Joseph Smith’s Patriarchal Blessing

The patriarchal blessing that Joseph Smith received from his father helps us understand that no matter who you are or what you’re called to do, your most important title will always be “child of God.” Joseph Smith Jr. was a prophet, seer, and revelator; a religious and political leader; and… Continue reading

When Answers to Prayers Don’t Come

Sometimes we get discouraged when we feel that we aren’t receiving answers to our prayers. Learn how to better understand and recognize answers from our Heavenly Father. Imagine that you have a big decision to make. You aren’t sure what the best option is, so you pray fervently to Heavenly… Continue reading

The Law of His Nature Is Love

Hand holding two black and white photos of ancestors.

Love is bound into the eternities through saving ordinances. Love is patient, love is kind, love is binding. Christ teaches us to love one another under all circumstances, regardless of one’s religion, ethnicity, political views, sexual orientation, or other potentially dividing differences. This belief is surely a tenet of many religions;… 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

Pornography Is Not Love

landscape photo of a desolate land

Chop down the tree of pornography by cutting off the roots of lust. Through Christ’s healing and forgiveness, you can overcome pornography addiction. Pornography addiction is a real issue that affects us all in some way: it can destroy self-worth, relationships, and—most importantly—true love. In his address “Place No More… Continue reading

Kindness Is a Virtue

Developing the virtue of kindness can help us in our efforts to build the kingdom of God. In “The Virtue of Kindness,” Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin highlights the importance of kindness with two powerful sentences: “The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have… 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

Charity Revisited

man atop a mountain with sky

For the longest time, I didn’t think I had any charity. Whenever I heard about charity in Primary, Sunday School, Young Women, Relief Society, and even many of my university religion classes, the message I always got was that charity was service. Charity was going out and giving, working, and… Continue reading

A Return to True Civility

group of college age talking

Although we are imperfect mortals, we can still treat others with love and civility even if we don’t always agree with them. In today’s society, “civility” often sounds like an old-fashioned word. Why? In his publication “Civility and Moral Being,” Terrance D. Olson points out that in our day, we… Continue reading

Curve Ball or Careful Pruning?

shrub

At times, God may seem to throw you a curve ball that is unfair or causes hurt. Those are times of “pruning.” He is preparing you for something greater. You probably have something you are working toward right now. It might be a degree, a job, a trip, or some… Continue reading