The Lord’s Timing Is Everything

an image of a man holding a watch and a cell phone

Plans change, and we may not always know why. By applying faith and a commitment to the commandments, we can overcome any unexpected changes. We all have plans—and we’ve all had to adjust them occasionally. Take Elder Dallin H. Oaks, for example. When he was seventeen years old, he was called… Continue reading

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

Talking about Same-Sex Attraction

yellow leaf in a pile of purple leaves

Conversations about same-sex attraction require love and understanding. In a world where more and more people believe that right and wrong are relative, the teachings of the Mormon church about same-sex attraction stand out. Mormons believe that only marriage between a man and a woman is of God. But does that mean they reject… Continue reading

You Can Find Peace amid Mental Health Trials

Man sitting at a table covering his face with his hand

God cares about our mental health, and he hopes that through these trials we will choose to lean on him and trust in his healing process. Facing unrelenting fear can be destructive. When I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, I experienced days where I couldn’t function emotionally or physically.… Continue reading

Will Forgiveness Come?

an image of a man sitting on a ledge looking down at his cell phone

Because we sometimes feel ashamed of the need to repent, we forget that the Savior wants to forgive us. There is a common perception that asking for forgiveness is something to be ashamed of. Repenting of our sins can seem daunting. We imagine ourselves kneeling before the throne of grace,… Continue reading

Turning Trials into Opportunities

an image of a group of white flowers growing out of a pile of rocks

We cannot learn by study alone. We must also learn through experience and action. Chronic illness. Natural disasters. Premature death. Many trials surface in our lives, often seeming random, with no one to blame for their appearance. It’s easy to ask, “Why? Why do good people suffer such hardships?” In… Continue reading

Enjoy the Ride

train

Life isn’t all sunshine and bliss. Whatever life throws at us, the trick is to enjoy the ride.    In a world where advertisements and Instagram posts promote the idea that everyone around us is happy and we can be happy too if we just apply ourselves or buy a certain product,… Continue reading

Finding Redemption through Prayer

an image of a man sitting on the ground with his hands in his face

Just when life felt unbearable, a man found courage through prayer to keep living and to start changing. At one point or another, each of us has made mistakes that result in the absence of the Spirit, leading to a feeling of darkness. If we don’t address these mistakes quickly… Continue reading

I Shall Come Forth as Gold

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Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we can rise from our trials to become stronger and more capable. The fire was roaring, engulfing not only the plane and its passengers but also the life that Stephanie Nielson once knew. Whether or not our trials arrive in the form of… Continue reading

Hope: A Journey to Faith

an image of a person walking down a road with a mountain in the background

Sometimes it can take seconds to gain faith in certain aspects of the gospel, but what if it takes twenty years? For twenty years, I didn’t have a testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet. During these years, I served in numerous callings and even went on a mission. Despite… Continue reading