At a Crossroads: Learning by Study and by Faith

an image of a woman reading a book on the beach

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

Choose Joy—Choose Repentance

an image of a person holding a sparkler in their hands

The choice to forsake sin and repent may be hard, but it will bring joy. Some people struggle with charity. Some people struggle with purity. But as a kid, Elder Dale G. Renlund struggled with lighting firecrackers before sacrament meetings. In his talk “Repentance: A Joyful Choice,” Elder Renlund describes how, when he… Continue reading

Divinely You

A photo of three smiling young fellows.

As you seek to discover the depth of the divine nature that lies within you, you will begin to further magnify your precious gift. You might recognize the truths about your divinity in the Primary song “I Am a Child of God.” But it’s not enough just to know these… Continue reading

Having His Spirit With Us: 4 Ways to Help Us Always Be Repentant

an image of a woman sitting on a rock looking at the sunset

How can we use repentance and the Atonement daily, even when we don’t think we’ve sinned? When we think of repentance, we often think of making mistakes, taking the sacrament, righting our wrongs, and becoming clean again. But it’s much more than that. Repentance shouldn’t just be used when we… Continue reading

Never Alone, Never Unloved: Faith to Climb Mountains

an image of a mountain with a few trees in front of it

During hard times, it’s tempting to feel lost and discouraged. But as we exercise faith, we can know that we are never alone, forgotten, or unloved when we face trials. Sometimes our adversities seem like mountains, too tough to conquer. During our darkest moments, we might lose hope and wonder,… Continue reading

Sunday Blues and Sabbath Delights

an image of a mountain with a sun shining over it

I dreaded Sundays. I wanted to enjoy them, but I didn’t until I learned to focus on my relationship with God. In his talk “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” President Russell M. Nelson uses the word delight sixteen times. To me, delight meant eating ice cream or watching a romantic comedy; it did not… Continue reading

One Day, Maybe

A planning book

If you think a faithful life sounds great—but not right now—here are some ways to procrastinate developing your testimony. You’re young. You’re free. This is the time to live for the moment—no commitments, no restrictions. Of course, there’s that lingering feeling that the gospel is in fact true, but you don’t… Continue reading

5 Ways to Guard Against Lust

Young couple laughing

Combating lust will help us develop true love and grow closer to the Spirit. Lust isn’t something we generally like to think or talk about. It’s dark and alluring at the same time. However, talking about lust can lead to understanding it, which can lead to a greater ability to… Continue reading

Feeling Discouraged?

an image of a mountain with a snow covered peak in the background

It’s an inevitable hazard of becoming awesome. Do you think Moses felt overwhelmed when he was charged with leading the Lord’s covenant people? Or that Joseph Smith was insecure about his ability to be the prophet through whom Christ’s church would be restored? Chances are that your lack of confidence… 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