes frantic as memory fades. Then finally, it clicks.… Continue reading

Dealing with the Death of a Loved One

I learned that losing a loved one, although incredibly painful, can be an opportunity for tremendous spiritual growth and joy as we come to truly understand our Father’s beautiful plan of happiness.   A few months ago, my roommate reached out to me in a time of need. Someone very… Continue reading