Comprehending Death

Rose sitting on a headstone

When my friend Malori passed away, my beliefs about life after death were put to the test. Did I really believe in the spirit world? We all will eventually face the reality of losing a loved one. Until recently, though, I had never had to experience that pain. It was… Continue reading

You Can Have a “Happily Ever After”

you can have a happily ever after

The world may teach us to stop believing in “happily ever afters,” but Heavenly Father has encouraged us to believe otherwise. As children, we were taught to hope. We believed in happy endings. But as we grew up, hope started to seem juvenile, and happiness felt impossible. “Happily ever after” became… 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

God Is Never Hidden, Yet Sometimes We Are

busy train station

“God is never hidden, yet sometimes we are, covered by a pavilion of motivations that draw us away from God and make him seem distant and inaccessible.” As members of the Church, we often feel that although we are keeping the commandments, going to the temple, and praying regularly, we… Continue reading

Be Dedicated, Not Frenzied

boots walking up stairs

Elder Dallin H. Oaks teaches that the best way to live the gospel is through consistent, dedicated effort. In 1952, Illinois governor Adlai E. Stevenson gave a speech in which he said patriotism “is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” Elder… Continue reading

Stand Strong in Your Faith

Lighthouse along the beach

The world in which we live makes us face several challenges and temptations. How can we have the courage to stand strong? There has never been a time like ours today. Moral values are ridiculed, sin is applauded, and temptations are disguised as valuable experiences. Many believe that being a… Continue reading

Elder L. Tom Perry: Builder of Souls

Picture of L. Tom Perry on a background with a sunset

Elder L. Tom Perry lived a life of service to his fellow men as a builder of churches and souls. On May 30, 2015, L. Tom Perry—a man with a big smile and an even bigger heart—passed away. Elder Perry (1922–2015) lived a long life of service. As a young man,… Continue reading

How Burdens Can Become Blessings

Through faith and patience, we can learn how the burdens of today can become the blessings of tomorrow. Experiencing an overload? Obligations, illnesses, decisions—each of us carries a load. Sometimes our loads seemingly become too heavy to bear. But Elder L. Whitney Clayton shows us that our burdens don’t have to… Continue reading

The Atonement: The End to Addiction

Jesus praying for our sins

Are you struggling with recurring sins? Don’t give up—give your all to Christ. Through the Atonement, he can help you overcome addiction. Have you ever heard the phrase misery loves company? Satan wants to see us indulge in sin and addiction so that we will feel miserable, frustrated, and hopeless… Continue reading

Be a Financial Guru

Living on your own? Graduating? Getting married or expecting a baby? At some point we all must learn to manage our own finances. When you’re facing all kinds of expenses—tuition, insurance payments, daily lunch—you might feel flustered. The first step toward improving your finances is simply feeling positive about your… Continue reading