An Open Invitation: Applying General Conference Messages

What you choose to do after general conference is over can have a far greater impact than can the notes you took or the good feelings you felt during the conference. Every six months, we have the privilege of joining with people across the world to hear messages from men… Continue reading

Building the Church through Friendship

Strengthening our relationships with others is a big part of living the gospel. The third hour of my Sunday church block generally goes like this: I walk into Relief Society, grab my usual seat next to my roommates, and promptly leave as soon as the meeting ends. In other words,… Continue reading

You Can Be a “Yellow Angel”

Developing a heart of service comes down to one thing: following the prophet’s counsel. When we do that, we can become someone’s “Yellow Angel.” Continue reading

Children of the Covenant

angel moroni on the top of a temple

When we make and keep sacred covenants, we know who we are and what our purpose is. We’ve been taught that we are sons and daughters of God. But what does that really mean? In the general conference talk “Covenants,” President Russell M. Nelson teaches that “when we realize that we are… Continue reading

Perfection—Still in Progress

We are commanded to be perfect like Christ, but we aren’t expected to attain perfection immediately. It’s easy to see the distance between where we are and where we want to be—and even should be. It’s also easy to be discouraged when we realize how often we fail to “be… Continue reading

The Leopard’s Lie: Do People Really Change?

Even with our knowledge of the plan of salvation, it can be difficult to see others as God sees them—especially when they seem unwilling or unable to progress toward achieving their divine potential. Is permanent improvement possible? Clinton Duffy, an American prison warden known for successfully rehabilitating prisoners, certainly thought… Continue reading

The Only Goal That Matters

close up on foosball table.

When we become uncertain, overwhelmed, or lost in this life, we can reorient ourselves toward the goal that matters: returning to Christ. For as long as I can remember, I have had some goal that I was working toward. First it was to be more involved in my small community. Then… Continue reading

Weaving Discipleship into Our Spiritual Tapestry

Being a disciple isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. When I’d hear the word disciple, I used to imagine the ancient apostles Mark, Peter, and John literally following in the Savior’s footsteps. Since two millennia separated me from when Christ lived on the earth, I felt that… Continue reading

Doubting My Doubts

As I struggled to gain a testimony of the gospel, a general conference talk helped me put my doubts into perspective. “I’m just not sure if I believe in the Church anymore,” I said as I kept my eyes fixed on the distant waters of Utah Lake. I saw Niel… Continue reading

Believing in the Power of Belief

My husband doesn’t know the Church is true, and that’s completely fine with me. When I first watched Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2013 general conference talk, “Lord, I Believe,” I loved Elder Holland’s solemn assurance that I didn’t have to know every gospel teaching all at once. I could just believe.… Continue reading