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

What Hurts the Most

hands typing on a laptop

Are you sure your partner would be okay with that text you just sent? Today, it is more likely than ever before that infidelity will be based in technology. According to licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Lori Cluff Schade in her Ensign article “Marriage, Technology, and Emotional Infidelity,” “texting, email, games,… Continue reading

3 Ways to Everyday Happiness

an image of a man jumping in the air with a skateboard

When life doesn’t go down the planned path, don’t worry—there is an easy formula to make every step you take a happy one. School, work, family, friends—all day every day, something needs our attention. In his talk, “A Summer with Great Aunt Rose,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gives us a… Continue reading

Church Disciplinary Councils: Acts of Love

Christ comforts the woman taken in adultery

High-profile cases of Church discipline have recently made national headlines, leading some people to question the need for excommunication. Church disciplinary councils lovingly invite those who seriously transgress to repent and start over with the full blessings of the gospel. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve… Continue reading

An Antidote for Pride

an image of a couple of people on a mountain holding hands

We all know pride is a problem, but how do we avoid it? President Eyring has a suggestion. Moroni warned that our dispensation would struggle with pride: “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. . . . I know that ye do… Continue reading

Your Role in Our Global Church

girls sitting in a row

Our worldwide church requires each of us to realize that we are greater than our differences. Less than 30 years ago, the Berlin Wall was the ultimate physical symbol of division and uncertainty. Today, that physical boundary has been torn down. But we regularly need to cross cultural boundaries to… Continue reading

Families: All Shapes and Sizes

A man holds a child's hand while they stand in the ocean during sunset

Families are essential to the plan of salvation, but what do we do if our family doesn’t fit the traditional mold? Every birthday as a little girl, I would wish to become a fairy-mermaid when blowing out my birthday candles. When I was older, I asked my mom what she… Continue reading

Why Does It Matter That No One Sits Alone?

an image of a woman holding a silver ball with red nails

We are often encouraged to reach out to those who are alone and forgotten, but what is the true motivation behind that? When I taught a church lesson on Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s talk “No One Sits Alone,” I was struck by something that had never previously occurred to me.… Continue reading

Learn to Love Like God

Hand reaching up into trees, sunlight peeking through the fingers.

In a world where loving ourselves and others feels like a fading dream, we can learn how to love through Heavenly Father’s example. Without a doubt, one of the most pervasive problems in today’s world is a lack of love. Individuals experience this lack of love as they struggle to… Continue reading

Defining Charity

Father holding laughing little girl.

Charity is defined not only by the action itself, but by the love that inspires the action. Ever since I was a little girl, I have struggled to understand what the word charity means. Of course, it does not help that the term has multiple definitions. For example, the word… Continue reading