Have Hope: The Light Will Come

brilliant light shines at the end of a row of white columns

I thought this new calling would be my worst nightmare. Instead, it was exactly what I needed.  The first few years of college were hard for me. Really hard. Three years into college, I still found myself struggling. It wasn’t just schoolwork. I felt strangely drained. My workload was what… Continue reading

I Was a Stranger: The Call for Relief

Jesus holds a little boy in his lap.

“Reaching out to others with love matters to the Lord.” This is why Latter-day Saint women announced a new refugee relief effort called “I Was a Stranger.”  “Have I done any good in the world today?” Thus began the General Women’s Session of the April 2016 general conference of The… Continue reading

Why Did Christ Establish a Church?

Christ ordaining and setting apart the twelve Apostles

Although there are many reasons Christ established his church on the earth, perhaps the greatest reason is to satisfy God’s desire to see us progress. In today’s world, a growing number of people seem to be moving away from organized religion in favor of finding their own path to spirituality.… Continue reading

Divine Nature: A Virtue Not Just for Women

Seeing others’ divine nature means seeing them as God does. This perspective helps us develop Christlike attributes and makes our service meaningful. In Elder Dale G. Renlund’s first general conference talk as an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he spoke of the importance of remembering that a… Continue reading

Contest Winner: A Girl, Her Journal, and the Memories that Saved Her

Gratitude has the power to heal desperation, shame, sadness, and more. As I wrote down the ways I’d seen God’s hand in my life every day, my burdens lifted. I have a little black journal I write in every night. It has a tight red elastic band that has left an indent… Continue reading

Contest Winner: “But If Not”

We must have faith that things will work out—but if they don’t work out according to our desires, we need to trust in God and in his timing. During the April 2004 general conference, I listened to a talk by Elder Dennis E. Simmons that literally made me stop in my… Continue reading

Outshining the Darkness

a castle wall

When you have questions or concerns about the gospel—don’t lose hope. Heavenly Father sends his guidance to you while you are doing your best to progress. On a cold, dark night in 1972, more than 100 people died because the crew of their plane was more focused on a light… 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

Is the Gospel Helping You Be Happy?

Hands molding a piece of clay

If it’s not, you might be thinking the gospel simply isn’t working for you. Consider these suggestions. Everybody in the world is searching for happiness. Everything a person does is to achieve greater happiness. Sometimes it’s for immediate gratification—like the simple joy of eating ice cream. Sometimes it’s for a… Continue reading

How to Overcome the Fear of Change

man overlooking town

Sometimes change, whether expected or unexpected, can be a very difficult trial. How can we learn to deal with it? Change is an inevitable part of life. Whether we’re starting college, going on a mission, graduating and starting a career, or getting married, change can be difficult to handle. Sometimes… Continue reading