Love Thyself as Thou Lovest Thy Neighbor

ring on hand

We are told to love our neighbors as we do ourselves, but what do we do when we struggle to love ourselves? When a friend or a neighbor makes a mistake or does something that makes us mad, we might be annoyed or frustrated at them for a while, but… Continue reading

Developing Christlike Self-Discipline

an image of a woman standing in a field with her hands clasped

Rather than focusing on our mistakes and losing hope, we can discipline ourselves with kindness in a Christlike way. At the end of one long week, I sat quietly in a pew waiting to take the sacrament. The familiar words of the prayers went in one ear and out the… Continue reading

Stop, Drop, and Try to Understand

an image of a person ' s hand is shown in the air

When you stop saying unkind words, drop your assumptions, and try to understand, you can save others and yourself from unnecessary hurt and regret. The advice to “seek first to understand, then to be understood” is one of the key habits in Stephen Covey’s famous book The 7 Habits of… Continue reading

What We Tell Ourselves

A woman with dark hair stares into a mirror

I knew that the words I said to others mattered, but what about how I talked to and about myself? A few years ago, I had a unique opportunity to work as an actor in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Basically,… Continue reading

Cultivating Your Spiritual Gold Rush

Hands gently holding a small yellow flower, symbolizing humility, growth, and simple offerings.

We don’t need grand gestures to grow spiritually—just steady flecks of faith, love, and kindness each day. Recently, I attended the temple for the first time. I was surprised by how much of the experience was about progression. Going through the temple was a powerful reminder that spiritual growth doesn’t… Continue reading

Giving In to Compliments

an image of a woman sitting at a table with a cup of paint

Because I wanted to be humble, I used to focus too much on my weaknesses. Now I understand that God wants us to grow confident from our successes. “We talk about being kind to everyone and filling our speech with love, but whenever you say even one nice thing about… Continue reading

No Borders in Christ’s Kingdom

Women in black Hijab headscarf walking on field.

Although it may often seem that the world is divided by borders, religion, or politics, we are all one when we live in Jesus Christ’s kingdom. The year 2020 was defined by unrest in the United States. With a dangerous virus, a contentious election, and protests and riots taking place,… Continue reading

Choosing to Be Kind

Woman Falling in a Line Holding Each Other

Kindness is not a trait, it’s a choice—one we have to make even when it’s hard. It’s no secret that we live in a contentious time. We have found ourselves facing a global pandemic, political and social unrest, and the rise of social media and its cancel culture. Not surprisingly,… Continue reading

Stop the Judgment: How to Help Couples without Children Feel They Belong

Couple in front of a lake

Couples without children may feel out of place in church and family circles. We can help them by showing greater sensitivity in our words and actions. During the past year, my husband and I wanted to have kids, but for a while, we were unable to realize our dream. This… Continue reading