It’s Not Where You Serve, but How You Serve

After being reassigned to a new mission and then leaving the field early, a conference address helped me put things into perspective.  In April 2017, I was in the Missionary Training Center when I got a major concussion and sprained my ankle. Consequently, a week later I was reassigned to… Continue reading

Trust, Happiness, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

While it sometimes feels like adversity and sorrow are dragging us down, those challenges are actually making a place for greater happiness. We are commanded to trust God and have faith in his plan for us. Often, however, that is much easier said than done. We may face challenges and… Continue reading

Keep Christ at the Center

During the ups and downs we all cycle through, we must always keep Christ at the center and as the foundation of our lives.   The gospel of Jesus Christ is full of good news, but more than anything else, Christ is our good news—the best news. But for all the… Continue reading

More Holiness Give Me—More Savior Like Thee

“All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness.”—President Russell M. Nelson After the October 2019 General Conference ended, I kept thinking of these words: happiness and holiness. While President Russell M. Nelson was giving his closing remarks, he shared the temple recommend questions that were recently edited for… Continue reading

Following Him at Home

 As we study Come, Follow Me with our families, the influence of the adversary will get weaker as we strengthen our testimonies together. As a part of the new emphasis on a “home-centered Church,” President Russell M. Nelson announced in October 2018 that Sunday services would be shortened by an… Continue reading

Don’t Sweat the Details: He Has a Plan

It’s easy to get caught up in the details of the plan of salvation, but don’t let them overshadow the simple and pure truths.   There are so many details about the doctrines and practices of the gospel, and sometimes they lead to more questions than answers. In his conference… Continue reading

3 Ways to Everyday Happiness

When life doesn’t go down the planned path, don’t worry—there is an easy formula to make every step you take a happy one. School, work, family, friends—all day every day, something needs our attention. In his talk, “A Summer with Great Aunt Rose,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gives us a… Continue reading

Will Being Holier Really Make Me Happier?

We can increase our personal happiness today by taking the needed steps to become more holy.  “Keeping the commandments makes you happier.” At times, this may feel like a line said by well-meaning parents and leaders simply because they want us to improve our behavior. In fact, we may think… Continue reading

The Adventure Lasts a Lifetime

The call to adventure is inside you, beckoning you toward a glorious destiny. Don’t let your fear of dragons keep you from it. In every culture and age, humans have told and turned to stories for inspiration. Perhaps we hold on to stories because, in each of us, there is… Continue reading

How Prophets Help Us Differentiate Skunks from Kitty Cats

The adversary tries to make good appear evil and evil appear good, but if we listen to our prophets, we won’t be fooled.  In his conference address “Deceive Me Not,” Elder Gary E. Stevenson tells the story of his sons who wanted to go outside to play at their great-uncle’s… Continue reading