I was working toward worthy goals. But a gentle reminder of the blessings that I currently had showed me that I didn’t have to wait for joy. I needed to finish two papers, study for a math test, call some of the girls in my Young Women class, and figure… Continue reading
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
“When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: Stop it!” Judging others—we all do it, whether we like to admit it or not. In a world full of people who are very different from you, it can be hard… Continue reading
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
When God’s plan for us seems like a thrift-store, hand-me-down plan, we need to be patient, have faith, and remember the blessings God has promised us. Maybe you’re past the “standard” Mormon marrying age or you’re working in a job unrelated to your degree. Or maybe you’re wondering if you’re… Continue reading
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
Being a disciple isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. When I’d hear the word disciple, I used to imagine the ancient apostles Mark, Peter, and John literally following in the Savior’s footsteps. Since two millennia separated me from when Christ lived on the earth, I felt that… Continue reading
When the unrelenting trials in my life were threatening to tear me down, I was reminded by a general conference talk that “hard is good.” By the time the weekend of the October 2017 general conference arrived, I was completely overwhelmed. I felt like I had thirty-five hours of work… Continue reading
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
Perhaps the best way to learn patience with others is to first be patient with yourself. How many perfect days have you had? Days that were truly perfect: love and harmony abounded, the sun shone brightly, and you were the paragon of patience. Or do you more often find yourself… Continue reading
